Meet Judy Stakee | Songwriting/Artist Mentor, Coach and Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Judy Stakee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Judy, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I used to think of life in black and white and that balance was 50/50. However, my years of guiding songwriters has led me to the perspective that balance is best achieved between the body, mind and soul.

We live in a 3D reality world where opposites exist, except too much attention has been paid on the idea of the opposites; either it’s perfect or not. There is no in-between. Where as if you look at life through the 3D reality filter, we experience life through our bodies, mind and soul. So for me the balance comes from the flow between them all working together and in turn become more productive, passionate and purposeful in creating my life; personal and work.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I run an artist development company for songwriters and artists inspiring them to find their own voice and language by challenging them to evolve. My methodology is proven and is taught at my songwriting retreats and through my book, The Songwriters Survival Guide. I spent over 30 years in the traditional music business as a music publishers, spending my last 20 years as SR VP Creative at Warner Chappell Music.

I decided to start my own business because I believe that development is a vital part of the process of becoming great. It does not happen overnight, or at least for most of us it doesn’t. It takes time, space and tools to build a dream. In the corporate structure we live in today, there is not much room let alone resources to spend on betting if someone will make it. and so a songwriter must learn to develop themselves. This is where I come in. I give them tools and teach them to take control of their own careers and inspire them to become better writers.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Best place to be is at my home.

Someone asked me once why I was so adverse to restaurants and I answered , “because they make you sit in chairs for hours on end:”.

I would invite by best friend over to my home. We would go on a long walk hike with my dog seeing some of the best views of the city , smelling fresh air, floral aromas and laughing at the silliness of the dogs sniffing each other.

I would make her a home cooked meal made from all fresh organic food. I would invite my community over to promote connection. We would play music, play games, tell stories and be joyous with the company.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I give a shoutout to Phil Pallen. When I was starting my company 10 years ago, I went to Phil, a brand and marketing specialist and told him my story of who I was and what I had achieved, and my idea going forward to teach and inspire songwriters. He believed in who I was and helped me navigate the digital world of marketing, create and promote my brand and inspired my first book, “The Songwriters Survival Guide”.

Website: judystakee.com

Instagram: @judystakee

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