Bonzai Beat with Ari Herstand
In the latest installment of the Bonzai Beat, Mr. Bonzai chats with Ari Herstand. Herstand is the CEO and Founder of Ari’s Take, an Amazon best-selling author, podcast host, music advocate, and accomplished musician. Listen in as Mr. Bonzai and Herstand talk about Herstand’s career, the latest release of his book, and his online school, Ari’s Take Academy.
Ari Herstand is the CEO and founder of Ari’s Take, a music business education and artist advocacy company. Founded in 2012, it has become a “go-to resource for independent musicians on how to run a successful music career in the new music business.” Beyond this, Herstand is a number one Amazon best-seller for his How to Make It in the New Music Business. This text has been adopted by over 300 universities and translated into multiple languages.
In 2018, Herstand opened Ari’s Take Academy. The online school includes industry subject matter experts to teach courses on running successful careers in the new music business and has an enrollment of over 5,000 students.
In 2020, Herstand launched New Music Business, an award-winning podcast he hosts where he interviews innovators and experts in the industry.
Herstand has also written for many top trade magazines and websites, penning articles for publications including American Songwriter, ASCAP, CD Baby, Digital Music News, Diskmakers, Hypebot, Music Connection Magazine, Playback Magazine, Roland, and Tunecore. He has also been a featured speaker at ASCAP Music Expo, BBC One’s Amplify, Berklee College of Music, CD Baby’s DIY Musician Conference, The NAMM Show, SF MusicTech, SXSW, and UCLA.
Herstand is also an accomplished independent musician who has played over 1,000 shows around the country, performed on the daytime talk show Ellen, and featured his music in numerous television shows, commercials, and films. Currently, Herstand leads the immersive funk/soul concert experience, Brassroots District. Finally, his passion for music has led to his advocacy work which includes lending his expertise and knowledge to aid in drafting and passing a California law that helps music professionals be able to work and operate unencumbered.
For more information on Herstand and his projects, please visit https://ariherstand.com/.
Mr. Bonzai is an award-winning photographer, author, and interviewer. He has written more than 1,000 articles for outlets in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He has published numerous books, including Studio Life (Mix, 1984), Hal Blaine and The Wrecking Crew (Mix, 1992), The Sound of Money (Focal, 2000), Faces of Music (Cengage, 2006), Music Smarts (Berklee Press, 2009), and John Lennon’s Tooth (BookBaby, 2012). His photos and articles have appeared in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Billboard, Mix, EQ, Keyboard, Daily Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Magazine, Disney Channel Magazine, Sound & Recording, and Relix, among others. http://www.mrbonzai.com