Meet Coleman Jackson

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Coleman Jackson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Coleman, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

I think the fact that I’m the only one in the room that looks like me is exactly what allows me to be successful. In fact, I think the things that differentiate me (or anyone) from everyone else are the things that create the most value. Most of my work comes from people who need someone to do something for them that they can’t do themselves. If I was just doing something that they could have done, then my work doesn’t have too much value. The real trick is in finding the talents and skills that are in high demand and leaning into them. What makes me who I am is the combination of skills that I’ve acquired over my time in the industry. I think a lot of people (myself included) grow up thinking that they’re stuck with their God-given abilities and they just have to hope that someone will have a need for them someday. I grew up idolizing John Williams, the film composer. Still to this day, I’m in awe of all that he’s been able to accomplish, but as I learn more about orchestration and film music, I’m slowly able to comprehend it better. Now, I’m not saying that I could do what he did. Few can. All I’m really saying is that no hero you choose to idolize is any more or less than a person who used to be in my shoes. The only thing that really matters is the next step you take.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

My position is pretty hard to nail down. I work in the music industry as an orchestrator and arranger. That’s what I tell people anyways. In addition to orchestration and arranging, my day can consist of anything from networking and file management to accounting and business operations. My music company, CAJ Music Company, has been in operation since 2021, and my primary aspiration is to be a film music orchestrator. I was actually unaware that this position existed until I began my internship shortly before graduating from Troy University. I instantly knew that orchestration fit my skillset much better than film composition, which is what I grew up wanting to do. I was fortunate enough to land an internship with an excellent mentor, and since graduating, I’ve continued to work with him on various major projects, such as Despicable Me 4, EA College Football 25, Star Wars: Outlaws, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and several others. While working on these major media projects is my ultimate goal, they are far from the things that dominate most of my time. In the last few months alone I’ve worked on nursery rhymes for a children’s curriculum, created Piano/Vocal charts for an aspiring Broadway musical, and even played accordion at a German Christmas Market. One thing that I’ve learned is that there is just as much value in being a pro at one thing as there is in being serviceable at a lot of things. I’m still just 25, and I understand that my limited experience is working against me, but my hope is that if I continue to be a good steward of my time, I’ll be able to meet any and every opportunity head on.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The three qualities that I think work together to form the most successful people are a good ethic, calculated aspirations, and a lifelong desire to learn. Without a good work ethic, you won’t get very far. It’s pretty easy to spot a lazy person, and most people don’t enjoy working with them. Without healthy aspirations, you won’t have any motivation to push you forward or goals to reach for. “Calculated” is an important qualifier here. Aim too high and you’ll be constantly disappointed with how far you have to go. Aim too low and you’ll quickly become complacent and satisfied with mediocre results. A desire to learn may not be for everyone, but I do think it’s still important. I feel pretty confident in saying most successful people didn’t stop learning after they finished school. In fact, I’ve learned more in my first 3 years out of college than I did from my 4 years in college. That’s not to speak poorly of college education. Without my degree and the people who helped me obtain it, I wouldn’t be where I am today. But there’s a reason college multi-million dollar companies aren’t run by 20-somethings. It takes time to become successful, and the most valuable thing you can do in that time, is learn.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

Outside of all the obvious things my parents have done for me like feeding and sheltering me, I think there are two things that I’d cite as the most valuable. The first is pushing me to continue taking piano lessons. I, like so many before me, quit playing piano after it got hard. It wasn’t until they encouraged me to continue that I got “over the wall” so to speak. Everything got easier. I was able to play for fun, not just to prepare for lessons. To this day, playing the piano is one of my favorite pastimes. The other major impact my parents gifted me was their encouragement. Pursuing a career in music is not the most nerve racking life decision, but it’s probably close. The instability and uncertainty of day to day life certainly has its moments. However, knowing all of this, my parents never gave hint of the slightest doubt with regard to my pursuits. Encouragement can make the feeblest person feel capable of anything, and I will always be grateful that my parents gave that to me.

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