I recently became involved with an amazing organization called Balanced Breakfast: Nashville. It’s a weird name for an awesome idea- every Wednesday, musicians and industry people get together over coffee to talk, support, and share in each other’s experiences of life in the music business. We’ve only been meeting for 3 weeks, and it’s already become a vital part of my life as a musician, and tremendously challenged me.

Regardless of your profession, it’s vital that we be in community in others that share our passion. Here are 5 reasons why you should join an industry meetup group (hint: it’s not what you think):

1. Competition.

When you’re surrounded by intensely passionate people who take their art seriously, it encourages you to bring your A-game to every project you work on. I know that when I’m tracking songs now, I try to picture what my pro friends in the group would think of what I’m creating. Would it meet their standards? Would it hold up under criticism if I showed it to them at our next meet up? In a great group like Balanced Breakfast, healthy, constructive competition can take your work to the next level.

2. Innovative ideas.

Because the background of all the members of the group are so diverse (we have everything from country singers to Vans Warp Tour managers around the table), people think of solutions to your problems that you would never had considered. You may be smart, but having an outsider’s perspective on your problem can lead to amazing, innovative solutions.

3. Community.

Having the support of other musicians going through what you’re going through each week helps you feel less alone, and keeps you motivated on focused on what you’re trying to accomplish professionally.

4. Sharing.

Not only do we meet each week in person, but Balanced Breakfast also has a Facebook group page where members can post gigs and works of art. Being able to share my work with really talented musicians lets me get invaluable feedback I couldn't get any other way.

5. Accountability.

Just by meeting up every week I know I’m going to have to share what I’ve been creating with the faces around the table. If I’ve been lazy, I’ll have to fess up to the other musicians that I haven’t really done anything cool. This by itself is enough to get my butt off the couch some days and make something awesome.

If you don’t have a group in your area, I’d urge you to consider creating one yourself. If you’re in the Nashville area, I’d be happy to help you get connected with Balanced Breakfast. It’s free, and all it takes to be involved is showing up and sharing your passion for music.