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

Hi Miguel, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I had a lot of heroes growing up, most of them were either artists, musicians, or athletes. Especially in sports, the decline of performance ability with age is quick and brutal. I am also unaware of any retirement plans for musicians and artists. I wanted to plant a seed that, along with proper nourishment and care could possibly grow into something to feed myself and my family when I am no longer able to perform music as much or as well. Money was the first thing on my mind, so I started a handful of businesses from candy distribution to private home health, and government bidding/contracting. They all failed miserably in the end. That was when I realized that my heart had to be in it for me to put the legwork in consistently and long enough for it to grow into something. Hence, I was able to start Miguel Juarez Music, LLC in 2019. I had been a gigging musician since 2006, and it made perfect sense to incorporate all my gigs, lessons, sessions, and other musical endeavors into one business entity. I still keep a day job so I am able to enjoy my music without having to completely rely on it for survival. When you have time, do you. When you need money, do something else.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have had a lot of jobs in my short stint so far in this country. I was born in the California but grew up in Manila, Philippines. When I came back at 21 years old, I tried my hand at selling knives, busking on the street, serving in the army, selling newspaper subscriptions, healthcare, office management, retail, teaching, contracting, and translating. Although I always played music on the side, I always had either a job, a business I was running, and/or was at school at the same time. I am also lucky enough to have kept my networks and not burned any bridges with any job, business, or school that I was involved with. That’s probably what I’m most proud of in my career so far. I did not always perform my best, and I did not enjoy all my assignments. However, I believe I was always an asset to any team I was a part of, and that I have a good standing relationship with almost everyone I met along the way. Any little bit of success I have can be attributed to a good relationship.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am a regular at local music store Everything Musical. I also play guitar for Sunday services at Word of Life Church. Other than that, I am involved with The Columbus Jazz Society, and Downtown Columbus has a thriving music and business scene that is always packed with events.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to give a special shoutout to The Columbus Jazz Society and President Jason Keaton, who also is an excellent musician and owner of Jiujitsu Columbus; JT Entertainment Productions owner and Unofficial Filipino Mayor of Columbus Jon Tongco; and drummer, photographer, and skater Kenji Niibayashi!

Website: https://migueljuarezmusic.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/migueljuarezmusic

Facebook: https://facebook.com/migueljuarezmusic

Youtube: https://youtube.com/migueljuarezmusic

Image Credits
Images by Kenji Niibayashi and Late City Light

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