I had a falling out with a dear friend and music partner several years ago when we made the attempt to turn our creative, musical partnership into a financial one. We had co-developed a method of songwriting together, which was born of the seeds of a songwriting method that my colleague and friend had called…
Tag: entrepreneur
How to overcome fear and just play?
Since parting ways with my music partner nearly a year ago, I have been reticent to pick up any instrument and try my hand at solo composing. Fear is what holds me back. Pure and not so simple fear. As with so many seemingly insurmountable challenges I have experienced in life, I know that I…
Semaine no. 3: Mercurial moments
Malcolm and I have entered our third week of work in proximity in Prescott, Arizona. This time of transition has been a bit tumultuous, but I imagine it is to be expected when each person is learning how to create in a space and way that honors their individual needs. Being creative can already be…
Semaine no. 2: Tension and Transition
Week number two of in proximity entrepreneurship dawned sunnier and warmer than week number one. One of Malcolm’s first comments upon arriving in Arizona the week before was that he had not expected to be cold. Just as this expectation was different than the reality, so too has been our time together. There is certain…
Semaine no. 1
Last week was Malcolm and my official first week of work as startup entrepreneurs in proximity to one another. We are not starting off fresh as spring daisies, but we are present and passionate. For the past several years, Malcolm and I have been working together from a distance with very intermittent opportunities to work…
It’s getting serious!
For the past couple of years, Malcolm and I have been meeting once or twice a week via Google Hangout or Skype to talk about getting our songwriting business going or to work on compositions. In the past month, we started meeting every day. We would check in and discuss business strategies, potential products, who…
A song for Kino Bay
I have been learning how to write songs from stories for the past several years. Sometimes, I share my own stories, but most often I work with another person as a kind of musical guide. They share a story, and I ask them questions to try to learn more about where the emotion is coming…
(Don’t just) Wade in the Water
I vividly remember my AP Psychology class in high school. The main reason I remember is because my teacher was so very inspired and impassioned with the subject. I loved going to his class, where I felt that my presence was valued and I was almost always pleasantly surprised by the information I gleaned from…
It takes two, and often many more
After our mentor meeting the other night, I felt blue and more than a bit discouraged. I sent a quick message to Malcolm, suggesting a brief debriefing. Not thirty minutes later, we were communicating across space and time, and what an incredible comfort. Since meeting Malcolm and beginning to work together, I have experienced a…
Two steps forward
There was a Paula Abdul song that was particularly popular when I was growing up. The chorus went something like, “Two steps forward; two steps back. We go together cuz opposites attract.” And so on, and so forth. Thinking on these lines now, I find myself puzzled. I thought the term was two steps forward,…
Marieke is Guiding Song 