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

Alright, Josh thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

In general, yes, i am extremely happy and thankful to be a “full time” creative. I would be lying though if i didn’t say that i daily thought about the idea of getting a “real job”. One with a boss, a set of rules and defined expectations and boundaries that are enforced by management etc. The reality is that being self employed in the creative field is a pretty wild ride. You never know whats next, where your next paycheck is coming from, the crazy things that may be asked of you, or sometimes even what your role and purpose in it all is. I think the conclusion, and reason i continue to pursue a career in being a self employed creative is that I get to hold the power in those situations. I get to choose what is for me, and what isnt. I get to set the expectations and boundaries around things. Starting out, I think we all are “yes men” sort of people as we are working out of a scarcity mindset. “This opportunity may never present itself again” sort of mentality and in that you lose the power and beauty of knowing that you are the boss. You are being trusted for your work, expertise, and aesthetic and within that, you do have power.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am Josh Bonanno and I am a Nashville based mix engineer. For anyone who isn’t in the music industry and doesn’t know what that means, essentially i help finish records before they are officially signed off on and ready for release. My goal always is to ensure that the emotional intention, energy, impact and pure “vibe” of a record that is captured and present in the initial recording is seamlessly communicated and understood when the song is released in to the world and played in thousands of varying environments. It is a technical thing in a sense (making sure everything translates and is heard across all platforms) but it is also an emotional and mental process in ensuring that the artist and producer and everyone involved in the creation of the art has a peace of mind knowing that their art is being accurately represented and heard out in the world.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I dont by any means feel like i have a huge audience or following on social media, but what i will say is that without social media, i wouldnt be in the position i am in as a self employed creative. Social media can be an incredibly toxic and “bad” place overall, but when viewed through the lens of being a tool for communicating who you are and what you do and are about, it truly can unlock a whole new world of opportunity. The toxic side of it, and what I think most struggle with it is that they arent being true to themselves. They are “faking it”, communicating things that aren’t true to them or things that dont align with their values or goals. Thats where it starts to turn toxic. You are simply chasing attention at that point rather than trying to find people who are onboard with who you actually are as a creative.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Humans. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. People are generally a lot nicer and more accommodating than you might think. The older they are, the more likely they have the answers you may need as well. Tap in too that resource.

Contact Info:

• Website: joshbonanno.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshbonanno/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-bonanno/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxmoOetCFR68vgjs3hIzPw

Image Credits
Seiji Itaru Inouye