We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Wendy Colonna a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Wendy , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I really resonate with this quote by Bono, “Music can change the world because it can change people.”

I’m passionate about the powerful ways in which music brings people together. Whether it’s globetrotting on tour, releasing original music, writing for ads or coaching creatives, I’m committed to building bridges of meaning and connection between artists and audiences.

As early as I can remember, I’ve been in awe of the healing power of music. I grew up singing in the church choir and at environmental protection rallies and could feel it in my own body and see it in the eyes of the listeners. When I attended concerts, I started to recognize how people of all walks of life could be deeply moved by a song, regardless of their age, fashion, gender or color. It’s got POWER.

As an artist, I’ve always strived to use the power and magic of music to create a container of connection, empathy, and healing both at my own shows and in my recordings. I’ve been touched by hundreds of stories from fans who shared about how my music set the tone for deeply profound soundtrack moments in their lives- songs that have held a sacred place for their processing during pivotal moments- songs that consoled them with the loss of loved ones, songs that celebrated miracle pregnancies, falling in love, milestones and anniversaries.

My son was born in 2017 and we lost my father a few months after. Through my own transformation influenced by these big life shifts, I uncovered a deep calling to take my love of music and healing to a new level.

I was ready to expand my impact to uplift both artists and audiences in new ways, bringing the healing power of music into more hearts. In 2018, I founded a coaching and consulting company, Crescendo Creative Solutions designed to build dream-to-market strategies and solutions for creative entrepreneurs. I wanted artists to be able to grow into an experience of entrepreneurship that felt authentic, possible and exhilarating. Too many amazing artists I knew were suffering with burnout and overwhelm and not being able to grow their careers. It’s been a thrill to work with so many brilliant artists to overcome blocks and elevate their careers!

But I wasn’t done yet. I wanted to empower artists AND I wanted to bring the creative experience of music into families, workplaces and to teams. So, in 2020, I founded Lyriculture, a team-bonding company that provides musical experience perfect for groups craving connection and fun, helping them to build an anthem that they can sing along with long after the session is over, keeping the spark alive in that special, memorable way only music can.

So here I am, making a new album, coaching amazing creatives and helping people to take part in their own theme songs. It’s sorta crazy, but all these experiences are so uplifting and we all know the world is a better place when music is present.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

After spending 25 years as an independent artist, I was called to coaching, mentoring and consulting. I believe that music is one of the most healing tools we humans have and I wanted to help artists navigate the music business economy with creativity and confidence. When I became a mother and stopped touring as much, the time was right for me to become certified and begin this part of my journey. I’m still creating music for my own fans, but now I get to help artists become resilient, fulfilled entrepreneurs, reaching their audiences with confidence. It’s hard for an artist to grow their audience in every possible way and it’s often the source of tremendous anxiety, burnout and often despair. I have really loved helping my clients to refine their approach to living healthier, happier lives and reaching their ideal audiences with less exhaustion and more confidence.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I’m an avid reader and am always looking for opportunities to lean into my perceived limits and grow. When I was nursing my newborn son, trying to figure out what my new life would look like, a friend handed me a copy of Keller Williams’ THE ONE THING. That was a game changer for me. It taught me about the power of focus and the freedom one can gain from knowing one’s top priorities. My career suffered for years trying to be everything to everyone and this book helped me to see that putting first things first could could (and did) change my whole life.

Another book that I recommend to friends and clients regularly is DEEP WORK by Cal Newport. I read this amazing book during Covid when I was a full time mother trying to nurture a stalled (due to the pandemic) performance career. This book helped me to get even clearer about how I was previously sabotaging my dreams and goals by believing that I could task switch all day long and have the ability to do the work that mattered most well. I learned so many amazing new ways of optimizing my body and brain’s best energy with tremendously limited time. Even though I was a full time parent of a toddler, I learned how to block my time for clients and songwriting so that I didn’t feel spread thin or exhausted by trying to cram things into a day in a disorganized way. This book shows so many examples of how to schedule your life to get the most out of the time you have to do the work you’re deeply called to create. Game Changer.

Seth Godin’s TRIBES is another that I share with my clients. He has such a gift for sharing marketing techniques that are very authentic and inspiring. Artists really value authenticity and persona-based marketing is not attractive to them at all and so they feel that perhaps all marketing is creepy. In TRIBES, Godin teaches us about the power of messaging to create movements from the soul that bring people together to serve a vision of what’s possible for humanity. It’s a cure from the fears associated with “icky” marketing and an inspiration for inspiring a positive movement in the world.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Knowing myself, leaning into my strengths and being authentic about what I offer and what I do not offer. I want people seeking a coach to find a right fit and I show up fully authentic, ready to serve anyone who asks. If it’s a great fit, we get to work, if they need a different coach or mentor, I try to help them find the right fit. My business is referral based and having this approach to building my clientele always builds trust, respect, rapport and eventually referrals.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://wendycolonna.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/wendycolonna
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/wendycolonna
• Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/wendycolonna
• Other: Coaching Site: http://crescendocreativesolutions.com Lyriculture: http://lyriculture.com

Image Credits
Alison David Jeska Forsyth Winker