We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sean Ryan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Sean, thanks for joining us today. How has Covid changed your business model?

Yes, absolutely for the positive and negative.

Before it was more profitable to be on the road, but since the pandemic, that has changed. During the first 2 years of Covid, things were similar to previous years since it was what we knew. But as more years pass, we grow comfortable in our distant interactions.

This was a negative for the fact that people were less likely to be bunched together in a room as before. The positive was the ability to get off the road and do pinpointed shows for larger audiences.

With more time off from flying back and forth, I have been able to not only increase my revenue, but strengthen my personal life and art (less drama, less stress). It is another new incarnation of what has been done before. Just new variables.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I started professionally when I was 11 years old with my father and older brother. My father is a musician as was his parents, who performed with the Las Vegas Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, ect) . We performed as a group for seven years in California.

As I started my own journey in life & music, I applied the lessons and experiences from those former years into my new venture. Alot changed, but the fundamentals of hard work, no ego and discipline still excelled in moving towards an idea and making it work.

Now, I reside in Nashville TN recording music and performing around the world each year. I use my music as a way to inspire and enrich listeners to good feelings and hopefulness. I believe in co existence and how each of us has a gift that fulfills another’s wishes. Having the experiences of audience members coming up after the shows and telling me how they related to my music and how they needed a voice really makes me pleased. When that happens. I feel successful.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

Touring can be dangerous! Besides the hazardous weather conditions when driving or flying, you also have to be aware of the attention you’re grabbing to the folks who aren’t as kind. Often, the places are wonderful and the cities & audience but you also make yourself a target by being out of towner & carrying musical equipment and money.

Once after performing a show in Alabama, I was nearly robbed (one of many attempts in my career). The man saw the venue owner pay me the ticket sales in cash, and as soon as that happened, I knew what would happen next. As I grabbed my guitar and walked out the back , I saw the inevitable interaction walking fast towards me. Since my car was further away, I decided to walk, unnecessary, into an outdoor patio that had a fence around it. The idea being to have an object between the gentleman and myself. Without hesitation, the man altered his path and met me at the opposite side of the fence. He then directly said “I want your money… and your sandwich too”. Reading the man’s hands and body language. I was able to determine he would not be able to reach me, or catch up if I chose to run. So, I put in practice something I learned growing up in tough neighborhoods as a young adult. I said “No, I worked my butt off for this and I’m starving! Leave me alone dude…I’ll give you some fries maybe”. He was disoriented from my response, mumbled and started walking away with a whisper of “no thanks”.

I am always grateful for being safe that time, but it’s important to not be the victim to folks who don’t understand what tolerance is. Especially while on the road when you are usually by yourself.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

With every major gain, there was a major loss.

What I gathered anew, I misplaced the old.

With the excessive of loss, I was re-made from new

What I am now, is who I wanted to be.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.seanryanlive.com
• Instagram: SEANRYANLIVE
• Facebook: SeanRyanBand
• Youtube: SEANRYANLIVE
• Other: iTunes / Amazon / Spotify “Sean Ryan” Mercy EP The King of Wishful Thinking Pt.1 Finer Things

Image Credits
James Chang and John Bailey