Meet Jon Carmen Ezzo

We recently connected with Jon Carmen Ezzo and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jon Carmen , thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.

What really did wonders for my optimism was my AP English teachers approach to learning and grading. He started a new method of grading my senior year that I really appreciated. His approach was that grades weren’t an accurate measure of a students educational journey. His motto was something along the lines of “A great student isn’t someone who is great out of the gates. Rather someone that turns their weaknesses into strengths.” Obviously there are some big picture holes in that logic but I really do agree with the sentiment. My mom has a very similar approach, but sometimes you need to hear it from someone you’re not close with to really grasp it.

It still manifests in my life today. When I mess up on stage in front of a large crowd, I know what I did wrong. I know what I need to do differently to avoid letting that string ring out. Or when my delay pedal trails into the 3 beats of silence. I know I need to cut it sooner. There is no point on focusing on the negatives of it. The situation happened. Now all I can do is learn from it, and try to avoid it next time.
It shows in my private cheffing profession as well. Steaming 40 Gua Bao for 20 people ahead of time and keeping them warm in the oven may not always work out. However in those instances there is something to learn. Something to take home, problem solve, and hopefully execute better in the future. At the end of the day, it’s my first time living. Im going to make mistakes. That’s okay. Reacting positively is crucial for forward progress.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m a touring/session Musician and a Chef. The most exciting part to me is bringing people together. Who doesn’t love going to a concert with their friends, or going out to eat with them. I think a lot of “slow burn” consumption has been lost on our society. Albums are no longer the forefront of music. Just as a 3 hour meal at your friends house isn’t really thing anymore. I love when something makes you sit and think. Especially something that makes you WANT to sit and think. Those are the albums and songs that really mean something to me. Those 3 hour dinners with your friends or family followed by a walk have never left a negative feeling for me. Only gratitude and peace. In a world where instant gratification is everywhere I think it’s really important to slow down. Breathing in and out.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Jumping into the deep end is something that I really value about myself. When things don’t go your way, or go a completely different way than you expected, rolling with the punches has been so helpful for me. I’m not going to know everything, and I’m certainly not going to be good at everything. That can be truly terrifying. However I’m one of those “better to ask for forgiveness than permission” personality types. When opportunities come your way, and they don’t look like what you thought they would you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable. You’ll seldom have a chance to prepare. Learning on the spot is a huge skill set that has helped me immensely. Thats not to say you shouldn’t prepare if you can. Showing up prepared is most of the work. How you react to things you couldn’t prepare for is where the butter gets churned.

My next one plays off of my last. Everything in life is a learning experience. If it didn’t go well, why didn’t it? Did I have ample prep time I didn’t use wisely? Did I forget to turn of the delay trails on the pedal? Did kneading that dough for 8 minutes vs 10 really have an affect on the final product? If things went well, why did they go well? Focusing on positives as well as negatives is so important in work. If i don’t reflect through the lens of “for next time,” I spiral and self destruct. Not everything is perfect, but it can be better next time. I know it’s quite difficult to separate your work from your person, but your work is not as personal as you think. When I take it all personally, I’ve found my margin for error increases. I think too much, I get clammy and self conscious, I get too in my head. Creativity and problem solving is bigger than us individuals. We create for things that are not just ourselves, so why would we critique ourselves like it’s everything? Its all there to play a part in a bigger picture. One of my favorite pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten is that “people are not geniuses, genius works through people.” There is creativity everywhere in our world. I think so much of it is beyond our grasp at any given moment. That is until we’re ready to receive it. It has taken so much pressure of of me.

Last one for me is enjoying the little things. Even when it’s unrelated to what I’m working on. It helps me realize that my task at hand is not the only thing in the world. There is happiness, sadness, melancholy, excitement , curiosity outside of my studio or kitchen. I’m very guilty of that sort of tunnel vision while I’m working. Take a break, go for a walk and eat something. I’ve stumbled across so many ideas and solutions from taking a break and doing something simple and mundane. We are easily over worked, and our brains are constantly getting fried. Take care of it and go see something. Rest and reset. You’ll be happy you stopped working on that track for 2 hours to go meet some friends. Even if you don’t get back to it that day, you’re brain will be refreshed.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

My AP English teacher in high school had a particular style of teaching that I loved. He and I weren’t super close, in fact we butted heads a lot. I only had him for one year but I think that goes to show how much a fresh take from someone new can really change things.
He didn’t believe in traditional grades. He had the philosophy that truly good students turn their weakness’ into strengths. So we would turn in an assignment. He would give us feedback, what we did well and what we could work on. Then we would revise, and resubmit. This would go on a few times. Unfortunately he started this method with a bunch of high school seniors so it got taken advantage of. However that process sticks with me to this day. You’ll never be the best the first few times you try something, or the first few hundred. Learning from each time will make you unstoppable. You know the outcomes, the processes, whats efficient and whats not. I believe curiosity and empathy are humans most beautiful qualities. We must lean into them.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: joncarmenezzo

Image Credits

Raena Sky
Jacq Justice
Eva Cassell
Athena Rose