Amy and I dive into her identity crisis when faced with transition and the moment she realized even if she wasn't dancing everyday she was and always will be a dancer. Amy founded Grounded Growth Marketing out of her desire to use her Right Brain, Left Brain and Whole Soul to help creatives and arts and mission driven organizations share their vision with the world. What I love most about our discussion was how well she described the skills dancers bring to the table when entering other fields and the vulnerability she shared with her own transition from dancer to marketing. 

Some of the notable thoughts:
1. It's okay to want security and stability if you find that that is what makes you feel safe and whole, you don't have to judge yourself for it.
2. If it (dance) wasn't what I wanted, what did that mean? Who actually am I? What is my purpose? Because my former identity no longer applies.
3. Sit and write down all of the things that you have learned in your career as an artist, the experiences, your personality, your skill set, these are strengths that you've developed along the way. You may not know what the next step is or is going to be, but you will know what you're bringing to it.
4. Dancers are some of the most disciplined people I've ever met in my life. There is a level of practice and attention and focus and rigor that you have to bring to your craft, even on days where you are sore and tired and not into it. And you still have to show up. 

Links:
Grounded Growth Marketing: https://groundedgrowth.marketing
Social links: Instagram LinkedIn TikTok
Serve Up Your Story- monthly content marketing brainstorm for founders, artists and entrepreneurs
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If you would like to be a guest on the show, please email me: guest@act2interviews.com

This is Act 2 Interviews hosted by Sofia Negron. Interviews with former professional artists who have moved on to a new career and their stories of discovery, transition, passion and resilience.

Casey talks about the life of being a working actor, voiceover artist and fight choreographer while also holding down a full-time night job. Yeah, we learn how well he does that! He shares fascinating almost booked acting jobs and his transition to wedding photography and how all his skills help him with that. We also dive into his nerdy podcast which he created because he liked it and figured his people would too.

Some of the notable thoughts:
1. Make strong choices
2. Just be yourself
3. Wedding photography is like doing a live show: there are no redos.
4. I do it because I love to do it. Not because I expect to get paid to do it, not because I expect people to fawn all over it. I do it because I like to do it.
5. We have to find ways to understand our audience better. Be honest about ourselves. We'll attract more people who are like us, who then connect on the same levels, and then that's where we get that deep connection.

Links:
Casey Fatchett Photography: https://fatchett.com
Social links: Instagram 
The Nerdy Photographer Podcast: https://nerdyphotographer.com
Social links: Instagram 
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If you would like to be a guest on the show, please email me: guest@act2interviews.com

This is Act 2 Interviews hosted by Sofia Negron. Interviews with former professional artists who have moved on to a new career and their stories of discovery, transition, passion and resilience.

Jessica talks about her journey to becoming a dancer, her struggle with her body and eating healthy. When she discovered crossfit she realized the benefits of training and nutrition. She finally felt strong and began loving her body. She found the goals measurable and could create change by following the plan. She also decided she wanted kids to learn how to feel good not just look good.

Some of the notable thoughts:
1.Dancers are both athletes and artists and they need to be respected and treated appropriately. That is the best way to pull out the best of people.
2. Crossfit provided her with goals that were measurable
3. For the first time she felt strong and it was about how she felt in her body not what it looked like
4. Dance gave me determination and focus

Links:
Ignite Health Solution: http://www.ignitehealthsolutions.com
Social links: Instagram facebook
Ignite Bootcamp
Download Full transcript PDF

If you would like to be a guest on the show, please email me: guest@act2interviews.com

This is Act 2 Interviews hosted by Sofia Negron. Interviews with former professional artists who have moved on to a new career and their stories of discovery, transition, passion and resilience.

Kimmay talks about how paying for college herself gave her the freedom to choose acting as her career path. Having to work full-time, brought her opportunities she never would have thought of which led to her current business. She also chats about how discovering her WHY has given her the freedom to pursue lots of different things.

Some of the notable thoughts:
1. Find your WHY and lead from there for everything that you do
2. Show up and be nice
3. You are allowed to change your mind
4. Give 110% before you decide to move on

Links:
Hurray! Kimmay: https://hurraykimmay.com/ 
Social links: Instagram facebook
Hurray! Kimmay Resources: https://hurraykimmay.com/resources-inside/
Download Full transcript PDF

If you would like to be a guest on the show, please email me: guest@act2interviews.com

This is Act 2 Interviews hosted by Sofia Negron. Interviews with former professional artists who have moved on to a new career and their stories of discovery, transition, passion and resilience.

Debra talks about her journey from being a tiny performer to graduating from Boston Conservatory, a national tour of Hair and how yoga became a part of her life. Debra talks about how prenatal yoga became her passion and how her work ethic made her successful. 

Some of the notable questions and thoughts:
1. Never spend more money than you have
2.You can't succeed in the arts unless you really love what you're doing and as artists we learn how to have the work ethic to do it
3. Performing artists make great yoga teachers 
4. If you lose the passion, it means its time to start looking for something more fulfilling
5. If you don't have the skills then learn them. We have the talent now we just have to hone it and see if we are willing to take the next steps.

Links:

Prenatal Yoga Center: https://prenatalyogacenter.com
Yoga | Birth | Babies Podcast: https://prenatalyogacenter.com/podcast-list/
Who’s Afraid of The Pregnant Yogi Teacher Training Online Class: https://leads.prenatalyogacenter.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prenatalyogacenter/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-kox6ro2Ai6174ljgRUsKQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrenatalYogaCenter

Download Full transcript PDF

If you would like to be a guest on the show, please email me: guest@act2interviews.com

This is Act 2 Interviews hosted by Sofia Negron. Interviews with former professional artists who have moved on to a new career and their stories of discovery, transition, passion and resilience.

Sharon talks about how her acting and side job at Macy's led her to SB Beauty. We discuss her journey from NYU to Shakespeare to the Macy's Prescriptive's counter, learning excel spreadsheets and event planning. How she defines success and making her clients look like themselves on their best day.

Some of the notable questions and thoughts:
1. Transitioning to something else does not mean failure
2. Finding value in finishing things
3. Working 5 jobs because that's what actors do and how they all contributed to her success with SB Beauty
4. Success means that you find a path where you can contribute to your community
5. There's always a way. She's very encouraging to people who are in different family situations that they can still do it. It's about breaking it down and taking the right steps.

Links:

SB Beauty : Weddings: https://sb-beauty.com 
Commercial: https://www.sharonbeckerbeauty.com
Social links: Instagram 
NYU Acting Program: https://tisch.nyu.edu/drama
Download Full transcript PDF

If you would like to be a guest on the show, please email me: guest@act2interviews.com

This is Act 2 Interviews hosted by Sofia Negron. Interviews with former professional artists who have moved on to a new career and their stories of discovery, transition, passion and resilience.

Jimmi talks about his journey as a musician playing in renowned rock clubs around NYC such as CBGB and the Limelight to becoming a top realtor in NYC. 

Some of the notable questions and thoughts:
1.The hardest thing about being an artist is just being an artist and not having to work other jobs to supplement it. That's whats hard, because if you want to be an outlier, and want to be the best, you got to focus on that. And that was the struggle.
2. In the music business, you're constantly being told no,being rejected and that made getting into real estate easier because you realize that everything isn't going to work out
3.Being a musician, he had a lot more resilience. He could bounce back faster. He understood that not every deal was going to work out for me. It was more about relationships and people.
4.When you're moving on (transitioning), try to find something that gives you happiness and joy like you did with your music (art).

Links:

-Jimmi C at Corcoran : https://www.corcoran.com/nyc-real-estate/agents/park-avenue-south/jimmi-circosta/21303
-Instagram : @jimmicnyc
Download a full transcript pdf

Join me next for the next episode when I interview, Sharon Becker, Former professional actress turned make-up artist and owner of SB Beauty, a boutique make-up and hair agency

Are you a former professional artist? Want to be a guest on the show? email me at: guest@act2interviews.com

This is Act 2 Interviews hosted by Sofia Negron. Interviews with former professional artists who have moved on to a new career and their stories of discovery, transition, passion and resilience. Sofia Negron is a former professional dancer and now a professional brand and event photographer. You can view her work at: http://www.sofianegron.com

Jaime talks about how her ability to say yes led her to her stint on the Rent tour in the USA and Japan and how she became a successful facialist and skincare studio owner.  

Some of the notable questions and thoughts:
1. Who was she to start her own business when she never went to business school?
2. It's not in the big boom. If you just wait a few minutes past that and observe what's going to happen on the other side of that wake, that's where it is. 
3. She realized she was not everyone's flavor and that is ok. She thought maybe she should try to appeal to everybody. She just stopped doing that years and years ago. And she just decided, this is what I like to do. Let's see if anyone else likes it too. And it turns out a lot of people liked it, can afford it and I've been able to build a really nice business around these people.
4. You know how she knows she's successful? It's because she is reopening.
5. Be open and observe what the universe is telling you and how it makes you feel

Links:

-Carson Skin : https://carsonskin.com
-Instagram : @carsonskin

Are you a former professional artist? Want to be a guest on the show? email me at: guest@act2interviews.com

This is Act 2 Interviews hosted by Sofia Negron. Interviews with former professional artists who have moved on to a new career and their stories of discovery, transition, passion and resilience. Sofia Negron is a former professional dancer and now a professional brand and event photographer. You can view her work at: http://www.sofianegron.com

Anne talks about how each step of her path happened organically. She talks about how being open to possibilities and opportunities helped shape her business today. We also get into a ton of the marketable skills she gained as an artist and how it relates to her bsuiness now.

Some of the notable questions and thoughts:
1. How shooting film helped her ask for money
2. How learning what goes into pricing helps you ask for what you need to survive and thrive
3. Photography helped her develop awareness and a keen sense of observation which is elemental in Reiki
4. How networking and auditioning are the same skills
5.Don't be afraid to fail because failure equals learning and the ability to do better the next time.

Links:
Anne Ruthmann: http://www.anneruthmann.com
Anne’s Photo Lovecat, Travel Log and Journal: https://anneruthmann.blogspot.com
Anne’s Reiki: https://www.abundantsphere.com/
Anne’s Creative Pricing Workbook: https://amzn.to/2LiezQm
Social links: Instagram 
Anne’s TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/JoC-vPjz_S8
Download Full transcript PDF

If you would like to be a guest on the show, please email me: guest@act2interviews.com

This is Act 2 Interviews hosted by Sofia Negron. Interviews with former professional artists who have moved on to a new career and their stories of discovery, transition, passion and resilience.

Paige talks about how her acting and improv journey led her to Paige Media. We discuss the irony of leaving improv because she couldn't make any money as an artist and how she uses improv to empower her Paige Media clients today. She gives us her insights on how an actor can use their skills in new careers and everything she does in Paige Media is colored by her own acting training.

Some of the notable questions and thoughts:
1. The real reason people don't do videos for their business
2. How doing improv and making sales calls are the same skill
3. Get out of your head and into your body, listen to the truth that your body is telling you and be present in the moment
4. There is no such thing as wasted time
5. Do what lights you up

Links:
Paige Media : https://www.paigemedia.com
Social links: Instagram YouTube
The Artist's Way (associate link-I will make a few pennies if you purchase from this link): https://amzn.to/2MVS4yE
Download Full transcript PDF

If you would like to be a guest on the show, please email me: guest@act2interviews.com

This is Act 2 Interviews hosted by Sofia Negron. Interviews with former professional artists who have moved on to a new career and their stories of discovery, transition, passion and resilience.

Brittany talks about her dance training and how she decided to study Pilates while studying dance in college at Indiana University. Early on, she decided she needed something that would sustain her while she was dancing and after she retired from dance; and Pilates was the entryway for her to help others learn how to move and be in their bodies. Pilates continued to be this thing that ran parallel to her dance career.

We discuss how a dancer's life has a shelf life but all of the skills we have acquired through training and performin;, carry over to the rest of your life. She chats about all the ways dance helped her develop her thriving private Pilates studio. 

Some of the notable questions and thoughts:
1. The dance community needs to discuss ideas around shame and failure if we do side gigs or choose alternate careers that supplement our desired lifestyles
2. How dancers can take their skills and apply them to other parts of their lives and new careers
3. Never stop growing and improving things
4. Ask creative questions

Links:
The Co Pilates : https://thecopilates.com
This is the collective Brittany mentions: ADVC (Advanced Curation) Collective: platform for post-professional dancers to continue work in the studio and on stage : https://www.advc-collective.com
Indiana University Dance BFA Program: https://theatre.indiana.edu/undergraduate/contemporary-dance/
Download Full transcript PDF

If you would like to be a guest on the show, please email me: guest@act2interviews.com

This is Act 2 Interviews hosted by Sofia Negron. Interviews with former professional artists who have moved on to a new career and their stories of discovery, transition, passion and resilience.