Entrepreneurship really is just learning something new every day. And a big part of that for me has been learning where my energy actually goes — and being honest about the fact that I can't do it all. Definitely not all at once. But here's what I keep coming back to: the music industry is an ecosystem of businesses. As an artist, you are a business. And you do business with photographers, other artists, platforms, managers, venues — all of it. What makes this world different though is that the nature of business here is deeply interpersonal. It doesn't always look like a boardroom. Sometimes it looks like a mixer.

What I've also been noticing is how the industry is shifting in real time. Talent is no longer scarce in the way it used to be, and direct-to-consumer pathways are becoming more normal across music and creative industries. In a way, we're all learning how to build without traditional gatekeepers. And what's interesting is that it's forcing artists and creatives to become better at sustainability, ownership, and community-driven growth.

If anything, it feels like we're modeling what future industries will look like — ones that prioritize sustainability, direct relationships, and independence over extraction. And honestly, if the "industry" was paying attention, they'd be engaging more with the people actually building inside it right now. (which they lowkey kinda are)

The Mixer, now in its fourth installment, is exactly that proof in motion. Hosted by Stellar Connect in collaboration with JMJ Law Firm — a series that started at Quad Studios during NYFW 2024 and has since become a staple of New York's creative community — this is business relaxed but still in motion. The kind of room where deals don't get made, relationships do.

We spend so much energy focused on who isn't supporting us, who isn't working with us. And honestly? Some of them never will. But that doesn't mean your next client isn't out there — they might just be in a room you haven't entered yet.

Now let's talk about the room itself — because the activations were giving.

The full sponsor lineup also included Boosted Oxygen Water, Bloom Supps, Gigantic Candy, Tequila Cayeya, and Zakuska Vodka — the room was well taken care of on all fronts.

The venue — Penthouse Studio — is always a vibe. The skyline from the outside area hits different at night and the sound system in there never disappoints. If you know, you know.

Oh and chat — it was also Stellar's birthweek. Genuinely have to clap it up for what she's built and for giving us the space to connect during her moment. That says a lot about someone.

What I loved most about the room was that it wasn't just music people. Entertainment runs larger than the music industry, and the range in that room proved it. I had conversations with models, boxers, drink brand owners — and honestly caught a few faces I hadn't seen since two seasons ago. The range mattered.

Even my more introverted artist Zay OL was making connections — and I don't mean just talking-to-people connections. I mean connections connections. That's the thing about a room with the right energy. It does the work for you.

And that's something I want to name directly: it was not performative. Not desperate. Not fake. I think that's one of the biggest misconceptions about networking events, especially in the industry. When people come together and the energy has a life of its own? Conversations flow, they bounce, they build. It's genuinely awe-inspiring to be a part of — or even just to sit back and people watch.

Some heavy hitters were in the room — pun very much intended — including boxers Pryce Taylor and Tritchlet Merius, drink brand owner PunchlinezRB (go check out Punchline Punch), producers Melody Arkitect and A$TRX, Bandsome Will, plus Cut Different TV, Da Playlisters, Heesu, Rae Stizz, and THE BON1TA. And that's just who I remember!