NEWS

Open for Business with Misfit Music Management

You've got the songs. Now let's build the business around them!

Open For Business is an 8-week program for artists ready to step things up: brand and audience building, social media strategy, grants and marketing plans, and pitching and networking, all backed by hands-on studio time to apply it straight to your own project. Starting the week of October 19, you'll participate in one 60-minute session a week (a mix of group workshops and small-group studio sessions) plus about two hours of self-guided practice to apply what you learn, wrapping up by late November. A few months later, we'll regroup for an optional follow-up session to see what's actually working.

Spots are limited, so tell us why you're the artist for this. In early September you will hear back if you've been accepted into the program. Deadline for applications is Friday, September 4.

We're looking for a good mix of genres and career stages, and mostly just artists ready to put in the work.

About Misfit Music Inc.

We believe art is not a destination - it’s an extension of who you are. Our role is to help artists understand that, build from it, and evolve with intention.

Through artist-first strategy, infrastructure, and long-term thinking, we support music entrepreneurs in building sustainable careers rooted in identity, values, and real audience connection. We challenge the status quo by prioritizing clarity over hype, collaboration over gatekeeping, values over opportunity, and longevity over short-term wins.

We intentionally invest in underrepresented artists across Misfit Management, Misfit Live, and Odd Doll Records (label). Through our broader services, we help artists and music organizations build strategy, strengthen their tools, expand their networks, and move forward with greater clarity and direction.

Our team is made up of experienced music professionals with expertise spanning live performance, marketing, touring, funding, and systems development. Collectively, the team has received multiple industry nominations and awards, and the company has been recognized with a 2024 Western Canadian Music Award nomination for Impact in Artist Development and a 2025 Women in Music Canada Honours nomination for Organization of the Year.

Claire's Bio:

Artist Development & Management / Projects & Partnerships Lead

Claire Boning has spent her career finding the connection between artistic vision and organizational impact. This thread runs through everything she does as Co-Owner, CFO, Artist Manager, and Projects & Partnerships Lead at Misfit Music Inc. She currently manages Country/Americana artist Jade Turner, while also driving the company's partnerships with arts organizations and businesses, leading event coordination, and developing artist education initiatives including workshops, mentorships, and programs. Claire is also a co-creator of Backstage Book Club, a music industry book club bringing artists and industry together online and at conferences across the country.

With years of experience as a recording and touring musician, event and program coordination at Manitoba Music and several years in artist management, Claire brings a rare blend of creative instinct and organizational precision to everything she touches. Her work is driven by a genuine commitment to community, connecting artists and organizations to the people, knowledge, and opportunities that help them grow.

Elise's Bio:

Founder & Director of Creative Marketing, Label Operations, and Artist Management

Roller publicly launched Misfit Music Management in 2021 with the announcement of its full-time roster and innovative Artist Evolution program. In 2023, she was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year at the Women in Music Canada Honours, received Manitoba’s Kevin Walters Legacy award, and has been nominated for Manager of the Year at the Canadian Live Music Awards two years in a row, making the shortlist in 2024.

Roller has been actively involved in the Canadian music scene since 2008 first beginning as a self-managed artist with multiple projects, then throwing in the artist hat to put on a power suit a decade later. She spent four years as the Industry Development Coordinator at Manitoba Music where she connected music creators and industry professionals on an international scale, building training programs, and offering career development consultations to music entrepreneurs. She served four years as Pride Winnipeg’s main stage producer, has booked and managed tours for a number of Canadian acts, and has been successful at securing funds and building teams for a variety of musicians and projects.

Roller is a social butterfly, master networker, and has an innate ability to connect with anyone and everyone. Her drive for excellence along with her passion to motivate, inspire, and show appreciation for music creators has positioned her as a beloved leader and mentor within the global music community.