Facing the music

From financial services to musician

By Karen Tina Harrison | Special to amNewYork

August 6, 2007

Ashley Gramins on stage. (Newsday Photo/ Mitch Jacobson / August 5, 2007)

The Big Career Switch: From financial services to musician

Who Pulled It Off: Ashley Gramins, 34

What She Does: Gramins is a pop-rock musician who started Little Dogs Record Co. and produced her own album, "Mama Rocks!" (www.ashleygramins.com)

What She Used To Do: Gramins worked for an investment bank, running their stock analyst training program.

Why She Switched: "I liked my financial services job, and the money was good. But I wasn't feeling the passion. I was trained as a singer and knew it was now or never for my music."

How She Did It: "I saved some bucks, quit my job and had two kids. I was ready to dive into the music. A Broadway producer I knew introduced me to backup musicians and helped me produce "Mama Rocks!"

What A Musician Does: "There's the mundane side and the creative side. You spend a lot of time getting your record into stores and sales outlets like cdbaby.com. You promote yourself with a website. You practice every day and rehearse with your band. I perform every couple of weeks and often travel for the gig. Soon I'll be going into the studio to record my second album."

Who Does This Job Best? "You need musical talent and a commitment to constant practicing and honing your craft. You should be professional and easy to work with--no diva attitude. And you have to stay true to yourself, your unique style and your authentic message."

How's The Dough? "I'm married, but I support myself completely through my music. Most musicians don't get wealthy, but your soul is enriched. At first, many musicians have side jobs such as webmaster, recording engineer or music teacher. Realistically, it helps to have some money saved when you start out."

What About Perks? "Singing a song and seeing it move your audience is priceless. You can't put a dollar sign on work this fulfilling."

What Else You Should Know: "If you want a more meaningful life, unleash your passion. Do what you have to do until you do what you want to do."