Independent

There are a lot of myths about what "Indie" means. The term has been hijacked by labels and publishers to make them look more relevant or "cool", which only confuses some people as to what "being Indie" is all about.

The proper definition of Independent has several meanings:

1) Not influenced or controlled by others in matters of opinion, conduct, etc.; thinking or acting for oneself: an independent thinker.

2) Not subject to another's authority or jurisdiction; autonomous; free: an independent businessman.

3) Not influenced by the thought or action of others: independent research.

4) Not dependent; not depending or contingent upon something else for existence, operation, etc.

5) Not relying on another or others for aid or support.

6) Rejecting others' aid or support; refusing to be under obligation to others.

7) Executed or originating outside a given unit, agency, business, etc.; external: an independent inquiry.

8) Working for oneself or for a small, privately owned business.

9) Expressive of a spirit of independence; self-confident; unconstrained: a free and independent citizen.

The term Indie (short for Independent) encompasses all of these definitions into one set of ideals - a lifestyle if you will. It's a belief that the art you craft, whether it's stories, music or movies, is a business, and should be treated as such. Being Indie means you make decisions without emotion to your craft and with a business mind. It means you, not some other organization like a publisher or record label, control every aspect of your business.

It's A Business!
Indies have many of the same characteristics as an entrepreneur. So much so, that I call 'em "Indiepreneurs". Small business owners typically have a certain mentality. They usually can't handle the corporate life (building someone else's fame and fortune). Their drive and determination makes it impossible for them to be an employee. They have to be "independent" or they just aren't happy.

For entrepreneurs, there is no "label" that can give them a huge advance (yes I know there are VC's, but most businesses don't get funding, and that's a whole different animal anyway).Entrepreneurs work very hard, pushing through very long days to reach goals and make it happen, because if they don't, their business will die.

True Indies have the same mentality. They want to build a business from their talent. They learn from mistakes. They outsource what they don't know. They make livings realizing their vision. They follow the same path a start up business does. In fact, if you ignore the product, you could hardly tell the difference between an Indiepreneur and an Entrepreneur.

If you ask an Indie if they would sign a contract, the answer is a flat out NO. There's no thinking about it, they don't even need to hear the terms- it's a NO every time. Why? They want to control their own destiny.

What Indie is NOT

• Being Indie is NOT a means to and end (I'll self publish until I get that contract).
• You cannot be signed to a publisher while self publishing books and call yourself Indie.
• There is no such thing as an Indie Record Label
• There is no such thing as an Indie Book Publisher
• Indie is NOT a genre of rock music

So, Are YOU Indie?

Being Indie is hard. Creating your products (music, books) is tough by itself, but then you need to market it, deal with technical stuff (that probably isn't your strong suit) and a string of other things to make it all work. Oh, and you have to balance all of this with your personal life. Some might look at this challenge and run, but not you. Nope, you just want to know what you need to do to get started. Well, here ya go...

Take Advantage of the Freebies
Sign up For Indify, our newsletter and community that offers free tips, articles and other tidbits to help you reach your goals. Subscribe to the Phibble Blog (lots of great tips, inspiration and news). If you have a question, Phibble Answers is full of people just like you that have "been there, done that" and will give you the advice you need.

Get A Website
Not a Blogger Blog, Tumblr or WordPress.com site. For Bands, this doesn't mean using your MySpace or ReverbNation profile. It means getting your "dot com" and creating a real website that you control. If you can't (or don't want to) do it yourself, Phibble can get you set up with a basic site, built on a self-hosted WordPress platform, for only $225. We can host your site too; our hosting plans start at under $6!

Market Yourself -> Get Yourself Out There!
This is the hardest part for many. YOU need to get out of your comfort zone, and put yourself out there. Using the many social media sites out there, blogs and other tools are great ways to let people know you exist and what you offer. Not sure how? Phibble has classes and books that can guide you through the maze of internet marketing.

Ready To Go, But Need A Little Push?

Beginning in late Spring, Phibble will be airing weekly television episodes that feature Indiepreneurs who are doing it. They'll tell their story, including how they made things happen and how they failed. It'll be just the inspiration you need to get off that couch, turn off the TV and start making your Vision a reality!