The Artist Pivot

Annnnd….. That’s a wrap on Season 5! On this episode I discuss some of the themes and through lines of Season 5. Including Give yourself permission, Give yourself grace, and Be in gratitude as much as you can.  My quote from this season is: "Take wisdom, insight, and perspective from others and create your own blueprint with it." -Ayana Major Bey Thank you to all my Season 5 guests, my editor Kier...

From the conversation I had with Artist and Creative strategist Lennon Bone these are may takeaways. First embrace discomfort. There is a reason you are uncomfortable and can you see it as a sign that you're on the right path or will you continue to collect negative leaning evidence in your head to keep you in your comfort zone? Second, hindsight is 20/20 but discovering your own personal and prof...

I had the pleasure of talking with teaching artist Jillian Paige and these are some of my takeaways. First, learn how to pace yourself on this artistic journey. There will be ebbs and flows and being able to handle them with grace will help you because a full artistic life is gonna involve pivots and changes. Next, find comfort in knowing you did the thing you set out to do, celebrate that achieve...

I had the pleasure of talking with actor and actor career coach Talia Thiesfield and these are some of my takeaways. Pivots are both internal and external and can be big or small but either way trust your own path. Next, once you’ve learned how to learn the lesson in a pivot you can then carry over lessons from pivot to pivot and set boundaries. You don’t have to go back to something that you pivo...

From the conversation I had with actress, voiceover artist, and coach Simone Serra these are my takeaways. Expectations are a funny thing. If we can come into more experiences in our life without expectations we make space to receive and have the freedom to try what comes. Next, Success is an ever changing landscape and it encompasses both your personal and professional life. It's ok to ask yourse...

I had the pleasure of talking with actor, director, and producer Faith Boles and these are some of the takeaways from our conversation. First complacency can ruin your career, if you find yourself being nudged to make a change you probably should, second, if you do have fear about doing something new or different, ask yourself how can I transmute that fear into positive motivating energy and what...

Speaking with author, actor, and artist Andrew Norlen led me to these takeaways. First, people tend to see you before you see yourself. They can see your talents and greatness before you do, and it can be hard to believe them when they tell you, but once you do believe you can put yourself out into the world. Second, don’t judge yourself too hard on your journey, give yourself grace and trust that...

Here are some takeaways from the conversation I had with actor, singer, and cabaret artist Sierra White. First, sometimes we need a hard reset, and a reset doesn’t mean you are failing, it means you are being led to a new part of yourself and career. Next, do not diminish your accomplishments by letting imposter syndrome say you aren’t capable, and last we have to actively remind ourselves not to...

Susan Hensel has a career that spans over 50 years and she is currently a Textile sculptor. The conversation we had led me to these takeaways. First, life is not going to present itself to you the way you thought it would but can learn how to persevere. Next, sometimes we are the last ones to admit we need a change and those around us are waiting for us to catch up to what they already know. Third...

I talked to the creative human known as Olithea Anglin and I wanted to share some takeaways from our conversation. First up, there are so many ways to feel artistically full, so don’t pigeonhole yourself to one thing, and give yourself grace when you’ve grown out of something that used to fill you artistically but doesn’t anymore. Second, learning how to give yourself permission sooner so that you...

Here are some takeaways from the conversation I had with Shaness Kemp who happens to be a performing artist, choreographer, and dance educator. The first takeaway is you need time to replenish. Now this looks different for all of us but it’s important to replenish so you can continue to pour out as an artist. Next, versatility is the key to flexibility. If you are versatile it’s easier to be flexi...

From the conversation that I had with Darlene Hope, who is an actress, I have some takeaways I wanted to share. First, it’s all about your staying power. Being in the arts, especially as an actor is a marathon. Developing the skills and coping mechanisms you need to run the marathon is essential. Second, when running this marathon, allow life to guide you, stay flexible, and ask yourself if this s...

From the conversation that I had with Julio Agustin, who is a Theatrical consultant and entrepreneur, I have some key takeaways I wanted to share. First, resisting change and things shifting often makes your experience during the change or shift worse. Do your best to release control and let the change happen. On the flip side we all reserve the right to change our mind. If you want to change or s...

1.Stop downplaying the skills you have learned through the arts. Meaning if you’re an artist who is looking to pivot or have a parallel career in something artistic or not, stand on the skills you’ve learned as an artist. Don’t negate them!  2. Money is a neutral tool, we are the ones who ascribe an emotion to it and for a lot of artists that emotion is fear, but we can choose to ascribe another e...

Listen to your body. Period. That’s what I took away from this conversation with actor and performer Roslyn Seale. We discuss our hesitancy to try new things but then it’s something we end up loving, how our bodies tell us it’s time to make a change, and accepting that you may have to close certain doors but it’s for your good. A Brooklyn, NY native, Roslyn has performed on tour, in regional theat...

Life comes in seasons which could include giving you a beautiful detour. That’s what I took away from this conversation with Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson. In this episode we discuss letting your tribe come to you, embracing change in your career, and that if you understand that life comes in seasons, that understanding may just help you not to panic pivot.  Johnathan Lee Iverson, the Ringmaste...

Life comes in seasons which could include giving you a beautiful detour. That’s what I took away from this conversation with Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson. In this episode we discuss letting your tribe come to you, embracing change in your career, and that if you understand that life comes in seasons, that understanding may just help you not to panic pivot.  Johnathan Lee Iverson, the Ringmaste...

Don’t put yourself or thoughts of what you could be in a box, that can hinder you because you are allowed to grow! That was my takeaway from this conversation with Circuspreneur Shenea Stiletto! In this episode we discuss not letting others' lack of vision stop you from doing what you want, giving yourself second chances, and questioning is your daily baseline joy? Shenea Stiletto is a former Two-...

Hello! I am excited to say welcome to Season 5 of The Artist Pivot Podcast! I am your host Ayana Major Bey and I happen to be an actor, voice-over artist, mentor, and world traveler. This is a bi-weekly show featuring conversations about pivots and life lessons from the perspective of artists, those who work in and around the arts, and arts educators. Everyone possesses the ability to pivot, you j...

In part 2 of the season finale I am joined by author, illustrator, and musician Paco de Leon. She is the founder of The Hell Yeah Group, a financial firm dedicated to inspiring creatives to engage with their personal and business finances and Hell Yeah, Bookkeeping , a bookkeeping agency for creative businesses. Her career experiences in banking, business consulting, financial planning, and wealth...

In part 1 of the season finale I am joined by financial literacy educator and former modern dancer David Maurice Sharp. David  is the author of The Thriving Artist: Saving and Investing for Performers, Artists, and the Stage & Film Industries.  In 2014 he was named a 'money hero' for his work in financial literacy for artists by Money magazine. David currently teaches at HB Studio in New York City...

On this episode I am joined by professional figure skater and choreographer turned Realtor Jermey Ten. Jeremy Ten is a Junior National Champion, the 2015 Canadian Silver medalist, and a 2 time world team member. He has traveled the world both competitively and professionally having toured with Bietak productions and Cirque du Soleil. Jeremy now works as a realtor in one of the World's hottest mark...

On this episode I am joined by BLUE. Hailing from Brooklyn, BLUE is a podcaster, photographer and brand consultant that started off as an independent music artist. He has taken his different experiences and pulled them together for conversations on his podcast blue Dope which has featured the likes of Selling Tampa’s Sharelle Rosado, Sistas Devale Ellis and Claire Sulmers of fashion bomb daily to...

Shirine Babb is an award winning artist who is passionate and committed to diversity, creativity, and professionalism. In addition to more than 20 years of acting experience, Shirine has a BFA in musical theatre, a MA from East 15 Acting Conservatory in London and MFA from USD/The Old Globe in classical theater. Shirine supports students by serving as an Instructor at New York Conservatory for Dra...

On this episode I am joined by Actor, Producer, Teaching Artist, Writer, and Strategist Davon Williams. Two-Time Anthem Award winner, Davon Williams is an International performer, the Director of Communications for Black Theatre Coalition, and a TED Talk alum. He is committed to using his talents to bring about substantive social change within his industry. As a performing artist, he has appeared...