by José Valentino Ruiz, Ph.D. For years, Puerto Rican hip-hop was described as a stepping stone—either a cultural import from New York or a precursor to reggaetón’s commercial explosion. That framing was convenient, tidy, and wrong. What actually happened on the island was far more interesting. Puerto Rican [...]
By Dr. José Valentino Ruiz-Resto, Ph.D., Abstract This article explores how the rapid pace of modern professional life can obscure personal and career achievements, leading to diminished morale and an inability to recognize present blessings. By cultivating the intentional practice of counting wins—large, small, relational, internal, and survival-based—individuals [...]
By José Valentino Ruiz, Ph.D., D.Min., D.B.E. F-flat Books – Music Business & Creative Enterprise Leadership When the Ground Shifts Faster Than the Syllabi Every year, higher education hosts panels titled something like “The Future of Creativity in the Age of AI.” And every year, the pace of innovation [...]
Authored by Giuliana Byrne, Gabriel Collante, Brandon Harrison, Omari James, Xiaoyu Sang, Elena Ta, Shiyi Zhu, Joel Almeida, & José Valentino Ruiz, Ph.D. Abstract This multiple–case editorial examines how entrepreneurial intelligence shapes sustainable creative careers in today’s decentralized music industry. Drawing on seven student-developed case studies—featuring figures such [...]
By José Valentino Ruiz, Ph.D. Abstract This article examines the widespread tendency among musicians and creative professionals to confuse relentless activity with authentic entrepreneurial growth, revealing how multi-role hustling often masks structural instability, financial vulnerability, and the absence of a sustainable business model. Drawing on research in arts [...]
By Dr. José Valentino Ruiz Abstract This article argues that the future of arts and music entrepreneurship education depends on professors who embody the very principles they teach—modeling authentic, cross-sector entrepreneurial practice beyond the classroom. It contends that credibility, adaptability, and lived enterprise are essential for educators to [...]
by José Valentino Ruiz, Ph.D., Jesse Tillman Pitts, M.B.A., & José Leonardo Leon, D.M.A. Introduction The post-AI music economy has redefined what it means to be a professional artist. Musicians are no longer confined to the roles of performers or educators; they now occupy positions as entrepreneurs, producers [...]
by José Valentino Ruiz, Ph.D. Why Categorizing Client Requests Is Essential for Clarity and Sustainability In creative entrepreneurship, few distinctions are more critical—yet more misunderstood—than the difference between B2B (Business-to-Business) and B2C (Business-to-Consumer) services. This is not corporate jargon. It’s a practical framework that every creative professional must [...]
by José Valentino Ruiz, Ph.D. We live in an age where the word entrepreneur gets thrown around like confetti. Business cards, LinkedIn profiles, and Instagram bios say it easily. It’s glamorous to talk about “launching” and “founding.” Yet, if we’re honest, the quiet majority of people who call [...]
by José Valentino Ruiz, Ph.D. Rethinking Professional Belonging and Creative Renewal In the arc of any meaningful career, there comes a moment when the drive to achieve and contribute collides with a quiet but undeniable truth: we are finite. Our time, energy, and creative force cannot be given [...]