Finding the courage to be you in business sounds like it would be a pretty easy task. The reality is that it’s not as easy as it sounds. We face several things during our business journey that may sway us away from being who we indeed are.
Sometimes it happens during our growing phases. We are stretched outside of our comfort zone into the unknown, and what do we do? We look to those who are successful in our industry and decide to duplicate them.
Another scenario is when friends or family place their expectations on us and who they believe we should be. Sure, we can easily say no, but often we think what we are told as young children of who we are and who we are not. Those words and the desire to be accepted persuade many of us to follow the path they designed for us.
This last example is what my next guest has seen several times during his music career. It’s the pressure your industry puts on you to do, think and behave in a certain way.
All of these scenarios can take us away from who we are. Knowing yourself and standing firm in who you are is vital in life and business. Jere B, also known as The Entremusician, shares his stories of the standing firm despite the pressure to be what was expected of him.
He talks to us about why it’s important and how to find out who you are.https://www.buzzsprout.com/1866514/9479043-how-to-find-the-courage-to-be-you-in-your-business?
About Jere B
EntreMusician, Producer & Composer
Jere B began his musical life as a church drummer
and performed in a variety of bands during his formative years.
Jere B’s award-winning band, SounDoctrine, has released five critically acclaimed CDs. They
have received notable honors from Soul Patrol, The Hollywood Black Film Festival, Campus
Crusade for Christ, New Artist Radio, The Capital Jazz Fest Challenge, WSVN and the
American Gospel Music Awards among others. SounDoctrine has toured nationally, with
its music crossing international boundaries. The Weather Channel has featured the
group’s music since 2008.
SounDoctrine’s cover of Bobby Womack’s “Stop On By” featuring guitarist Eric Tyus
cracked the Top Ten of Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Charts for three weeks in the
summer of 2015. Jazz Legend Bob Baldwin recently remixed their smooth ballad,
“Smallmouth Bass,” composed by Jim Couchenour.
Jere B is the owner of the independent label, Niayana Recordings. His funky, experimental
debut album “Fizh & Gritz” released in September 2019 challenges the current culture
while questioning the American Church. Jere’s brand new release, “Ecstatica” is geared
toward the TV/Film market.
His production credits include: Scoring the Independent Film Shorts, “On-Line Love” &
“First Movie Date,” by filmmaker Art Byrd; Composing and Producing the Music for the Off
Broadway Play, “In Search of an African Queen” and creating music for The CBOSS
Community Network’s Webcasts.
Additional credits include composing and arranging for Lisa Taylor; Songstress, Tracee;
R&B duo, 2 Elegant, Gospel Singer, Carlton Jenkins; The Spirit of Truth Choir, Acoustic Duo
McCabe, The Chocolate Pulse Story and producing Smooth Jazz Artists Jim Couchenour and
Eric Tyus.
Jere B, along with SounDoctrine have opened for Kirk Whalum, Spyro Gyra, Pieces Of A
Dream, Atlantic Starr, Freddie Jackson, Felton Pilate among many others. Since debuting in
the movie “Ice Agent” a film by Ray O’Neill, he was cast as the lead in Art Byrd’s short
the film, “Magnify” and performed the lead role, Joshua, in the Youngstown Playhouse
production; of David E Talbert’s “Fabric of a Man.” Jere began 2019 as lead, Walter Lee
Younger in the Hopewell Theatre’s production of Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin In The
Sun.” In September of 2021, he will be featured as the Character “BLACK” in Cormac
McCarthy’s “The Sunset Limited,” the role portrayed on film by Samuel L. Jackson.
A Follower of Jesus Christ and Director of Pastoral Care at Victory Christian Center in Ohio,
Jere B has a heart for teaching and motivating biblical truths. His goal is to exemplify
Christ and live a life of integrity while mentoring others toward success. Jere is very
happily married to his sweetheart of 25 years, Lori Lynette. They have three beautiful
daughters; Dr. Tejai Davon, Nia Joi & Ayana Symone.
Visit His websites, SounDoctrine.com and TheEntreMusician.com, and follow him on Social Media.
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Transcript for Finding the Courage to be You in Business with Jere B.
Deanna:
Well, Hello and welcome to the Sassy Girl Entrepreneur Show. I’ve got Jere B in the house with me. I am so stoked. Jerry, thank you so much for joining me today.
Jere B:
Thank you so much for having me. I’m not a sassy girl, but.
Deanna:
You don’t have to be a sassy girl as long as you know what you’re talking about.
You can be on the show, right?
Jere B:
I think I do. We’ll find out in a few minutes, though, right?
Deanna:
No, you absolutely do. There’s no finding out about it. I know you do. Maybe our listeners will find out in a minute or two if they’ve never heard you. But I’m so excited that you’re here because we are going to be talking about how to find the courage to be you in business. And that is so important to figure out because a lot of times we are just scrambling to figure out what to do right? There are all these people around us who are influencing us and telling us what we should do and shouldn’t do and who we need to be and how we need to do things.
It gets noisy. It gets really noisy.
Jere B:
It does.
Deanna:
Now you started off. You are a drummer in the Church, and now you’re in a band, and you have your own independent record label. So you are pretty much you’re the music industry, right?
Jere B
I love music. I love everything about it. I love producing it. I love performing. I love writing. I love all of that. I think I was put on this Earth. I know I was put on this Earth to do everything that has to be involved with not only music but entertainment, anything that has to do with creativity. I’m drawn to it like a magnet.
Deanna
Let me tell you when I was reading your bio and we’ve known each other for a while, but there were some things on your bio or your bio that I was like, say what? And the one part that jumped out was your band sound Doctrine opened up for Atlantic Star.
Jere B
Oh, yeah.
Deanna
Oh, my gosh. Let me just tell you.I read that. I immediately was, like, transported back to the 80s.
Jere B
Oh, man.
Deanna
What was that? Always. And I can’t think of the other song that was really popular, right? Where she was cheating or something. Secret Lovers!! right?
Jere B
Yea, Secret Lovers and, Freak-A-Ristic. That stuff. But not only Atlantic Star, but by God’s Grace, Kirk Whalum, and Pieces of a Dream. And there’s been several main acts that we’ve opened for. The very second gig that we did back in 2002 was opening for Bobby Blue Bland. That was our second show.
Deanna
You’re kidding. How did that happen?
Jere B
We’re getting ready to step into 20 years. And so the conversation now is, what are we going to do this,s anniversary year. We’re going to do some shows. What’s going to happen? So January 12, 2002, was our very first show at the Northeastern Ohio gospel music Expo in Liberty, Ohio, which, you know very well, the Holiday Inn Metroplex. So that was our first gig.
Deanna
Yeah.
Jere B
And there was a promoter there, from WKBN, which was a station I was working at. That was my day job at the time. Brad Marshall came to that show, and he said, hey, we’re getting ready to do something down at the Cela, which was in Struthers. That club is no more. And he said I can put you on this blues show. Bobby Blue Bland is the headliner. You guys sound ready! Let’s do it! And that was the very next week.
Deanna
Oh, my gosh. That’s awesome. That right there ~ everything aligned that’s when you know you’re meant to do what you’re doing. When things like that happen. You’re in the right place.
Jere B
Definitely. The one thing. There was a little umph there because I was also a Minister at one of the churches here in Youngstown, Ohio. And the leadership did not kind of dig their youth leader being in jazz there, you know what I mean? So talking about knowing who you are and making hard decisions, and was something that was difficult to make. But we had to walk through what it was and we knew that we were a purpose to be there or else we wouldn’t be here 20 years later.
Deanna
Absolutely.
Jere B
You know what I mean? Yeah, I do.
Deanna
And that kind of leads into my question. I was going to ask, were you, especially in those early years when you first became a musician, ever influenced right, by people were telling you what you need to be. Now, if you were a pastor in a Church like you said, I imagine that was pretty intense. What was that like when you were going through that? What were they telling you you needed to be? And how are you feeling about that?
Jere B
Well interestingly, it started way before that experience in 2002 because I was this child drummer. So we had choirs, in the quote, unquote Black Baptist Church, you’d grow up. And it’s a really good training ground for young musicians because the youth choir would sing the children’s choir, the adult choir, the concert choir. And as you moved up through the ranks, you could play the drums or play whatever your skill was your instrument.
But we would have people, certain people, authority figures in the Church at a young age, and they would tell us. And I knew their intent was good, but you could hear they would. the I’m, like, eight, nine years old. And this is true. I’m speaking from my heart. So it was like, okay, so that’s one line of thinking that you’re getting. But as you’re growing up as you’re 14, as you’re 16, as you’re being called on more and more to perform, you’re thinking about people who are making careers out of music. Satanists.
But you got this thread in your head like, oh, if I did that, that’s the Devil’s music. And that’s not necessarily. So. I mean, there are, of course, some death metal bands or some Satanists. That’s true, right? But secular music and sacred music, God created music and music is a tool. Music, like anything else, like money or any other tool can be used for good or bad. But if your heart is right and you’re making a career, you’re being able to put food on the table.
I found that that was an incredible misnomer. You should never tell a child that because a great career could come of that. Right. So that’s what happened to me. And that was one of the roles, one of the labels that I had to strip off because I don’t think that God is mad at me. And Besides, if I’m going into this venue and they’re actually paying me to do it, but some of the churches are not paying, then who’s really being right because you have a service you’re providing.
And yes, the Lord from my heart, he gets first because I’m playing for my heart. However, he’s also provided. So if I can be a plumber or Carpenter or custodian or a doctor or professor, certainly, I can use this gift that I was given to be able to provide for my family. You understand what I mean?
Deanna
I absolutely do. I’ve got a question that I want to bring you back a little bit. You said you were a young boy. And you were a drummer. When that was said to you, you said eight..
Jere B
eight, nine years old? Ten. Yeah.
Deanna
Very young.
Jere B
Right.
Deanna
So when she said about the Devil’s music, did you know what she was talking about at that age?
Yeah. Because of the upbringing of that particular Church denomination at that time, that was not only from the elder ladies in the home but your grandparents, because I’ll give you a funny story. Like my grandparents on my mother’s side were very angry with Aretha Franklin. Why?
Deanna
Really?
Jere B
Yeah. Because of Aretha Franklin. She grew up in her father’s church, and she had that amazing record, amazing Grace. And you can see the documentary. I think the documentary.
Deanna
I think I did watch that documentary.
Jere B
Right. So her roots were in Church. But then when she went out into, quote, unquote the world, she’s abandoned everything. She’s thrown it all the way for, quote, unquote. They’re vernacular the Devil’s music. So I had that imprinted like, oh, yeah, I knew what they were talking about. But then it was Sam Cook. You know what I mean? He was another. And there were so many who had stepped from what they felt was the Church and really abandoned their roots. But that’s not true. I have a greater context of what that actually means.
Deanna
So how long did it take you to overcome that little voice in the back of your head, right? And what you’d heard as a child to say, no, this is okay. This is okay. If I do this because I’m still doing it in a positive way, in a God-serving way. It sounds like it took a while for that to happen.
Jere B
Well, it took some rebellion on my end. I think by the time I was 16, under age 17 and I was playing in some clubs underage, you shouldn’t be there until you were 21.
That’s a whole other podcast. A whole other story.
But with respect to that, in my own spiritual journey, I had to come into my own identity. And there was just not that label with respect to music. But my race. I went through this period where I was into studying with groups like the Nation of Islam. And there were all kinds of factors that I just had to begin tearing off to say, Jerry, who are you? Who are you?
Because in addition to that, Deanna was the authority figure who said, well, you’re not going to amount to this, or you’re only going to be limited because of this. That or the other. Many people want to come along and put labels on you based on their perspectives of you.
And so there were, like, 15 or 16 things, literally, without exaggerating that I had to tear off of me to just find out who I am. Who are you, Jere? Who are you? Who do you know that you are and not who your stepfather or your grandfather, your grandmother or sister? So. And so and Deacon so and so said that you are so it was a journey.
Deanna
Oh, I can relate to that. I mean, I’m a people, pleaser. And I mean, I want to make everybody happy. And I didn’t even realize growing up what I was doing. But it got to the point after I got divorced and I’ve got two little boys, right, and I had no idea what to do with myself. I didn’t know what I liked. I didn’t know what I didn’t like, because I had always just been whoever somebody expected me to be along the way. Right.
Jere B
Right. Sure.
Deanna
There are characteristics of me that have been there since I was a little girl, and I’ll probably be there until the day I go. But the hobbies the likes, the way I did things always changed based off of what the expectation was. And I even felt that in business, right. Because in business, as you know, you have all these voices of people saying what you should do and how you should do it, right. And I know personally, I’ve looked up to certain people because I’m like, they’re killing it.
They know what they’re doing, they know what they’re talking about. So I should probably do things the way they’re doing things. And in reality, now, it took me a while to get this. You shouldn’t. How do you know, right?
When you’re in that moment, how do you overcome and say, yes, I know that all these top tier people that everybody loves and respects, why shouldn’t I listen to them?
Jere B
Yeah. I think for me it was a tightrope, especially if you’re talking about business because there are certain things that are non-negotiable like you have to have a business plan. You have to do this. You have to have an accounting, you have to register. So there are non-negotiables that you should have. The problem with, Jerry, as I’m so creative, and that’s why we created the EntreMusician because there has to be a balance between the creative mind and then the business mind, the non-negotiables, the things that you should be doing as a musician because all we want to do is play music.
All we want to do like I said at the beginning of our conversation, is right. And it’s that that really juices us sitting there and figuring out the five-year plan is kind of there’s 1000 things that I would rather do.
Deanna
Yeah.
Jere B
As you said, with respect to the process, like the people who influenced me the most, I think told the best story of why it needed to be done. Because if you just tell me, do this, do this, do this and you take all this paperwork or you file it online and you go to wherever that’s going to be pretty mundane.
But once I’m understanding why it’s necessary because this is going to help you to be who you should be, because it’s not about you. It really isn’t. It’s about the people that you’re serving. And yes, as a musician, you are serving others. You are providing something that is needed again, if you’re a carpenter or a plumber, these are practical things. And people electrician. Yes, we know they provide a service, but a musician, an entertainer, a performer, a singer is providing something that’s really feeding the soul.
Yeah, musicians specifically want to just vibe on the creative, but it’s mundane for us to do the business plan, meet with the accountant and do all of these legal things that we have to do to maintain our business. So if you want to ask the question again and then just like, kind of start it like that.
I hope that makes sense, right?
Deanna
It does. It makes complete sense. Now, I’ve listened to your podcast before, and you always share such great words of wisdom on there. I do. You’ve got quick little snippets, and then you’ve got interviews, but you speak, you send a great message. It’s worth listening to. One of the messages that you shared on your podcast. You were actually talking about Bob Dylan, and you tied it in with the importance of being who you are. Can you share that story again? Because I will not be able to repeat it the way you did?
Jere B
I don’t think I’ll be able to repeat it, but it was a time in my life where I was searching for me. And if you’re going to do this entertainment thing, oh, my God. Let’s just be just clear right off the bat. There’s so much phoniness that can go on to it because you have to have an image.
Deanna
Yeah.
Jere B
You know what I’m saying? If JayZ or Beyonce or name your star didn’t have an image, then they would just be. Oh, okay. Well, JayZ, I’m sure he has a real name.
I forget what it is, right?
Deanna
I don’t know what it is.
Jere B
My name is Jere Beulah, but Jere B has a better.
Deanna
I don’t think I knew that. I’ve always called you Jere B.
Jere B
And I’m like, here’s the thing for your audience only. Don’t tell anybody.
Deanna
I don’t think I ever, ever knew that. And I don’t even think I thought about it.
Jere B
Yeah. And so my daughter Ayana whom, you know, she’s Ayana Simone. You know what I mean? Her first and middle name. So I get it.
But what can happen? The danger in that is that this image that you’re trying to portray or grow into can become a monster. So Frankenstein. And when you’re trying to emulate someone else so closely that, well, you have to dress this way. You have to sound this way. You have to have that type of. Then you’re moving further from who you really are and it was Bob Dylan, whom I’m not really into his genre of music, but because he’s ubiquitous and has been such a huge star, I just begin, like reading up on him, listening to his stuff now, again, not to be disrespectful, but I didn’t think the brother could sing at all. Obviously, he sold tens of millions of copies.
Deanna
But I would agree with you, but there’s something about him, but yeah. Singing. I’m not a fan.
Jere B
Yeah and his look, I mean, the way he carried himself in the 60s, late 60s, where there was more of this polished thing. And they were really honing in on what this music industry was supposed to be. And he would come out in his boots and his jeans and his t-shirt and his guitar. And he would just lay into the audience. And it was his lyrics. It was his heart. It was the message that he was conveying that made Bob Dylan himself, not his image. Definitely not his voice.
Jere B
No disrespect. We have auto-tuned now, and I’m sure he’s availing himself to that. But in those early records, it was like, wow, he’s not the best-looking But his realism and his genuineness is what caused him.
And that was a wake-up call for me because, no, I’m not the best-looking guy. I don’t look great in a tie. You know what I’m saying?
And I don’t need to be this stoic whomever I just need to be, Jere.
And that can be hard, because what happens is if you don’t follow sometimes the status quo, depending on your genre or your industry, then people are like, wow, they are less willing to accept you. But when they find out that you’re real, Deanna, when they find out that you are you and you’re coming from the truest place in your spirit that you can convey, then slowly but surely, people, they catch on and they latch on and most of the time, they stay on because everything that’s a trend or flash in the pan or fly by night. Yeah. We’re on to the next thing, and it’s planned obsolescence.
That’s another thing that the music industry taught me was plan obsolescence. There are trends in music. There are styles, there are looks, there are sounds. And then before you know it, it’s all over. And we’re on to the next thing. But the Stevie Wonders. Yeah. You know what I mean? Transcends generations. Michael Jackson had that appeal.
You know what I mean? Elton John is another one. This is who I am. And the music just plows for it doesn’t matter if it’s the 70s or 80s or nineties boom. Those are the people who stay so true.
Deanna
And it’s so easy to get caught up in that not knowing who you are. And I experienced that when we moved from Ohio to Montana. Ohio is a community I grew up in. It’s not such a small town, but it has a small-town feel right where everybody knows everybody. And we’re all connected in some way.
Jere B
That’s right.
Deanna
And when I moved to Montana, where I knew no one, I really wanted to fit in. And I wasn’t fitting in. I wasn’t fitting in at all. It was clear that I was different, that I was from somewhere other than mine.
I don’t know. Maybe it was all like, the flashy stuff I don’t know what it was or tennis shoes at that point, but the point is that I didn’t realize it when I was there. But what I was doing was trying to be what they wanted me to be. And so in my business, I was trying different things and seeing what worked and then hopping the next and seeing what worked, right? Just tweaking tweaking tweaking tweaking. And it wasn’t until I left and I moved to Florida that I realized that I really wasn’t even being true to myself there. I was trying to be what they wanted and moving to Florida for whatever reason. Maybe because everybody here has relocated from somewhere else.
Jere B
Correct.
Deanna
It allowed me to strip away all these layers and just be me. And it’s like an awakening in my business. In my life. It feels good. It really feels good.
Jere B
Let me ask you if I may because this is fairly recent that moved from Ohio to Colorado. So you had Sassy Girl together. You were in it. What do you think made you shift to say I have to now reinvent myself in this new space that I’m in. What was that? What do you think it was?
Deanna
That’s a great question. And when I went, I didn’t think I had to reinvent myself. I went thinking I was doing the same thing. What happened was that there was you think Youngstown and Mahoning-canfield Trumble County small. It’s right. You got your YSU stuff. Well, I got a Canfield picture in the bag, but love it. But Montana, like where I was as a state. It’s even small. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, right? So for me being totally transparent, it was this other group of women in business that I kept running into that did not want me in that circle.
They didn’t want me anywhere near. They liked what they had. And I don’t know if they saw me as a threat, but whatever it was, that imposter syndrome in me kicked in big time, and I started questioning. And I didn’t understand why, because in Ohio, we all worked together and collaborated together. And there it was, us versus them. And I was the “them”. So I really was trying to fit in and I was trying to do things to get people to know me. And like me and I shifted. I didn’t know how I was shifting.
I didn’t even realize that I did that until I got out of there. And I’m like, this just doesn’t feel like it’s really me. It wasn’t even until after I made the changes and just started doing business in Florida the way I did in Ohio that I’m like, wow, when I was in Montana, I really wasn’t even the truest version of myself, but I didn’t know that it could be that.
Let’s face it, I moved to Montana. I left my life, got engaged, got married, was in a town, every single thing you could think of in my life was like in a snow globe, somebody was shaking up, it was all good stuff, all great stuff.
But every component of my life changed in that time. So I was probably figuring myself out on a personal level and a professional level, I think.
Jere B
And I think we go through that depending on the circles that we’re in, even in Youngstown or Ohio or Florida, I think that there’s a constant recalculation of Jerry, get back on point. Deanna, get back on point. This is not who you are. And interestingly enough, in business, you’re trying to sell something, you’re selling yourself, you’re selling your service, you’re selling your product. So there has to be a degree of impressionableness. People must know you like you trust you in order for it to work, really and truly.
But we can slide if we don’t recalculate and get back on point. Well, I can do this. And it’s me. Yeah. It’s so hard, though. So that’s why I asked you the question is because it’s another location, but you were already very well settled into Sassy Girl Media when you left. You know what I mean? I just had to ask that. No.
Deanna
And I’m glad you did because I had a few AHA moments just talking to you and trying to answer that question. Right?
And I didn’t realize that. And it is what it is. But how do we realize if we’re in it? Do you know, like when we are in that part of not being who we truly are? How do we know we’re in it?
Jere B
I know I’m in it when that little voice that is my guiding light doesn’t kick me in the teeth after the conversation is over. And sometimes this is complete transparency. Sometimes I’ve had to go back to a particular person and say, that wasn’t the truest Jerry, that I could have been. I was really trying to make a better impression on you, and I felt that I failed you. Wow. You have to do it because, for me, my conscience is really clear. And when it’s not clear, I have to do something about it.
I’m not settled. I can’t do anything. And I know that’s when I’m being my truest me when I can look you in the eye and I can say this is what it is. This is the truth is this is where we are, and I don’t want to take advantage of anybody. I don’t want to over impress you or make you feel I don’t want to over-promise. I don’t want to do any of that stuff. I’m going to say this is what it is. There’s a guy down the street or there’s a lady down the street or service, and they may be able to provide you.
I’ve turned away more business than I have since I’ve wised up. I used to say yes to everything, but I’ve turned away more. No, I don’t think so because then I have to calculate, who am I going to be in that moment? Let me tell you this story early on, early on. Oh, my gosh, this is 30 years ago, okay. And my young producer Homebase recording. And during that time, this is the early 90s. It’s got to be 89 91 when the quote, unquote gangster rap was coming out.
And I wasn’t living a gangster rap life. I’m a jazz guy. Always has been. But I knew that this was a way to bring money into the studio. I had this little basement studio, and we got these rappers who want to pay money to record this stuff. But I can tell you, and that’s when I begin to say, Yo B, what are you doing? Because the cussing and I’m like music is so sacred to me, it’s sacred. We shouldn’t be putting this stuff on top of, you know what I mean?
And I had to back away. I could have made tons of money, but I don’t want to use my facilities for that. And that’s when there was a shift in that you have to be true to yourself.
Deanna
That’s good because I get that right. I mean, it’s not about money. Being true to yourself has nothing. It’s being able to sleep at night. It’s knowing you did the right thing. It’s being that example to your family that you’re going to do the right thing.
Jere B
And I wasn’t living my best life at that point. You know what I mean? I’m not squeaky clean now, but you know what I mean? I wasn’t like that guy, but it’s just the fact that this was so true to my spirit that it’s being soiled and I can’t do it anymore.
Deanna
So you made a comment that you say no now, but now that you know who you are and you’re you and your business and you’re running your business to who you are.
Jere B
And I’m older, time means more to me.
Deanna
Well, that’s true. Time definitely means a lot more. But now you’re able to say no. What was that like in the beginning? Because did it feel like you were leaving money on the table by turning somebody away? Or did you feel confident in that because you knew who you were?
Jere B
Yeah, it’s all of that. And like I said, that’s why I use the gangster. I went back to 30 years, and when I was a young kid and I could have really made some money. That’s another podcast as well. But here’s the thing. And my time, my family. There are things that are more valuable to me and precious to me than just saying, okay, what is this going to be now? Of course, I have to be wise. I am offering a service. So if the time is going to be right, if I can give my best to the person, if that person.
And here’s another thing, because Michael Hyatt. I don’t know if you know, Michael’s work, but Michael Hyatt says the customer is not always right, and you have to get over that. If this is not going to be the best client relationship, then is it worth the money? Because if, man, I want to just wring their neck, it’s not worth it. And you should go to someone who would be a better fit for you. And so it was hard, but it got easier as time went on.
Deanna
It does get easier. And I know if you have that gut feeling. I’ve had that gut feeling right when you just have to. Well, for me, write a proposal for someone I’m like, I can already tell. I’m not going to like this, right? And it may not have anything to do with the person. It may be with the project that they want me to do. I’m like, no, I’m not really feeling it. So if somebody is in a position right now and they’re listening and they really don’t know if they are being themselves in their business or if they’re trying to be somebody else, how do you know who you are?
How do you peel those layers away? How do you figure out if you are just following the pack or if you are really in your own lane?
Jere B
It’s going to require tons of vulnerability. The Bible says you die to yourself. You’re going to have to die to who you are and what you’ve been told, and you’re going to have to be vulnerable enough where you speak to someone you trust, who will tell you the truth, not what you want to hear, but will tell you the truth. No, you actually suck at this. You’re terrible here, and you have to be open enough to receive that and allow them for me. One of the things, because my wife, you’ve met my wife.
Deanna
She’s awesome.
Jere B
The truth, though. This is what’s up, and you need to stop it. And that’s it beautiful marriage, 27 years. But here’s the thing. There are other people in my life that I trust with that that know. Okay. This Jerry Bee thing, you’re Jere Beulah. This is who you are, right. And I’m vulnerable enough to receive that. So when you’re just starting and you’re in business and you think that you’re off-center somehow and you’re more impressed or you’re a people, pleaser. And you’re trying to do all of this stuff, and it’s just not you.
Your center tells you that if you just and listen, your soul will tell you. Was that right? Was that genuine? Was that whole? Is that integrity? Your soul will ask you the questions. So if you’re struggling with those definitely get with someone who can tell you the truth and then begin to make those incremental changes, it’s not going to happen. It’s almost like a dimmer. It’s not like a light switch, but the more you turn it up, the brighter your soul becomes because you’re being you.
Deanna
That’s a quote right there. I’m going to have to quote that. What a great way to end this podcast on that note. And thank you so much for being on the show and for talking to us and sharing so many great little pieces of words of wisdom that know I somebody listening is going to realize that they can be themselves, and it’s okay to be who they are meant to be.
As long. I have to say this as long as you know it’s you and not who someone told you. So if I say, well, this is who I am, and I don’t want to walk down any streets because we can walk down a lot of boulevards. But if you say, well, this is who I am. Are you sure? And you have to answer that question because again, that nine- year old who’s hearing those things from authority figures, especially anyone in leadership could be your boss. Now, are you sure that’s you, and once you’re sure, then you’re going to be vulnerable and you’re going to open up your chest and you’re going to say, okay, so I think I can leave it right there without saying you need to come on, The Entremusician?
Jere B
So we have to schedule that before the year. Absolutely.
Deanna
I would love it, Jere, thank you.
Deanna
Thank you for being on the show.
Jere B
I absolutely appreciate you, many blessings to you. Kiss Jason on the forehead for me.
Deanna
I will.
Jere B
Take care.
Deanna
You too.