The One Folder That Will Save Your Sanity (and Your Bookings)

A calm, clear guide for musicians who want to gig more and stress less.

Musicians are a rare and resilient breed. They can hold a room in the palm of their hand, tame a crowd with a single chord, and drive the long dark highway home without a tremor of fear.
But ask them to onboard into a new booking system, and suddenly even the most seasoned act can feel the floor tilt beneath them.

Not because they’re unprofessional. Not because they’re disorganised. And definitely not because they’re divas.

It’s because music itself is the priority. The sound, the connection, the energy — that’s the centre of their universe. Everything else — the admin, the promo, the paperwork — naturally drifts to the back of the stage until someone drags it into the spotlight.

And onboarding does exactly that. It doesn’t judge.It doesn’t accuse. It simply illuminates the things that have been waiting quietly in the wings: the scattered files, the old bios, the certificates buried in inboxes across five different email accounts.

For many musicians, that sudden floodlight feels intense. And last week alone, we had three incredible acts — seasoned, talented, respected — who were so overwhelmed by what they needed to provide that they simply couldn’t onboard at all.

This isn’t weakness.This is the reality of the working musician: You were never given a simple, safe system to hold your business life together.

So instead of pushing you into meltdown territory, let’s offer a gentler path — one that’s smarter, calmer, and built for the long haul:

The One Folder That Will Change Everything

You only need ONE folder. In ONE cloud service.

• Google Drive

• iCloud.

• Dropbox.

Pick the one you like. Call it: SHOW NAME – MASTER FILES

Inside that single folder, you’ll slowly build the backbone of your business — one file a week, one small step at a time. Not for onboarding. Not for Marketplaces. Not for Promoters.

For you.

Your professionalism. Your peace of mind. Your future gigs. Your future self.

THE ULTIMATE MUSICIAN MASTER FILE CHECKLIST

Start small. Add one thing per week. No overwhelm. No panic. Just steady progress.

1. MARKETING ASSETS

Folder: Marketing – 2026

• Hero Image — High Resolution
  ActName_Hero_2026.jpg

• Six Alternate Images
  ActName_1 … ActName_6

• Logo (PNG & SVG)

• Style Guide (if you have one)

2. COMPLIANCE & LEGAL

Folder: Compliance & Business Docs

• Public Liability Certificate of Currency

• Renewal Date (add to your calendar)

• Motor Vehicle Registration Renewal

• Tag & Test Certification (every 6 months)

• Signed Act Agreement

• ABN Current Details

• Household Bill (address proof — redact financials)

• Screenshot of Bank Details
  (Name, BSB, Account # — balance hidden)

3. RIDERS & SPECS (GOOGLE DOCS)

Folder: Riders & Specs

• Show Pitch - Quick Look, Biography, Press Release

• Hospitality Rider

• Production Rider

• Tech Rider

• Marketing Rider

• Backline Specifications

• Partnership Agreement (Band/Duo/Show)

4. BUSINESS INFORMATION MASTER DOC

A single Google Doc that holds every crucial detail in one place.

Call it: ACT NAME — BUSINESS INFORMATION MASTER

Include:

Business Identity

• Business Name

• ABN

• ACN

• GST Status

• Entity Type

• Registered Address

Contacts

• Primary Contact Name

• Phone

• Email

• Website

Accounts

• Accounts Contact

• Phone & Email

• TFN (secure)

• Bank Name, BSB, Account Number

• Swift Code

Compliance

• Public Liability Provider

• Certificate Number

• Insurance Renewal Date added into Google Calendar

• Tag and Test Renewal Date added into Google Calendar

• Trademark # (if applicable)

• CRN for QLD Transport (if applicable)

• Show Vehicle Registration Renewal Date added into Google Calendar

• ASIC Key

• ASIC Account Number

Why This Matters (Far Beyond Onboarding)

This isn’t busywork. This isn’t bureaucracy. This is sovereignty. This is clarity.
This is you stepping into the truth of your business with confidence instead of chaos.

When you build this one folder:

• Your stress drops.

• Your admin becomes effortless.

• You respond faster.

• You look sharper.

• You get booked more easily.

• You avoid last-minute meltdowns.

• You stay in control.
  

  

  Image thanks to nunezimage

Because the world doesn’t need more overwhelmed musicians — It needs musicians who are steady, organised, and ready to play.

Build the folder. Add one item a week. Let the foundation grow beneath your feet.

And when onboarding comes around again — you’ll breeze through it with the calm of someone who knows their house is in order.

Written by Nichola Burton. I work in partnership with Agents, Artist Managers and Event Producers, who juggle a diverse range of relationships in the Musoverse, to curate, manage and measure data in systems, experience, creative and content to support the entire Musoverse operation in my enterprise A Little Pitchy Copyright 2025