In the except below, Ginger Schlanger, Director of Content at Leadercast, speaks of leading with authenticity and the impact that Mama Jan has had on the music industry.
The celebration last Saturday night honored Jan’s 30 years of pouring into thousands of musicians and vocalists from coast to coast. In fact, Georgia’s Governor Nathan Deal honored Jan with a special commendation for her leadership of artists and her positive impact on the growth of the music industry in Georgia. The evening also celebrated Jan’s 60th birthday; however, Jan was not about to have a night that was all about her. True to her “Beyond You” leadership – one of the seven behaviors that Leadercast believes helps define a Leader Worth Following – Jan turned the evening into a fundraiser for one of her vocal coaches at Jan Smith Studios, raising money for Erica Hoffman, who is fighting stage IV colon cancer.
Throughout the evening, videos played from nearly 100 artists and musicians who had sent their gratitude and birthday wishes to Mama Jan, including the musical directors for The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and Michael Jackson! They told how she transformed their lives, helped them find their voice, and showed them how to navigate the music industry with courage and integrity. The one quality that was mentioned over and over again by musicians and industry leaders is Jan’s authenticity.
