Would you like your business...
...to burst into public awareness like Lady Gaga?
...to have the long-lived success of Mick Jagger?
...to demonstrate the creativity of The Beatles?

We don't normally think of the music business as a source of entrepreneurial insight, but we should. The best bands have longevity, a depth of customer loyalty, and a level of profitability that puts most businesses to shame. And what they know--about marketing, partnerships, the power of bartering, and overcoming obstacles--isn't taught in any business school.

David Fishof has lived at the center...