We were lucky to catch up with Sarah Lightman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sarah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

I used to work at restaurants before I was a full time musician. Something I learned at them was how to avoid a failing business. I would watch the owners invest in the bells and whistles before listening to their audience and the chefs on how to make the experience top quality. I would watch restaurant owners invest in a business thinking it would kick start another business and that they would only have to do little to nothing to maintain the business. I’ve also seen the owners neglect and miss prioritize their staff. You know what happened to all of those restaurants? They all closed down. They didn’t want to take the proper steps to ensure success and maintain a positive experience for their staff and clients.

Through wearing the shoes of a staff member, I have learned how to avoid the same mistakes and make different decisions when building my business. I learned that mutual respect, nurture, accountability, and proper communication are crucial when building successful relationships and having consistent character helps build and maintain a reliable brand. I have learned that investing in proper marketing and branding with a growth mindset is very important, and that when you don’t have the money to invest, it’s important to learn how to find it. Even if that means adjusting the strategy or slowing things down to a point, risk taking towards building and maintaning is unavoidable.

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 just hit 10 years in the music industry as of this year if we count the 3 years we had in Covid. I got started professionally as a street performer and then moved to stage performances, putting out music videos, songs, recording, touring, and doing private events all over the country. My mission is to help put out music that can help others feel seen and heard on their journey, and remind them we are less alone than we realize. Mental Health focused lyrics, and emotional charged melodies are my forte! Of course there can be fun songs because life shouldn’t always be a battle, but there are so many highs and lows worth telling stories about!

I choose to set myself apart from other artists by focusing on what feels authentic to me instead of just chasing trends and what’s doing well. I look at the things getting attention and ask myself: “What stories can I offer that relate to what people are paying attention to? What do people need to hear more about? What do they think about on a daily basis and how can I add to that in a positive light?”

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

One lesson I’ve recently learned is you’re going to meet so many people in your industry that won’t lead to any promising business relationships, and sometimes they come to fruition years later.

I used to think it was because of me that I saw others grouping together, hanging out, and becoming great friends in a super cliquey community, and that there was something wrong with me because I didn’t connect in the same way. There are no guarantees other than to look for people who are available to make new connections and mirror the values that align with your artistic vision. Focusing on the negative and only on what isn’t working is a sure way to self fulfill a prophecy of continually hurting your own expectations instead of choosing people who want to be in your corner.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Two HUGE things society can do to support artists, creatives, and a thriving ecosystem is:

1. Learn that what we do is a “real job,” and CHOOSE to see it that way. Sure the expertise is different and focuses on using the right side of the brain more of the time, but it is a career that requires labor, time, a transaction of service, and expertise is a real job.

2. Learn how to VALUE us in ways that don’t cheapen or devalue what we do. The rules may be different to a degree, but supporting by listening, sharing, attending, and buying our live services and physical goods are the best way to spread awareness and keep the ecosystem thriving. We’ve really made it more difficult for artists and creatives to access the ability to do what we do by making us work harder and it’s just not sustainable. It never was. The arts are the one thing that keep people from losing their minds, and help them have a better day. We can’t keep showing up for you if it isn’t a two way street.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sarah-lightman.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahlightman/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahlightmansings/
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/sarahlightman/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@SarahLightman
• Other: https://ffm.to/standupandshout

Image Credits

Tori Mills
Mellie J Photography