We recently connected with Kate Voss and have shared our conversation below.
Kate , thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?
The thing is, you can never be ready for a leap of faith. It’s impossible! You literally don’t know what on the other side even if you think you do. But getting what you truly want out of life requires that you go for it and after 20 years of dreaming/talking about being a professional singer, I took a risk and made the leap at 30 years old to full-time artist. After that initial leap from being a career teacher to being a full-time touring musician I realized I was over my head and although I didn’t know it then, that’s exactly where I needed to be to refine my skills and become the confident and resilient person I am today. I learned that risk-taking requires a skill set that is not necessarily parallel with the job at hand. Risk-taking requires flexibility, intuition, willingness to be a beginner, willingness to ask for help, and optimism. I learned all of this by making lots of mistakes and allowing myself to learn from experiences.
After a huge learning curve switching careers in 2014, I was able to find footing in the music industry with the unique brand of music I performed with my husband in 2016. We started to see fruits from our labor with our act (Sundae + Mr. Goessl) with international reviews, awards, and national touring. We were able to connect with other industry professionals and learn from the masters as well as our colleagues. Our risk had paid off and from there we continued on performing and still perform/tour nationally to this day (in fact, I am writing this while we drive through eastern Montana….). Knowing that I had achieved a lifelong dream was/is so rewarding and it’s given me the courage to take other risks.
In 2018 my husband and I took a risk and decided to tour full time and live on an RV. That was a wonderful time in our lives both personally and professionally and it really pushed us to be flexible with the our schedule and lifestyle. Living in a 30 ft vehicle is definitely a game changer and flexibility is a MUST.
In 2020 our album release and subsequent tour was canceled. We took the opportunity to hunker down and create new music from home with the intent to radiate optimism. After a step back, were able to continue touring in spite of the global pandemic because we lived in a “mobile” rig the inspiration from this reset in our music helped us develop the “Curbside Concerts” series we toured all over the US. We were able to tour safely and give concerts outdoors while many places were shut down proving music and joy to the people who needed it most.
In 2021 I took a risk and entered into a writing contract with Hal Leonard developing their first Melodica Method book. This was something I had never done before and my imposter syndrome was through the roof! Luckily I remembered that asking for help is a sign of success NOT failure and I reached out to a life coach for mental and emotional help as well as a curriculum consultant for professional advice. My book is now published and distributed worldwide and I was able to gain the attention of Jon Batiste through the process.
In 2022, my husband and I took a risk and decided to become parents. We were devastated when we lost that pregnancy and I was worried about my mental health. It took a long time to heal and I remember using strategies that helped me get out of my own head and leave the grief if only for a moment. Learning about Buddhism and meditation during that time was incredibly helpful on my path to recovery.
In 2023, I had a vision for the future and wanted to establish a new business venture as well as put down roots in a new city. My husband and I found a partner/investor who worked with us to purchase 2 buildings with the intent to build a recording studio where we could house our label (Sun Goose Records), open up an art boutique & bar (Can Can), and live upstairs in one of the units. Opening up a shop that required a liquor license put me in new territory I’d never been in before and in addition to getting LOTS of help from my community I had to again learn from experience/making mistakes as a beginner to achieve my goals. The kicker to this venture is that one month after I signed my lease for this business I became pregnant again…
Opening up a brick & mortar business from scratch is HARD. Doing while pregnant was an even bigger challenge, but my determination to be a mother was unwavering and I’m delighted to report that our happy little daughter was born healthy on Aug 7, 2024. The risk in pregnancy and birth is greater when you’re my age (41). Nothing is guaranteed in this life and having that mindset was/is helpful because it has kept me grateful for the abundance life continues to provide.
I truly believe and live by the words “Nothing ventured nothing gained” and I’m so grateful that the risks I’ve taken in this life have paid off. Following my heart and my intuition has helped me find success in all aspects of my life.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My name is Kate Voss and I’ve been a small business owner, artist, and entrepreneur for the past 12 years. In addition to touring/performing around the US I am also currently running a boutique & bar called Can Can in Oshkosh, WI, running an indie record label with my husband called Sun Goose Records and raising my 6 month old daughter.
I tour with my band Kate Voss & The Hot Sauce all around the US. Our theater show has appeared in 17 states in the past year and continues to thrive as a unique brand of retro music/style featuring Jason Goessl on guitar, Mike Underwood on drums and myself on Uke bass, Melodica and vocals. We released our debut album in 2024 and offer Kate Voss branded melodicas, my book “The Melodica Method”, hot sauce, and CDs at our shows. You can learn more at KateVoss.com
I opened up Oshkosh’s first and only Boutique & Bar in 2024 (Can Can) where i feature local art, artisan products, jewelry, kitsch, and vintage with a can bar in the back giving my customers a unique “sip & shop” experience. We do our part to reduce plastic waste and only offer drinks from cans (hence the name Can Can) and all the $ from our recycled cans is donated to the humane society. All ages, races, abilities, genders, religions and orientations are welcome! We will be launching our online store in March 2025 at CanCanOshkosh.com
My husband and I started up a record label a few years back that is starting to take flight! Sun Goose Records focuses on taking indie artists to the next level in digital distribution with releases on all digital platforms and global publishing. An added bonus: I get to sell all physical SGR merchandise at my shop Can Can! We love supporting artists. Check out our releases at SunGooseRecords.com
The biggest news/job in my life is being a mom to my 6 month old baby girl, Juno! She continues to bring joy to the world each day and challenges me in ways I am so grateful for. Being a mom on the road is wild and so far my babe has been to 21 states since her birth in August 2024! Balancing my shop, touring and being a mom is the biggest challenge I’ve had to date and while I am, well, exhausted…I’m also inspired every day by my ability to laugh and live life to the fullest. I’m so grateful for my life/business partner (Jason Goessl) for always being optimistic and going along with my crazy ideas.
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?
1. You have to be bad at something before you can be good at it. Be okay with being a beginner! Ask questions, learn as much as you can, make mistakes, get help. How else will you rise to badass?
2. Don’t waste time working with people that are not supporting you. Follow your intuition and be selective with who gets your precious time/energy.
3. It’s easy to beat yourself up in the moment when things don’t go as planned. I often want to give up the entrepreneurial life altogether in these moments! To get through these difficult times, I think of all I’ve accomplished leading up to this point and remind myself that I’ve gotten through MANY hard times in my life and I will get through this one too.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield had a huge impact on the way I pursued and viewed my music especially as a career. Going from being an amateur singer to bringing in 6 figures annually with my music business has been equal parts challenge and reward. A quote from the book that has stuck with me and helps when I want to give up or think I’m not good enough is “It’s better to be in the arena getting stomped by the bill than up in the stands or in the parking lot.” People are always going to have something to say about what I do and how I do it, but they are spectators. I may be bloody and beat up and tired as all get out, but I build my companies from the ground up and I get to be my own boss. I absolutely love my life and hope if anyone reads this they might be able to find some inspiration for their own bold journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sungooserecords.com/katevoss
- Instagram: @katevossjazz @katevoss_hotsauce @cancanoshkosh @sungooserecords @sundaeandmrgoessl
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katevossmusic
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@katevosshotsauce
- Other: Tik Tok:
@can.can.oshkosh
https://www.tiktok.com/@sun.goose.records
Image Credits
Don Stolley
the first uploaded photo (black/white of me in a Cowboy hat) is credited to Brittany J. Kitchens
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
