105: Creating the Life You Want as a Musician with Sarah Whitney

So many of us were trained to follow a very specific path as musicians, but what happens when that path doesn’t quite lead to the life we imagined? Today, we’re chatting with violinist and Career & Leadership Coach for Musicians Sarah Whitney to talk about designing a career with clarity, confidence, and creative fulfillment. We explore mindset, leadership, burnout, and what it really takes to create the life you want as a musician.

• Sarah shared how her traditional performance career evolved into a multi-dimensional musical life.
• The importance of intentionally designing a career rather than drifting into one was emphasized.
• Sarah described the transition from performing full-time to adding leadership and coaching.
• She highlighted how musicians often operate in survival mode instead of long-term strategy.
• The value of mindset work alongside practical business skills.
• Sarah explained why musicians must define success on their own terms.
• How burnout can signal the need for realignment rather than failure.
• The importance of building confidence through small, aligned actions was emphasized.
• Sarah described how clarity reduces overwhelm in creative careers.
• She highlighted the role of leadership skills in modern music careers.
• The value of diversifying income streams while staying artistically authentic was discussed.
• Sarah explained how coaching helps musicians move from reaction to intention.
• She encouraged musicians to identify what energizes rather than drains them.
• The importance of community and mentorship in career growth was reinforced.
• She emphasized that career pivots are natural and often necessary.

Links Mentioned

• Sarah's website:www.sarahwhitney.com
• Sarah's Instagram page:@theproductivemusician
• Sarah's Facebook page:Sarah Whitney
• Booka free discovery callwith Sarah to learn more about her coaching programs.
• Sign up for herweekly newsletterto get inspiration and actionable tools for musicians.
• Sign up for herfree community eventsfor musicians.

Today's Guest Praised by The Washington Post for her “marvelous violin acrobatics,” Sarah Whitney is a widely recognized performer, teacher, speaker and Career & Leadership Coach for Musicians. During her tenure as violinist and founding member of her acclaimed string quintet, she performed concerts worldwide, received the Concert Artists Guild Grand Prize and had 3 albums reach the top ten on the Billboard charts. She is also founder and artistic director of the interactive concert series, Beyond the Notes and her diverse career has included everything from performing at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center to sharing the stage with NAS, Adele and Ed Sheeran. As a Career & Leadership Coach for Musicians, Sarah uses her unique mix of mindset strategy and business savvy to help busy, professional musicians stop surviving and start thriving - building careers filled with clarity, confidence, and creative fulfillment. She is currently on the faculty of the Longy School of Music & New England Conservatory and has given lectures and masterclasses around the world, including at the Curtis Institute, The Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, Rice University and Oberlin Conservatory, among others. About Rachel Ehring Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda.

• Visit her website at RachelEhring.com
• Visit her Instagram page: @rachelehring
• Visit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694
• Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music

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