How can emerging artists
use their “unfair” advantages?

When I work with emerging artists, one question often comes up: how can you move forward when other people seem to have more resources, bigger teams or stronger connections? A useful starting point is to look closely at what you already have.

One artist I was mentoring introduced me to The Unfair Advantage: How You Already Have What It Takes to Succeed, by Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba. Their MILES framework looks at five areas that can shape a person’s opportunities: money, intelligence and insight, location and luck, education and expertise, and status.

I first explored how the framework could apply to musicians in a LinkedIn article published on August 30, 2025. I developed the original MILES analysis with the help of ChatGPT; this version adapts those ideas for the VLM blog.

An advantage is not a guarantee of success, and not everyone starts with the same access to resources. The goal is to identify your circumstances, skills and relationships honestly, then decide which ones you can build on.

M — Money

Money can buy time, equipment and professional support. It can also give an artist room to experiment. But a small budget does not mean there is no strategy: it means choosing priorities carefully.

• Take stock of what you can invest without putting your basic needs at risk.
• Explore appropriate options such as part-time work, grants or crowdfunding.
• Budget for the full release: recording, mixing, mastering, distribution and promotion.

I — Intelligence and insight

This can include musical creativity, emotional intelligence, an ability to collaborate and an understanding of the people you want to reach. Data can help you ask better questions; it does not have to dictate your art.

• Study your genre and notice how artists communicate with their audiences.
• Use the analytics available to you to understand where listeners are and which songs connect.
• Ask what perspective or story you can bring to your music in your own voice.

L — Location and luck

Your location may place you near a music scene, venues or collaborators. If it does not, digital communities can create other points of contact. Luck matters too: you cannot control it, but you can create more chances to be discovered.

• Look for showcases, workshops and local industry events that fit your goals.
• Build relationships online through music communities, collaborations and appropriate pitches.
• Consider the time, cost and value of an opportunity before accepting it, particularly if it is unpaid.

E — Education and expertise

Learning can happen in a classroom, in a studio, onstage or through your own experiments. Songwriting, production, performance and music-business knowledge can all become useful assets.

• Keep developing your craft through practice, feedback and accessible courses.
• Learn the basics of publishing, distribution, royalties and songwriting splits.
• Use the skills you already have to collaborate, build credits and support your own project.

S — Status

In this framework, status can include reputation, community, identity and the relationships that help others understand and trust your work. It is not simply a follower count: a clear story and a supportive network can matter at any scale.

• Make your artist story clear in your biography, visuals and online presence.
• Build genuine relationships with fellow artists, producers, photographers, media and other collaborators.
• Choose which parts of your identity or personal experience you want to share; you do not owe an audience private details.

Putting MILES into practice

These examples are starting points, not promises of results. The most useful next step depends on your music, resources and goals.

Your story can be a strength

A different background, a later start or a perspective shaped by your life may inform the way you create and connect. You decide what feels right to share. The aim is not to fit someone else’s formula, but to understand your own position and make thoughtful choices from there.

The MILES framework was created by Ash Ali and Hasan Kubba. Learn more about their book at Profile Books ↗.

The original LinkedIn article

The LinkedIn preview below links to my original English-language article.

Read the original on LinkedIn↗