We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Aaron Copenhaguen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Aaron thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
It’s a great risk to chase your dreams, but I don’t think there’s a better way to live your life. Every artist, musician, entrepreneur, and business owner you know has achieved their success by following their passion.
It’s a scary journey to expose yourself to failure, but it is my belief that there’s no other way to pursue your goals.
About 17 years ago, I decided to leave my home country, Argentina, to pursue my dream of becoming a professional musician in the USA. Of course, I already had some experience in Argentina doing performances, teaching, and creating my own music, but I never believed it could actually become my 24/7 job.
Taking the risk of leaving friends, family, work opportunities, and coming to a country with a different language and the most competitive music environment I had ever been a part of was a risk that I was willing to take and will take over and over if I had to do it again… Because it gave me the chance to become a full time musician, express myself, and the opportunity to share the stage with great mentors that led me to a successful path where I can wake up every day with a smile and do what I love for a living while enjoying free time to spend with my loved ones and study to become the next best version of myself.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi there,
My name is Aaron Copenhaguen. I’m a Spanish Guitarist, Entrepreneur, and Business Owner located in Burbank, CA.
As I mentioned before, I arrived in the USA from Argentina in 2006 to study music at the LA Music Academy in Pasadena, CA. I had the chance to study with great mentors who showed me how to become the best musician I could be. Most importantly, they taught me how to become a professional working musician and understand the business side of music performance.
I also discovered my passion for music direction and production, which led me to my next stop, the SAE Institute of Audio and Technology, to study Audio Engineering and music production. While doing all this, I became the music director for several artists, produced 5 albums, directed the worship team at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Claremont, CA for about 4 years, had the opportunity to lead a Youth Group which got me back into the teaching world, and performed as a work-for-hire musician until I finally decided to start my own business. I have released 2 original albums and I’ve been performing at private events, corporate events, festivals, big shows and basically dedicating myself to becoming a solo performer with my own business. This help me to manage my time and income in a way that allows for free time to spend with my family and loved ones.
My style of music is a blend of classic favorites and Latin rhythms, infused with the unique sound of the Spanish guitar. With over 20 years of experience, I have performed at a wide range of events, including weddings, corporate functions, private parties, festivals, concerts, and much more.
I have an extensive set list of 400 popular songs and offer a range of styles, including Latin Spanish Guitar, Flamenco Rumba, Boleros, Latin Jazz, Bossa Nova, Classic Rock, Classical Music, and my original music.
Thank you again for reading this article, and I hope you consider me for your upcoming event.
Have a great day!
Aaron Copenhaguen
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
I like to write a blog every Friday where I share a little bit of my view from my humble experience, trying to include all these years of research and experiences.
I always recommend everyone to read:
‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill
‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’ by Robert Kiyosaki
‘The Richest Man in Babylon’ by Clason
I believe that if you don’t understand the value of money, acquire skills, and, most importantly, understand your own value proposition and what you bring to the table, there’s no chance you can actually become successful in any endeavor.
Some people like to critique rich and successful people… I like to learn from them and try to implement their philosophy into my business and music performance.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My creative journey completely changed in 2020. Being recognized for my music or becoming ‘the best’ at what I do became less important than achieving financial independence and acquiring free time to spend with my family and loved ones. As a musician, I get to do what I love for a living, but when you have to sacrifice quality time to earn a living, something needs to change. I had to learn a new way to share my skills. When you put an information junkie like me in a lockdown situation with access to the internet… you get a musician who studies guitar 8 hours a day, earns certificates in economics, business, business accounting, digital marketing, web designing, and reads at least 1 book a week.
Once you take that road, creativity flies, and my business took a different turn. Now, I don’t choose my performances based solely on money, but on achieving quality customer service that produces value for my clients. This approach allows me to earn enough money to finance my entrepreneurial life, where I get to play the roles of CEO, financial manager, and business owner—a new hobby I discovered during my 2020 journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.aaroncopenhaguen.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaroncopenhaguen/?fbclid=IwAR2uqms884uu6c0qHCtXHxd6_aaVJk5DeQsSgpx5HEW-CY8L33XJk98SF2g
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-copenhaguen-96a076273/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrk8KbaJWBdTSjDVH1hy-EQ?sub_confirmation=1
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/aaron-copenhaguen-guitar-san-fernando-valley-2
Image Credits
Those pictures were taken by me and no need for permission or credits to use them.