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[0:02] Jennifer Apple: Hello! Welcome to the Empowered Artist Collective Podcast. I'm your host, Jennifer Apple, a multi-hyphenate actor, educator, acting coach, writer, dog mom, and founder of this vibrant community that champions artists as they carve out their own unique paths in this wild industry. Whether you're just starting out in the thick of it or seeking a bit of artistic fuel to expand your toolbox, you're in the right place. In this space, we'll have honest conversations, share actionable strategies, tips, and resources, and delve into the messy yet beautiful journey of living a sustainable creative life. We unmask the reality of life as an artist, from navigating career highs and lows to nurturing your full human well-being.

I chat with women and non-binary guests who share their personal stories, helpful learnings, and hearts to help you unlock your artistic potential, expand your knowledge, and show up fully and fearlessly in your artistry and daily life. Before we dive into this week's conversation, don't forget to hit that subscribe button so you never miss an episode. If today's chat resonates with you, please leave us a review. It helps us reach even more incredible artists just like you. And hey, feel free to spread the love. Share this podcast with a friend or post it on your socials, making sure to tag @EmpoweredArtistCollective and @JenniferApple_ so we can chat with you there. Alright, grab a cup of something cozy, settle in, and let's get to it.

What does it mean to feel truly supported as an artist? Not only in times of crisis, but throughout one's creative career. In our season three premiere, I sit down with Elena Muslar, executive coach, educator, arts administrator, and managing director of the Career Center at the Entertainment Community Fund. It was such a privilege to have this be our first conversation for this season because Elena's values are in direct alignment with us here at the Empowered Artist Collective. Elena breaks down how the Entertainment Community Fund can assist throughout one's creative journey and shares resources that empower artists to embrace their worth, achieve growth, and pursue their dreams. Together we encourage artists to view asking for help as a right, not a last resort, reframe support as strength, and position stability and self-care as essential for lasting growth.

We challenge all of us to redefine success and resilience through a more holistic approach, which is a reminder that in choosing this creative life, we deserve a community that sees, values, and stands by us every step of the way. Enjoy.

[2:37] Elena Muslar: Hi.

[2:38] Jennifer Apple: Hi. It's so good to have you in this space.

[2:41] Elena Muslar: Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here, be with you.

[2:45] Jennifer Apple: Here for anybody who does not know you, who are you today?

[2:51] Elena Muslar: Oh well today I am sort of I would say butter pecan ice cream with a drizzle of hope, light, and perceptiveness. Yum! This was a first. Is that your usual ice cream pick or is this just today's pick of the day?

[2:51] Elena Muslar: Both! Like it's today's pick, but I always kind of throw people off because I don't eat chocolate or cake, and so I like really simple desserts. And when I think about how I like to show up for others, it's just in a way that's really kind and soothing to however you choose to show up for yourself. So for me, that's butter pecan today, but there's so much more that I love.

[3:44] Jennifer Apple: I love it. How warm and gooey that was. I just already, you're like, here I am, just like opening my heart in the way to just like be with the moment. It's just beautiful and wonderful, which is why you're in this space. I would love if you're cool to talk about the way in which you do serve truly on a daily basis artists and with your heart and the work that you do.

[4:17] Elena Muslar: Yes. So I operate in a few different buckets. I mean, I wouldn't be an artist if I didn't. Those buckets really center around executive coaching, education, and arts executive administration. And I get to do so many of those things sort of combined in my work now at the Entertainment Community Fund as the managing director of our Career Center.

[4:51] Jennifer Apple: Yeah, which is how I have found you. Because for me, I hadn't really used the resources of the Entertainment Community Fund until the pandemic with health insurance after my health insurance ran out. And I was like, what am I doing? Like so many folks who were like, I don't know where to turn. And a friend of mine was like, have you reached out to the Entertainment Community Fund? And I was like, am I able to? And they're like, that's the entire point of this organization.

[5:18] Elena Muslar: Yes.

[5:19] Jennifer Apple: And Vincent, shout out, has been my person for years to help me find health insurance. And then I'm gonna also shout out Lori Tishfields, who's currently the facilitator of the Creative Entrepreneurship Project, who is a friend of mine who was on the podcast a couple seasons ago, who's incredible. If you have not listened to her episode, please do. And on the episode, she shouted out the Entertainment Community Fund because she too had taken the Creative Entrepreneurship Project to help build her current business. And I remember that stuck with me. And I'm currently going through the Creative Entrepreneurship Project at the Entertainment Community Fund, which I'm so grateful for. Obviously, I have some time to continue working through where I'm at with everything, but it is such an unbelievable resource that I don't think most artists fully understand the extent of, let alone the avenues that they can have access to it from, depending on their need.

And I would love to just talk to you about maybe just like an overview, and then we can hone in on the Career Center part because that is where you sit. But just what exactly for those who don't know, is the Entertainment Community Fund? How does it serve artists? And obviously, it has for years and many evolutions. And now what would you say would be its main focus for the way in which it's programming?

[6:43] Elena Muslar: Beautiful question, and I'm so excited to answer it. So the Entertainment Community Fund is a national human services organization. We're a nonprofit, and we really focus on fostering stability and resiliency for folks who work professionally in the performing arts and entertainment industries. Our goal is to be a support mechanism, system, friend, community—it's in our name—over the course of your lifespan as a professional. So like that at any point when you feel like, hey, you know what? I don't want to feel alone anymore, like you can just come to us. And our previous name, which a lot of people may know us as, was the Actors Fund. And we really wanted to emphasize who it is that we truly serve in the updating of our name to the Entertainment Community Fund, putting that emphasis on community.

And also the original name, which we've been around over 140 years, it came from sort of back in the day when you think, you know, there's the stage and we're all merely players. And the actor was someone who did everything, who was behind the scenes, who stage managed, who also played Romeo, and then also played Juliet in the next show.

[8:19] Jennifer Apple: Yeah, yeah.

[8:20] Elena Muslar: You were, you were, it was already, it was known back then that actor meant all things. Nowadays we have so many more beautiful descriptors, titles, labels that help people understand what it truly means to build a life and career in the arts. And so we have, we're nationwide, we have offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and we really aim to serve everyone in film, theater, television, music, opera, radio, and dance with all kinds of different programs. Sometimes when you first meet what it is that we do, it can sometimes feel like, wow, there's so much. I have no idea because a lot of people may only know us for one thing.

[9:14] Jennifer Apple: Yes.

[9:15] Elena Muslar: That thing that they came to us for that one time that someone referred them to come to us for. We have access to helping people better understand their health care and like have health care. We have insurance counseling when it comes to figuring out health care. We have different housing initiatives that there are different locations that we actually have affordable housing for artists. We have a Career Center. So we have things that both help you when you need a safety net, but we also have elements of things that are preventative for you to come and engage with us. So it's not just coming to us when there's, you know, only the sense of desperation or dire constraints in your life. Come to us before that moment. To us when you just want to feel like you know, you got people who got your back. And the more you engage with our services, the more you'll be prepared for moments where there may feel like instability. And so that's kind of the overarching view.

[11:06] Jennifer Apple: Yeah, such a good overview because I think you are correct in that my entry point into it was through this one particular lane. And then it was like, wait, there are all these other facets that I could potentially dabble in. I just love to chat quickly about how it literally works. Like if me as an artist in some capacity is like, oh my god, this sounds amazing, you go onto the website and then you operate through the different lanes of the thing. Do you take like, and I mean I know the answer to this, but I'm just gonna like, is there a cost for these things? Like, how do I show up and become involved when and if I'm ready?

[11:44] Elena Muslar: Beautiful. So the first thing I will say is obviously go to entertainmentcommunity.org and like you'll be able to see all the different resources that we have, and that's kind of just for overview purposes. Then if you're like, you know what, I want to take advantage of some of this stuff I'm seeing all over the website, then that's your moment to sign up for our portal right there at the upper right-hand corner, you'll see an opportunity to be able to do that.

[12:15] Elena Muslar: And so just make your account on our portal, and that's where you'll be able to then register for all of our free workshops or events or things that you know are available to you, or if you need to apply for financial assistance, a lot of our programs do have very specific criteria and eligibility requirements.

[12:37] Elena Muslar: So you want to make sure that if you do feel like, okay, this is the moment when I need help in some way, give yourself space to realize that requesting help isn't like always like a quick fix. And sometimes you have to prepare your materials and be able to explain maybe what it is that you do or how your work qualifies you for this particular opportunity, whether you know, within our one of our programs, we have some scholarships and other programs, there's the financial assistance and other workshops or groups, it's have you done X to qualify you for coming into this thing, which is why you know, creative entrepreneurship project, whole application process. Longest one I've truly ever filled out in my life, by the way.

Truly, truly so extensive. I was like, this is harder than getting into college. I was like, this is wild. It was very personal, but I was invested my time for it. But yes, it was like, okay, this one's really extensive, and I think so self-selecting in that way.

[13:46] Elena Muslar: Yes, and knowing that like in order to get free help, large quotations, yeah. All of our help is free, but it also comes from our community. The people who pour into us who donated during, you know, COVID and the pandemic, and which is still in some instances going on, like when the strikes happened, like you all pour into us, and so that's how we're able to pour back into you. And it's also one of the things I really encourage people to think about rather than maybe feeling frustrated if there's a long form or something intense that they are now having to reflect on in ways that maybe make them feel like, huh? Like just be able to show up and get mine. Like, well, in reality, a lot of people will want to do that, and we also have to be mindful of our capacity to serve.

And when people put in that effort and that energy to share with us where they're coming from, that helps us help you better, and it helps us frame our programming in a more intentional and thoughtful way, and it helps us frame our services and our offerings in ways that best help the people who can benefit from it the most.

[15:18] Elena Muslar: It's not like to use us as a crutch or to feel dependent. We're really here when ish hits the fan. But we're also here to help you before ish hits the fan. And that's the one thing I really want to emphasize is be familiarized with all our services prior to that point, so you're aware of when it makes sense for you to interact with some of them, yeah. Like financial wellness, so that you don't have to then go to emergency financial assistance.

[15:50] Jennifer Apple: Yeah. So thank you for that. Um, I'd love to just talk then a little bit before we get into like the actual stuff that you do about this idea though that I think so many of us artists have around I'd say it's the stigma around asking and or receiving help. You know, it's like, you know, wow, I'm listening to this podcast and I kind of knew about the entertainment community fund or I didn't, and now I know a little bit more. Now I'm curious about it. And then perhaps there's like the overwhelm of like, oh my god, there's all these things, and then there's the like internalizing of, oh, maybe I don't even deserve this, or there's somebody who needs it more, or am I taking away from somebody else?

Or if I show up and I have and I do receive this, then how am I able to actually receive it? Like the stuff that we as artists, frankly, are taught, so many of us, and have to spend a lot of time undoing so that we can receive and or pour into ourselves, which is then pouring into the community, like it's a cyclical situation. But when somebody is perhaps feeling that overwhelm or that internal struggle to even take that leap of faith for oneself of investing time, energy into oneself, like what are some of the things that maybe through your experience serving people when they're in crisis or pre-crisis or wanting to grow, quote unquote crisis? Like, what have you found to be some perhaps helpful ways of reframing the ick around the ask or the ick around the receiving of assistance?

[17:20] Elena Muslar: Yeah. So I think one of the best words that I like to bring into conversation is sustainability. Okay. Meaning for you, what? Meaning within your career, how do you want to feel sustained in it? Do you want that to mean that you know you are diversifying your income streams in a way that better supports you for your longevity in your career as an artist? Okay, then take financial wellness workshop and then you know come to one of our career journey, you know series so that you can also think through what that means to you and define that for yourself so that it's not necessarily like just assistance, it's creating a more sustainable lifestyle for yourself as an artist and that's where we get back to our mission which is really around making sure that folks feel more stable in their careers in their lives and more resilient to be able to ebb with the flow of things that are outside of our control and rather than getting sometimes like frustrated with what is outside of our control it's how can I turn that frustration into motivation?

Many of the best business ideas or even organizations come out of frustration, come out of anger, come out of those real and raw feelings that people have but our work is centered around helping you channel that and knowing that like asking and receiving help is not something to feel ashamed of, it's actually your right and if and you know I'm a person of color. And I feel like we talk so much about rest as you know a reward. I think sometimes the artist mentality, it's very go go go-go-go. It's like I gotta hustle and those are things that in my opinion, we deserve to outgrow. What happens if as artists we find comfort in the ebb and flow of our careers? We require rest in order to surge forward when the timing makes sense for us to get into the zone of what when is when we want to deliver.

You know what I'm saying? Like so that's that's some of the ways I encourage folks to reframe around this because we wouldn't exist without you. There would be no need for us if everyone was doing just fine. Yeah.

[17:39] Elena Muslar: And so we want to be able to help people and allow them the space to feel really good about what it means to show up for help, but we may call on you at another time when we need you to be our example to show someone else that it's okay. Everyone's mentored, everyone's supported. Choose the moment for you when that needs to matter most.

[20:35] Jennifer Apple: I love that. And it's totally in alignment with here, us at Empowered Artist Collective. Like, truly, it's this whole entire when it was an incubator, now in the podcast, like the tagline is to create a sustainable and thriving career in the arts, like to be able to have all of these conversations with different people in the industry to start thinking and expanding the way in which we show up and the way in which we exist in these different artistic spaces to get a plethora of experiences and perspectives to be able to just feel like you're expanding. So I'm feeling the synergy here completely. I'd love now then to veer into the career center and like the work that you do and the offerings that exist, which are plenty, and the way in which you know, artists can come to you in this career that we have chosen, that I'd say the only thing that is constant is the change all the time. Um, and I'd love to hear more about all of that.

[21:39] Elena Muslar: Yeah. Well, first, I would say, you know, one of the biggest things to remember when coming to the career center is that we're never here to judge, we're only here to support. We trust you as the expert in your creative career and discipline, and we're just here to help you continue expanding the horizons that you want to expand within and for your career. So we understand elements of where you've been, but we don't understand everything and the kitchen sink about your story and your journey. And so one of the things I encourage people to keep in mind is you get to access these services of support for free. And there's a grace and a mutual respect that is required in order to get the most out of career counseling and our creative workforce development programming.

And so whether you choose to do go down one lane or the other or both, you know, coming in with understanding that this is a dialogue, but at the end of the day, you are the CEO of you. Yeah, your career counselor isn't, the person leading the workshop isn't, you know, our goal in the career center is to help people feel more empowered in their career than the moment they stepped foot in in their first interaction with us.

[23:24] Elena Muslar: Yeah. That takes shape probably like 95% up here in your mind as an individual, and 5% with us in terms of connecting you to resources or giving you a different framing on a complimentary career that might better support the lifestyle you feel like you actually deserve. You know, there's all kinds of things. We're not the place where your artistic dreams come to die either. We're the place that helps keep them alive. Yeah. So, but we're also not gonna tell you how to who to go get headshots from. Like you already have that in your world. We're here to help expand your world as a creative so that you feel like you have more tools in your toolkit and you're a well-rounded professional, period.

[24:17] Elena Muslar: Yeah, you can add artists to that, you can add filmmaker to that, you can add whatever you want to that at the back end, but really we just want you to feel professional in whatever label that you choose, and whatever hat you may choose to wear, whether that's during the week, you're one thing, and on the weekends, you're another thing, or at night you're something else, and the morning you're a different thing.

[24:37] Elena Muslar: You know, so we want to help you navigate all of that so that you feel like you're in your thrive era, and that's something that you can sustain over time, or come back when you need a pick me up and you need a pressure or a reminder or a different way of framing something that's just been circling around in your head.

[24:58] Elena Muslar: So we're here as thought partners, we're here as, you know, expansive supporters.

[25:08] Elena Muslar: At the end of the day, I would say our career center, we're kind of your biggest fan.

[25:14] Jennifer Apple: I love it.

[25:16] Elena Muslar: If you want to feel good about yourself and like what's on the horizon, that's when it actually is the best time to come to us.

[25:24] Jennifer Apple: Yeah, to figure out your horizon.

[25:27] Elena Muslar: Yeah. So let's do an example, like an example.

[25:29] Jennifer Apple: I love an example just so we can kind of track that.

[25:32] Elena Muslar: Let's say I am stuck. I actually don't know what it is that I need. I just know that I've reached a point in my career that it's not moving in the direction I thought it would or that I want. I'm feeling maybe burned out. I'm feeling kind of, yeah, like maybe burning the candle at both ends.

[25:53] Elena Muslar: That is, burning the candle at both ends.

[25:53] Jennifer Apple: Both ends.

[25:56] Elena Muslar: That's it. Yeah, I'm burning the candle at both ends. I, you know, I'm navigating this feeling of not wanting to be a burden, or I don't know how to ask exactly for something because I don't even really know what it is. I just know that I need something. What am I doing? Because it's like I can go to your portal and I could be like, I guess I'm taking, you know, a career class, or I guess I can take a how to change my resume class, or I guess I could take a financial wellness class. But like if I'm still not even sure, like what am I doing?

[26:25] Elena Muslar: So, actual first step, let me rewind. Once you're in the portal, if you want access to deeply interacting with the career center, the first thing you're actually going to go through is our career center orientation. And that is with one of our career counselors. So you'll get to see and hear even a deeper overview of like what are the different types of offerings that we have, what excites you the most maybe where do you need a referral if you're feeling like something's really off like and that's where we might be like, hey you might want to talk to social services as well or you know financial wellness is a different department. And it's like if you're struggling in that area, then that's actually where you need to go.

[27:07] Elena Muslar: So you can come to our orientation to get sorted to hear what's available to you. And you can also explore the portal. But it really does help to come to the orientation because you get a good overview and then from there typically what I would say if someone knows I'm working with the career center and I'm stuck and I don't know what to do next, I would really recommend going to a first workshop as one of the ones we have which is called career journey. And it literally starts with like who am I? Like what is meaningful work?

[27:46] Elena Muslar: Yeah. Meaning maybe it's some resetting of some values and then after that you might get to a point where you're like now I know what I'm really interested in or where I want to expand deeper into or maybe I should go to the job search seminar because I know that that offering breaks down sort of multiple things for me in terms of how do I want to expand networking if I'm trying to be in dual fields or if you know that you're applying for something that's a little bit maybe different from what you let's say you want to go into education and you've been an actor your whole life and you're like actually I'm really interested in teaching.

[28:33] Elena Muslar: Now is that around higher education is that becoming a teaching artist like there's so many directions is that you starting your own business and being an acting coach I don't know but all of these things we can help you explore and help you figure out what are the next steps you need to take for you to feel empowered on your knowledge journey because we never stop learning and that's a big part of embracing the change as a constant and allowing yourself to find comfort in the change because that's actually just evolution taking shape.

[29:11] Jennifer Apple: Yeah.

[29:11] Elena Muslar: Yeah. This is great. And I'm gonna push back let's say this person now goes to this initial meeting and now they're even now they're overwhelmed.

[29:20] Jennifer Apple: Yeah.

[29:21] Elena Muslar: Then what? Then they're like, okay, I mean all I feel like I could be doing all of these because maybe this will help me in this way or this would help me in this way or this would help me in this way. Like how does what does one then set up can one set up a meeting with someone like yourself and be like I don't even know or do you email like what do you do with then the overwhelm I guess what I'm you know what I'm really asking is as one begins to do what is arguably just like reflective self-worth work, you know, of like reigniting and reminding oneself of one's worth.

[29:53] Elena Muslar: That's like what I mean by that, which is ultimately what this work is. A lot comes up, and then at any given point, people's, you know, inner saboteur person comes up and starts keeping them small, or you know, so I just I guess I'm trying to get everyone at the point of resistance to like see that there is still an entry point. So with the overwhelm one, where are we going?

[30:18] Elena Muslar: Yeah. So I would say if you're overwhelmed, you can always email us. We have our two emails. If you're on the West Coast Career Center West at entertainmentcommunity.org. If you're on the East Coast or Central Region Career Center East at entertainmentcommunity.org and say, and just like Faye, where you're at. And our fantastic program coordinators can help you determine maybe this could be something you try out. Or if you're like, you know what, I need to talk to somebody, and I don't fully understand what career counseling is, but like maybe that's something I might need, then that they can help set you up for that.

[31:01] Elena Muslar: And you usually we do kind of an initial conversation with you to sort of understand the barometer of where you're at, mentally, emotionally. And then we can recommend what might make sense for you to go through, whether it's a one-on-one session that unpacks a little bit more, or we're like, actually, it is so clear that you should join our group called Fences, which allows people to really process in real time and have community with each other, and that might actually be your next best first step, yeah.

[31:37] Elena Muslar: Rather than just going straight into, oh my gosh, I need to learn networking, or it might be like time and energy. And you're like, I'm just overwhelmed. So the workshop that might make most sense for you is to really step back and look at like where are you on your energy level with this and managing your time. And then maybe there's other things you want to explore. So we really're not taking like a forceful approach, but we also want to make sure that you feel like you have someone in your corner who is helping you figure things out along the way.

[32:13] Elena Muslar: And also we are not going to handhold you throughout that whole process because at the end of the day, we really want this to be you showing up for yourself and we're there to make sure and hold you accountable to that.

[32:27] Jennifer Apple: Yeah. I’m so so glad that I asked that question because I think the thing that you're highlighting around the work that you all do specifically, there is a very specific kind of care around an individual's process that separates y'all as an organization from others, in that so many of you are artists or multi-hyphenates in your own right and understand what it means to be doing many things or trying many things, or just simply of the ethos around growth and change and adaptability.

[33:06] Jennifer Apple: So people are meeting people in spaces of vulnerability, of like, hey, the least you can do, or maybe it's the most in that moment is just being honest and being like, I don't know, help, or hey, this is where I'm at, guide, or like, don't know where to go, tell me. And then people get to meet each other transparently and honestly wherever they're at. Like it just for me, that's kind of the world that I crave to live in, frankly, that everybody is owning where they are and with grace, and recognizing that the other person is also owning where they are with grace.

[33:43] Jennifer Apple: And depending on how each person's capacities is able to fit with one another, you guide them along to different spaces. And that is like a fruitful community experience. Like truly the ethos around the way in which y'all aim to function, which I imagine isn't always, you know, totally, you know, rainbows and butterflies every time, but like the mission and goal around it is truly like the world that I want to be living in, where we are listening to one another.

[34:13] Jennifer Apple: We are not prejudging or assuming. We recognize that people come from very different backgrounds, intersections, lived experiences, and we are meeting them from where they are, not the idea of where they are. And we get to then show up from where we are to meet them. It's just for me, like the ethos around it is just it's really, really beautiful and powerful. And I feel like the more people are aware that a space like this exists, and that it isn't just for one, you know, funnel that we usually find it for.

[34:48] Jennifer Apple: There really is a holistic understanding of I actually do have people out there who want to support however they can. And I will they will guide me to the places if they are not that person, and those people will then do the same for me, and so on and so forth. So I just I just want to like affirm how cool it is that this exists, and that for us artists, it is a free resource because so many other people do allow it to continue by giving to it and then it's this beautiful cycle.

[35:17] Elena Muslar: But there are, you know, it's hard to feel as an artist like you actually potentially have the support.

[35:23] Elena Muslar: Yeah, it feels hasn't existed.

[35:26] Elena Muslar: Exactly. And we're taught that it we can't take up that space for it, that somehow it takes away from somebody else if you ask, or somehow, you know, there isn't enough to go around the scarcity of it all.

[35:41] Elena Muslar: Yes. And that to re like to change that in your mind around like, no, no, no, there is this one space that's trying really hard. And like I think our existence helps people shift their understanding of the value that they, you know, the validity of their career and their choices, and that they are deserving of support.

[36:12] Elena Muslar: And um, I mean, we can take this all the way back to how many of you had a parent who didn't understand that you were gonna go to art or you know, maybe pursue your art.

[36:24] Jennifer Apple: Yeah, whether that was educationally and they're like, me, I ain't gonna pay for that versus like uh, you know, you just said it one day I'm moving to New York or whatever it might be.

[36:34] Elena Muslar: And and so when people follow their dreams, oftentimes there's a negative side of that where they had to lose something or give up something to be able to get.

[36:44] Jennifer Apple: And so there's sometimes a hard edge, a wall that's been built up.

[36:49] Elena Muslar: And what I always say uh is that professional development is personal development.

[36:56] Jennifer Apple: Yeah.

[36:57] Elena Muslar: Just through the lens of your career.

[37:00] Jennifer Apple: And so oftentimes, to your point, it is extremely vulnerable going, getting to that head space where you're thinking about the whole, I need help.

[37:13] Elena Muslar: Yeah.

[37:14] Jennifer Apple: Um, and at the same time, we want people to understand that needing help is not admitting weakness, that part.

[37:23] Elena Muslar: It is actually you standing in your strength because it shows that you're self-aware enough to not live in Dulululand part of chances, okay.

[37:34] Jennifer Apple: So that's where we come in is to help you be in a in a healthy reality.

[37:43] Elena Muslar: Yeah.

[37:44] Jennifer Apple: Yeah.

[37:45] Elena Muslar: Just I'm gonna start using Deluland as like a title for things in my life.

[37:50] Jennifer Apple: I don't think I tend to live arguably, I think I actually could use a dose of Deluland.

[37:55] Elena Muslar: Yeah, sometimes we need it.

[37:57] Jennifer Apple: A thousand percent.

[37:59] Elena Muslar: Yeah, like part of me is like envious of the people who operate a little bit more in Deluland because it feels like some there's a a level of what I perceive as abandonment and um ability to just like jump into the thing and just trust.

[38:13] Jennifer Apple: And I don't, I I'm working desperately hard to try to cultivate maybe perhaps a bit more trust in the fall and the the system.

[38:21] Elena Muslar: But there, yeah, the there's a little enviousness, but also like you know, I think naming that the straddle for many, you know, can be really intense and to hold the dreams loosely and tightly simultaneously with the care and love and tenderness that we all deserve to do is uh I think an ongoing journey for many of us through our artistic lives as these dreams continue to change and morph and grow.

[38:47] Jennifer Apple: Um for you though, as you are in this work meeting artists all the time.

[38:53] Elena Muslar: What is your most fulfilling part of the job?

[38:56] Jennifer Apple: Is it the tangible, like I get to teach you certain kind of things, or is it the ability to really again meet people individually, and then you never know what that journey is going to be and the creativity of working with so many different people like what for you is fulfilling and why this job is something that speaks to your heart?

[39:16] Elena Muslar: Because it takes a certain kind of person, I will say.

[39:20] Jennifer Apple: Well, thank you.

[39:21] Elena Muslar: I mean, I so many things just fired off in my brain as I was listening to you.

[39:30] Jennifer Apple: Please do.

[39:31] Elena Muslar: When you were talking about the dreams and and being able to hold on to the dreams, it really like immediately in my mind came up the Langston Hughes poem of you know, hold fast to dreams for if dreams die.

[39:45] Elena Muslar: Life is like a broken winged bird that cannot fly.

[39:49] Elena Muslar: Hold fast to dreams for when dreams go.

[39:52] Elena Muslar: Life is a barren field frozen with snow.

[39:54] Elena Muslar: And it's like if it is good for you to hold on to the dream, and it's okay for you to be curious, that part.

[40:22] Jennifer Apple: Talk more.

[40:22] Elena Muslar: Please talk more about that.

[40:24] Elena Muslar: Because we become almost married to that one thing, or even if it's two or three things that you're like, this is me and this this is me, period.

[40:33] Elena Muslar: But it can sometimes close you off from learning how to leverage your creativity into ways that might be more meaningful for the lifestyle you actually complain about all the time that you wish you had, right?

[40:45] Jennifer Apple: So how do we how do we both hold the dream but use the dream as fuel to prepare us to receive our blessings, right?

[40:56] Elena Muslar: Um so I just needed to address that.

[41:00] Jennifer Apple: No, go off.

[41:00] Elena Muslar: That was like a full sermon.

[41:02] Jennifer Apple: I'm here for that.

[41:03] Elena Muslar: That was so good because it's true, you know, and I think that is there's so much um joy and grief, and I can only speak on behalf of myself, but like wrapped into dreams where you have these beautiful things that guide you and help arguably dictate your life choices and the paths that you go down, and then as potential disappointments pop up and put roadblocks in that path towards your dream.

[41:30] Elena Muslar: You're you're mourning this idea that you had that was this thing that propelled you as you have to pick yourself back up again to reframe.

[41:38] Elena Muslar: And that there's a lot of this.

[41:40] Elena Muslar: I mean, arguably that's happening all the time simultaneously for any human being, and certainly artists of like the the joy and the the grief, and so it's so personal, it's so coexist completely coexist, and it's also okay for them to coexist.

[41:58] Jennifer Apple: You can be happy about these things in your life and sad about others, child.

[42:03] Elena Muslar: Child, I am, you know, like we all have different things we're going through, and it's okay to be at whatever state you're in and give yourself that permission to say, you know, if I'm alive, I'm still growing.

[42:20] Jennifer Apple: And how do I want to grow today?

[42:22] Elena Muslar: Yeah.

[42:24] Elena Muslar: If you're if you're committed to your growth as a singer, okay.

[42:29] Elena Muslar: What other things do you want to be committed to your growth within your life?

[42:32] Jennifer Apple: Yeah.

[42:33] Elena Muslar: And that's why we exist.

[42:35] Elena Muslar: It's about a life in the arts.

[42:37] Elena Muslar: That is literally our tagline is supporting a life in the arts.

[42:42] Elena Muslar: And so I really challenge people to think about kind of like your life's pie.

[42:49] Elena Muslar: And what are all the things that make up your life?

[42:52] Elena Muslar: Your career, hate to bring it to you, that's only a slice.

[42:57] Elena Muslar: For a lot of creatives, it becomes their life.

[43:00] Elena Muslar: And that's where it becomes so hyper personalized that it's almost like offensive if people, you know, say a comment that maybe is something that obviously you don't agree with.

[43:14] Elena Muslar: Okay, don't agree with it and move on.

[43:16] Elena Muslar: Like don't then dictate uh the direction that like everything you're doing is because of a fight against society or whatever.

[43:26] Elena Muslar: What about if you didn't have to feel like you had to fight every day to survive?

[43:31] Elena Muslar: What if you gave yourself permission to figure out what does it take for you to thrive?

[43:37] Elena Muslar: And and that's actually the ownership that we really love to give our clients when they come into the space to connect and to feel less alone in that narrative that's actually been so hyped by societal pressures, by media, by um educational systems, all these things don't serve us.

[43:58] Jennifer Apple: So to bring it back to your original question, like you can tell that this is what I'm passionate about.

[44:04] Elena Muslar: Yeah.

[44:05] Elena Muslar: For a long time since I grew up in South Central Los Angeles, and I chose to get my degree in theater and minor in dance and have a little African American studies minor too.

[44:16] Elena Muslar: And then I was like, you know what?

[44:17] Elena Muslar: I'm an overachiever, so we're going to try for that education minor.

[44:21] Elena Muslar: And like I was doing all of this stuff all at once because I was trying to get that make that money worth it.

[44:27] Elena Muslar: A thousand percent of this degrees.

[44:30] Elena Muslar: And so I always knew for me, there was never a plan B.

[44:35] Elena Muslar: There was never the luxury of a backup plan.

[44:38] Elena Muslar: Um, and even you know, there are certain framings, even within how we talk about being a multi-hyphenate or having you know a gig on the side or sideline job.

[44:52] Elena Muslar: Like these, this is all just language we have to use in order to help people understand that what we're all building is a beautiful portfolio that um makes up our career, makes up the lifestyle we deserve to have.

[45:07] Elena Muslar: And that's something we really emphasize.

[45:09] Elena Muslar: It's one of the first things we talk about in another one of our workshops is the portfolio career.

[45:15] Elena Muslar: And so we we, you know, I get a lot of joy out of knowing that I am helping others reframe the narrative that society has placed into their brains.

[45:24] Elena Muslar: That's actually one they do not need to subscribe to.

[45:27] Jennifer Apple: Yeah.

[45:28] Elena Muslar: Yeah.

[45:29] Elena Muslar: And getting to see that, you know, trickle through my team's efforts.

[45:34] Elena Muslar: Like they're phenomenal.

[45:35] Elena Muslar: And it's really great to be in shared space and also see where community is built.

[45:41] Elena Muslar: That's the other thing.

[45:42] Elena Muslar: You can just come to a workshop or an event to see who else is in the room.

[45:47] Elena Muslar: Like you looking for a colleague like you also have that too.

[45:52] Elena Muslar: So it's it's cool.

[45:55] Jennifer Apple: How do you sustain yourself when one chooses to be in space where they are often giving so much or sharing so much or holding space for others so much.

[46:08] Elena Muslar: How do you come back to yourself?

[46:11] Elena Muslar: How do you refill your cup?

[46:13] Elena Muslar: Where do you get your energy and revitalization from yes I love this question.

[46:22] Elena Muslar: So because of where I come from like where my origin story was and the dynamics of growing up in an environment that had similar to an artist had a lot of stereotypes associated with it.

[46:38] Elena Muslar: When people hear South Central LA they got some own pictures and images in their head and and I think I grew up with this idea of like I'm supposed to change that perspective.

[46:48] Elena Muslar: I am really proud of where I come from and I like to show that it doesn't look like one note.

[46:54] Elena Muslar: An artist doesn't look like one note you know and so I think for me there's the difference between like making sure you have coping strategies and then there's prioritization of wellbeing and I think both of those are really important to have because you may have a day where somebody triggers the bloop out of you you know and and I think what what do you have what best practices do you have in store to say okay this was a triggering day yeah um I am going to look at my favorite well being app and put on a meditation to transition me from that moment to the moment I deserve to have next yeah like that's that's something I literally do after a long day I'm like okay we need to listen to zinn spa music yeah and I will literally look it up and find one that's right to me I'm like that's not the right thin spa yeah it's this and then and I'm like if I don't got the spa money right now I'm gonna create one and I will go get me a little like busy shower whatever thing and drop that in there let it steam up and I'm like oh my gosh it smells like lavender now and it and there's and so I think about the senses like is it auditory is it taste do you just need to go have some get yourself a drink that makes you feel really good or um you know and and I think that also applies to learning styles too which is something that for me when working with clients or um colleagues it's how important for me to understand how people give receive and process information.

[48:41] Elena Muslar: Yeah, and so if you hold tension in your body, for example, like I know when I have a long day and I work at a computer all the time, but I grew up being like I can dance and sing and all of these fun things, and then now I sit all the time. After that, it's like, okay, I gotta go take a class. Like I just started tap class again, and it was, you know, so joyful to be able to be in that space. At another point in life, I joined a community choir where I didn't have to know how to sight-read and like audition. It was just us singing because we like singing, you know. So I encourage people to have outlets that aren't tied to worth.

[49:31] Elena Muslar: And allow, like I purposely have been in both of those environments I just mentioned. I don't say what I do. I love it. And so it'll be like at the end of the class, literally it was the last day of class, and someone said something in my career coach brain was like, my God, say this for them. And I said, by the way, you should do it, and I said it, and then I was like, oh, and I'm the managing director of the career center at the fund, and they were like, what? And I was like, we contain multitudes, right? Yeah, but you get to choose how much of your multitude and your energy do you want to take into space to space to space to space. Does it fully define you in every space? This is why I told y'all I was a butter pecan ice cream today.

Exactly, like how you show up, and that's why I ask that question. I'm not asking what do you do. I'm not asking, you know, I for me, and it's like, look what the conversation ends up evolving towards as somebody shows up as they are, right? Like for me, you know, as a facilitator, as a host in this capacity and as an artist in the way in which I like to show up.

[50:46] Elena Muslar: It's and what I, you know, like my little diatribe earlier around community and what I wish the world would be. You know, it's just I'm really at the core belief system. I'm really trying very hard to meet people vulnerably and truthfully, you know, with empathy, and I'm not perfect, but like on a core, that is like really what I'm trying to do. And if I'm not listening to your choice of ice cream, and that's truly where you're starting from, then like what am how am I showing up with you? Like, I'm just not, you know, I'm forcing a conversation that I think we're never gonna be fruitful if we're not listening.

[51:21] Jennifer Apple: I think yes.

[51:23] Elena Muslar: And that's kind of also why I do things like that. Like, yeah, I come into this role, and it's like, wow, I get to work with all these people now. And I love showing up in a way that allows people to say, like, oh, that like, yeah, I can have this fancy title, but it's about for me how I get to connect with people, how I get to meet people, how I get to just be myself and show that like being down to earth is just as worthy of sort of exaltation as being at the top of the totem pole or the hierarchy that people are that garners a lot of people's respect.

[52:09] Elena Muslar: I think if you can just be a human with someone, that also garners a whole nother type of respect that sometimes goes quite farther. I would argue it does personally, you know. I mean, this is a whole other conversation for just like the way in which, you know, success and the art, who is the arbiter of success and who gets to define success and what does success mean to you versus this person, and then we're all defining it according to this that, you know, it's just I have a lot of feelings, I have a lot of feelings around it.

[52:37] Jennifer Apple: I love it, like and what you said earlier about being so like your diatribe, I saw that as manifestation of the world you deserve to live in.

[52:46] Elena Muslar: Thank you. And if the way you're vocalizing that, that's what makes the people around you, the stuff you consume start to attract in ways that align with what you know is meaningful for you to be a part of.

[53:02] Jennifer Apple: We get to curate our space, yeah.

[53:05] Elena Muslar: If we let it, yeah, but it's also about what we choose to say, you know what, that's not for me.

[53:10] Jennifer Apple: Yeah, and this is my phone.

[53:12] Elena Muslar: So it's the phrase, and I go back to this often of you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with versus the five people you love, you know, like frankly, you know, I don't really get to spend as much time with the people I love the way that I wish I could, you know. But you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with, and it's like if you are spending your time around some people that are sucking your energy dry, or you are not feeling it's reciprocated, or you are not able to fully show up as yourself and you're exhausted, whatever it is, like you know, barring the fact that sometimes we have to be in spaces that are harder, and hopefully it goes back to what you were saying of finding these ways to fulfill yourself after the fact that you know are built in to revive you and sustain you.

[53:52] Elena Muslar: But you know, for me to be a little bit on a mission of really trying very hard to as much as I can curate the people and spaces that I then get to be around these energies that will fill me. And then I get to go to sleep at night being like, yeah, that was a mostly energetically vibrant day and filling, you know, that that's a very different way of existing than like, wow. I mean, don't get me wrong. There are days when you're like, this was so hard, or weeks or months that you're like, this is sucking me dry.

[54:26] Jennifer Apple: But then yeah, coming back to like, okay, when I have the option, how can I put myself in spaces where I get to feel seen and I get to make people feel seen? And that is the world I'm really trying so hard to be a part of and with the people that are also wanting to find that for themselves.

[54:44] Elena Muslar: And it's like, where can you put yourself in spaces where you feel fueled rather than like judged or drained? And one of the things I also have to mention is I just shared with you like my own personal practices, but the fund also has, you know, a mindfulness meditation group through our social services and different support groups for people with different identities that you're like, I want to be able to be with people who get it. So we also have those spaces too, if you're seeking that out and you don't want to go at it on your own.

[55:22] Jennifer Apple: I think you're so incredible as a human. And I think that the work that you're doing with the Entertainment Community Fund is really, really impactful and has helped countless artists and will continue to help countless artists. And I'm so grateful that you were able to share in this way in this space to help whoever is listening to this conversation hopefully feel that for themselves. You know, I really I've created this podcast as a resource so that others can really begin to expand the way that they can step into their own artistry and lives with integrity and empowerment and sustainability. And I just feel such a kinship to the work that you do and the way that you show up. And so I'm so grateful for you, this conversation and the work that you continue to do. So thank you so much for being here and showing up in this way.

[56:18] Elena Muslar: You are so welcome. And I have to say, like it's an honor to be able to do this work for me. I feel very fortunate to be able to serve such a beautiful, dynamic community of people of all types who come with so many talents. And we love supporting people in their talents and exploring how transferable those talents are that other people need to wake up and smell the coffee on. And so it's a gift to be able to share this space with you to share this with your community. And I know for my team, we all feel like it's a gift for us to be able to serve this population specifically in the way that we do day in and day out. So we thank you for, you know, showing up for us.

[57:06] Jennifer Apple: Thank you. I mean, this is what community really is, if we're really boiling it down.

[57:10] Elena Muslar: So my literal pleasure. For anybody who wants to learn more, who wants to work with you or reach out or has further questions, what within your boundaries is the best way for people to find you?

[57:22] Elena Muslar: I'm gonna just give a round of like soft applause for the what within your boundaries element of that question. People have different ways. So there's a few different ways. I would say, first things first, if you want to get in touch with the career center and interact with all our work, it's obvious you go to our website, you sign up on the portal, you email the two addresses I just shared earlier. If there's some specific reason that you're like, I really appreciated what you said, and you want to show Sister Girls some love, you can add me on LinkedIn. No one else has my name, so that's pretty easy. Pretty easy to find me on the internets. But please don't feel discouraged if I do not respond.

That is the boundaries element where sometimes, you know, in the work that I do, you can follow me on LinkedIn or whatever other platform you end up finding me on. And then it's like, oh great, new friends. Like, but I also have to be really mindful of my capacity so I get to show up for my team so that they show up for you. So those are some of the best ways to interact and engage.

[58:36] Jennifer Apple: I love it. Thank you again for joining us in this space for lending and sharing from your heart. And hopefully this is the beginning of more.

[58:48] Elena Muslar: My pleasure. And obviously, follow us on all the social media handles. We're alive and in the arts on Instagram. We have LinkedIn, you know, there's all the things, and we'll make sure all that's in the show notes.

[59:02] Jennifer Apple: Perfect. No, but yes, as we say for sure, all of that will be linked in the show notes.

[59:07] Elena Muslar: Awesome. Thank you so much.

[59:08] Jennifer Apple: Thank you. That's it for today's episode. I hope you walk away with some fresh insights, feel inspired and a little more empowered to take the next step on your artistic journey. Remember, whether it's a small shift or a big breakthrough, every step forward counts. You've got this, and we're here cheering you on every step of the way. If you found today's episode helpful, don't forget to hit subscribe so you'll never miss out on the discussions we have each week. And if something today really resonated with you, please leave us a review. It truly is one of the best ways to help other artists find our podcast and join in on the conversations. Plus, we feel the love too when you do. And don't keep all this goodness to yourself.

Share this episode with your people or post about it on social media. Be sure to tag @EmpoweredArtistsCollective and @JenniferApple_ so we can see what's landing for you and keep the conversation going. As always, thank you for being here. Thank you for listening. And thank you for being a part of this incredible community. Keep creating, keep thriving, stay empowered. I'm Jennifer Apple. Until next time.