Life in Rhythm: Exploring Music, Engineering, and Entrepreneurship
Episode 225
Are you thinking of making a career shift? A profession that pays the bill and makes you happy every single day is available. You just have to try. After a 20-year career as an engineer, Clarence Levy III followed his passion for music, took a leap of faith, and decided to bet on himself as an entrepreneur.
Clarence Levy III is an engineer by profession and a musician by passion. He is the founder of SABOR music and brass band and founder of Morehouse College Marching Band, "Phunk Squad" drumline fraternity, where he still gives back as a drumline instructor. Clarence is also the creator of the soundtracks for the Business Infrastructure podcast.
Here are three reasons why you should listen to the complete episode:
- You will learn how to overcome imposter syndrome.
- Hear Clarence's story of career pivot with passion and purpose.
- Discover the creative process of transforming noise into music.
Episode Highlights
Who is Clarence Levy III
- Clarence is the founder of the SABOR music and brass band, made up of lifelong musicians from across the US and even Peru.
- He is also the founder of the Morehouse College Marching Band "Phunk Squad" drumline.
- Clarence is also known as "Mr. Beats" for his talents as a sound engineer creating tracks.
Clarence's life and music background
- Clarence started playing drums at the age of 3 years old.
- He became an engineer because of his parents' wish.
- His love for music did not fade after he became a professional.
What led Clarence to leave engineering and pursue music
- He has been working as an engineer for 20 years earning good money.
- Burnout became his worst enemy in his professional career.
- Clarence wrote his resignation letter with the support of his family.
- He sold a rental property and built a music studio.
- Clarence went all in on his music.
How to overcome imposter syndrome
- Clarence spent his first six months trying to convince himself that he was doing real work.
- He dedicates time to do research.
- He learns to fight himself and keep going.
- Clarence immerses himself in the right rooms and meets the right people.
How Alicia and Clarence meet and work together
- They went to the same high school.
- Alicia asked him to create a theme song for her podcast.
- Today Clarence is scoring Alicia's all podcast music and learning sound design.
Clarence's realization in his entrepreneurial journey
- Success doesn't happen as fast as you want it to.
- The small victories along the way kept him going.
- He understands the real value of his skills.
The collaboration track with Clarence's daughter
- The Foley effects of sound design.
- Clarence uses the tools available in his house to create sounds.
- He let her daughter play with some tools and record them.
Projects that Clarence wants to work on
- Podcast projects really excite him.
- He sees himself as Dr. Tre's tracks of podcast production.
What someone needs to share to begin a creative process
- It always starts with an idea.
- Then doing research.
- Every person Clarence meets has a rhythm.
The most rewarding part of Clarence's entrepreneurial journey
- Getting over the mind-shift hump.
- Releasing the boundaries.
- The way you think things will set you free.
What Clarence would like to remember for
- Clarence wants to be remembered for being his daughter's dad.
3 Powerful Quotes from this Episode
10:30 - "I spent the night in this studio for a few months, putting together what I needed to put together and building everything I have to prepare for now."
27:47 - "All my skills myself. I don't need a company to do that for me."
42:12 - "The most rewarding thing I've gotten over that hump, and I can now shift the mind because how you think about it sets you free."
About Clarence Levy III
Clarence "Tre`" Levy III - Baton Rouge, LA. Bandleader of SABOR! bands, Vocalist, and Percussionist: Clarence has played percussion from the age of 3. While earning degrees from Morehouse College and The Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Ga., Clarence has never departed from music. He found it necessary to pull together a group of musicians who could help revive and connect to the sounds of the bayous and streets of New Orleans and Southern Louisiana. Over time, that band became known as the Sabor! Brass Band.
Mentioned Resources
Episode 97: How to Build Business Infrastructure with Alicia Butler Pierre
Business Infrastructure podcast
Growth Driven Entrepreneur Community
Connect with Clarence Levy III
Enjoying the MindShift Podcast?
Click here to follow on Apple Podcasts. While there, please leave a 5-star rating and review. Also, if you haven’t done so already, join the free MindShift Community to connect with other like-minded people. Don’t forget to tag me @mrdarrellevans on Instagram.
Thanks for listening,
Darrell
