I've learned countless lessons during my decade-plus creative journey. Some were common sense, "live-and-learn" type experiences, while others came as a direct result of thinking I had a good idea... and falling flat on my face.

One night, I opened a blank document, and I began to compile a list of the most important ones, based on the experiences that forged me into a better creative professional. Before I knew it, I had few dozen... and I added more than a dozen more, for good measure!

These 60+ Lessons from the Creative Journey come loaded with anecdotes -- whether painful, inspiring, and/or hilarious -- from 11+ years building a multimedia and educational platform for independent musicians. The lessons contained within are independent of industry; they apply to anybody with the courage to step out and "build the thing" -- no matter what your "thing" is.

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About the Author

Gerard Longo is the Founder/CEO of Underground Music Collective (UMC), a Nashville-based educational and multimedia platform serving the music industry and independent creatives, everywhere. For more than a decade, UMC has impacted thousands of musicians, creatives, and industry stakeholders through multimedia content, live music experiences, and the UMC Academy artist mentorship program.

Among his many accomplishments, Gerard has spearheaded UMC's collaborations with local, national, and global brands, including Universal Music Group, Red Bull, Nashville Predators, Tennessee Titans, Creative Artists Agency, Liberty Tax, Helping Our Music Evolve, and Redfin Real Estate. Gerard has been featured across major media outlets including iHeartRadio, Fox News Digital, and MusicRow Magazine; and as a speaker at major conferences and festivals across North America, including SXSW (2025), NOLA MusiCon, Musikfest, Gussapolooza, and more!