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As entrepreneurs, we’re experts at mental bandwidth management. We know that unfinished projects don’t just sit quietly in the background; they consume precious cognitive real estate, creating a low-level hum of distraction that can impact everything from decision making to sleep quality. For two decades, I carried one of those projects, a song called “My Sleep” that refused to let me rest. The project that wouldn’t die “My Sleep” first emerged on my debut album Her Life, as a simple piano and vocal piece; intimate, raw, born from those universal moments when love exists only in dreams. But this song had bigger aspirations. Featured Video An Inc.com Featured Presentation In 2004, while building my company, Entire Productions (now in its 25th year), I was invited to perform with the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra at the Kofman Auditorium in Alameda, California. It was a benefit concert featuring mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade and other remarkable musicians. As a classical violinist, jazz vocalist, and entrepreneur, performing with an orchestra represented a dream I’d been nurturing alongside my business goals. The performance was magical—and haunting. I was eight months pregnant, though I didn’t yet know I was seriously ill with pre-eclampsia. Weeks later, I would lose my son Aidan at 37 weeks and nearly lose my own life. Although I only touch on this briefly here, I wrote about it in-depth in my memoir, Relentless. The performance exists only in photographs and memory. No recording was made, a missed opportunity that would haunt me for 20 years. The entrepreneurial lesson in creative procrastination Here’s what I learned about unfinished creative projects: They’re like having too many browser tabs open. That incomplete song wasn’t just sitting dormant; it was actively consuming mental resources I needed for running Entire Productions. For 20 years, I’d periodically plan to complete a proper studio recording, envisioning sessions with multiple musicians. But as any entrepreneur knows, urgent always trumps important, and business demands consistently pushed the project aside. The breakthrough came when I realized technology had solved my resource problem. Through Musiverse, a platform connecting musicians worldwide, I could suddenly access world-class talent affordably. I booked the Budapest Symphony Orchestra, sent them the score, and directed a recording session from my Oakland home office at a weary 5:30 a.m., connected by video across nine time zones. Hearing 20 musicians interpret and perform something I’d written decades earlier was breathtaking. More importantly for my business mindset, it proved that seemingly impossible projects often just need the right combination of technology and timing. Global project management, entrepreneurial style What followed demonstrated project management principles every entrepreneur recognizes. My brother Justin stepped in as producer, and we orchestrated a collaboration spanning continents: Josh Nelson (Los Angeles): Pianist who’d toured with Natalie Cole, creating piano tracks that would complement the Budapest strings Phil Lassiter (Amsterdam): Trumpet player who’d toured with Prince, adding both written parts and improvised passages 25th Street Recording Studio (Oakland): Where I laid down vocals after years away from regular performance Michael Denton/Infinite Studios (Alameda): For mixing and mastering, bringing unexpected full-circle energy; Michael had performed at that original 2004 concert This wasn’t just music-making; it was global team coordination, vendor management, and quality control across multiple time zones and creative disciplines. The ROI of creative expression During my performing years (through 2015), I maintained dual roles as CEO and musician. Far from being a distraction, creative expression provided crucial balance during challenging periods in my company’s trajectory. It offered perspective, inspiration, and mental restoration that directly benefited my business performance. The creative process exercises different neural pathways than strategic business thinking. Problem solving in one domain often unlocks insights in another. Some of my best business ideas emerged during or after musical projects. Advice for time-starved entrepreneurs Twenty-five years of running Entire Productions while maintaining creative pursuits taught me this: Taking time to express yourself creatively isn’t self-indulgence, it’s strategic self-care that can improve business performance. Yes, you’re committed to your business goals. Yes, every hour feels precious. But that unfinished creative project occupying brain space? It’s costing you focus and mental clarity. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is finally complete what’s been nagging at you. Modern technology makes creative projects more accessible than ever. What seemed impossible or prohibitively expensive 20 years ago, such as recording with a symphony orchestra, is now achievable from your home office or anywhere, for that matter. The bottom line “My Sleep” carries lyrics about patient longing: “I know there’ll be a time and place / Where love won’t feel like such a race / ‘Till then / I’ll stay here in my sleep / Alone.” As entrepreneurs, we often feel like we’re racing toward some future version of success. But creativity doesn’t have to wait for “someday when the business is established.” It can coexist with, and even enhance, your entrepreneurial journey. The song I finally completed isn’t designed to climb charts; it carries cinematic weight perfect for film and television licensing. But more importantly, completing it freed up mental bandwidth I didn’t even realize I was using. That clarity alone made the entire project worth the investment. Sometimes the most entrepreneurial thing you can do is honor the creative voice that’s been waiting patiently for 20 years. Your business—and your sanity—might thank you for it. The journey continues, with a clearer mind and renewed focus.
