Creative Coach, Pianist, and Composer

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Rebecca Hass, Founder of Coaching for Creative Wellness, located in Berkeley, CA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I’m a creative coach and pianist. As a coach, my clients are typically multipassionate creative people who are juggling many things, are high achievers, and can be overly hard on themselves. I help them unhook from toxic productivity culture and cultivate self-compassion. As a pianist, my customers are people who hire me to play at venues, parties, events, recordings, etc., and I also teach a small studio of piano students.

Tell us about yourself

I’m a pianist and composer who plays many styles, but I specialize in Brazilian music, which I’ve been obsessed with for almost 20 years. I released my first album of originals and piano arrangements in Brazilian styles, Florescer, in 2018, after doing 2 100 Day Projects of composing in 2017. I also launched Coaching for Creative Wellness in 2018 to help other musicians and artists pursue their creative dreams while also taking care of themselves.

I learned about burnout the hard way because I thought I had to work constantly in order to achieve “success” (which can mean so many different things), so I’m really passionate about helping others unhook from toxic productivity culture and be kinder to themselves. We don’t have to push ourselves into burnout, and hopefully, we also can work in a way that allows us to enjoy the process and also enjoy our lives! I love being able to use my skills in doing something that I love.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Making a positive difference for those who I work with - being able to help my clients and students make positive changes and fulfill their creative purpose in their lives, and bringing joy to listeners of my music.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Having flexibility in my work structure and income also means uncertainty - the anxiety of that is always something that I continue to manage (it’s an ongoing process of growth, and I want to normalize that - we don’t just graduate from having fears!)

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Make sure you’re doing something that you’re passionate about - having a strong reason why you do what you do will help you through the harder decisions and periods of uncertainty.
Plan on working in a sustainable way that allows you to take care of yourself and do things that you enjoy outside of work; otherwise, it may be a fast track to burnout!
Treat your business (and life) as an experiment - even the things that don’t work give you valuable information.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: http://www.rebeccahass.com/
Website: https://www.coachingforcreativewellness.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaHassPianist
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebecca_hass/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rebeccahasspno
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-hass-30004972/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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