Meet Suzanne Paulinski | Growth Mindset + Productivity Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Suzanne Paulinski and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Suzanne, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. As a kid, I always had the lemonade stand on the corner and in college, I sold chocolate chip pancakes out of my dorm ($2/plate) just to make some extra cash. I loved making my own money. After experiencing a number of jobs in and out of college, I realized the only thing better than having my own money was making it my own way. I’ve never enjoyed being told what to do. I’m not saying I’m always right, but I much rather “live and learn” than follow directions. After a few life lessons with former businesses, and completing my Master’s in Psychology, I realized the music industry had a big gap when it came to mental health resources and many creatives lacked proper time management skills. I realized I could begin to fill that gap in a unique way that introduced music professionals to be more aware of their mindset by linking it to their productivity without jumping straight into the “heaviness” of therapy right away.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
As The Rock/Star Advocate, I approach productivity in a very personal way. There’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach to successfully rocking your day. What works for one person may not work for the next and that’s ok. Not everyone has to belong to the 5 am Club to be successful. I built this business into what it is today by leaning into trusting the process – trusting that pushing harder wasn’t always the solution, trusting that rest was better for my work than all-nighters, trusting that mistakes were lessons guiding me closer to what I wanted.

I’m so proud of the community my team and I have built, as well as the services we offer that allow musicians and industry professionals on ALL budgets to find support and guidance as they navigate their careers. Everything I offer, including my Rock/Star Life Planner (created with fellow creative, Alyssa B. Jackson), is aimed at personalized support. My newly-rebranded video podcast, Redefine the Hustle, is all about empowering you to build your own path on your own terms.

Building your own path is never easy. That phrase, “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life,” is horse $h*t, but what IS true is that when you find what you deeply love the hard times never discourage you enough to give up on making it happen. I overcame my hurdles by slowing down (SUPER counter-intuitive, but oh-so-useful), surrounding myself with positive people and people who knew more than me (never be the smartest person in the room), and asking lots and lots of questions. I’ve learned to spend the money if I know in my gut it’s going to make my future easier/clearer. I’ve also learned to make quick decisions and learn as I go through the journey.

I want people to know that it’s never too late to start slowing down and trusting a new definition of “hustle.” You do NOT have to suffer for your art or prove to anyone how badly you want it or sleep when you’re dead. I built this business into a full-time job in 6 months working 4 hours a day many days because I have chronic Lyme disease and my body wouldn’t let me work beyond that. It is my mission to help creatives trust in knowing less is usually more before reaching the point of burnout and/or chronic illness. Do what you can and work with intention and the goals WILL be reached without it costing you your health and sanity.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As a girl born and raised in Queens, I would HAVE to take you out for pizza first and foremost. For me, pizza doesn’t get better than Umberto’s in New Hyde Park, right on the outskirts of Queens. Next, since Queens is the most diverse country in the world (true story), we’d have to head to Astoria the rest of the week where you can sample foods from almost every culture. For breakfast, we would also need to stop at Sanfords and the famous Jacksonhole Diner. To make sure we don’t spend the entire trip eating (although we could), a stop by Fort Totten is perfect for a picturesque hike under the bridges and along the water. The Botanical Gardens is another must-stop on a beautiful day, and it wouldn’t be a Queens trip without taking in a game at Citi Field (the Mets will likely lose, but it’s still worth it). One of my favorite spots to take visitors is the Museum of Moving Image where you’ll learn a lot about your favorite movies and television shows. To round it out, you have to experience a show at the new UBS Stadium in my own backyard, blocks from where I grew up. Hope to see you soon!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shoutout goes out to my mom who has been my number one cheerleader and pep-talker when the road gets unruly and uncertain. She’s someone who has had the courage to go after what brings her joy and start over many times in life. Thank you for setting an example of a life lived in spite of fear.

Website: http://therockstaradvocate.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/rockstaradvo

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/suzannepaulinski

Youtube: http://youtube.com/c/rockstaradvo

Image Credits
headshots by Kon Boogie Rock/Star Life Planner cover designed by Alyssa B. Jackson