Meet Tracy DeJarnett | Entrepreneur & Marketer

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

Hi Tracy, what do you want people to remember about you?
This is a great question. I’ve always been driven by inspiring people to look beyond the roadblocks, to know there is always a way through, around or over the challenges we face in life. The toughest thing for me to see and hear are people who are unhappy and feeling stuck in life. They believe they don’t have a choice to improve their lives, but they do. I described it in an interview once that it’s like letting go of the trapeze bar. You are standing there staring out into the abyss, you have prepared and are ready to grab the next bar but of course there is no certainty it will be there until you feel it and grasp it in your hand. But without taking the leap, you’re stuck. Take the leap. I hope my legacy is that I have inspired others to dream big, take the leap, fail fast and ultimately thrive. I know there is a choice between seeing the world through the lens of prosperity and abundance or through the lens of lack. First, we must make the choice of what we want to see. I choose abundance, joy, health, wellness and connectedness in community. That’s why I started the music platforms back in 2017. I saw how social media and other social norms were dividing and separating us, leaving us alone much of the time…a false sense of connectedness. But in a community that shows up consistently there is a real connection you can make with others, you learn more about their dreams, their passions, their talents and they learn more about yours and can encourage you. I have truly enjoyed my time in the creative world getting to know those that invest and showcase their creative talents. I hope that people will remember me as one that invested all of my energy in trying new things, building, helping people and inspiring them to take smart risks to go after their dreams, and remind them that now is the time to take the leap. I love a couple things that Arnold Swarzenegger has said over the years. First, he wrote himself a letter committing to himself the big goals he would achieve. He wrote and sent it to himself, and they were BIG goals. He ultimately achieved every single one of them. The second thing was he didn’t believe in Plan B. Having a Plan B takes your eyes away from your dream, your Plan A.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I produce HoustonLive, a singer-songwriter platform that helps discover, support and promote artists. I own a marketing firm called The Brandsoup Agency and we help companies and individuals grow with smart marketing strategies that include anything from social media, branding and story development, content development, partnership programs and more. My experience across a multitude of multinationals and top brands (large and small) have helped me shape my approach to branding from the inside out. It’s not too different than how musicians approach telling their story and creating their artistic style. My passion is to work with entrepreneurs and artists who have a dream. I help them clarify their vision, develop their story, identify unique and compelling ways to tell their story and articulate the right call to action to attract and compel the right buyers.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I recently went to Art on the Avenue and find the Winter Street Studios a wonderful place to find and discover new art and artists. Next, I would probably take them to the Buffalo Bayou Park. I would look forward to discovering the Eastern Glades in the updated Memorial Park which happens to have been designed by a friend John Dupuy. I am looking forward to the tour he and his wife Patricia are going to give in a couple of weeks. In normal times when everything was open I would definitely hit Antica Osteria in Rice Village for a nice dinner out, Ray and his business partner make sure it is a phenomenal experience with fantastic food to boot. I recommend the spaghetti bolognese. I also would make sure to go to various high points in my own neighborhood in the Heights like the Heights Mercantile with fantastic shops and restaurants but with a wonderful, cozy yet open neighborhood feel. It sits strategically on the hike and bike path through the Heights so I’d see if we can walk or bike there for sure. Another place I have not been so it would definitely be on my list because I still can’t believe I haven’t been there is the art installation “Snapshot” sculpture by friend and local artist Tami Merrick Moschioni on the White Oak Bayou Trail in the Near Northside community. Other fantastic spots to include in the list: Buchanan’s nursery in the Heights on 11th, retail store Bliss on 19th Street in the Heights, Jubilee on 19th, 8th Wonder Distillery and Brewery on Main Street in EADO (they have half of an amusement park across the street, it’s a must see), I would also head down to Clear Lake (where I’m from) and visit Opus restaurant in the South Shore Harbour Hotel, and might as well go down to the Kemah boardwalk from there and ride the roller coaster. While in the neighborhood let’s go to NASA and get a tour. I’m a NASA kid, I’ve learned that pretty everyone loves that tour! For more night-time fun must hit Mucky Duck for great food and live music listening room style like sitting in a comfy living room with your favorite artists.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Just one? There are so many who have helped me and inspired me. One person that comes to mind was one of my first bosses. She believed in me and lifted me up and in one promotion/hire at Dr Pepper (my dream job at that time) I leapt ahead in my career and I learned so much. We are friends to this day. Her name is Diane Stephenson and she is today with the Red Cross. My Dad John Rummel also comes to mind because when I was starting my career and itching for the next challenge to leave Dr Pepper (see reference above) he encouraged me to do it right, not to burn bridges. Even though I was ready to leap to another opportunity, his advice is the reason I am still friends with my boss from one of my first jobs today. Today I am inspired and encouraged by Ken Gaines who has helped and supported my vision to bring a community of musicians together in Houston, Texas. He is a fantastic musician himself, but he is also a great person and jumps in to help and encourage others.

Website: Two businesses: The Brandsoup Agency www.brandsoup.com and HoustonLive music community HoustonLive.tv
Instagram: @brandsoup and @newhoustonlivetv
Linkedin: @the-brandsoup-agency and @houston-live-tv and my own @tracydejarnett
Twitter: @brandsoup @houstonlive5
Facebook: @newhoustonlivetv @brandsoup
Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCD3V14SM_Hp8uD2hW6izfDw

Image Credits
The HoustonLive photos from the stage (I’m in the red shirt and jeans) and pictured with 2019 HoustonLive songwriter winner Lizi Bailey during our trip to Nashville.  This was a photo from my iPhone.  The staged professional shots are John Conroy of John Conroy Photography.