Mike Watts is a New York based producer, engineer, and mixer who operates VuDu Studios. He has worked with tons of great artists in the indie/punk scene such as As Tall As Lions, Glassjaw, The Deerhunter, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and so many more. Not only is he a great engineer, but he also has put a lot of focus into business and marketing which allowed him to completely start over after abandoning a successful job in the catering industry in order to focus on music. As you’ll hear in this interview, it takes much more than audio skills to have success as an audio engineer.IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT:How to avoid failure when navigating the music industryHow to find artists who want to pay you to work with themDifferentiating yourself from your competitionWhat to do if you want to start getting paid for your work but feel like your skills aren’t quite readyThe power of the “goosebump meter”How to ensure that you get the peak performance out of an artist while recordingWorking with reverb - How to use it but guarantee that your mixes don’t sound muddyTo learn more about Mike Watts, visit: https://www.vudustudios.com/Looking for 1-on-1 feedback and training to help you create pro-quality mixes?Check out my coaching program Amplitude and apply to join: https://masteryourmix.com/amplitude/  Want additional help with your music productions? For tips on how to improve your mixes, visit https://masteryourmix.com/ Download your FREE copy of the Ultimate Mixing Blueprint: https://masteryourmix.com/blueprint/ Get your copy of my Amazon #1 bestselling books: The Recording Mindset: A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Pro Recordings From Your Home Studio: https://therecordingmindset.com The Mixing Mindset: The Step-By-Step Formula For Creating Professional Rock Mixes From Your Home Studio: https://masteryourmix.com/mixingmindsetbook/ Check out our Sponsors:Download Waves Plugins here: https://waves.alzt.net/EK3G2K Subscribe to the show: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/master-your-mix-podcast/id1240842781 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5V4xtrWSnpA5e9L67QcJej  Have questions you’d like answered on the show? Send them to questions@masteryourmix.comPlease leave a rating and review:https://masteryourmix.com/review/ Thanks for listening!