Let's make it happen!
Hi! I'm Erin.
You may know me through music, but I'm also a business strategy advisor, project management consultant, and grant writer.
Since 2004, I've worked with some of the most recognizable brands in the world (like Coca-Cola, Caterpillar, and Clorox) on all sorts of projects (like new product introductions, ecommerce initiatives, greenfield construction, and the Olympics). I’ve served on nonprofit boards, led workshops, and moderated conference panels at the intersection of creativity, culture, commerce, and technology.
Large projects are exciting, but my heart and soul are much happier working with artists, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit founders bringing good things into the world.
After hearing from so many creatives and entrepreneur friends about their frustrations
- getting projects off the ground
- mapping out the steps
- staying on schedule
- making a realistic budget
- securing resources and funding
- navigating unexpected twists
- finishing what they started
- and staying grounded and motivated along the way
I began drawing from my broad palette of corporate, nonprofit, entrepreneurial, artistic, somatic, and consulting experience to combine solid business methodology with heart-centered self-inquiry, to bring more clarity and accountability to the joyful pursuit of their dreams.
If you've got something in mind, I'd love to help you move it forward. Email me and let's set up a time to chat.
xo
Erin
SERVICES
Strategy and Project Planning In a series of in-person or online sessions, we start with a Deep Dive exploration of your desires, resources, and timeline. We design a plan that's right-sized for your real life and follow up with regularly scheduled updates to keep you gracefully on track, making adjustments as you go. (It can be messy at first, that's cool. If it were crystal clear, it would probably be done already.)
Grant Prospecting and Grant Writing I research grants for artists and 501(c)(3) nonprofits, to find the most aligned funding opportunities. I write grant proposals for submission to grant-making foundations.
General Advisory I also advise on all of the above, if you want to pick my brain or have a brainstorming session.
Erin's holistic approach to her work (her ability to see both the 'heart' and 'numbers' and to transform mission into strategy) has been instrumental in the success of Song Rise Arts. Her craft and empathy elevates our work to new levels. I depend on her insight and wisdom and look forward to each meeting. I leave our work together inspired and encouraged (and with concrete action items!). I honestly don't know what I would do without her.
-Kelley McRae, executive director of Song Rise Arts
SKILLS
Everyone is unique. As we work together, I will listen deeply to offer the right tools for your situation. My toolbox includes:
- Certified Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Project Success Method consultant and trainer
- Six Sigma Green Belt in business process management
- Broad consulting experience from advising individuals in their passion projects to guiding large cross-functional teams at multinational corporations in mission-critical hundred-million-dollar projects
- 20 years in music creation, performance, management, and publishing
- Nonprofit experience at director level and on several boards
- Certified Grant Writer (Nonprofit Austin)
- Six-figure grassroots fundraising
- Certified Kinēsa Practitioner of neuro-physical somatic therapy (Asheville Movement Center)
- Creative writing teacher and workshop leader
Erin has a gift for organization and seeing a project from a bird's eye view. I have worked with her on two different projects and I know they would not have been as successful without her. She brings enthusiasm, love, and dedication to everything she works on.
-Ali Holder, independent artist
EXPERIENCE
Caterpillar PMO, Engine Builds, Plant Operations, etc.
Established independent Project Management Offices from the ground up at two locations for CAT, Led planning sessions and coordinated project schedules for hundreds of engines and work tools, working with all levels of the organization across many time zones. Of all my corporate clients over the years, I've worked with CAT the most.
Indie Record Releases
Helped artists align, define, plan, and monitor progress on independent album releases, including fundraising, graphic design, manufacturing, marketing, PR, touring, radio promotion, and event coordination with a distributed team of contractors. I love working with artists and musicians!
Coca-Cola at the Olympics
Facilitated planning sessions and provided schedule analysis for Coke's sponsorship of the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. My favorite part was planning the Olympic Torch Relay, taking place over 101 Days and 2,018 km, with 80 stops and 7,500 torchbearers!
Song Rise Arts Grants and Strategy
$75K awarded to expand capacity and fund songwriting programs for youth in underserved communities, ongoing strategy alignment, and what the executive director calls "nonprofit therapy" ;)
WR Grace $150M Manufacturing Facility Build
Facilitated planning sessions with the senior team at this Fortune 500 company for the detailed engineering phase of construction for the first fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts manufacturing facility in the Middle East, outside Abu Dhabi. I was the. only. woman. in the room.
Well Aware Events and Strategy
Advised on the launch of a for-profit sister company, ensuring nonprofit operations continued smoothly; My favorite example of how solid planning can save your ass before it's too late is when I was contracted to plan a gala event that was discovered through the planning process to be mis-aligned with strategic goals and available resources. Those resources were then re-directed to more important initiatives, saving the organization hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars. Then they became a finalist in Fast Companyʼs 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards!
Cleaning Up Clorox
Led a cross-functional team through planning sessions to resolve urgent issues, avoiding fines and averting a plant shut-down. It was very messy indeed.
First Cultural Arts Hub Serving Rural Mississippi
Advised on concepting, planning, and build-out of a multi-media education center in an historic building in Water Valley, Mississippi for This Is Noteworthy, a nonprofit which has created 720 jobs and featured 4540 artists in their programming
Nonprofit Gala
Led end-to-end planning and execution of the largest annual fundraising event at Austin City Limits Live for Black Fret, a nonprofit awarding over $3M to local musicians
Home Street Music Grant Writing
$30K awarded to host music circles to empower people who have experienced homelessness by building community, restoring confidence, and reclaiming dignity through the healing power of song
You can find a detailed employment history on my LinkedIn profile.
If you could use some help, drop me a line and let's set up a time to chat. I'd love to know what you're dreaming of.
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