We’re excited to partner with our good friends at Underground Music Collective to bring you an exclusive, Nashville-only UMC UnderDogs cohort of our Music Business Accelerator (MBA) program.
The Music Business Accelerator is a 12-week program tailored for performing musicians and creative arts businesses within the music ecosystem who are looking to strengthen their business acumen and build sustainable, long-term creative ventures.
The program is divided into two core tracks:
- Entrepreneurial Fundamentals – covering the foundations of starting, structuring, and operating a creative business.
- Music Business Essentials – diving into industry specific topics, real world application, and developing a healthier, more intentional relationship with money.
Throughout the program, you will gain practical tools, frameworks, and guidance you can immediately apply to your careers, whether you are just getting started or looking to level up an existing project.
Program Workshops Include:
- Week 1: Planning SMART: The art of setting SMART goals
- Week 2: It takes more than creative passion: Business planning for the music ecosystem
- Week 3: Create a solid foundation: Business structures & Entity formation
- Week 4: Financial Literacy Pt.1: Intro to Bookkeeping & Financial Statements
- Week 5: Financial Literacy Pt.2: Intro to Cash Flow & Budgeting
- Week 6: Your Bank, Your Secret Weapon: Business banking for creatives
- Week 7: Don’t Leave Money on the Table: A Guide to Music Publishing Administration
- Week 8: Music Business Legal: Common Music Contracts
- Week 9: Understand Your Rights: Intro to Music Copyrights
- Week 10: It’s all about relationships: Building authentic connections in the music industry
- Week 11: Touring 101: DIY touring and managing life on the road
- Week 12: Long term sustainability: Personal money management for musicians and music professionals
Please complete the application below to be considered for this opportunity. The application will open on February 6, 2026, and remain open until 11:59 PM CST on March 6, 2026.
Selected applicants will be notified no later than March 11, 2026, and the program is scheduled to begin on April 4, 2026 for orientation and end on June 27, 2026 with a tentative graduation celebration on July 18, 2026.