WOMEN TO WATCH
2021

Susan Erwin Prowse

Owner
Yadaloo Music & Arts Festival

I found music as a lucrative career path in Little Rock at Willy D’s in 2003. I left the corporate world as an engineer to follow my passion. My music career took me to residencies in Branson, Los Angeles, Vegas, the Caribbean, Santa Barbara, Amsterdam and Norway. I met my husband in 2016, and we now perform as a duo in those same venues. We launched our music and festival production companies as a way to grow our business and utilize our experience in the music industry for our home state of Arkansas

PRESSING QUESTIONS

How I knew this was my passion

Connecting with people through music is magical. I knew it was my passion when I could get lost in it on stage for hours and feel like I've not worked a job.

Biggest challenges in my career

Balancing work and life. I'm a workaholic. I have to remind myself to put down the computer and device. As a small business owner and an "artistpreneur," I find myself constantly working, but I love it!

My first job and what it taught me

I helped prepare meals at a senior citizens facility when I was 15 with my grandmother. It taught me the value of hard work and an appreciation for health care workers.

Nonprofit I wish more people knew about

We Are The 22, a veterans’ suicide intervention nonprofit.

What keeps me coming back to my job every day

Music has a way of bringing people together, and I can't think of a better way to spend my time. Launching a music festival was the ultimate way to bring it all together and give back through the arts.

Best career moment so far

Winning Best New Festival of the Year for our inaugural Yadaloo Music & Arts Festival in 2019.

A skill I never expected to need in this field

Marketing! I'm so thankful to be alive in the information age to utilize all of the great tools we have these days to book shows, distribute music and utilize e-commerce to reach the world!

One practice I use to maintain my mental health

Meditation is so powerful! I also listen to inspirational and educational Audible books.

The one thing I wish people knew about my field

I wish people realized how much off-stage time it takes to have a lucrative music career. It's music plus business. Learning and honing my music craft took priority in the beginning, but I spend more time on the business now.

The first thing I do to course-correct when I hit a wall

Pause, breathe and evaluate how others who came before me handled the same type of situation.

IT'S ALL IN THE DETAILS

Hometown

Magnet Cove

I can't start my day until

I’ve had my caffeine and prioritized my day

Hobbies

Flying, piano, painting and Oculus virtual reality art

Binge watch

Tom Bilyeu’s "Impact Theory"

Last good read

“Expert Secrets” by Russell Brunson

Favorite meal in town

Cannibal & Craft's charcuterie board

Best recent local discovery

Just Blow blowout bar in Hillcrest

Latest splurge

Sonic's Oreo cookie dough sundae

Most-used app

Facebook

Dream vacation

Australia

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