Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alicia Pyle . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alicia , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I actually began my career at the age of 15 years old. I had no intention of being in the arts……..I loved the sciences and had every intention of being an ear-doctor. I was homeschooled and we ran into trouble with the high-school level course curriculum so I enrolled in college early. I either spent my weekends at the lab or at the piano. Something clicked when I started winning competitions, scoring students, and large-scale performance opportunities in my city. I eventually decided to focus on my art, and my education business (PyleStyle Academy) was born.

I have a crazy (almost unhealthy) work-ethic and the opportunities did nothing but grow for me over the last 20 years of my performance and education career. My private teaching studio is now busting at the seams, and I’ve carried a waitlist for the last five years. I had the opportunity to teach for my alma matter before decided to focus on my own entrepreneurial endeavors. I’ve started/fronted bands, and I was able to start a business booking live-music for events in my hometown of Northeast Indiana.

The journey is never done, and sometimes pain and disappointment are your best teachers. Sometimes learning what you don’t want is the clearest teacher and guide for finding what makes your heart beat in business and the arts. Helping others is also huge. We’ve all been there……at the starting line, and asking questions. Be a mentor and shine a light when you can!

Alicia , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Music makes people happy, and brings people together, music feels like home, and I always aim for keeping it local when it comes to booking and hiring. These are my missions across what I do in life with performance, booking, and education.

I studied music performance in college, and I’ve made a life and career out of sharing what I love and connecting the dots for clients. I never had a strategic plan to do any of the things I currently do with my job, but it all came together out of need and necessity in my community. I’m from a business and marketing family…….my grandfather started the large-scale car-stereo manufacturing company, Pyle Speakers which was big in the 70’s/80’s, so its almost second nature for me to market and share the story of what I do and provide business wise. It’s easy to talk about what you love when your business is also your passion.

I love working with kids, and I privately coach about 100 of them a week through my studio, PyleStyle Academy. I love watching them grow in their music studies, secure performance opportunities to share that growth, and use the skillsets that they develop with private music studies and collaborative ensembles in real life situations and experiences. We plan recitals, prep for auditions, and do life together every week and we love it! My client turnover is extremely low because we are committed & invested in each other and what we are working toward, and it’s always fun!

I work with over 200 local musicians and bands through my business PyleStyle Events, booking live-music for events, parties, festivals, and venues throughout NorthEast Indiana. It’s an honor and a privilege to provide this service as music brings so much to a gathering, and it really determines the overall vibe and mood for these events. My favorite thing we’ve done in this realm was when the entire economy shut down in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, and we created an online performance-based fundraiser that raised nearly 20k for the out-of-commission local musicians in Northeast Indiana. We are a tight-knit supportive community and we watch out for each other. I love being and working here with these wonderful people.

I’m also a composer and band-leader, and I do a lot of performing myself when I’m not teaching, booking other musicians, and running my small businesses. The music that I compose is instrumental, and lends itself to film-score and commercial applications well. I’ve been commissioned to compose for theatre productions, conference openers, and similiar projects since I was in high-school. It’s medicine to create, and I need to work harder to carve out more time for this in 2024. This is my goal. :)

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Don’t give everything away for free.

I am a generous, open, and loving human being by nature……….but I think setting healthy boundaries and expectations on what you are providing and what its value means is imperative. Not doing this can lead to serious burnout in the creative and entrepreneurial sectors as the “asks” will truly never stop if you’re good at what you do and you’re nice!

I love choosing around 5 things per year to donate my time/talent to, but I’ve learned to keep my donations and free services to the causes that are meaningful and close to home. Set a limit. Make an impact.

How did you build your audience on social media?

BE YOURSELF. and share often. I keep my brand very personalized, and it’s easy to tell a story when you know and believe in what you’re doing. Even if it’s not yielding a high income yet, if you know that what you are doing is making (or will make) an impact, if there’s a need for it, and you believe in your skillsets………then take this approach with your marketing. Share your story every week, and you will build a following, a community, and an audience. You are the best person to tell this story, so make sure whatever team you hire also follows this road with you after you delegate.

One of my favorite quotes that I use with my jazz improv students is “start simple, get fancy later”………and I feel the same applies with marketing. You don’t need a huge budget to do this. It’s just important to get started.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pylestyleevents.com
• Instagram: @aliciapyle @pylestyleevents @pylestyleacademy @aliciapyleandthelocals
• Facebook: Alicia Pyle or PyleStyle Events or PyleStyle Academy or Alicia Pyle & the Locals
• Linkedin: Alicia Pyle or PyleStyle Events

Image Credits
Max Park Media Blacklight Media Zoe Laska Tracy Seaman