When School Doesn't Fit, Art Can Save You

In Season 2, Episode 51 (Overall 76) of Who’s Even Listening ?, Andrew sits down with Delaware makeup artist, singer, performer, educator, and creative entrepreneur Amber Picard.

Amber shares how struggling academically in school led her toward a different path—one built around makeup, music, performing, creativity, and self-expression. What began as an artistic outlet eventually became a source of confidence, identity, purpose, community, and business.

Andrew and Amber discuss her experiences singing and performing with different bands, building Amber Marie Artistry, connecting with Delaware’s local creative community, and learning why artists and entrepreneurs should not be afraid to seek mentorship.

This uplifting conversation is about finding the environment where you can thrive, turning creativity into opportunity, and recognizing that the thing that makes your path different may also become one of your greatest strengths.

Connect with Amber Picard and Amber Marie Artistry:

https://linktr.ee/ambermarieartistry

Follow Jenni Schick and the Gourds:

https://www.instagram.com/jennischickandthegourds/

Explore free business mentoring through SCORE Delaware:

https://www.score.org/delaware

Learn more about Mental Medicine:

https://www.mental-medicine.com

ELE — Everybody Love Everybody.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:15

All right. Hello, welcome back to our mental medicine channel. This is Who's Even Listening, our weekly podcast that comes out every Wednesday on YouTube and Buzzsprout, wherever you're listening to uh audio as well. Um, and other than that, this is season two, episode number fifty-one with our very special guest, Amber Bicard. Thank you for taking the time out of your day and coming down to join us.

SPEAKER_00 0:33

Yes, thank you so much for it.

SPEAKER_02 0:35

And I guess you were down at Dewey and you just stopped by here on along the way. So it worked out pretty well.

SPEAKER_00 0:40

Yes, had to do it right.

SPEAKER_02 0:41

That's right, that's right. And before we do start, we always want to say our same message and mission as always here is ELE. Everybody love everybody, and let's try to do our part and make this world a better place, spread love, kindness, and forgiveness. We need a lot more of that in this world, and hopefully we're doing our part over here and hopefully influence others at home want to do that as well. But um, Amber, thank you again for joining us. It's an absolute pleasure, and I'm super excited to talk to you. And I always ask our guests the same thing before we start. If you just want to give a little brief introduction of kind of who you are and what got you here to where you're at today.

SPEAKER_00 1:09

Absolutely. Well, my name is Amber, and I am actually a fairly new small business owner within the past year. Um I relocated back to Delaware and decided to fill out all the paperwork and do my big one. All right. Um I am a bridal and special event makeup artist serving Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, etc. I definitely would not say no to going international if somebody.

SPEAKER_02 1:32

Do you have to get paperwork for that or no?

SPEAKER_00 1:34

Um no. So I think for the business side, like I just have to register here in Delaware since this is where I'm located. But if I wanted to go international, as long as you want to pay for my channel. How about that? Okay, I was just curious. Go ahead. I want to say no. Um, and I am also a musician as well. I am in a uh a band based here in Delaware doing all original music. So I'm really excited to talk about that. We can do the double whammy. That's right.

SPEAKER_02 2:00

No, we love it. You got a lot to talk about, a lot to break down here. You're Jack of all trees. But um, no, and I was you have a lot in here that I'm really super excited to dive into. But I want to read these little quotes here that I think relate to you and kind of kind of sum up what we're gonna talk about here a little bit. Not everybody finds themselves in the classroom, some people find themselves in the art.

SPEAKER_01 2:17

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 2:17

Sometimes what looks like falling behind is really the start of becoming who you're meant to be.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

That's right.

SPEAKER_02 2:22

Art isn't always a hobby, sometimes it's the thing that keeps you going. That's right. Confidence can start with a song, a brush, a stage, or simply being seen. When people are given a real outlet, they don't just express themselves, they begin to heal. Now, I want to get into the first part here, I want to talk about. Now, obviously, we can take this how you want, but I really kind of related to you a lot when you were talking about school and having hardships in school and it didn't really relate to you, and this was kind of the way you used your outlet to express yourself. Um and I I I was the same way, and I I relate to that completely. So my first question I want to ask you is you you shared that your school was a struggle for you, like we said, and academically, and arts became an outlet. What did art for you kind of do for you that school couldn't? And what what what do you feel like that was that it kind of created that gap for you?

SPEAKER_00 3:07

Oh my gosh, I I think it's just one of those things, like, because obviously we can be really great academically and we can be creative at the same time. Like I know a whole bunch of people that are both, but unfortunately for me, the academics was just not it. Like school was just really not my thing. Was really not it. And I mean, above all of that, like I have been singing, performing, and even involved in like makeup and everything, like getting curious about that ever since I was really young. So this is something that has really stuck with me for a long time. Yeah. So school, like, I don't really know how else to express it. I mean, obviously, I feel like we could go about the K-12 system all day. I'm also a former educator as well, if that helps. That was part of my inspiration with not being great with school, is I wanted to make a difference for students like me. Yes, yeah. Unfortunately, that wasn't the path that I decided to choose. Thank you, COVID. Um I am. Yeah, I'm a COVID graduate, so that did not help. But um, yeah, I I respect a lot of people that were able to just go and take a standardized test or take the SAT or like take the ACT and like get big scores. But um, that was not me.

SPEAKER_02 4:22

Yeah, everybody just got their thing, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:24

Yeah, and I feel like having having an outlet is just so important because I know personally for me, I was really blessed to go to a performing arts high school here in Delaware, Cab Callaway. Okay if you're familiar, yes. And I feel like that was definitely the best place for me because when my self-esteem was being knocked down in math class, we can go have a rehearsal during one of our other class periods to like make up to boost me up. But yeah, I just feel like it's really important. I don't want to say to have a place to run because I feel like that's definitely giving escape to it.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

It's a good way to word it.

SPEAKER_00 4:57

No, I agree with that. It's a good yeah, like I feel like it's really important for some of us. Like, yes, I may lack in one place, but I'm strong in the other. Because once I hit that stage, yeah, it doesn't matter. 100%. It doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_02 5:10

No, I agree with that. No, that's well said. I agree with you with the not run in front of me because it's not like you just want to separate yourself. Like obviously, there is needed things from school, and I'm not gonna sit here and say not all of it's needed. It's not like you just want to isolate and just I did go to college. Yeah, that's right, that's right. It does take things, you know. Obviously, there is things we do need to learn, and I'm not trying to downplay that. But yes, we all do need to, like you said, not everybody's fully immersed into that. Some people are, and so that's great. And if it works for you, that's great. Right. But yeah, not everybody is, and like you said, it's nice to sometimes that's a good point that you brought up that not everybody has, like you said, about the schools. And some people you do just have that math science and stuff, and you don't really have that extra curriculum. And if you do, it might be for 30 minutes or something, you know. Yeah. So it is a different, you know, situation depending on what school you're in and what your system is. But yeah, it is it's har regardless, we have to find a way to find those things, whether it's at home or you know, in our free time, whatever it is, um, to get yourself that release or outlet that you need.

SPEAKER_01 6:01

That's right.

SPEAKER_02 6:01

No, I agree, I agree. And I think for a lot of us it's hard because I think I don't think everybody always finds it. And that's something I always bring up too, is that you know, I think some of us don't uh ever even sometimes find the outlet that works for us. That's one of the hardest parts. Like, where do I even put it? Because I what do I like? You know what I mean? And like I I feel like I got lucky too. Like I kind of grew up, jumped into music quick. Like I found it too, but I feel like not everybody has that outlet right away either that they find. So sometimes it takes years, you know. So I feel like that's the harder part is trying to find something that, you know, to really connect with yourself that that you can do um immediately. And I think that's hard for everybody. I think everybody finds it at a different point, too.

SPEAKER_00 6:36

Yeah, I definitely think that I've met people for like whenever I say, like, oh my gosh, like, you know, well, what do you do? And then they'll say like what their nine to five is. But I'm just like, okay, that's cool, but what do you do?

SPEAKER_01 6:46

Yeah, yeah, what do you like to do? You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_00 6:48

Like, what do you what do you like to do when you leave that? I mean, I get it, like I think a lot of us, like it trust me, if your nine to five is where your passion is. Like, if you love like real estate, if you love marketing, for sure, cool. Like, awesome. Please do embrace that. But I definitely think it's important for us to have, you know, other outlets because the world is hard.

SPEAKER_02 7:09

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:10

100%. We're it's it's not good.

SPEAKER_02 7:12

Yeah, we can get stuck in a cycle.

SPEAKER_00 7:15

Yeah, like it's definitely rough, like it's not good. Like, it's definitely nice to know. Like, I think that's just so important for us to have like a safe space to be able to express ourselves and pursue a lot of our passions. For us who are passions are not with the nine of Yeah, no, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 7:30

That's and and and even if you do it, like you said, obviously there is real world things to it where sometimes yeah, we have to bat learn to balance both because there's sometimes not an option to have both, which is you know, but that's obviously the hardest part is you know, trying to find that balance that works for you, but also doesn't burn you out at the same time, you know. So that's the it's like that's the line everybody's kind of walking now. It's like you know, we're all working you know 40, 60 hours to make ends meet most people, and it's like you kind of end up putting your stuff to the back burner, but it's like how do you find a way to do everything? You know, I think that's everybody's kind of caught in the mix of right now, which is kind of what I'm you know, I've really always try to talk about because I feel like that's that's the hardest thing is how do you find time for yourself along with you know find time for everything else? We all gotta try that.

unknown 8:09

True.

SPEAKER_02 8:09

We all can get better at that regardless.

SPEAKER_01 8:11

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 8:12

But I do want to talk about this because obviously I'm I'm a guy, don't know too much about this, but I am curious about the self-talk uh self-taught makeup artist stuff. So do you mainly do that for weddings or like where where does it kind of venture off into? Have you ever gotten like any like scary stuff or anything like that? Or where's it gonna go?

SPEAKER_00 8:28

I mean, definitely not not too too scary. I've always wanted to learn special effects, but I think that would definitely be like an extra layer of schooling. But I have definitely been in the space, I would say, for well over 15 years, and honestly, the stage is the best place to learn. Okay. I give literally all the credit back to the background because having to master, you know, what you're gonna look like from a distance when you're melting under hundreds of lights. True. Like, that's definitely something that matters a hundred percent. And honestly, for me, it's the process. Okay, it's so fun. Like, I always call it whenever I'm in the lab. Like if I'm going out hanging out with the girls, just sitting in front of the mirror, I'll give myself like two hours. Dang right, and just like put them put the music on, just vibe and jam. Like, I just feel like that's such a critical part of girlhood. Go home, please do that. That's right, that's right. For everybody listening, that's right.

SPEAKER_01 9:19

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 9:20

But yeah, like I just really love to, you know, credit it all back to, you know, growing up in the performing arts scene. I kind of just really fell in love with it. And then this was back in the glory days of YouTube and the long form content. I think for some of us, if you have a knack and a hand for it, you kind of just take it and run. Like YouTube was really just that was what raised me pretty much. Like all of the, you know, the influencers, like you know, the Patrick Starr, the Loreley, the Jeffree Star, like all of them. So yeah, it's kind of just a combination of it was just practice, practice, practice. My Instagram feed is mostly full of tutorials and all the influencers. And way back when, like, I was doing, you know, my sister's dance recital makeup, like I was getting ready for, you know, my own shows, prom and homecoming season, like the first time that I was ever doing it for money. But then actually, I guess what kind of really started it all was um I had met somebody at a job that I was working, I was working with seniors doing activities. It was awesome. I love them and I miss them so. And um, I had met up with a girl that did hair, and she was like, wait a minute, so why aren't you doing weddings? And I was like, I didn't know that was something that you could just just walk into like walk into. Like, do I need a certificate? Like what? So I worked my first wedding and I was like, so when are we gonna do more? Like it was like just instant gratification that I don't think I was really getting anywhere else.

SPEAKER_01 10:51

Good point.

SPEAKER_00 10:52

Because something that you kind of don't realize is these are girls' like most important, most special days in their entire lives. 100% and they take this seriously, and it's so important. And literally every second from creating the look, talking with them, hearing their life story, I'm a chronic talker. I wouldn't be here if that wasn't. That's right, that's good for podcasts. Um but like just having to be there for them, being like I I'm literally the beauty bestie. That's part of my branding, just being there for them in the most critical and most important moment of their lives to be there to support them and everything, giving them the final mirror. And I'm my favorite part is their faces when they're just like like they had no idea that they looked like that or could look like that, and just knowing that I was able to do that for them, seeing their photos like after their photographer comes in to take them. It's just I could literally honestly, it's so dramatic, but I could cry about it.

SPEAKER_02 11:47

No, yeah, it's a good no, you can't help but feel good about it. Yeah, I agree with that.

SPEAKER_00 11:50

It's honestly amazing, so cool. Like the last wedding that I did. I kid you not, it was the first wedding that I booked officially on my own. Awesome. It was like two hours away. Eight girls got up at three o'clock in the morning to glam all of them. But they were all just so happy with it. Like it's just such it's that's the best way that I can explain it. It's a feeling that I haven't really been able to get anywhere else other than the stage.

SPEAKER_02 12:16

No, that's a good point. I I agree with that. Because, like you said, I mean, when you're doing stuff for, you know, like nothing against prom or anything, but you know, there is a serious levelness to the you know, a wedding. Then obviously you have people, you know, exchanging vows and having love, you know, having everlasting love, and that should mean something. I don't know sometimes to some people it doesn't, but it should, it should and uh no, that's a big deal, like you said, to make somebody feel confident in themselves and feel good about themselves. That's a huge deal. Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 12:42

And even so with you know, other events, because I'm bridal special events and any excuse to look pretty. Okay, you literally any any excuse, it doesn't matter. You could be going on a date night with your man, you could be going on, you know, special vacation, or even you could be doing a gala, a guest at a wedding. Literally doesn't matter. Any excuse to look pretty, just like being there, making connections with people, like some of the reviews that people will read for me, like, oh my gosh, it's just crazy. Some of the things they'll say. Like some people will say, like, I feel like I've literally known her my entire life. No, like just the fact that she came all of this way to do all of this for us. And it's just it's the most it's the most important thing. Absolutely. No, nothing wrong.

SPEAKER_02 13:27

That's awesome. No, that's awesome. That clearly makes you happy. I can see how passionate you are about it. I definitely see it on you.

SPEAKER_00 13:32

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 13:32

Uh I want to get into this too. So um starting a new business venture. Obviously, you talked about that and just kind of coming back to Delaware and starting everything. You talked about that. I wanted you to kind of talk about that and bring it to um what made you do it, and also what would you say to people that are struggling and they take that first step? What would you say to them?

SPEAKER_00 13:51

Yes. So definitely um, because I'm originally from Delaware. I wasn't living in Delaware for a little while, so I moved back within the past year. It was definitely a big um refresh era. Yeah, big starting over era.

SPEAKER_02 14:03

Sorry about the fly run around. No, it's all good. He makes an appearance every show, sadly.

SPEAKER_00 14:08

He wants to be in on it. We should give him a name.

SPEAKER_02 14:10

We need to, yeah. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 14:13

Um, so I think it was just one of those things where things were kind of getting, you know, bigger and bigger. And I felt really lucky through some bridal expos that I was going to. I'm a part of, there's literally a Facebook group for every region.

SPEAKER_02 14:29

You were not kidding. Yeah. I did not realize how deep Facebook was. My wife had to inform me. I did not realize. Oh my God.

SPEAKER_00 14:35

I it's honestly so cool.

SPEAKER_02 14:36

A lot of groups.

SPEAKER_00 14:37

Literally, all that I use it for. Like, that's how I found, I would say, a big bulk of my clients, but I was meeting a whole bunch of different vendors who were literally in the same scope as me, and I was getting such great advice. And what a lot of the vendors would say is you need to prepare yourself. You need to cover yourself. Like, you really should get your business license. You really should be making that account. Like, you just want to make sure as it gets bigger that you're covered for taxes. No, for sure. No, absolutely. The stuff we don't want to think about.

SPEAKER_02 15:07

100%, 100%.

SPEAKER_00 15:08

So I was like, oh my gosh, well, how like where in the heck do I start? Like, how do I do that? And I definitely am glad to have started the business in Delaware because we're tax-free.

SPEAKER_02 15:19

Yeah, we're we're lucky. Yeah. Everybody comes to us to get it.

SPEAKER_00 15:22

Yes, and I definitely feel like it probably would have been complicated other places.

SPEAKER_02 15:26

Yeah, you're probably right.

SPEAKER_00 15:27

Yeah. But I kind of just did as much of the research that I could. I reached out to friends and family, lawyers, like where in the world do I even get started on this? And actually, I think the biggest piece of advice that I would be able to offer, because we love not having to do things, you know, for money sometimes, is get a business mentor. I have an amazing business mentor that I've gotten from this small organization. It's like escaping my mind right now. Hopefully, I think it's good. No, we're right back to it. You're good? No, you want to think of it, let us know. I have this amazing business mentor. It's literally all free. They match you up with somebody, and he has been amazing, literally helping me every step of the way.

SPEAKER_02 16:10

Oh god, that's awesome. What a service. That's free, too. That's amazing. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 16:13

Yeah, I think it's really cool. And honestly, he used to be the president of Blue Cross Blue Shields, and he's just, you know, out here wanting to support small business owners. Yeah, and it's just been amazing being able to offer that sort of service for free because I didn't know what a business like.

SPEAKER_02 16:30

No, not everybody does. It just takes information that people don't have to do.

SPEAKER_00 16:34

Yeah, and just the fact that that's alive and out there, I think is amazing. So I would definitely say that is probably the biggest place to start. Get a mentor, somebody who's been through it before, somebody to guide you through it. Cause just when you think that you've crossed over the one hoop, there's more. And I think that's kind of where I was at. Like, you know, making the business accounts for payment, how to accept credit cards, like you know, keeping up your there's all those little yeah, like there's just so many things. Like, do you have a spreadsheet for that? Oh, like all of those things. But I would definitely say, like, don't do it alone. Like, definitely find a mentor, find somebody to guide you. That was definitely really big for me.

SPEAKER_02 17:19

No, good point. No, I'm glad you brought that up. That's a great service. Honestly, that's amazing. I'm awesome to hear that that's somebody's out there doing that. That's amazing. Um, we need a lot more of that because I think, yeah, it's just it just goes back to what we always say. The when in people, all you need is information. Yeah. And sometimes people just don't have the information to make the next step. And sometimes that's all it really takes is just to be informed of, you know, even just to understand what to do. Um and sometimes that's all it takes. So no, that's a huge I'm glad that to hear that. I'll have to look into that more and get that out there. I'll I'll put that in the link if we can find that. Absolutely, yeah. That's cool. That's that's very neat. Yeah, yeah. I'm sure a lot of people could use that.

SPEAKER_01 17:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:50

Um, that's awesome. Um I also want to get into this. Obviously, we gotta talk about the music. So as a singer, you said you were just out there kind of doing something, right? In Dewey? Did you say you were doing it?

SPEAKER_00 17:58

Um not this time. I was watching, I was watching my band leader. She works down here all summer. She lives it up. She's awesome. Yes, but I would love to talk about the band.

SPEAKER_02 18:06

Yeah, so what is the name of the band? Yeah, hook us up. What do we uh we get into?

SPEAKER_00 18:11

My band is actually based off of our band leader's original music. Her name is Jenny Shick. Shout out to Jenny. I love you. She's a good friend of mine. Shout out to Jenny. Um, definitely very well known in Delaware, but we are Jenny Shick and the gourds.

SPEAKER_02 18:25

And the gourds. Okay, I like that. That's it. I like that. Yeah, I like that.

SPEAKER_00 18:28

Actually, a cute little story. Um, when we were first starting rehearsals, just the instrumentalists, we were kind of like looking to see, like, oh my gosh, what's a good name for this project? And I guess somebody was propping their door open with a gourd. So Jenny kind of looked at it, was like, just clicked. Damn it. Yeah, so it happens like that. I feel like we have an array of gourd puns that we Yeah, like we have an like I always say all the time, we always introduce when we introduce ourselves, we call Jenny our fairy gourd mother.

SPEAKER_01 19:00

This is good. No, I like that. That's funny.

SPEAKER_00 19:02

It's amazing. It's really cool. Um, part of our um little merch venture is uh Jenny loves to make little beaded friendship bracelets. So we have those with all of our gourd puns and our names on it. My last name is actually gourd now. So dang right. That's right.

SPEAKER_01 19:18

Amber Picard Gord, that's all it is. Yeah, that's right, that's right.

SPEAKER_00 19:21

Yeah, it's really cool. Um, she has been doing music for a really long time. She actually um works for herself. Shout out to her, another business woman.

SPEAKER_01 19:31

That's right.

SPEAKER_00 19:31

Um, but she's been writing original music for a really long time, and she was looking for a good opportunity to start the project, and I have learned an awful lot of reasons why it takes a while to start that up. Starting up an original band. Um, so she has a whole bunch of songs that she has written, some of them that are actually out on Spotify that you can listen to. She was like, I've always wanted to start a band, and I guess now was the time. Um, we had our opening night at the Queen in Wilmington.

SPEAKER_01 20:01

Awesome.

SPEAKER_00 20:01

And it was awesome, it was amazing, and we're definitely reving up for more. That's exciting.

SPEAKER_02 20:07

No, that's awesome. That's all I'm definitely gonna have to check that out. We'll put that in the description as well. That's awesome. That's super awesome. That's super awesome. And uh I want to get into yeah, talking about the original music part of it. That's a very lost part of in this world right now. Yeah. So I super respect that and love it. Um I I think that we're really losing the authenticity in music right now. So I respect anybody taking that that route right now. Um so no, can you maybe talk a little more on it? That yeah, like you said, if because I know, like you said, good, there's a lot of detail that people don't realize when you have to build something from scratch, like you just get an instrumental from YouTube and sit on it. So there's a lot there. So if you want to try to break the layers down a little bit there.

SPEAKER_00 20:44

Yeah, well, I guess at first with um original music, is you do have to create a following because obviously if nobody knows who you are, like people know who Jenny is, but they don't know who the Gord family is. So there's definitely a lot that goes into advertisement, especially with your ticket sales. Like we're talking like we were promoting the Queen show months in advance, like it's just pushing it out, getting all your friends to come. Well, does your friend want to come? Does your mom want to come? Like just pushing it out. Um, we actually did really, really good. I think we were pretty close to like selling out the Queen, which was amazing through all of that hard work. But yeah, there's a lot that goes into it. Like, I know something else that I've learned because Jenny has it's been such an eye-opener, telling her like honestly, everything that she's taught me. Like, not only just creating the following, but there's not a lot of money in original music.

SPEAKER_01 21:37

Yeah, especially.

SPEAKER_00 21:39

So you have to kind of take your chances in that way. But I know something that I've learned a lot from her, I would definitely say we're one in the same with our passions is after a while, it's not about the money.

SPEAKER_02 21:49

Correct. That's ultimately that's what everybody realizes. If you love it, you love it.

SPEAKER_00 21:53

Yeah, if you love it or you love it, you do what you love.

SPEAKER_02 21:55

100%.

SPEAKER_00 21:56

And I think it's all about, you know, finding those people that would fit in the niche. Like I know um our niche is actually Disney Meets Depression. Inter Wow, okay.

SPEAKER_02 22:06

All right.

SPEAKER_00 22:07

Yeah, like if anybody knows Jenny, if anybody has seen her out, especially um tonight at North Beach for Sunday Fun Day, um, she has a very unique. Sense of style. She always does like the glitter fish nets and like the mini leather skirt and then like a giant cat. Like so it's kind of like a Disney meets depression, but a lot of her music is definitely relatable. Like talk about life experiences. Like, you know, she talks about, you know, loss of friendships, broken hearts, like a lot of things that are really relatable and really unique sound too. Like we have a 50s duo piece. We have some ball there are finger whacks. Yeah. And that's really cool about it too. So something really unique about being a gourd is um Jenny is usually always trapped behind an instrument. She plays keyboard and guitar. So me and um the other singer of ours, we actually stand at the front and do actual stage choreography to keep everybody engaged because she's always trying to do that.

SPEAKER_02 23:11

I see what you're saying. So you got to keep the presence. Yeah, I see that makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 23:14

It's really compelling. I mean we we put on a really great show. I'll plug in no me and the wife are gonna have to go.

SPEAKER_02 23:22

I'll check I'm super excited. I gotta see what uh Disney Depression is. I gotta see that, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:26

We do actually have another show on the books for now, um, the Wilmington Porch Fest. Okay. In I think it's technically the Trolley Square um Cool Springs area. We haven't like hardcore promoted it yet. I don't think we have all of the details, but that'll be our next show on October 3rd, Mean Girls Day. So we're painting October 3rd.

SPEAKER_02 23:48

I will remember that. Yes. I'll be a sore thumb if I don't that's right.

SPEAKER_00 23:51

Yes. So that is our next show for now but we're definitely hoping to push more into the scene in 2027 when Jenny's summer is cooled down and we have more time.

SPEAKER_02 24:00

That's awesome. No, we would definitely keep we're definitely gonna have to go check out a channel me and my wife will definitely do that. We'll definitely tell who I've won that absolutely and along with the music and the is is there a connection now with the makeup and music obviously because I know you have a lot to choreograph and stuff there. So can you maybe talk about how that translates together now for you?

SPEAKER_00 24:15

Yeah so definitely like I think for me the connection that I definitely see between music and the artistry is not only are they both like really unique pieces, but something that I've discovered is while I have had technically schooling like I guess you could say formal schooling because of my high school and then I did spend a year in college as a music education major which I had the pleasure of learning opera which shout out to my private teacher. I love it miss it so much. Nice tough um yes um grow up on musical theater as well so that's definitely my bread and butter but something that I think is really powerful especially for me to tie it back into the education is I didn't necessarily need school to do this. Yeah fair enough you could get a certificate like I always debated on going for cosmetology for you know makeup artistry because that's I think the best way other than going for aesthetics to get your license but cosmetology is mostly hair. Yeah it's a good point they don't touch on it enough and then aesthetics is the skin which skin is that's very important for the artistry but they're not teaching you the hardcore fundamental it's not you focused on what you need it is so I think for me it's just the fact that I was able to pave my way on my own. Like I take major pride in being self-taught especially knowing what having to grow up to struggle with that. Like I take major pride in being self-taught in the artistry era. And then for the music era like yes you can have formal schooling to you know refine your skills but I guess also too you know I never took a voice lesson until college I always learned through ensemble and a lot of these amazing opportunities that I was blessed with and then being able to go forth and teach because I wanted to forward that knowledge I I loved teaching I really do like I definitely I miss the classroom sometimes not not all the time because unfortunately a lot of the standards in K-12 are pretty rough. Yeah but oh yeah but I do miss being like an influence like I loved directing like I loved being able to you know help others and forward that information on to others so I definitely do miss the classroom sometimes very close to no I well that's exact we you transitioned perfectly for us because that's exactly where we're gonna go here.

SPEAKER_02 26:50

Yes you you said you were also obviously very passionate about education. Yes so I guess the other question do you think maybe in the future well or this question I guess I think it'll be a little different. What do you think in the future maybe you have do you want to go that route again maybe and teach something again or maybe find a different way to do it that's not in the school system like on your own maybe? Have you ever thought about that?

SPEAKER_00 27:08

So I definitely don't think it would be within the school system because something else that I've definitely discovered about myself to take it from the gourds I would rather rock it my own way. Yeah I have very much enjoyed just doing it myself paving my way especially with um oh I guess a good example when I was doing activities with seniors that was essentially kind of one and the same as being back in the classroom because they do say you are aging backwards. No good point. That was like the funniest part about it. Good point. But yeah the fact that I was able with no standards the fact that I was able to go and teach just from whatever was up here and to take that background. Like I definitely don't take my schooling that I had like going for education for granted. Deaf not deaf not but I just loved to be able to do it my own way like what I think would be innovative what I think it should be that way. I agree. When I was working with the scene with seniors um back when I was living in Pennsylvania I actually started my own senior choir. Oh yeah that I literally partially conducted and music directed because I actually don't play any instruments. Okay. So I did it literally all with my hands, eyes and ears. Yeah you're right I love it. I love it which was kind of work with what we got yeah like which was kind of ridiculous because I mean I definitely feel that learning piano in college was too late for me. Never know way too late for me. I would look at that instrument every day and feel like what the hell what am I supposed to do with that? But it was just so I honestly feel like it's so a lot more powerful to know that you can pave the way on your own I agree. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 28:55

It's a lot more yeah you feel get a lot more out of it I think too I think it feels more wholesome yeah absolutely well hopefully hopefully in time you can have your own little course out there maybe you never know you never know you never know so and I also want to ask you this too before we kind of do wrap up a little is there anything that you want to bring up um that we didn't bring up yet that we wanted to dive into a little deep honestly I don't think so I feel like I talked an awful lot. Oh you're good that's the whole point you're fine I hear people say you're good you're fine you're fine but no I love what you're doing I love the energy you have you have a great energy and a great aura about you that's that's one thing we always bring up on this channel we all need to have better positive energy and give try to give that off and you know get up get everybody to feel that way. Yes and be passionate about what you're you know find something you're passionate and drive that home commit to it and help other people while you're doing it. Right we're all winning then but I did want to ask you this when people do hear your story what do you hope people take from it?

SPEAKER_00 29:48

Ooh that's a good one and I feel like this is really hard to say out loud because I've definitely found myself in places that I wanted to do this but you have to persevere like you can't give up. I know that there are definitely a lot of times where I feel like you know if you're down you kind of just want to stay there. But I think at the end of the day the most powerful part of the story is when you got up. That is the most powerful part of the story. And definitely with the past year that I have I I think about it a lot and I'm just like wow I got up and I kept getting up and now I have like I I don't even know like how many weddings and events that I have booked for the end of this year. I get to meet all these really cool amazing people. I got to meet you know and talk to your audience like it's just the coolest thing. So like I know it's definitely like really it's really difficult. I I understand but you gotta get up. 100% you gotta get up you have to keep moving because you kind of you don't know what's on the other side for you unless you get up.

SPEAKER_02 30:59

Yes I couldn't agree more. Yes and uh like you said sometimes it's it's we all have been there it's a rough time sometimes we all can be stuck in a spot where we just feel like nothing's there is no light at the end of the tunnel. And it can feel like that but like you said it's just about continuing to go even when there's not light. And I think that's the hardest part that we're all stuck in. It's like sometimes we all we all want that expectation of instant gratification and we don't see the end result in a sense. It's like you kind of can't convince yourself to get going still. Yeah. And we all got to find a way to like you said no matter what it's just keep getting up every day find a way to embrace it. And like I always tell people too sometimes we think that the worst moment we're in is awful but then we start to realize it might have been the best moment you ever had in your life and you didn't even realize it. And a lot of times it's just our own mind playing tricks on us. Yes. But it's just getting up it's just getting up and keep going and just not quitting. And I think that's the that's the key for anybody just find something you're passionate about and that you love and and I always tell people if you do find that most of the time it's gonna get you up anyway.

SPEAKER_00 31:55

Yes and on that note too for all of the adults in the room since I'm like almost 30 which is crazy.

SPEAKER_02 32:03

I was gonna ask you I'm I'm about to be 28.

SPEAKER_00 32:05

I'm 27 oh my gosh really I'm 29 okay gotcha I'm like almost there like on the brink we still have time we're gonna embrace it but that's right that's right for all of the adults in the room embrace your side quests. Yes love embrace your side quests like find something cool to do like definitely give give yourself purpose like you know what are you doing tonight? Well I'm going to have girls night well what did you do this weekend I worked a few weddings and then I met up with a friend after what are you doing tonight? I'm going to Sunday funny in North Beach like embrace your side quest like that is so huge that is such a big deal and I find too when you know you're meeting all of these cool people like your side quests kind of make you like who you are that's what people are going to remember. Like I definitely think it's really cool like now I can technically say I'm a CEO. I'm a girl boss. That's right whenever I go out and meet people and they're just like what and I'm just like yeah because CEO was right at the top of the box and I was like absolutely I want to be a CEO of my own life absolutely I love it. But embrace those side quests for the girlies for the guys like definitely please embrace your side quests.

SPEAKER_02 33:18

Yes no I couldn't agree more I I love I love what you represent like I said love your aura energy and thank you so much for coming on it was an absolute pleasure so much for having me absolutely and I I hope we uh like I said me and a wife are definitely gonna come check out a show 100% we definitely will be there. I'm super excited for that and we will definitely stay in touch and um all I can say is thank you again for your energy that you put off and hopefully you're I'm I'm sure you're helping a lot of people out there what you're doing. So thank you for doing that and hopefully I hope to see a good uh coaching from you too I feel like you're gonna have uh something come out soon I can see you getting into that so let us know with that but um thank you again for your time it was an absolute pleasure and I'm sure we'll stay in touch and uh as we always say Eoli everybody love everybody and let's try to do our part and make this world a better place spread love kindness and forgiveness we need a lot more of that in this world and hopefully we're doing our part over here to hopefully influence others to want to do that as well. Amen but um thank you again Amber it was an absolute pleasure and this is uh season two episode number fifty one on our Who's Even Listening podcast on our mental medicine channel and we appreciate everybody that tunes in. Like and subscribe if you haven't already and we will see you again next week on Wednesday. Until then this is the Mental Medicine crew signing off