Inside Sleeve: The Plot Thickens 🎉

You’ve got to celebrate the wins, right? Well, this week, we hit a major one. We’ve officially onboarded our first four artists and—drumroll, please—processed our very first payment! 💸 This might be the beginning, but it’s the kind of moment you want to frame and put on the wall. Why? Because it means we’re stepping into the next phase of closed beta testing—with real artists and real money. It’s happening, folks. And we couldn’t wait to share the good news with you. Thanks for being part of the ride!

So this week, I found myself in one of my “third places” (look at last newsletter if the word is new to you). My collegue and friend Jeanette Frederiksen is teaching kids to make beats on iPads. No music theory, no piano lessons—just iPads. She broke it down like a pro: start with the basics—a kick, snare, and hi-hats. Then, you mess with the tempo, layer in different sounds, and voilà—a track is born. It was like magic.

And it got me thinking... is chasing success in the music industry like buying a lottery ticket? You know, hoping to go viral on TikTok or land a record deal with a big label (where you’ll likely give up most of your rights to get a shot). It’s a high risk, low control, and more than a little terrifying. Everyone’s hustling, trying to hack the system.

But what if we stopped treating it like a gamble and started approaching music careers like building a beat? Step by step, layer by layer, with intention. Sure, luck and timing matter (let’s be real, they always do), but at the end of the day, it’s your vision—your choices—that shape your career. Some people will vibe with it; others won’t, and that’s cool.

The goal? Build something you love. A music career isn’t a lottery ticket. It’s a process. And while luck may sprinkle a little magic on top, it’s the choices you make that will take you where you want to go.

Random Reflection: Open vs. Closed Modes (And Why You Need Both)

Let’s talk about open mode and closed mode. It's something we are intentionally working with at Sleeve. Open mode is your playground—where you brainstorm, daydream, and let your ideas run wild. Closed mode? That’s when you put on your editor’s hat and fine-tune everything. It’s like the difference between scribbling down song ideas and getting hyper-focused on nailing that perfect guitar tone.

Here’s the thing—after every closed mode comes... you guessed it, open mode again. You get to dream up new stuff and decide what’s next. It’s a cycle, and it’s what keeps you creative but grounded. Whether you're making beats, designing an app, or writing the next great novel, this rhythm of opening up and narrowing down is key.

So, how do you handle it? Are you all about the wild brainstorming sessions, or do you thrive when it’s time to zoom in and get detail-obsessed? Hit us up and let us know how you balance the two!

Stay tuned,
Anna

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