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

Eric, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?

When I was about 6 or 7 years old, I got my first ever drum set. By the time I was 19, I had been in a couple bands but not really made it anywhere. As it always does, Life happens and the dream of being that drummer guy never made it past the garage.

I discovered the Djembe drum later in life, but I always knew about it since I went to larger music stores to get supplies for my drum set. I never realized the impact that drum has on people until I started playing it for my wife. Had I known sooner about the Community, the love, the Rhythms this wonderful drum creates, I would have left my corporate job a lot sooner.

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

Hi! My name is Eric and I am a drummer. Everyone who comes out to one of our facilitated Drum Circles hears me say this, but by the end of the event, everyone there is a drummer.

The drums called to me at a very young age. The drummer for Carols Santana, Michael Shrieve, played a blistering solo when they performed at Woodstock. I listened that recording over and over again and told my parents I wanted to do that. That Christmas, I got my very first drum set. It was a magical time.

Flash forward many years, several bands, and a couple records later, I find myself at a crossroads. I went on this amazing date with the woman who would become my wife and she asked about this djembe sitting in the corner of my living room. I started playing it for her and she was dancing around the room like a gorgeous pixie. That night started this path I am on.

I started actually building drums not too long after that and have been working on my technique ever since. I build ashiko style drums, a conical shaped drum, and I also repair and tune djembes. But what my company does the best is facilitate a drum circle.

I have learned techniques from the best on the planet. Village Music Circles educates facilitators how to bring out the best rhythmic experiences from every type of drum circle. Led by the godfather of American Facilitated Drum Circles, Arthur Hull, VMC has playshops al over the world and I have attended several of them and am currently working on getting my certification as a VMC Facilitator.

As part of the VMC family, I have also been endorsed by Remo Drums as a Rhythm Wellness and You facilitator and that has brought much needed recognition to Rhythm Healer Drums. We are most excited to be a part of both Village Music Circles and Remo families.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I was building a series of drums one fine afternoon and was having a wonderful time when I decided to feel what the saw felt like when it was on. I lost the tip of my middle finger on my right hand. I thought I was done playing and that I would never be able to hit a drum properly ever again.

Several months went by as the healing progressed and I made a commitment to myself to play through the night at a festival we were attending. I mentally and physically prepared for the event and I made it through the night playing with other amazing drummers.

The point here is that after the initial doubts, I told myself I would be able to play and I did. I am playing better than ever these days.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

This is a good question. I believe the answer here is that I had to unlearn that I needed any form of external validation. Growing up, my father was not there a lot. He was in the Air Force and before that was a store owner for arts and crafts in a small town in North Georgia. I don’t remember too much from those days, and then my parents got divorced when I was ten years old.

I felt as if I missed out on my Dad telling me I was doing a good job or that I missed the fatherly advice on how to improve without being told I was doing something wrong. So, as I grew into my teens and early twenties, I felt as if I needed to get validation from outside sources to feel good about what I do or create.

I finally figured out that that mentality is nothing but an excuse to keep myself from trying something new. It’s a daily reminder, and sometimes a struggle, to keep those old thoughts at bay and sometimes I don’t succeed. But, I remember that tomorrow is another day to keep trying and that’s what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: rhythmhealer.com
• Instagram: rhythmhealerdrums
• Facebook: Rhythm Healer Drums or Eric Olson
• Twitter: @rhythmhealer