We were lucky to catch up with Jamie Homs recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Jamie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
I was a waitress for way too long. The day I quit, not knowing how I was going to make money was a pivotal moment in my life. Sometimes you have to take that leap of faith. Sometimes you have to put yourself in a scary position to help you rise to the occasion. It forced me to become a hustler and now years later I help run several bands as a bandleader, I create my own content on different platforms that I have been able to monetize, I do studio vocal work and also teach voice to industry professionals. This all happened because I decided not to stay comfy, bored and uninspired in my little waitress job. That was the first step but what really gets you there is consistency. It is hard when you are your own boss. You MUST be consistent. I made sure to post at specific times every week without fail. I made sure to prove myself through hard work, dedication and professionalism that I am the one you want band leading this big event. I proved through consistency that when you hire me to record on your tracks, Im going to show up on time, prepared and get the job done. There are so many people aiming for similar goals so you have to rise above. You have to try to be better. Having said this, I learned too many lessons to count along the way from trial and lots and lots of errors. There were times I wasn’t as focused or I was lazy and I paid the price for it. But you get up, learn from it, adjust and move forward. Like they say, it isn’t how you fall but how you get back up again!
Jamie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I grew up in a musical household. My parents are musicians and singers, my grandmother was a singer and the other was a dancer. Music is in my blood. I got into musical theatre at young age but having parents in a rock and roll cover band exposed me to a lot more music. I pursued theatre at an arts high school called OSCA and then in college via musical theatre programs. I did a lot of professional theatre during this time. After a short contract as a production singer on a cruise ship I moved to NYC. I did a few shows but after years of auditioning, getting lots of callbacks but no bookings I became disheartened with the industry. Maybe this wasn’t for me, so I adjusted and got involved in the music industry. I had blinders on with musical theatre and wasn’t realizing there is an entire industry out there I was ignoring. This is where my life turned around. When the pandemic hit I needed to figure out other options. It took me awhile to figure it out but with the help of my husband who is a brilliant musician, producer, artist and mentor, I realized another passion of mine: Fun information. I love interesting facts about movies, tv, history and music. So, I started a TikTok about it and after a little less than 2 years I have 205K followers on Tiktok and am growing on other platforms. I am proud of myself for my ability to adjust over the years. I am mad at myself for taking so long to realize certain things but there is no point in looking backwards. It serves no purpose other than to know what needs adjusting. Be happy you realized at all and move forward. To quote Albert Einstein, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
Time + Energy = Timergy. It is, in my opinion, one of the most important currencies on the planet. My time and energy is priceless. Doing what I do allows me to create my own schedule and do it on my own time. I get to create on my own terms. I am my own boss.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Consistency like I said before. Pick days and times when you’re going to post and post no matter what. Be your own boss. Write it in your schedule in sharpie not pencil. Figure out what youre trying to say and to whom. Who’s your audience? Speak to them. Make sure the videos are aesthetically pleasing. Dress for the occasion. If I am talking about a Christmas movie I will probably put on something festive.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/JamieHoms