We recently connected with Tyrone Elder and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tyrone , thanks for joining us today. Was there an experience or lesson you learned at a previous job that’s benefited your career afterwards?

I worked a bread & pastries delivery route with my dad and I gained insights into accountability, leadership, and independence, each of which was necessary for the daily responsibilities and challenges of the position.

Accountability was crucial in the role, my dad held me accountable daily. My first response of accountability was showing up early enough to fulfill orders, organizing them according to the stores I delivered to, and leaving on time to meet the delivery. Delivery service requires a strict commitment to schedules and routes. If deliveries were late or incomplete, it impacted customers, retailers, and the business. I quickly learned that my actions directly affected others, instilling a sense of responsibility. Time management and organization were key for the role.

Leadership arises in various forms on a delivery route. I often worked independently of my dad, but I also represented the company. I had to embody company values and standards. I became a point of contact for the store managers, addressing their needs and concerns, which required strong communication skills. The greatest lesson in leadership for me was understanding the balance of independence and leadership, and how my leadership and independence affected store managers indirectly through how I treated their customers. Just because we were independent of the stores we delivered to didn’t mean we weren’t responsible for how we interacted with their customers. Leadership isn’t always about authority but character, setting moral examples, and fostering positive relationships.

Independence is another key lesson learned on the route. Managing a delivery route often meant making quick decisions, solving problems on the fly, and navigating unforeseen challenges, such as traffic delays or last-minute changes in orders. For me, it was the most impactful part of the job because it developed self-reliance and confidence, I learned to trust my instincts and judgment. It taught me how to prioritize tasks and manage time efficiently, skills that are invaluable in any career.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My artist name is Epiese, and I am an independent music artist/content creator originally from Dallas, TX, now based in Atlanta, GA with my wife. Growing up in a musically rich environment, my passion for music blossomed early, leading me to journal my thoughts and eventually write and record my first rap verse in college. After a transformative encounter with Jesus Christ, I felt called to pursue a career as a Christian artist, using my music and content to build, encourage, and motivate others’ walk with Christ. While the journey has had its challenges—such as self-doubt, criticism, and the transition to Christian rap—I’ve learned to rely on my faith in God and focus on personal growth. As a music artist, content creator, and minister, I aim to create from a place that resonates and builds genuine connections with my audience. My advice to aspiring artists is to prioritize your relationship with God, develop your craft, embrace vulnerability, surround yourself with supportive people, trust the process, and commit to a rhythm of rest.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The biggest pivot for me has been starting over. It’s not an easy thing to do because when you’ve built something there is this emotional attachment with what you’ve built. After investing so much time, vigor, and commitment, the idea of tearing down something I’ve built to start over was sorta heavy to process because of how I initially looked at it. I’ve started over in so many ways outside of being an artist, one of which the biggest for me was our transition from Dallas, TX to Atlanta, GA. This is my first time living outside of Texas, we were homeowners and sold our home, we had a small church community, and we both have family still in Texas with little to no family here in Georgia. My wife lived on the East Coast before moving to Texas, so moving by faith in this capacity isn’t new for her, she helped me with both spiritual and practical applications of the big move. We believe that God has called us to Georgia and we are excited to start a new life here together.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The biggest lesson I’ve had to unlearn is starting over meant starting from scratch. I think the biggest misconception about starting over is this idea of having to build over again as if the knowledge you’ve gained along the way is null and void. Nothing and I mean absolutely nothing is wasted. One of my favorite verses in the Bible comes from Romans 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. The key is ALL things, good and bad, lessons and losses, highs and lows, finishing and starting over. When you are chosen, love God, and have faith in His plan for your life He will work all things together for good according to His purpose.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.epiesemusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/epiese
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/epiesemusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@epiesemusic
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@epiese