Yes, I absolutely would have started my business sooner. Mid-way through my masters in music in theory and composition doors began opening that lead to incredible teaching opportunities. Within a two years I was teaching at three colleges/universities, yet driving up to 50 miles between them. Completing a doctorate degree was the necessary next step as nearly all higher-ed positions have that degree as a minimum requirement. I finished the degree and got a position teaching a small liberal arts college on the east coast. Unfortunately, I was let go from that position. At this point 34 and jobless with a family to take care of. And here’s when I had my biggest revelation. I had been calling myself a composer, but was paying the bills by teaching. Like over 95% of professional composers today, the majority of the bread and butter is made teaching at a college or university, or teaching private lessons. This is when I realized that, as a composer, I needed to treat myself as a small business owner. I began studying business, economics, finance, and marketing. Another major “Aha!” moment that occured at this time was that I could take the skill set I had been using in the classroom—and which I was good at—teaching, mentoring, speaking, and coaching—and use it outside of the classroom. Without knowing it, I was pivoting. I learned that the talent stack I was using to serve students, could now be used to serve clients who paid me directly. There are a few things I wish I had learned sooner. Mainly, I wish someone had explained to me that as a musician I was a small business owner in a gig economy. No one ever explained to me how to think outside of the traditional music career tracks. I also wish someone had given me permission to start. Sometimes we need a mentor or a coach to let us know it’s ok to venture out.

As a speaker and a coach I help executives, entrepreneurs, athletes, and creatives release their money anchors so that they can lead with creativity and take courageous action. Money anchors are the core beliefs about how money works, how you should treat it, and what it can do that form the basis for our relationship to it. We created the anchors, or they were given to us, as a way to keep us safe. Just as a ship uses an anchor to be safe during a storm. The problem is that when we’re ready to move on with our lives we don’t deal with the anchors that are keeping us firmly stuck to the mud of “the safe.” They end up operating in your unconscious and most of the time we aren’t even aware they they exist. I help people identify their anchors and begin to release them so they can shift their relationship to money. As a result of making that shift, people are able to play and dream big. And they are able to take the courageous action that they’ve been either dreading, or unable to take.

I love speaking to groups of all sizes about anchors and career development. I regularly guest lecture at colleges and universities across the nation and am starting to speak to professional organizations and large corporations.

I am still heavily involved with music and why I embrace creativity as part of my speaking and coaching. I serve as a Director of Music for a church in Lincoln, NE and I actively compose for a variety of media and live genres. Most of my compositional output is for educational ensembles (school and university bands, choirs, and orchestras), though I do compose for independent film and commercials (my music has even won multiple awards!).

So many! My library is constantly expanding and I feel like there is always more to learn. One book that I often recommend is the one I read right as I was beginning my entrepreneurial journey. It helped me shift my thinking about what I am doing and working towards. That book is “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki. There are many incredible lessons to get from it, but the one that changed the course of my life was that the rich don’t work for money, they work for assets. This has helped me to see that as I build my business, I am working towards building multiple assets that put money in my pocket. It also helps me to not put too much time working IN my business, which is trading time for money.