“It’s the most important passion project I’ve ever worked on,” says analyst and consultant Crystal Haryanto of devising an academic course for the University of California, Berkeley titled ‘Artistry, Policy and Entrepreneurship: Taylor’s Version’. “And it became bigger than I ever expected.”
Shortly after graduating, Haryanto came up with the idea of looking at Swift through the lens of her specialist fields of study: economics and cognitive science. “I was seeing a lot of classes popping up about her literature and her songwriting impact, and I thought, what if I could connect all that with my own discipline?” She wrote the syllabus at pace and taught her first course in spring 2024. Demand far outstripped expectations and she had to cap the number of students at 44—coincidentally, the number of songs on Swift’s Eras tour—and employ a waiting list.
Courtesy of Crystal Haryanto
Crystal Haryanto
Now, Haryanto has harnessed the knowledge gained from preparing and teaching the course to publish her first book, The Glory of Giving Everything, which unpacks the Taylor Swift business model and identifies the core traits of her creative and entrepreneurial success. Here, she shares a few of the lessons that founders and business owners can learn from Swift.
Carve out your own niche
Swift entered the country scene and was able to identify a need within it for music that would relate to people in her demographic. Then, she took the confessional, storytelling aspects of the country genre to pop music.
Master the art of balance
Swift knows how to surprise her fans, without ever alienating them. She’s able to reinvent herself into something new, while retaining what she has always had. That’s how to create a lasting brand.
Go beyond the essentials
This is where the title of the book comes from: it’s about the glory of giving absolutely everything you have—which, in Swift’s case, means building an entire cohesive world around her products. It becomes a concept that consumers want to buy into: not just a concert, but an experience; not just music, but lyrics, Easter eggs and more.
Don’t be afraid to be ambitious
Swift was once asked to define creativity, and she said it was about having that light-bulb moment, and then possessing the work ethic to sit down at a desk and act on it. Her business acumen is a natural extension of her artistry; she pushes herself to exceed both industry and commercial standards. Being passionate about something doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be allowed to chase monetary success, because often that is what enables you to continue your passion.
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Consistency is key
As a business leader, you need to let your customers know what to expect. As with the frequency of Swift’s albums, it doesn’t have to be a strict cycle, but you do have to communicate with your audience, just as Swift does by announcing things on her social media. Keeping people emotionally as well as monetarily invested is vital.
Support your peers
Swift has used her success to bring up other women, from having Gracie Abrams and Sabrina Carpenter open her tour to crediting Lana del Rey with inspiring her work. Every businessperson should understand that there will always be a future without them; Swift clearly thinks about the next generation of female artists.
Turn challenges into opportunities.
Swift had something of a public fall from grace after her feud with Kanye West. But she was able to transform this adversity into something powerful for herself and others by taking an anti-bullying stance and finding a new way to connect with her fans. Once you’re in the public eye, you’re a role model, but the best role models rise gracefully to challenges in difficult times.
The Glory of Giving Everything
