You Did What!?

A few weeks ago I made a split second decision to quit my full-time job
and go fully independent. I gave the company a few weeks notice and this
was my first week on my own.

With most decisions I try to weigh my options, putting myself in a
position to have all the necessary information to make the right choice.
This type of thinking works for many things, but can paralyze you in
situations where a quick decision is the best path. Any decently
intelligent person can figure out a rationalization to continue with
self-destructive behavior, so we must figure out how to get out of this
mindset whennecessary.

In this case, I made a decision based on my gut. I’ve had a passion for
entrepreneurship since the days of downloading and selling And1 mixtape
DVDs to people on eBay (thanks Phin
Barnes) when I was 12. With
one failed startup under my belt (hip hop outreach/events company in
college), I knew I had enough experience and ability to make something
work. More importantly, though, is the need to know that I tried. I
don’t think I could live with myself 50 years from now knowing that I
had all these creative business ideas and a passion to leave the world
improved, but didn’t try them out because I was too scared to walk out
on my own. It is comforting to know that there are
many others
who face the same feelings and employ
this
advice.

Fear can rule you or push you to action. Situations that invoke this
fight or flight response are the ones that truly define who we are. I
have no real savings and a ton of debt (yay college and failed
startup!), but I wouldn’t let those things stop me from reaching for
that which is within my grasp. Luckily for me, there are some
really really good
people who are helping me
with gigs, places to stay, and general support. I’m lucky to know and
work with these people.

So what’s next? My last company had as our tagline “Passion Through
Music”. I hope to rekindle my passion for music and its ability to unite
cultures, channeling this energy into creating some innovative solutions
for the music industry. There are some parts of the industry that are
completely broken, and someone must make an attempt to fix them.
Songsicle is one such product
that I hope to fully reveal soon. Just remember it is all part of a
greater vision of how we can use music to communicate, inspire, and
impact lives.

So who’s coming with me?