149: She Left NASA. Janet Jackson Called the Next Day

What if the opportunity you walked away from wasn't the end of your story, but the beginning of finding your own path?On this episode of The Jazz Flyte Podcast, I sit down with Erin Stevenson for a conversation about taking chances, trusting your instincts and building a career that doesn't follow a traditional blueprint.Erin takes me back to her early days with Girls’ Tyme, the group that would eventually become Destiny’s Child. She had the contract in her hand and made the decision to leave. She went on to college, earned degrees in marketing and communications, pursued music and eventually chose the stability of working at NASA.Then she made another decision that changed everything.During a period of layoffs, Erin walked into her boss's office with her CD and asked to be let go. The very next day, she received the call that would send her on the road with Janet Jackson.We talk about what happened next and the lessons Erin learned while touring with artists including Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez and Duran Duran. She explains why talent can get you through the door, but professionalism, consistency, kindness and work ethic are what help create longevity in the music business.Erin also opens up about something audiences might never expect from watching her perform: she still gets scared. Rather than waiting for fear to disappear, she has learned how to move through it.We also discuss her transition into creating music on her own terms and the decision to take complete control of “Smooth Soul.” Despite being told that smooth jazz wasn't made for vocalists, that she was too soulful and that she shouldn't write and produce the record herself, Erin did it anyway. The song reached number 14 on the Billboard charts.This conversation is about more than music. It's about knowing when to listen, knowing when to ignore the rules and having enough faith in yourself to try.Sometimes you don't need to know exactly where the next decision will take you. You just have to go.Connect with Erin: https://www.erinstevensonmusic.com/