We believe strongly that the future of artistic endeavors will be about artists doing more for themselves, and relying less on A&R reps, managers, agents, marketing companies, distributors, PR firms and all of that. When you think about it, three-quarters of those functions are creative in nature, so why the hell shouldn't we be doing it ourselves? Of course, none of us has all of the necessary skills, but why should we pay expensive suits to step in and hire other people to do those jobs at low wages, while skimming the fat off the top to keep themselves in Armani? When we get rid of the middle-men standing between us, there's a lot more left over for those of us actually doing the work in this equation.

With that in mind, indie ink sees itself as the nerve center of a community of all kinds of artists. Be they musicians, writers, graphic designers, web programmers or even creative accountants – there's a need and a place for everyone. We keep track of who's out there and what skills they can bring to your project. Then, when an artist comes to us, we work with them to assemble the right team. Need a graphic designer and a web-master? We know who to call.

So who pays for all this? Maybe we do, maybe you do, or maybe we share the costs. It depends on the project and the players. Every deal is different, but one thing is certain, when everyone has a stake in the game, everyone stays focused and realistic. No fat and no Armani.

The best part is that by banding artists together, indie ink can negotiate better deals with shippers, distributors, retailers, accountants, lawyers and all those other advisors and services that you need to work with to get a project ready for market.

So tell us: what part do you need help with?