Career & Leadership Coaching for Musicians
— 1:1 Coaching & Online Group Coaching Programs —
Thrive in a career you love (where burnout is never a thing)
Busy professional musician.
Continual grind.
Career hamster wheel.
Dear busy, driven (and perhaps…overworked) musician,
You’ve been out in the music world for a while and your career is…. pretty good.
You’ve had some incredible opportunities come your way and you know how to make things happen (though often at the expense of boundaries for self-care, time off…cue burnout, perhaps?)
Deep down you know your career could be a lot better (and less exhausting!) if you could take the driver’s seat and craft your career and schedule how YOU want it.
Maybe you…
have project ideas but feel you lack the clarity and know-how to bring them to life without overworking (not to mention enough time to make them happen)
are overwhelmed juggling too many things, feeling like you’re half-assing some of them
feel you lack control of the opportunities that come your way and are a master at fitting into everyone else's projects (and everyone else’s schedules)
are burning out by a busy schedule that leaves you frustrated and longing to work fewer hours and make more money
Too often super-talented and passionate musicians have ideas and projects that feel beholden by a lack of time, clarity, and/or business skills.
But, musicians, you don’t have to stay stuck.
Instead, you can prioritize creativity, spaciousness and success on your terms.
photo by Stephanie Craig
“Before working with Sarah, I felt I had to say yes to everything and was totally burnt out. Since our work together I now have agency over my work.
Since working with Sarah, my confidence has definitely skyrocketed! Before working with Sarah, I felt I had to say yes to everything and was totally burnt out.
Since our work together, I now have agency over my work. I have the confidence to ask for the opportunities I want instead of waiting for them to come. I also now say yes or no to things based on what's most important to me instead of feeling obligated to do things that don’t align and push me towards burning out."
- Sarah Kenner, violinist & culinary coach, NYC
“Before working with Sarah I was finding myself burnt out and feeling kind of guilty about it because I had incredible opportunities… Since working with Sarah, I've really come to value myself regardless of what other people think.”
“Before working with Sarah, I was very busy - I was doing a ton of gigs. I was finding myself burnt out and feeling kind of guilty about it because I had incredible opportunities. I knew that everybody else my age would have sacrificed everything to have had my position, and I was feeling pretty dissatisfied and pretty unhappy. I knew in my heart that it wasn't necessarily the work that I was doing, but I knew something was off, and I was questioning what I was doing in the industry.
Since working with Sarah, I've really come to value myself regardless of what other people think. And when it comes to putting myself out there for opportunities, there's now this moment of thrill that I've come to identify with - that moment of what could have been fear and the thought that this could go horribly wrong is now, This could actually go horribly RIGHT!”
- Will Curry, conductor/violist, NYC, Music Director Les Misérables Broadway Tour
Imagine you could:
Get back to that inspirational place in your career where creative fulfillment and impact take the front seat (while still being able to pay the bills)
Confidently approach opportunities (and get them!) without feeling like you’re not worthy
Authentically connect with the right people and use those connections to create breakthrough moments instead of leaving it up to chance
Artistically align your career with your ideal lifestyle and schedule on your own terms (real talk: you don’t have to drive yourself into the ground to have a thriving career!)
As a Career & Leadership Coach for Musicians, I help busy, professional musicians - just like you - thrive in a meaningful and fulfilling career you love (where survival mode is never a thing)
“I used to be stuck in the hustle, constantly overworking… after working with Sarah, I’ve found more balance, more sustainability, and permission to let my career unfold organically in the best way.”
I used to be stuck in the hustle, constantly overworking and feeling like I had to do everything at once. The Thriving Musician Program helped me realize that my life doesn’t have to be a nonstop grind. I’ve found more balance, more sustainability, and permission to let my career unfold organically.
Alongside the deeper personal growth, I also came out with a whole notebook full of practical tools—advertising, websites, finances, pricing, and asking for what I’m worth!
Also, I hadn’t considered how many inspiring, supportive friendships I would gain from this group. The community aspect has been invaluable.
- Diana Ladio, touring 5-string violinist & educator
“I grew my teaching business by over 40% and nearly doubled my work in performance!
Before our work together, I had a relatively clear vision of the direction I wanted to take my career and life, but was having difficulty getting there. Now, I feel much more confident in my goals, prioritization strategies, and ability to create structure in a freelance/entrepreneurial life.
If you are thinking of working with Sarah, do it! The qualitative benefits are worth it in themselves. But if you have financial/business goals, you will quickly see quantitative benefits as well. I grew my teaching business over 40% and nearly doubled my work in performance!
- Meghan Todt Williams, violinist & teacher, NYC
Photo by Stephanie Craig
Hi! I’m Sarah!
I'm a Career Coach for High-Achieving Musicians, a violinist, artistic director, speaker, espresso junkie and 6 feet tall.
In addition to my coaching business, I run Beyond the Notes, my concert series now in its 10th year, teach entrepreneurship and violin at Longy School of Music and frequently give workshops at conservatories nationwide, including Juilliard, Curtis, New England Conservatory, and Oberlin. As a former founding member of Sybarite5, I also helped grow the ensemble from a single annual concert to multiple national tours and three Billboard-charting albums.
As a coach, my mission is to help musicians build thriving careers without burning out.
Here’s my story:
Twelve years ago, a challenging hand injury nearly derailed my career. During my recovery, I discovered life-changing mindset tools that transformed my professional and personal life (many of which had nothing to do with my injury). Additionally, I also realized my knack for entrepreneurship, turning many ideas into a reality (including my touring ensemble, Sybarite5 and my concert series). Realizing many musicians lacked access to this knowledge, I felt compelled to share it.
When COVID-19 wiped out my income, I launched my coaching business to empower musicians with mindset strategies and business skills. This shift allowed me to leave the endless hustle of NYC, move to Boston, prioritize my relationships in a new and meaningful way, and craft my own balanced, spacious and fulfilling career.
The work I do as a coach is my pride and joy! I work with my clients on all of the essential skills musicians need to thrive, including mindset, business strategy, finance, leadership, communication, non-icky promotion, effortless productivity (yes you can!), and so much more.
I have a vision for an empowered music world where it’s the norm for musicians to wake up every day excited about their schedules.
If you think you might be a good fit for my coaching services, I invite you to book a free no-strings-attached discovery call with me via the link below to learn more.
You’ve got this!
- Sarah
What will coaching help you with?
As your Career Coach, I will help you take the guesswork out of career success and give you a customized roadmap to those next big, artistically-aligned breakthroughs.
Musicians don’t have successful careers by accident.
There are certain tools, strategies and authentic approaches to get you to where you want to be.
I will show you how to:
get back to that inspirational place of choice in your career so that creative fulfillment and making an impact take the front seat.
confidently approach opportunities (and get them!) without feeling like you're not worthy.
authentically connect with the right people and use those connections to create breakthrough moments instead of leaving it up to chance.
artistically align your career with your ideal lifestyle and schedule on your own terms (real talk: you don’t have to drive yourself into the ground to have a thriving career!).
“The investment was well worth it because it’s not just a six-month investment - it’s something I can use for the rest of my life.”
Before working with Sarah, my biggest frustration was that I wasn't prioritizing my own needs as an artist and was letting opportunities dictate my path. I wasn't being proactive about pursuing my own desires artistically.
Now, I feel empowered to take charge of my career in a way that I didn't before. I have the confidence and tools to move forward and make progress. And the accountability of the group was crucial in keeping me motivated. I wanted to show up for the group, which was a huge benefit.
- Shane Shanahan, percussionist, founding member of Silkroad Ensemble
“Sarah made the impossible possible, the overwhelming manageable, the avoidable approachable, and the negative positive.”
Sara Caswell’s experience working with Sarah Whitney as a Career Coach
What is my method for Career Coaching?
I’ve been called “a ninja problem-solver” when it comes to unlocking what’s getting in the way of my client's dreams and I use a unique mix of mindset strategy and business savvy to help you create success on your OWN terms.
My Career Coaching method is a customized solution-focused process that will:
help you gain clarity about what you want
identify the minimalist approach you need to take (say goodbye to unnecessary work!)
streamline everything so you know exactly what steps to take to reach your goals
Sometimes you find yourself stuck in something you thought you wanted and now you don’t know how to get out of it.
And even if you DO know what you want, maybe you’re having trouble knowing how to get there.
As your coach, I will help you clarify your vision, (aka. what’s most important to you) and walk you through the steps to get there.
And the secret to all of this is that all of these skills can truly be learned!
It’s not that some people have them, and others don’t.
My methods have helped countless musicians uplevel their careers.
People who have worked with me have:
Said goodbye to that ache of unfulfilled potential, knowing they will now leave the legacy they want as a musician.
Mastered a work-life balance that affords them the lifestyle and time off they desire.
Gone from feeling at the mercy of the gigs that land on their doorstep to waking up every day inspired and excited about what’s on their calendar.
Turned their passion projects into money-makers without selling out.
Created collaborations with high-profile composers they’d dreamt about working with for years.
Created their very own, buzzworthy concert series where high-level guest artists line up to collaborate with them.
What are the different ways you can work with me?
I offer
1:1 coaching packages
The Thriving Musician Group Program - Enrollment is currently closed, but sign up HERE to be notified when doors open again.
“Before I started working with Sarah, work was becoming reactionary. Since our sessions, I have completely redesigned my life with my new priorities in place and I’m on the right track as I write this from a balcony overlooking the Pacific in Hawaii!”
I would recommend working with Sarah to anyone! Before I started working with Sarah, work was becoming reactionary. I had big visions for moving forward with projects, but was having trouble prioritizing and actually getting things done. Since our sessions, I have completely redesigned my life with my new priorities in place and I’m on the right track as I write this from a balcony overlooking the Pacific in Hawaii! Sarah is amazing! She is present, positive, open, and embodies a spirit of service. Having Sarah in your life in any way is a big win!”
- Brian Chin, Executive Director of Common Tone Arts & Director of the Moore School of Music at the University of Houston
“The group aspect of the Thriving Musician Program was absolutely amazing—being surrounded by like-minded musicians who truly understand the journey made all the difference.”
For years, I thought I could do everything by myself—I never felt like I needed help. But I realized how much I had isolated myself. Being organized was a big thing for me; I just couldn’t find a way to be consistent. And confidence—I have it, but I knew I could use more support to truly own what I want to do with my career.
This program is the opposite of isolation—it’s about helping each other, exchanging ideas, and having a safe environment where you can be vulnerable. The group aspect of The Thriving Musician was absolutely amazing—being surrounded by like-minded musicians who truly understand the journey made all the difference.
If you want to go to the next level, sometimes you need help. You can't do it all alone. Sarah is an incredible listener who asks the right questions and really understands what musicians go through. The amount of growth you get out of this program is just amazing.
- Pascale Delache-Feldman, bassist, Faculty at Longy School of Music, Duo Cello e Basso
What type of musicians do I coach?
I work with ambitious musicians who have a desire for change and are looking to call the shots in their career but....
feel frustrated that you’re not living up to your full potential
feel like the continual grind prevents you from doing what you actually want to be doing
are unfulfilled and trying to figure out what next steps to take
My clients who get the best results:
are busy, high-level professional musicians
have a tendency to people please, which has served them well, but also holds them back from truly pursuing what they want, how they want it
are creative thinkers, leaders and innovators who know they have something amazing to offer the world
know how to make things happen and get sh%# done, but often at the expense of boundaries for self-care, time off…(cue burnout perhaps?)
have perfection tendencies - attention to detail is super important to them but can make their process excruciating
Messages from Sarah’s clients:
Where do coaching sessions happen?
All sessions are currently done over Zoom. I also do Lectures and Workshops on these subjects and if you’re interested in having me come to your school, institution or festival, please check out my Speaking and Workshops page for more info!
