Meet Peggy Duquesnel, a seasoned professional musician whose passion and perseverance led her into unexpected territory—taking over another music business. When the founder of a local music company passed away, Peggy stepped in to take over the reins, honoring both the legacy and potential of the business. With no formal training in inheriting a business, she relied on determination, creativity, and a clear vision to rebuild operations, retain her own students and clients, and modernize systems. Through consistent effort, strategic outreach, and smart financial decisions, Peggy turned the business into a profitable enterprise—proving that with the right mindset and steps, artists can thrive not only in performance but also in leadership and growth.
In this article, we cover the challenges of starting and taking over a record label with the challenges of business integration and management. We also cover changes in the market, roles of a CEO in the Creative Arts and passion and purpose.
Starting and Taking Over a Record Label
Every business transition begins with a moment of decision. For Peggy, that moment came quickly and unexpectedly when the family of Steve Hall, founder of Bank Beat Productions, approached her about taking over his record label. Having already run her own label, Joy Spring Music, and having worked closely with Steve under his mentorship, Peggy was not unfamiliar with the landscape. Still, she had just three days to make a life-altering decision. What followed was a whirlwind of logistical, financial, and emotional preparation to take over a more complex operation.
This experience highlights an important takeaway: opportunity doesn’t always knock gently or give ample time to plan. Being prepared, having existing systems, and knowing your own values can help guide those quick decisions. Peggy’s readiness to step up—despite the uncertainty—was born from years of hands-on experience and relationship-building.
- Opportunities can arrive unexpectedly—being prepared allows you to respond with confidence.
- Mentorship and prior experience matter—they equip you for leadership when the time comes.
- Quick decisions require clear values—Peggy had only three days to decide, and her clarity helped guide her.
Business Integration and Management
Integrating another business into your own requires both vision and strategy. For Peggy, the transition meant merging the infrastructure of Bank Beat Productions with her existing operations. Fortunately, she had already established digital distribution channels, which provided a backbone for the expansion.
She made smart moves by hiring an accountant advisor familiar with Bank Beat’s operations and bringing on a trusted friend to assist with distribution. Together, they created a new website, merged catalogs, and informed distributors of the management change.
Peggy’s story reminds us that you don’t have to do it alone. Leveraging outside expertise and building a supportive team can make complex transitions smoother. It also underscores the importance of clear communication—with vendors, distributors, and customers—to maintain continuity and trust.
- Successful transitions require a clear strategy—Peggy merged operations, created new systems, and streamlined communications.
- You don’t have to do it alone—bringing in outside experts (like an accountant and trusted team) makes complex tasks manageable.
- Communication is critical—distributors, vendors, and customers need to be informed and reassured during a leadership change.
Changes in the Market
One of Peggy’s most significant strategic decisions was to move away from physical product sales and focus entirely on digital. With a changing market and declining demand for CDs and printed sheet music, it no longer made business sense to maintain a physical inventory.
Transitioning to digital-only not only reduced physical overhead but also simplified royalty payments and accounting systems. Peggy began removing products from Amazon and her websites and plans to pass on the remaining inventory to Steve’s son—a decision rooted in both practicality and respect.
This shift offers a valuable lesson for any business owner: know when to evolve. Letting go of legacy systems or products is difficult, but it can pave the way for more streamlined, profitable, and sustainable operations.
- Market trends should guide business evolution—declining physical sales led Peggy to go fully digital.
- Digital business models simplify operations—fewer overhead costs, easier royalty payments, and streamlined accounting.
- Letting go of legacy systems is hard—but necessary—this allowed her to focus on long-term sustainability.
Roles a CEO Plays in Creative Arts
Running a music company isn’t just about managing sales. Peggy wears many hats: performer, educator, composer, arranger, church musician, and business owner. Each role demands time, energy, and organization. As CEO, she handles follow-up communications, content creation, and overall business strategy.
She’s also found value in digital distribution, which makes sheet music and jazz resources more accessible globally. Jazz music, in particular, has a timeless appeal, making it an excellent genre for digital sales.
The takeaway? Entrepreneurship, especially in the arts, requires flexibility and multitasking. But aligning your roles with your strengths and passion makes the workload more meaningful and manageable.
- Creative entrepreneurs wear many hats—from performer and composer to marketer and logistics manager.
- Digital tools expand reach—making sheet music accessible worldwide enhances business and mission.
- Multitasking with purpose makes the work meaningful—alignment with your strengths keeps you focused and resilient.
Passion and Purpose in the Arts
At the heart of Peggy’s journey is a sense of purpose. She feels called to do this work, and that sense of calling is sustained by the feedback she receives—from students, colleagues, and listeners who are touched by the music.
It is critical to find that inner motivation, especially in artistic careers that require long hours, creative energy, and emotional resilience. Affirmation matters, but purpose goes deeper. It sustains you when recognition is delayed or invisible.
Passion alone won’t carry you. Purpose will. Balancing career, family, and personal well-being isn’t easy—but it’s possible when you’re aligned with the mission behind your work.
- Affirmation matters, but purpose sustains—encouragement is motivating, but mission drives longevity.
- Passion isn’t enough—clarity of purpose is essential for sustaining energy through the demands of an artistic business.
- Balancing personal and professional life is possible—especially when your work aligns with your deeper values.
Additional Resources
Power of After: What’s Next Can Be Your Most Purposeful Chapter by Deborah Johnson
Joyspring Music for Peggy Duquesnel albums, sheet music and videos!
- about peggy duquesnel
Peggy Duquesnel is an accomplished pianist, vocalist, composer and educator with more than 30 years of professional experience. She has released sixteen albums that have received critical acclaim in the jazz, pop and inspirational markets. She has performed and recorded with such notables as Henry Mancini, Pat Boone, Dionne Warwick, Alan Broadbent, Jeff Lorber, Jimmy Haslip and Ric Braun.
Opportunity doesn’t always knock gently or give ample time to plan. Being prepared, having existing systems, and knowing your own values can help guide those quick decisions.
deborah johnson
Thought Leader, Keynote Speaker, Author
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