As primary singer-songwriter for the Kansas City rock band Carswell and Hope, Nick Carswell understands the role that he must play to successfully market his music to the masses. It’s not like the old days.

“Historically, there was the guy in the back of the club wearing the trench coat who said about the band onstage, ‘Hey, who are these guys?’” Carswell said. “And, of course, he had millions of dollars to produce your record and put your name in lights. Well, that guy’s gone now, because the model was unsustainable, and (do-it-yourself) technology is why he’s gone, really.

“Now the guy on stage has to be that guy, right? And that’s a hard thing to do. The performer has to also be that guy in the back of the room who has that business savvy.”

Carswell also knows that it can be all too easy for musicians to get carried away with their vision and lose sight of the dollars being spent.

“I’ve worked with bands that have gotten into debt to make their art, and sometimes the creative process can lead you that way,” he said. “But, personally, that’s not something I want to do. It has to be self-sustaining.”

And, although it might seem counterintuitive, musicians and other artist entrepreneurs shouldn’t hesitate to volunteer their talents from time to time. It’s good for business.

“The smart artists realize that volunteering is a big part of it, and working with nonprofits can lead to paying gigs,” he said. “There’s a holistic approach that the entrepreneurial mind embodies and, if artists can pick that up, then it’s definitely to their benefit. The more people you speak to about your art, the more people talk about your art and the better it is for you.”