#0020: Erin Barra on navigating shifted life goals + being perceived as a b*tch

Some might call her a Jill of all trades, but Erin “Mamma” Barra prefers Creative Swiss Army Knife. Within the world of music, she’s a pragmatic troubleshooter who adeptly knows what skill or tool to apply at the right moment. The breadth of her skill set – as an educator, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and music technology consultant over 20 years - makes Erin a key player in the creative process of many projects from conception to final master to stage performance. When she’s involved, people are able to realize and execute their ideas. The people she works with are Grammy-winning artists, engineers, and producers as well as indie artists. Additionally, she has released 5 studio albums as an independent solo artist. That’s some serious cred. Erin also shares her knowledge and experience while connecting other women. She is an Associate Professor in the Songwriting Department at Boston's Berklee College of Music and one of the leading product specialists for Berlin-based music software company, Ableton. Additionally, Erin has developed, taught and executed several music technology programs, including Beats by Girls for K-12 girls. She also is on the Board of Women in Music, where she contributes to building awareness, support, and opportunities for other women in the musical arts.
During our conversation, Erin shares how she reconciled how identifies with her work versus how other others have perceived how she does, especially when navigating career transitions. Erin also opens up about the detrimental impacts of chronic stress to her body, creativity, and productivity. She also walks us through some (no surprise here) really practical tools and habits that have helped her turn around stress and stuckness. Do not miss this episode with Erin.