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

Shantell, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I am happy – and I’m both a creative and a business professional.

My ‘creative’ job is writing, recording, and performing music, as well as running my boutique sync company licensing music for film and TV. My ‘business’ job is working in internal change management at an international technology consulting company.

The journey to admitting I had two jobs took me literally years to navigate.

I’d worry that being perceived as a ‘artsy creative’ would devalue my work in business, or feed an impression that I wasn’t committed to my career growth. Then, I’d worry that I wouldn’t be taken seriously as a songwriter because I had a day job that I loved outside of making music.

Then, one day in 2008, something changed.

At the time, I worked at Nissan North America headquarters in Nashville, and I had a Q/A session with Brian Carolin, the senior vice president of sales. We started talking about our passions outside of work (his was cycling). He told me that he never hid his love of cycling at work because he never bought into ‘this idea of a faceless, bland company’ where everyone had the same interests and personalities.

It was liberating!

I started to see the ways my jobs connected, and how I was growing because of them. Here are some of my observations…

– There is tremendous value in authenticity, diversity, and creativity in business.
– Artists aren’t always great at skills like marketing, PR, and negotiating – and these are all skills I learned in business roles that have really helped me as an artist.
– When I working on a presentation I’m thinking “what’s the story, who’s the audience, what’s the heart of the message here?” Ironically, those are the same questions I’m thinking about when I’m writing a song – it’s just a different medium.
– I have creative freedom to work on the projects and with the people that I want to because I’m not a starving artist. I am also much more creative because I’m not worried about paying my bills all the time.

Probably the biggest ah-ha moment was realizing that admitting both of my jobs gave people around me the freedom to do the same – and we’ve learned from each other through great conversations.

Shantell, 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?

Absolutely. I grew up on a family farm in rural Utah – and those roots are still a big part of who I am. On a farm, there is a lot of hard work, resilience, and manure. That right there prepared me for a career in the music industry! I moved to Nashville in 2005, and still really love the city. Tennessee is beautiful and you can drive outside of Nashville and quickly be in the country which reminds me of home.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

When I’m performing there will be times that I can feel a song touch someone’s heart. They will tear up, or I’ll notice a memory wash over their face. It’s unlike any other feeling to know that somehow – even with total strangers – there is a moment of connection. That is the power of music. It truly is a gift to share that moment with someone through a song.

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

It’s hard to pick just one!

I’ve gone through multiple layoffs from corporate jobs and long periods of financial struggle. I’ve weathered times of extreme insecurity about music too. I’ve played gigs where no one listened and it was all I could do to finish the set.

In the end it always came down to my faith and a lot of supportive people around me. I’m very lucky in that way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shantellogden.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shansmusic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shansmusic
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shantellogden/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/shansmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/shansmusic/
• Other: https://so-sync.com

Image Credits
Angie Miller