We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful CherylAn Sokol-Byrne. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with CherylAn below.
Hi CherylAn, 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.
I believe my optimism has come from years of proof that I can achieve almost anything, if I just don’t give up. I am convinced that learning that lesson has been my saving grace.
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?
Every kid has dreams. At age 6, mine was to be a music superstar. It makes me laugh now, but I was very serious then. I was born with musical ability, so that didn’t hurt. Unfortunately, it was a common thought among everyone around me (ok, it SEEMED that way), that being good at anything in the arts could be a nice hobby, but wouldn’t make you a sustainable living. I was always (lovingly) encouraged to look elsewhere for a “real” job. Well, anyone who truly knows me, knows that if I believe there’s even a sliver of hope that I can make something happen, I will never give up. That hard-headedness has served me well (most of the time).
It’s not easy to talk about, but I have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and it went undiagnosed while I was growing up. I didn’t think I was very smart for the longest time, because I didn’t do well in school. Music was a way to forget that. From age nine, I learned how to play clarinet and bassoon, and later taught myself to play guitar, so I could write songs (great therapy for teenage angst). I improved my skills, and at age 22, I was asked to be a staff songwriter for the record label, Philadelphia International Records (the Gamble & Huff legacy). It was an amazing accomplishment! Unfortunately, the income was NOT amazing. After a few years, I became frustrated with the very little money I made, and the annoying little voice in my head asking if I was happy with that.
I reluctantly went looking for better pay. I went back to school, telling myself I was just using my other abilities. I worked my way up through the corporate world, and eventually became a successful, multi award-winning mortgage loan officer – one of the top 7% in the Delaware Valley (weird fact I learned later: music and money are related – both are mathematical!). I spent years helping others obtain great housing, and improve their credit for a better overall life. I loved making a difference. Unfortunately, with working 70-hours per week, there wasn’t much time for music. I think my heart tried to get my attention long before I heard it.
This is where being hard-headed has its advantages. One day I woke up and thought, “I can’t just have my headstone say I was a great loan officer. This can’t be the way it ends!” By then, I was married to Patrick, who had earned a formal music degree when he was younger, but we both had been in corporate jobs forever. I knew it would be a HUGE shakeup to do something different, and it would take some time, but I decided I HAD to try to bring music back into our life (here we go)!
Today, we could not be happier! Music is part of who Pat and I are, and making it the priority again has brought us unbelievable joy. I did a ton of research in the beginning, and found something called Sync Licensing (synchronizing music with media). Turns out, you can build a professional home studio, create radio-ready music that fits in tv shows, films and ads, and get paid to license that music to them! Of course, the longer version is that I talked Patrick into trying this. He agreed, so we bought and learned all new technology, learned how to create quality music in the right form, and began signing our music to music marketing libraries, who pitch to the tv, film and ad companies. So far, we have placed music in eight reality tv shows, and a few films – and we’re just getting started! My husband is an amazing writer and orchestrator, and I help write and make sure the music is technically perfect for delivery to our clients. The corporate world taught us about meeting deadlines, so that helps. With sync licensing, we can spend the rest of our lives creating music together, and we don’t have to join a heavy metal band, or go touring! My 6-year old self may not have dreamed of an ending quite like this one, but I believe she would be happy with it. These days, I DO feel like a superstar! This was a big undertaking that is succeeding because we believed it could work. It started with one crazy statement. Per my usual never-give-upness, once I see a sliver of hope….. well, you know. 🙂
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Most impactful to me? 1. Paying attention to my instincts, and not everyone else’s, which has resulted in some amazing successes for me. It’s not always an easy decision, or popular. Sometimes I don’t understand why my instinct leans a certain way. I have learned that eventually I’ll understand, so now I just try to trust it.
2. Remembering to keep my eye on my goal (whatever that is), and not pay attention to any distractions that could get in the way of it. That might even mean allowing someone to believe they “won” an argument, if my winning would derail what I’m ultimately trying to do. I don’t need to win more than reach my goal.
3. Learning to listen more than talk has helped me to better understand what my clients needs are (or anyone else), and I believe it makes them feel that we have a relationship, not just a transaction. They don’t need to know everything about me. I need to try to learn everything about them.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
I love the saying, “It takes a village.” There are so many people that have contributed to my becoming a valuable music creator in the entertainment world. I am forever thankful to the people who took time to teach me important sync-specific rules and professional protocols, and how to substantially improve my music production for even better placements: My first coach, Music Supervisor Jody Friedman, and music producer colleagues Michael Levanios, Frosti Jonsson, and Luke Truan. There are too many other friends to name, who helped and encouraged me, but they were no less important! Lastly, my husband showed me how he pushes self-doubt aside when it shows up; by being able to call back 3 amazing things he’s already accomplished. It shuts up that little voice. Mine would be: 1) Out of thousands of songwriters who wanted to write for Philly Int’l Records, they wanted ME to write for them. 2) I worked hard, and became a successful, top-producing loan officer, who helped others change their lives. 3) I am enough. There is no perfect. I try to do something good in the world every single day, and that matters!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://s.disco.ac/jalzahejhkbl
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapPartnersMusic
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/cherylan-sokol-byrne-093302331
Image Credits
-British Noir: Reel Note Music licensing album, Bulletproof Bear, distributor.
-Dramedy Vol. 2: HDMN Prime licensing album. 411 Music, distributor.
-Gravesend Season 2: Amazon Prime TV series. Songs on end credits, episodes one and nine.
-Remaining photos and logo fully belong to C.A. Sokol-Byrne
