Building a Music Career That Actually Fits Your Life – AMA with Bree Noble

In this special AMA episode, Chris Goyzueta welcomes Bree Noble for a powerful and honest conversation about what it truly takes to build a sustainable, fulfilling music career as a woman — from college to touring to mentorship. Bree shares her personal story of leaving a corporate finance job to pursue music full-time, navigating motherhood and the road, and ultimately launching platforms that empower other women to succeed in the music industry.

Whether you’re an aspiring artist, creative entrepreneur, or live music pro, you’ll walk away with actionable insights on branding, fanbuilding, social media, email marketing, and building a business that fits your life — not the other way around.

🕒 Timestamps + Topics:

[0:00] – Introduction and Bree’s quick career summary
[3:29] – How Bree has seen the industry shift for women
[8:00] – The power of representation and why Bree started Women of Substance
[10:00] – Bree’s turning point: from insecure bandmate to confident solo artist
[13:00] – Why thinking like a local business changed her music career
[19:48] – What real allyship looks like from men in the industry
[25:26] – Handling unexpected live performance challenges with grace
[30:31] – Bree’s take on social media strategies for artists
[39:00] – How Bree uses newsletters and storytelling to deepen fan relationships
[42:52] – The three questions Bree would ask a young woman starting her career
[47:10] – Bree’s closing advice: why community is everything

💡 Key Takeaways:

  • You are enough. Artists often wait for permission or validation to go solo — Bree’s turning point came when she stopped trying to fit into other people’s projects.

  • Build a business like a business. Treat your music career like you’re launching a coffee shop — think about your audience, value, and marketing like a real-world company.

  • Don’t go all-in too early. Having a financial cushion or part-time job reduces desperation and actually makes you more desirable in the industry.

  • Real allyship from men means creating safe, inclusive spaces and recognizing (and undoing) unconscious bias.

  • Live shows are about human connection. Mistakes happen — fans remember how you handle them more than the slip itself.

  • Start with one story. Bree repurposes her podcast or newsletter into social content — focus on one idea per week to stay consistent without burning out.

  • Welcome emails matter. The most opened email you'll ever send is the first one — use it to connect, share your story, and show value beyond the “buy” button.

  • Your childhood passions often hold the key. Bree turned her love of mixtapes into a platform for women in music.

  • Find your people. A supportive community accelerates growth, reduces burnout, and keeps you going through the tough moments.

🔗 Connect with Bree Noble:

Instagram: @profitablemusicianllc
Podcast: The Profitable Musician Podcast
Website: https://www.profitablemusician.com

🔗 Connect with the Making It Academy Network
🎓 Website + Courses: makingitwithchrisg.com
📺 YouTube: @chrisgoyzueta
💼 LinkedIn: Making It Academy
💥 Patreon (Bonus Content + Live Workshops): patreon.com/makingitacademy

June Millington - A Fearless Pioneer for Women in Rock N’ Roll and Co-Founder of the All Girls Rock Band Fanny

Ep.084 Cover June Millington.jpg

You can also listen to this episode on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher |

June Millington is one of the founders of Fanny, the first ever all-girls rock band to release an album on a major label. In 1970, Fanny released their self titled debut album on Reprise Records, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records. All together Fanny released four albums on Reprise Records. As a young girl, June and her sister, Jean, moved with their family to the United States from the Philippines. From a very young age, June had to overcome many challenges being from a different country and being a female musician in the 60’s. Along with these challenges, June discovered a little later in life that she was deaf in one ear. However, she was determined to not let anything hold her back and be a musician. Playing music was something that always felt natural to her, and her courage has made her a true pioneer and someone who has made an impact on the history of music.

In 2018, Fanny reunited as Fanny Walked the Earth, and released a brand new album. Over the years, June has met some of the many legends in the music industry, and has some amazing stories and lessons she learned along the way. June is also the co-founder of the Institute for the Musical Arts (IMA) along with her partner Ann Hackler, where they provide music camps, lessons, a studio and much more for young aspiring girls in a positive and inspiring environment to create music and learn their voice. In this podcast episode, June shares some of the amazing stories and lessons from her journey, before, during, and after the original line-up of Fanny. I hope these stories will inspire you, and you enjoy listening to them as much as I did. June just might inspire you to overcome your fears and not let anything hold you back, and KICK SOME FANNY!

To learn more about June Millington visit https://www.fannywalkedtheearth.com/  and http://www.ima.org/.

Contribute to Jean Millington’s Go Fund Me Campaign

Contribute to Jean Millington’s Go Fund Me Campaign

Highlights from this Episode
[8:15] What does Rock N’ Roll Mean to June Millington
[14:40] Being the First All Girl Rock Band to Release an Album on a Major Label
[18:38] June’s Rock N’ Roll Girls Camp
[24:32] Making Decisions at Turning Points
[28:05] The Night at the Troubadour that Fanny got Signed
[39:50] Memorable Moments after first getting signed
[43:00] Working with Allen Toussaint
[51:27] Advice for Young Musicians
[53:50] Working as a Producer
[56:25] Which relocation made the biggest impact on June Millington
[59:00] Lesson young girls can learn from June’s journey
[1:02:10] Lessons that took June the longest to learn
[1:04:00] Rapid Fire Questions - Getting to know June Millington

Quotes from June Millington
“Rock N’ Roll is a Spiritual Calling”
“We were not fooling around, this was take no prisoners”
“When you play a part, you have to find a part when people play it later, they have to find your part.”
“Go for it, but get enough sleep”
“Take care of yourself, and never give up.”
“It’s not going to get any easier for you...it’s all going to take work.”
“You have to find your courage”
“You can’t give up, tomorrow is another day.”
“There are going to be high points, there are going to be low points, hopefully the average is something you can live with.”
“It’s magic and technology when you’re recording.”
“Life and death where that snare hits on 2, it be better be in the pocket, because I’m not going to stamp your passport.”
“Learn how to work with the fear.”

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Fanny Walked the Earth
Sly & the Family Stone
The Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA (Music Venue)
Angela Davis
Ann Hackler
Grateful Dead
Jefferson Airplane
Buffalo Springfield
Jimi Hendrix
The Monkees
Frank Zappa
Ella Fitzgerald
The Kinks
The Fillmore West (Music Venue)
The Fillmore East  (Music Venue)
Whiskey A Go Go (Music Venue)
Dr. John
Allen Toussaint
ISIS (All Girl Jazz Band)
David Bowie
Lady Marmalade
Patti Smith
Marry Watkins
Cris Williamson
Tina Turner
Ike Turner
[BOOK] Land of a Thousand Bridges by June Millington

June Millington’s Definition of Making It:
“Everything when it gets really good, no matter what’s going on around you, it gets really quiet, and that’s the place I like.”

Get in touch with June Millington
https://www.fannywalkedtheearth.com/
Follow June on Facebook
IMA.org
fabjune@aol.com

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits:
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp