MUSIC ENTREPRENEUR INITIATIVE

🎶 The Easy Part Is the Music. The Hard Part Is the Business.
Millions of gifted musicians and songwriters and their teams give us the soundtracks of our lives. 75,000 in Tennessee alone. But behind the passion and talent, many are drowning—struggling with the business side they were never taught. Streaming. Royalties. Media. Licensing. Branding. The industry is changing fast—and most are left behind.  54% earn less than $1,000 annually. That’s where you come in.

Your donation helps bridge the gap between talent and opportunity. For every $250, you give one musician full access to our Learning Community—the first one stop shop for entrepreneurs.  Their business lifeline for a year. Real tools. Real guidance. Real support.

🎸 Because talent should be heard. And supported. And successful. Let’s make sure they don’t have to figure it all out alone.

Our goal is to help 4,000 artists

We suggest a minimum donation of $1,000
$78,500 Raised so far $1,000,000 Our Goal

All donations are tax deductible.

Artists Need Business Skills

For each $250, we provide an artist with free access to the Learning Community for 1 year. Donations of $10,000+ receive a free copy of The Lonely Entrepreneur book signed by author Michael Dermer. You can even designate the specific artists you want to help.(see your donation receipt).
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The Lonely Entrepreneur is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Contributions will be used in its discretion for charitable purposes and are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Our tax identification number is 82-5384709.
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Donation Total: $1,000 One Time

What Artists Get with the Learning Community

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How it Works

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Choose the Number of Artists You Want to Support

Each $250 enables us to give the Learning Community to an artist for a full year. Suggested minimum donation is $1,000 to support 4 artists.

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Click Donate and Complete the Donation Process

Click “Donate” and complete the donation form. All donations are tax deductible. You will receive a confirmation email with your receipt.

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Share This Opportunity To Help with Friends

There are 75,000 artists in Tennessee. To help just 4,000, we need to raise $1,000,000. Please share with your community.

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Your Donation Makes an Impact

Jennifer W

“I’ve been writing songs for years, but I had no idea how publishing, royalties, or licensing actually worked. I was getting plays but not paid. The Learning Community broke it down step-by-step and helped me set up my PRO account and pitch my music for sync. Now I understand how to make money from my own work.”
Navigating Royalties & Rights

Wilson G

“I could produce great music—but no one was hearing it. The Learning Community showed me how to build my brand, grow on social, and promote myself without needing a label. I went from invisible to getting booked and actually building a fanbase that translated into money and more visibility.”
Marketing & Finding an Audience

Jessica L

“Between websites, email lists, merch, streaming platforms—I was drowning. The Learning Community gave me clarity and structure. I found the exact tools I needed, and the step-by-step guides helped me get everything from a smart EPK to a merch store set up. It felt like having a manager in my pocket.”
Overwhelmed by Tech & Tools

Frequently Asked Questions

The Music Entrepreneur Initiative (MEI) is a program by the TLE Foundation that gives musicians and music professionals free access to a one-stop shop for business skills—called the Learning Community. It helps them build real careers by mastering royalties, licensing, marketing, contracts, and more.

There are over 75,000 artists in Nashville alone. 54% earn less than $1,000 a year—not because of a lack of talent, but because they’ve never been taught how to run the business side of their art. MEI fills that gap.

Visit https://tlefoundation.org/music-entrepreneur-initiative/ (or https://shorturl.at/ILq2c). Choose a donation amount, select who you’d like to support (optional), and check out securely online.

Every $250 gives one musician a full year of access to the Learning Community—250+ music-specific lessons, live coaching, and real-time answers from experts.

Our goal is to support 4,000 artists with free access to the one-stop shop and help them turn passion into sustainable success.

The suggested minimum donation is $1,000, which supports four artists. But you can give any custom amount starting at $250.

Yes. All donations are tax-deductible through the TLE Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. You’ll receive a receipt after your donation.

Absolutely. You can give any amount above $250, and larger donations support even more artists—$5,000 supports 20, $10,000 supports 40, and so on.

Yes. You can designate the specific individuals or communities—such as veterans, women, LGBTQ+, or Hispanic artists—on the donation form.

Yes! If you donate more than $10,000, you’ll receive an autographed copy of The Lonely Entrepreneur from Michael Dermer, CEO of TLE, as a thank-you.

Yes. You’ll receive an official tax receipt by email immediately after your donation is processed.

Yes. Most corporate matching programs apply. You can indicate this during the donation process and follow up with your HR department.

Yes. There’s an option on the donation form to remain anonymous.