2017 Reader Survey
Reflection is vital to learning, growing, and success.
It works hand-in-hand with action, a constant cycle of doing followed by observing and evaluating our work, our relationships, and the choices we make.
We all know it’s true.
But so often, we get caught up in the doing part - creating, teaching, and playing (especially at this time of year) - and don’t make time to stop and reflect.
But it’s so important, y’all.
Reflection is how we learn and grow as teachers, directors, musicians.
And, want to know a secret? It's not that hard.
Try this simple exercise. Jot down your answers to these questions:
- What's working well? What are you proud of?
- What’s not working? What can you improve?
This will take 5 minutes, or less and I can almost guarantee you’ll have more clarity, a better perspective, and a renewed sense of motivation to dive back into your work when you’re done.
Today, I'm taking a step back to reflect on my business goals, blog content, offerings, and ways I can serve you better.
And I'd love for you to be part of that process. (Think of it like a virtual coffee chat.)
Pull up a chair and tell me more about yourself and the work you do. What are your biggest challenges right now? What do you hope to improve in your teaching and ministry this year?
I want to create content that's helpful to you and I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas for the future: What would you like to read about? What would help you in your ministry or teaching?
How can I serve you better?
Would you be willing to give me a few minutes of your time today? I’d love to hear from you. Please take a few minutes to complete this simple 5-minute survey. It’s anonymous, so please feel free to share your honest thoughts and feedback.
I can’t wait to hear from you!
As a musician, your work demands creativity, focus, and energy—sometimes all at once.
From teaching to practicing, performing to dealing with all the behind-the-scenes admin work, it’s easy to feel burnt out creatively, lose focus, and lack motivation.
You’re balancing multiple jobs and projects at any given time. But it’s not just about being productive—it’s learning how to find clarity and reset your focus.
Pushing through when your attention starts to wane isn’t always the best strategy. Instead, what if the key to doing better work was knowing when to take a step back, when to take a break?
One of my favorite ways to kick off the New Year is by diving into a new reading list. It’s become a tradition here on the blog to share my book picks at the start of each year—a mix of business insights, inspiring memoirs, thought-provoking nonfiction, and a few captivating novels to round things out.
Copyright.
It's a sticky subject and one not often taught in music school.
Copyright law protects anything with intellectual property rights. This includes poetry, books, photographs, art, song lyrics, music, and more.
How does it affect what you do as a musician, teacher, freelancer, artist, or small business owner? What do you need to know?
What does it mean to be a leader? And what does it take to be a great one?
Leadership has been defined as “the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal.” (source) Thus, a leader is one who inspires and directs that collective action.
This requires a certain set of skills and character traits, though experts say you can learn and develop these skills with time and experience.
You don’t have to be born with all of these skills and traits to be a great leader.
Happy New Year! I’m excited to share my book list for 2024.
I like to vary my reading material throughout the year by choosing books from several different categories. Here’s what’s on this year’s list:
It’s that time of year—time to share my book list for 2023.
As you know, I like to mix up my reading material throughout the year by choosing books from several different categories.
If you’ve been following along for a while, you know that every January, I share my book list for the upcoming year. I usually choose books from several different categories because I like mixing up my reading material throughout the year.
One of my favorite traditions is putting together a book list at the beginning of each year. I try to choose a variety of books (old and new) from a few different categories:
Business, Spiritual & Lifestyle, Fiction, Personal/Intellectual, Nonfiction/Memoir
This helps me be intentional about the books I read and ensure some diversity (so I don’t end up reading only one type of book!).
Looking for books to read this coming year? I hope you find something interesting and relevant on this list.
The beginning of a new career is an exciting time, full of energy, motivation, and possibility.
Maybe you’re taking that first step from music student to music professional, newly-printed diploma in hand (or in the mail - sometimes these things take a while).
Or maybe you’ve been working for a few years and are ready to make a change and set off in a new direction.
Maybe you’re in between things: trying to figure out what you want to do and what kind of musician you want to become, or maybe you’re beginning a second career later in life.
Wherever you are today, and wherever you hope to be in the next few months, here are 5 helpful tips for getting started:
Every spring, my husband Steve and I set aside a few days for a work retreat.
We’re both music freelancers, so this is a time for us to take a step back from our businesses, reflect on the successes and challenges of the past year, evaluate what’s going well and what could be improved, and do some creative planning for the year ahead.
Often, we try to tie this in with a short getaway (because by March or April, we usually have a pretty bad case of cabin fever). In the past, we’ve found affordable rentals on Airbnb (a business expense!) within an hour’s drive and bring our dog Rory, our laptops, a few books, and food and snacks for a few days.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year:
Christmas music on repeat (currently listening to Brooklyn Duo Christmas), Thanksgiving dinner with all our favorites (pass the cranberry sauce, please!), and a cozy weekend in, snagging all the best online deals.
I’m thrilled to be hosting my first-ever holiday sale this week - starting now! I put together three exclusive holiday bundles for you, available for a limited time only.
A résumé is a professional document representing who you are and what you’ve done in your career.
It shows your qualifications, skills, education, and experience, but it also demonstrates other less-obvious things, like attention to detail, organizational skills, commitment, and even creativity and innovation.
Your résumé tells the story of who you are and what you do.
Now, in terms of look and feel, résumés often follow some sort of template. This varies by industry: some use color blocks and bold fonts, even photos or icons to showcase their work and experience.
8 a.m. theory classes, 1-credit ensembles, concerts, performances, listening exams, and 10 p.m. practice sessions.
Ah, music school.
I’ve spent my fair share of time in music school: from my undergraduate degree in Piano and Organ Performance to a Master’s and Ph.D. in Music Education, I think it all adds up to 10 years (but who’s really counting?).
And yet, despite all that schooling (and all those recitals and term papers), there were still many things I didn’t know when I started building my career; things I had to figure out on my own and learn with time and practical experience.
![2017 Reader Survey Results [Infographic]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/585c710603596e2c47dad93e/1511201969244-V4CFHY88ZUUB4V8MZGM2/2017+Reader+Survey+Results-71.png)
Last month, I put together my first reader survey and I'm honored that so many of you took the time to respond and give feedback!
More than anything, I want to create content that's helpful to you, so I asked you to tell me more about yourself and the work you do and to share your greatest rewards and biggest challenges.
I also asked for your thoughts and ideas for the future: What would you like to read about? What would help you in your ministry or teaching? How can I serve you better?
Reflection is vital to learning, growing, and success.
It works hand-in-hand with action, a constant cycle of doing followed by observing and evaluating our work, our relationships, and the choices we make.
We all know it’s true.
But so often, we get caught up in the doing part - creating, teaching, and playing (especially at this time of year) - and don’t make time to stop and reflect.
Today, I'm taking a step back to reflect on my business goals, blog content, offerings, and ways I can serve you better.
And I'd love for you to be part of that process. (Think of it like a virtual coffee chat.)
Creativity is one of those elusive things that’s hard to wrap your mind around sometimes. What is it? Does everyone have it? Can it be developed?
One of the big things I’ve learned about creativity over the past few years is that, more than anything else, creativity is a way of thinking. It’s a way of looking at the world, interacting with it, challenging it; studying things, testing things, and a relentless desire to explore new territory.
Some people naturally tend to think this way, but that doesn’t mean creativity is limited to certain individuals. Creative thinking is a strategy; it’s a skill that can be developed.
Let’s delve into theory for just a minute:
Creative thinking (in any context) has four main components: Flexibility, Fluency, Originality, and Elaboration (source).
Whether you work part-time or full-time, one job or four, in an office or at home, creating a structure for your work day is important to your productivity, creativity, and ultimately, how you feel about your work.
And for those of you who work for yourself and work from home (at least part of the time), boundaries become a necessary part of structuring your day.
Are you prone to burnout?
Do you work until late at night, on the weekends, and even on vacation?
Do you struggle to follow-through on certain projects?
Do you lose motivation easily?
Setting a few boundaries, blocking your time, and figuring out what time of day you do your best work can help set you up for success each and every day.
Today, I’m walking you through my own process for structuring my work days.
Like many of you, I wear many hats during the week: church musician, worship planner, piano teacher, blogger, small business owner. Sometimes, it feels like I’m just keeping the plates spinning, not necessarily making any progress (how many of you can relate to that?).
But, with the help of time-blocking and being intentional about how I use my working hours, I’m beginning to reap the rewards of a more focused, productive work-week.
I’ve set boundaries on my email before, but they’ve never stuck for the longterm. Can you relate?
Somehow, I always find myself back to that place of constantly checking my email on my phone throughout the day (sometimes, without even thinking about it). It’s the first thing we reach for when we wake up in the morning and one of the last things we do before we fall asleep at night.
But why check it if you’re not going to respond right away? Why let those messages take up valuable mental space?
You see, I’m one of those people who tends to overthink things. I’m a slow processor and sometimes, it takes me a lot of time to craft the “perfect" response. So, if an email lands in my inbox that needs a thoughtful reply, I let it sit. I tell myself I’ll think about what to say or how to say it. And so, I do. All afternoon. While I’m trying to work on other projects. There’s that email in the back of my head, using up mental energy as I write and rewrite and edit a response in my head.
The years I spent in music school were some of the most challenging, rewarding, and inspiring years of my career so far.
My technique was in the best shape it's ever been, I knew all the rules of augmented sixth chords (I need to brush up on these!), and I felt very connected to the music world and my network of music peers.
In the months following graduation, I realized the crucial need to stay connected to music as I developed my professional career as a church musician, teacher, and arts administrator.
In music school, we're automatically connected; outside of school, we have to work at it. But, the rewards are great.
By staying connected, you'll continue developing your musicianship throughout your career, have access to more opportunities, grow and change with society, and be better prepared to meet the demands of the 21st century music world.
Here are a few ways to stay connected - to music, music-making, and the music world, in general - as a music professional:
Paper clutter. Even in our modern, digital world, paper clutter is still a problem. There's that note a parent left on your desk last week. That receipt from your most recent music purchase. That Post-It you wrote to yourself reminding you to call the piano tuner. A draft of Sunday's bulletin. Unopened mail.
The problem is that paper clutter equals mental clutter.
Researchers suggest that when your home or work space is cluttered, it hinders your ability to focus. It also limits your ability to take in and process new information (source).
Though it might seem innocent enough, clutter can become a distraction, overwhelming your brain with visual and tactile stimuli, and may lead to feelings of guilt, anxiety, and frustration (source).
Sherrie Bourg Carter of Psychology Today noted: "Clutter inhibits creativity and productivity by invading the open spaces that allow most people to think, brainstorm, and problem solve."
What if I told you there was an easy, free way to save papers, notes, photos, business cards, receipts, Post-Its, and even web clips in one convenient location? Stay on top of projects. Keep everything organized. Make collaboration a breeze. Keep good records. Never lose a piece of paper on your desk again.
You can never have too many teaching resources, right?
It seems I'm always looking for a piece of sheet music for this student or a fun concept-based game for that student. I'm also continuously searching for ways to streamline the business side of my teaching with helpful studio management tools, bookkeeping support, and email shortcuts.
Whether you're a studio teacher, K-12 music teacher, or children's choir director, I hope you find at least one thing on this list that's helpful to you!
Here are eight of my favorite resources for music teachers:
Wave Accounting
This all-in-one online accounting system that features free (unlimited) invoicing, ability to accept credit card payments, automatic billing and reminders, accounting support, and more. Wave is the perfect small business tool!
We talk a lot about our ideal day as if it was a dream world we sometimes like to escape to where there are no alarms, the sun is always shining, you have time to sip your coffee and read in the morning, and you seem to float through the day without cares or obligations or stress.
Sounds too good to be true, right? But really, what makes a day ideal instead of just ordinary?
My answer would probably be time: Time to do the things I want to do, time for things I enjoy, and time to spend with people I love. Feeling like I have time helps me feel more relaxed and rested, it helps me feel in control. And having space in my day makes me feel better about what I do. I'm more engaged and focused and inspired and driven. It all comes back to time management, doesn't it? We all have the same 24 hours in a day - it's all about how we choose to spend it.
There's a lot to running a small business/online shop, and though I feel I've only scratched the surface, I learned a few things in my first year of running the shop that I thought might be helpful to those of you just starting out. Here are five things I've learned:
Act Like a Business
Be honest, be fair, and work with integrity. Be kind to others. Support other small businesses when you can (packaging, collaborations, raw materials, shipping materials, etc.). This all reflects back on your business. If the products you're selling involve fonts (and really, even if it's only your business logo), do the right thing and buy a commercial license from the creator (if it's for personal use only). These may range from a few dollars to $20+, but it's a one-time fee and it's worth the investment to know you are doing the right thing and supporting the original maker.
We've all given presentations at one time or another. From classes to conferences, workshops to concert settings, presentations are a proven method for sharing information, knowledge, and resources in a succinct, interesting, and engaging way. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking about that time you sat through a presentation that was so boring, you thought your head might explode. Really? Presentations are interesting and engaging?
Hear me out. Presentations don't have to be stale or boring or by the book - mix it up! Make your presentation style unique and engaging by adding in your own personality and by thinking about it from your audience's perspective. Here are 10 stellar strategies for making your next presentation the best ever:
As any professional musician will tell you, a career in music is more than just artistry and performance; the business side of music is a crucial component of a successful career in the arts.
The business side of things may include managing gig contracts, paying estimated taxes, sending studio invoices, setting rates, sending emails, professional networking, and attending conferences.
Many professional musicians do more than one thing - performing, teaching, gigging, writing, etc. You are your own small business and tending to the things that keep your business running is an important part of building a successful career. You don't need a degree in business to manage everything I outlined above, but you should take steps to be informed.
There are lots of helpful books, articles, and blogs out there to help get you started. Here are a few of my recent favorites:
As any freelancer or small business owner will tell you, managing your finances is a huge part of the job.
From the ebbs and flows of self-employment income to keeping track of all your deductible expenses to paying quarterly estimated taxes, managing your personal and business finances is no small feat.
But, having a clear, organized system for keeping track of everything is a great place to start.
As two freelancers and musicpreneurs, Steve and I have found that sorting our money into different places helps us manage multiple income streams and work toward our savings goals.
It also makes paying quarterly taxes much easier.
A few years ago, I wrote a "Day in the Life" post. Lots of things have changed since then, so I thought it might be nice to share an updated version with y'all. Come see what a typical day in my life looks like! My desk, in a corner of our cozy living room
9:05 a.m. - I carry my coffee (half espresso, half hot chocolate) to my desk in the living room and turn on my laptop. I check my email to make sure there's nothing urgent, but I don't normally respond to things right away. I prefer to take a little time in the morning to read (articles and a few of my favorite blogs) and check in on social media and our websites. After this, I respond to a few quick emails, proof my newsletter one last time in MailChimp, and schedule it to send.
I love working with five-year-olds. I love their creativity, their fearlessness, their willingness to try new things, their crazy imaginations, and the way they make everything silly and fun. Five just might be my favorite age.
Some suggest that thinking like a five-year-old is beneficial for creativity, leadership skills, and growing a business (source). After all, five-year-olds are about as creative as they come (try asking one to explain why the sky is blue). Next time you need a fresh spark of creativity or you want to see the world from a new perspective, channel your inner five-year-old. Here's how:
Ask questions. Have you been around a five-year-old lately? They ask lots of questions. Want to challenge the status quo? Ask more questions. Want to understand the heart behind that decision? Ask more questions. Want to create something unique and innovative? Ask more, well, you know.
As a teacher, church musician, and self-employed business owner, I am always looking for ways to simplify my to-do list and be more productive. Who wants to spend their time doing tasks the hard way when there's a simpler, less time-consuming option? Today, I'm sharing a few of my favorite business tools for creatives to help you save time and hassle on some of those everyday work tasks.
TweetDeck
Schedule tweets in advance (including images!) and manage multiple columns - feed, notifications, Twitter chats, custom searches, etc., all from one central dashboard. TweetDeck does it all, and it's free!
ManageFlitter
Ever wonder how many people you follow on Twitter that are inactive? ManageFlitter makes it quick and easy to see who's active and who's not. ManageFlitter also has a sophisticated scheduling tool, including stats that show you the prime time to post each day.
I love starting the New Year with a new reading list.
It’s my tradition here on the blog to share my book list in January: this year, I’m planning to read a mix of novels, personal & intellectual books, nonfiction & memoir, and a couple of business books to balance things out.