Hello, Culture Builds Florida 2011!

Today (October 25, 2011), I am excited and honored to present “Untangling the Web: Marketing Arts and Culture Through Social Media” at the Culture Builds Florida conference in Tampa, FL.

I’ll be presenting two social media lectures today on behalf of Creative Capital, and although I won’t have the Creative Capital “Cool Kids” to keep me company, I’m looking forward to meeting the Florida artists who’ll be attending this event. It’s kinda fun and ironic that I was actually born and raised in Miami, Florida, so we have a lot in common. Even though I live in NYC now, I’ll be representing for South Florida!

If you’re a conference attendee visiting my blog, welcome! Feel free to check out this website and leave comments. It’s great to meet you!

Welcome Back, Rockstar!

Hey there, Rock Star Life Lessons Reader! Welcome!

I’ve been so focused on my entrepreneurial journey, that it’s time to check in with the artist inside.

This summer has been filled with so many business lessons, that I can’t help but take a moment to reflect. For one thing, it’s time for me to return to MUSIC. Meaning, I have some things planned that you may actually like to read about here 😉

For one thing, I learned how indie musicians actually earn a living from their music. I learned how you can find your “1000 True Fans”, and I can’t wait to share the cool “success stories and case studies” to give you some inspiration. I’m excited about launching a new course in January, but I’ll be sharing a sneak peek with you soon.

Of course, choir has started again, and miraculously, my right ear which had been mysteriously plugged for about 2-3 months, has just as mysteriously cleared itself. Perhaps there’s some kind of metaphorical/metaphysical reason for this miracle (“what was it that I didn’t want to hear then, that I’m ready to hear now?”) but I’ll just take it as a sign that I am back on the right track, in tune with my right path.

And of course, I’m sooo ready to perform again. Now that the Voices in Unity choir is back for fall, it’s a great warm up, so I’ll keep you posted on the next gig.

I’m starting to think that the change of season is also inspiring me. I’ve started wearing my jacket, and the air is clear, crisp, and brisk. I’ve experienced a mental shift, thanks to the summer’s lessons, and I’m ready to start a new chapter in my life. As scary as new ventures can feel sometimes, this time I feel supported by some great people: assistants, mentors, mastermind partners, and coaches.

When I first moved to NYC from Miami 16 years ago, I used to say that seeing the change of seasons was overrated. These days, I can actually appreciate the different seasons, as they also reflect the personal seasons of our lives. One thought that keeps me grounded is that day always follows night; Spring always follows winter. No matter how long a particular season lasts, life eventually moves on to the next one. I can’t wait to see what’s gonna happen next!

Stay tuned!

Love,
Carla

Steve Jobs RIP

“Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”

– From Steve Jobs 2005 Commencement Speech at Stanford University

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

Steve Jobs, Founder and CEO of Apple, died yesterday, October 5, 2011 at the age of 56.

Perhaps I’m aging myself, but I can still remember reading about Steve Jobs in elementary school when Apple first created the Mac computer. Any graphic artist worth their salt uses a Mac for graphics creation. Music editing and recording done on Macs revolutionized the DIY indie music movement, enabling musicians and bands to record music at home instead of having to go to an expensive studio. He organized the sale of MP3s via iTunes, and indie artists were able to distribute their music on the global stage, just like the major labels. I love my iPod. This man was an entrepreneur and tech genius, with a creative eye. He was known for being a driven individual, but when I read the above quote, I can acknowledge the love behind his mission.

Steve Jobs, thank you for the contributions that you have brought to the creative, tech, and entrepreneurial worlds, as well as bringing them together. Your passion has changed many lives.