Songwriter Brings Inspirational Message to Full Sail: Trina Harmon
This successful musician and Full Sail grad visited with students, listened to demos, and spoke words of advice.
Songwriter, producer, and inspirational speaker Trina Harmon!
Full Sail grad and songwriter/producer Trina Harmon is something of a Stephen Covey for artists and entertainers. Although she’s first and foremost a songwriter and producer, Harmon has also built a reputation as a life coach and counselor to Hollywood types.
The Recording Arts graduate visited her alma mater Monday, July 23, to deliver a seminar to Full Sail students and staff on breaking into the entertainment industry.
Harmon has plenty of experience breaking down doors of her own in entertainment. Since graduating in 1991, she has accumulated a noteworthy list of artistic credits, having written songs for artists that include Hillary Duff, Nick Lachey, Jesse McCartney, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Brandy, Tina Arena, SheDaisy, Jennifer Paige, Plus One, Jessica Andrews, Natalie Grant and many others.
Harmon considers herself primarily a pop music songwriter, although she has written a fair number of country songs, having started her career in Nashville. “I’ve gone through phases of topics with my songs,” Harmon shares from her California home. “…I just love to write songs that pick the mundane that we deal with every day and just write [about] that.” Harmon says she believes in artists being true to themselves in their work. “I feel like authenticity sells—it always has it always will.”
While establishing herself in the music industry, Harmon came to realize that she has a gift for helping and advising others, she says. She took classes on coaching and found a second niche. Now she works with a variety of artists and industry professionals—actors, producers, business executives, and managers.
Harmon says people come to her because they’ve achieved a certain level of success but are still unhappy, often because they don’t know how they’ll duplicate previous successes or because they don’t know how to get past certain roadblocks. “They’re stuck—at all levels—they’ve done everything they know to do and nothing’s working,” she explains.
Harmon says the biggest block to success for pros and students alike is their belief system. “Words and beliefs are so powerful,” she says. “At the deepest core, [many] people don’t have a strong belief in themselves.”
As part of her visit, Harmon offered critique and counseling sessions to students and staff one-on-one, for a fee, between Monday, July 23 and Saturday, July 28. The seminar and song/artist evaluation on campus in the EBBS auditorium was free though, as well as personal and insightful. A couple of Harmon’s most powerful talking points touched on: the need for positive thinking; never being afraid to share your work with others; and, the importance of and how to market yourself as an artist. Harmon also took the time to listen to demos after the event.
Harmon brought all her points home by pointing out that success often comes when we stop expecting things to happen for us. She said that when we pursue our goals and keep committed to our dreams, things just fall into place. After all, “It’s not what you’re here to get, it’s what you’re here to give,” she shared.
The Recording Arts graduate visited her alma mater Monday, July 23, to deliver a seminar to Full Sail students and staff on breaking into the entertainment industry.
Harmon has plenty of experience breaking down doors of her own in entertainment. Since graduating in 1991, she has accumulated a noteworthy list of artistic credits, having written songs for artists that include Hillary Duff, Nick Lachey, Jesse McCartney, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Brandy, Tina Arena, SheDaisy, Jennifer Paige, Plus One, Jessica Andrews, Natalie Grant and many others.
Harmon considers herself primarily a pop music songwriter, although she has written a fair number of country songs, having started her career in Nashville. “I’ve gone through phases of topics with my songs,” Harmon shares from her California home. “…I just love to write songs that pick the mundane that we deal with every day and just write [about] that.” Harmon says she believes in artists being true to themselves in their work. “I feel like authenticity sells—it always has it always will.”
While establishing herself in the music industry, Harmon came to realize that she has a gift for helping and advising others, she says. She took classes on coaching and found a second niche. Now she works with a variety of artists and industry professionals—actors, producers, business executives, and managers.
People who do what they do naturally are the most unique and they have careers of longevity.
Trina Harmon
Harmon says the biggest block to success for pros and students alike is their belief system. “Words and beliefs are so powerful,” she says. “At the deepest core, [many] people don’t have a strong belief in themselves.”
As part of her visit, Harmon offered critique and counseling sessions to students and staff one-on-one, for a fee, between Monday, July 23 and Saturday, July 28. The seminar and song/artist evaluation on campus in the EBBS auditorium was free though, as well as personal and insightful. A couple of Harmon’s most powerful talking points touched on: the need for positive thinking; never being afraid to share your work with others; and, the importance of and how to market yourself as an artist. Harmon also took the time to listen to demos after the event.
Harmon brought all her points home by pointing out that success often comes when we stop expecting things to happen for us. She said that when we pursue our goals and keep committed to our dreams, things just fall into place. After all, “It’s not what you’re here to get, it’s what you’re here to give,” she shared.
