Podcast
Dream Life Club
Hosted by Sumi Krishnan · EN
Dream Life Club is the show for creatives and entrepreneurs committed to chasing and living out their dreams. Through interviews as well as solo-episodes, the show offers insights and inspiration to anyone looking to build their dream life.
About the host: Sumi Krishnan is an award-winning entrepreneur who walked away from the 200 person consulting firm she started while in college to chase her lifelong dream of being a music artist. She has been featured in media from Forbes to Inc. Magazine and is transforming the definition of what it means to be a pop music artist today.
36episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Producer Ryan Gladieux on engineering hits, working with the greats and loving the journey
2d ago01:03:51Summary readyRyan Gladieux is one of my producers so this episode feels like two friends catching up in a studio and going deep on the music industry.Ryan started as a recording intern at Atlantic Records and Warner Music Group in 2011. He eventually worked his way up to head engineer, racking up credits on some of the biggest songs in the world — including Timber by Ke$ha and Pitbull — and getting to work up close with artists like Flo Rida, Rihanna, T-Pain, Charlie Puth, Ty Dolla $ign, Charli XCX, Saweetie, Dua Lipa and more.In this episode we get into what it was really like inside those sessions…the stories you don't hear, the wild nights, the trial by fire of becoming an engineer, and what the music industry actually looks like from behind the glass.
SummaryHow Hyperbole, Hinduism & the Right Words will help you Build your Dream
5d ago00:24:14Summary readyI've been thinking a lot about the power of the words we tell ourselves. I got into the concept of creating a "hyperbole" for yourself, a goal so big and so aligned with your soul that it almost sounds crazy...and why that might be exactly the point.I talk about my own hyperbole and why what we tell ourselves every single day might be the most important thing we're not paying enough attention to.
SummaryHow to Build a Multi-Platinum Career in the Music Industry: Shari Short’s True Story
2w ago01:02:10Summary readyShari Short is a RIAA certified multi-platinum songwriter and producer who has written for Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, Rita Ora, Sofia Reyes and more. She toured as a background vocalist with Demi Lovato, managed Rebecca Black, became CEO of a boutique record label, and is currently the frontwoman of indie rock band Three One Zero. Oh, and she has a song up for a Primetime Emmy. Not bad for a shy girl from a small town in Idaho with a guitar! But Shari gets into what the highlight reel doesn't show you…the years of waitressing between opportunities, major label meetings that went nowhere and how she ended up interpreting rejection. Listen in for an inspiring conversation and leave ready to build your own success!
SummaryThe American Dream: Why Your Personal Dream Can't Exist Without This Conversation
3w ago00:20:15Summary readyMy new song American Dream comes out this Friday!! Pre-save it here.This week I'm getting into something that's close to my heart, the idea of the American Dream which inspired my new song out this Friday by the same name.In this episode I talk about why we can't separate our personal dreams from what's happening around us politically and socially. I share some stats that genuinely blew my mind and talk about why I think this isn't actually a left vs. right conversation, it's a human one.The America I grew up believing in as the daughter of immigrants is not the America we're living in right now. But at the same time, I think there is still hope. And that’s what I hope my new song brings to everyone, a sense of hope.Don't forget my new song American Dream comes out this Friday! Pre-save it today.
SummaryNever Sell Out: Dan Smalls on Building Something Real in the Music Industry
3w ago01:00:43Summary readyDan Smalls is one of the most respected independent concert promoters in the country. With over 35 years experience, he built DSP (Dan Smalls Presents) from a single 1,600 seat theater in Ithaca, NY into a company doing 800+ shows a year across the Northeast. He's worked with legendary artists Pearl Jam, Phish & Blues Traveler, produced Phish’s epic end-of-summer festivals that drew up to 100,000 people and runs the Green River Festival in Massachusetts, happening in June. He did it all while staying fiercely independent.In this conversation, Dan shares his full origin story, from booking Blues Traveler at Cornell frat parties to getting hand-picked by the legendary Bill Graham, to nearly walking away from music entirely before finding his way back.We get into what it really takes to be an independent promoter, how he thinks about risk and what artists at any level can learn about building a career on their own terms.
SummaryHow to Get Over Fear and Build Your Dream
Apr 2800:28:15Summary readyThis is for anyone who feels stuck in something that you don't want to be doing. About five years ago, I made the huge leap to sell my successful company (which I had been building for 10 years) to start a whole new career. It's been the best decision of my entire life but making the jump wasn't easy. In this episode, I share two things that will change your life and allow you to go after your dream. To go from being stuck in something in a life that you don't love to having the courage to take a risk on your dreams.
SummaryThis Is Why Creatives Quit — And How You Won't
Apr 1800:29:56Summary readySumi discusses the very real challenges building a career as an indie artist (you're not alone!!) and how to overcome them and win.
SummaryWhat It Actually Takes to Get Better
Apr 1000:19:52Summary readyIn this solo episode, Sumi breaks down the mindset shift that separates people who actually get better at something from those who stay stuck at the same level. Using her own piano journey and the 12 rules for mastery from Wynton Marsalis — one of the most celebrated trumpet players of all time — she gets into what focused growth really looks like and why most of us are working hard just to maintain, not improve.
SummaryEmpowering Songwriters: Michelle Lewis' Journey in Advocacy
Mar 2700:54:32Summary readyThis podcast episode features the esteemed Michelle Lewis, an award-winning songwriter and a prominent advocate for music creators' rights. We delve into her remarkable journey from crafting chart-topping singles for artists such as Amy Grant and Cher to her current role as the CEO of SONA, the Songwriters of North America. Lewis articulates the challenges faced by songwriters in an evolving music industry, particularly highlighting the detrimental impact of streaming on their earnings. Through her advocacy work, she emphasizes the importance of representation and equity for women and underrepresented groups in the music industry. We explore her insights on navigating the complexities of creativity and leadership, as well as the significance of being actively involved in decision-making processes that affect the livelihoods of creators.
SummaryNavigating the Final Stretch: Overcoming the Last Lap Syndrome in Creativity
Mar 2000:23:01Summary readySumi talks about the the “Last Lap Syndrome,” that moment where you’ve done 80–90% of the work… but can’t seem to finish a creative project and put it out into the world.In this episode, Sumi shares:why creatives (especially those with ADHD tendencies) get stuck before the finish linethe real reason finishing feels harder than startinghow she has personally delayed projects for years (!!) and what she's doing differently nowsimple systems and mindset shifts that actually help you close the loopIf you’ve ever had a creative project that's been almost done for too long… this one’s for you.
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