We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jodie Fox a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jodie, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
It’s in my genes! My work ethic comes from a long line of business owners in my family. Being a fourth generation entrepreneur myself, I’m embracing the spirit of determination and innovation that seems to run through my veins.
From humble beginnings, my great-grandmother’s basement photography darkroom supported her family during the Great Depression. My grandfather was raised in the same line of work, took over the operation, and grew it into a full storefront. My father learned from him and branched out, building his own photography business that blossomed to Midwestern regions far and wide. Witnessing my father’s incredible and inspiring work ethic helped me see that hard work knows no bounds. He instilled in me the value of striving for success and never settling for less than my best. Looking back, I realize I was raised to always be pursuing my goals, the idea of idle time never seemed to be an option around our house.
From a very young age, I was driven – I would write songs and short plays for my childhood friends to perform at the park. At age fourteen, I landed my first job at the local art theater. During college, I took on two jobs along with being a full time student and stage performer, learning the value of commitment and time management. After graduation, I worked full time and was able to apply these skills in a real world setting.
Today, I have my own my music business and recording studio, and see how important effort and dedication continues to be. The drive I felt from an early age continues to propel me. My purpose is to grow every day, serve my clients to the best of my ability, and celebrate the creativity in us all. My great-grandmother, my grandfather, and my father are in heaven, but I know they would be proud of what I am doing, and that means everything to me!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Music has been my life since as early as I can remember. I literally begged my parents to let me learn piano at the age of five! This passion for music grew stronger as I began with flute in middle school, learned to sing in high school, and later became a tenor saxophone player in a jazz band. As an adult, I continue to learn and taught myself guitar and ukulele to be more well-rounded musically.
Currently, I teach piano, voice, guitar, and other instruments to a wide range of students from various ages and skill levels. With an emphasis in musical growth, I take pride in sharing my experience and best practices with each learner. Most recently, I built a recording studio where artists can realize their dreams of producing their own songs. I’m beyond grateful my path has been a harmonious blend of artistic exploration, dedication, and the joy of seeing musical creations come to life!
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?
Reflecting on my journey, I’ve found that three elements played a significant role: find your joy, ask for help, and have empathy.
First is find your joy! I have to truly love what I do because seven days a week I’m either composing, editing, teaching, or practicing music. Ask yourself, what can you dedicate your time to and enjoy every minute? Or perhaps this question: What wouldn’t feel like work? For me, it’s music. I say embrace creativity, read books, talk to other people in the field, and have some fun allowing your unique vibe to shine. Pursue your goals like your life depends on it…because ultimately, it does!
Next, I’d say asking for help has been huge. You don’t have to know everything on day one, nor should you be expected to! Ask for assistance. Get the training. Sign up for that class. Find an amazing mentor. Ask lots of questions and get used to failing forward. Remember to laugh – we are all on the journey. Expand your social bubble and business connections whenever you can. You’ll find most people are genuinely interested in helping and enjoy seeing others grow. I’m grateful to have built a strong network by reaching out to fellow musicians, producers, and other entrepreneurs and asking them to help me in some way. In return, I’m happy to offer a hand when someone asks me for assistance. Take the time to engage with other people in your field, they are great resources and just might open doors you never knew existed. I like to think that each person and every experience are learning opportunities. Please don’t be afraid to ask for help along the way!
Finally, having empathy has been vital. Share your heart and let your business have a soul. Be empathetic when working with others and remember to show this same level of understanding toward yourself. We all have to start somewhere and navigate the uncharted waters. Having empathy helped me connect deeply with my students and my clients to form real relationships. Be a good listener. Lean in with genuine curiosity. Try to truly relate to other people’s emotions and needs on a personal level. Having empathy reminds us that everyone’s journey is unique and a little understanding goes a long way.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed, I take a step back from the project and give myself a break. I’m a big fan of taking a long bike ride to clear my head. Get outside. Breathe in some fresh air. I also see the value in getting away from the project for an entire day to relax the mind and allow resolutions to come naturally. I tell everyone to get a journal! I cannot recommend this highly enough, journaling has helped me immensely through the dark moments of this past year. It’s so liberating to pour thoughts onto paper to get to the root of the issue. I’m always amazed to see how troubles tend to shrink as I write.
Sometimes pushing through on a project when feeling overwhelmed didn’t yield my best work, so I’m an advocate of taking a breather and returning later to resume tasks with a fresh outlook. Of course, everyone is different. I recommend finding what clicks for you and lean into that whenever you’re presented with obstacles. Best wishes!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.JodieFoxMusic.com
- Instagram: Jodie Fox Costello
Image Credits
Alex Weesner
