Interview and 20Q
Singer and Songwriter Jill Allison Bryan
By Molly Anderson | Posted 11/7/09| Updated 6/7/25
After years in the field of advertising, Jill Bryan decided to jump ship, sell everything she owned, and move to the Virgin Islands.
Now, she is a singer/songwriter and creative lifestyle coach. Jill is an accomplished musician who is currently recording her first solo album. Working with Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach Jill Badonsky helped Bryan rediscover her love of writing and performing music. She found it so helpful that she decided to become a certified coach herself, and founded Creative Oasis Coaching.
Jill says: "Creative Oasis Coaching inspires, encourages, and supports individuals who desire a more satisfying and meaningful life. I deeply believe that all women deserve to create and revel in their own Mid-Life Oasis™ — a space of deep personal fulfillment — in their day-to-day lives. As a singer/songwriter, performer, and writer, I live by this belief. As a creative lifestyle coach, I help others learn to do the same."
Q: After years in the advertising field, you took a leap of faith and left the corporate world behind to pursue the life of your dreams. What prompted this shift? Was it something you did on a whim, or had this storm been brewing for years?
A: Even before I had ever heard of Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching, I was using several important precepts they teach. This ultimately led to my leap. First of all, I listened to my intuition. I felt the need to make a change, and allowed myself to dream big! Secondly, I was open to following a decidedly non-linear creative career path. Having graduated from college with a degree in advertising journalism, I felt fortunate to land my first job was as an advertising copywriter, and enjoyed the work.
But then, a family vacation to the Virgin Islands introduced me to the experience of island hopping by sailboat. After that, I played the "what if" game. By asking "what if," we open the door to possibilities that might otherwise never exist. So I began asking myself: What if I quit my job? What if I sold all my belongings? What if I moved to the Caribbean? What job might I find? What experiences might I have?
One serendipitous moment in particular had an enormous impact on me. I had gone out to dinner with a friend to tell her about my plan. I remember saying, "I wish there were some sort of book, like How-To Move to the Virgin Islands that I could read." We both laughed at that, and then walked next door to a bookstore to browse the travel section. A book sat eye-level to me, pulled about half way off the shelf, as if it were going to fall into my hands. When I pulled it out it was titled, "The Settler's Handbook for the U.S. Virgin Islands — Everything you need to know about moving to St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St John." I felt like the universe had given me a big thumbs up and I knew I was really going to do this.
I dreamed, planned and saved for about six months before the big move. One thing the book taught me, was that no one would hire you over the phone. You just had to move on down. So with my guitar and one enormous duffle bag I set off for St. Thomas. I landed a job on a private sailing yacht purely on the basis of a creatively written resume and a good interview. (I had very little previous sailing experience, but I didn't let that stop me!) I ended up living and working on that boat for about nine months, and experienced many islands from the US Virgin Islands, to the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Barths, St. Martin, St. Kitts, Saba, and more as far down as Antigua. I got to know a few of those islands very well, and gathered enough interesting stories for at least one good book and several songs from that experience.
Q: When did you first discover your passion for music?
A: I've been singing and songwriting most of my life, and grew up playing the piano. In college I performed in various acoustic duos and bands. After returning to the states from the Virgin Islands, I felt empowered, like I could do anything I put my mind to.
I picked up the guitar again and began writing and rehearsing. Soon, I was performing quite a bit in Dallas. That's how I met my husband, Doug. He had a band, and we became mutual fans of each other's music. Eventually, he asked me to join his band, Big Boss Groove. While we were in the studio recording our "Moontown Street" album we fell in love and the rest is history. We've been making beautiful music together for more than 15 years! Our daughter is our greatest creative collaboration to date!
Music also led me to creativity coaching.
Q: How so?
A. Once our daughter was born, I spent less time writing and making music than ever. When she began elementary school, I knew I had the time to bring that creative satisfaction back into my life. After taking an Artist's Way course, I was inspired, but still didn't have the tools I needed to actually follow through with my creative pursuits. A friend sent me a link to Jill Badonsky's The Muse Is In website and I contacted her. Within a few minutes of talking with her, I knew she could help me. During our one-on-one coaching sessions she used Kaizen-Muse creativity coaching techniques and they worked beautifully. Within a few short weeks I was focused on my music again. Within a couple of months I was playing gigs and writing new material as well. It was tremendously fulfilling.
When Jill suggested that I go through her training process and become a certified Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach myself, I was intrigued. I'm so thankful that I did, because it has truly changed my life. I've finally found out what I want to be when I grow up! I absolutely love creative life coaching, and helping people make the time and space in their busy day-to-day lives for creative fulfillment. I still use the techniques myself to keep moving ahead with my writing and music projects. I consider the time I spend with these creative pursuits a personal oasis in my life and I truly believe that using these coaching techniques anyone can create an oasis of their own and experience personal creative satisfaction. That's why I named my coaching practice Creative Oasis Coaching™ and my blog Mid-Life Oasis™.
Q: Tell us about your first solo album.
A: Recording my solo album has been a dream come true. The entire process has been a very collaborative creative effort. I wrote or co-wrote all but two of the songs, which were written by my husband, Doug, who is co-producing it. It's so fun to brainstorm and experiment with different musical ideas with the other musicians and producers on the project. Creating this is wonderful example of how allowing the creative process to be non-linear facilitates a better creative outcome. For instance, we may begin a session thinking we're simply going to add a bass guitar part to a song, but then someone says, "Hey — would sleigh bells sound cool here?" And we try that, and that leads to other percussion ideas, which lead to a background vocal and on and on. It's been an extremely organic experience, and pure joy for me! I am truly in my "creative oasis" in the recording studio. A six-hour session flies by in no time.
Q. What an exciting project!
A. I am so excited about this, because it's transforming from a typical release party into something much more. As I brainstormed creative alternatives, I came up with a celebration that will combine music, art and philanthropy with the theme of The Infinite Possibility of Women Helping Women.
I happen to have an amazing amount of artistically gifted female friends. I've asked thirteen of these talented women to each create a work of art inspired by a song that I chose for her from my album. This artwork will be put up for silent auction the night of the celebration and the proceeds will benefit Women for Women International. (By the way, Jill Badonsky is one of the wonderful artists who agreed to donate a piece of artwork to this cause. The first song that I wrote after I began working with Jill is "Infinite Possibility" — so everything has come full circle!) Although the album itself is very close to being complete, the event is in the beginning planning stages. I'm hoping to create a good deal of cross promotion and publicity for the Women for Women International, the artists and the project leading up to the event, which will be held in Dallas, Texas.
Q: What were some of the challenges you faced in beginning your creativity coaching practice?
A: Coaching brings me such joy. Nothing feels better than hanging up the phone after a great session with a client who has is making progress successfully integrating creative fulfillment in his or her life! I'd have to say that the biggest challenge for me is the marketing aspect of owning my own business. It's a challenge to balance that left-brained world with my right-brain leanings. Last summer I worked with a great business coach, Jennifer Moore, through her business Pink-Heels™ and that was very helpful. We worked together to create a mission statement for Creative Oasis Coaching, I learned about the benefits of social networking, and I began my blog, Mid-Life Oasis™.
Q: What advice do you have for those who are considering taking a big creative leap?
A: My number one piece of advice would be to make any big leap, begin with a small step. Confucius knew his stuff! "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." It sounds obvious, but in our haste to make things happen right now and our desire for instant gratification, we often blow right past this simple truth, and that can lead to feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and ultimately to giving up. With Creative Oasis Coaching, even daydreaming counts as an excellent first step. By allowing yourself to imagine and play the "what if" game, you open the door to the possibility of making your creative dreams come true. Secondly, seek support. Whether you take a class, join a group or work one-on-one with a creativity coach, having a support system provides the accountability and inspiration that can help you stick with your creative dreams and turn them into reality! •
©2008 by Molly Anderson. All rights reserved.
20 Questions with Jill Allison Bryan
By Chris Dunmire | Posted 10/3/11 | Updated 6/7/25
1. What's your name?
Jill Allison Bryan (I also answer to Mom, Sis, and Schatzi — depending on who's calling).
2. Where are you from?
Dallas, Texas (but I've lived in Novi, Michigan, Chicago, Illinois, Bridgewater, New Jersey, Nashville, Tennessee, Lubbock, Texas, Denton, Texas and the U.S. & British Virgin Islands as well).
3. Who are you today?
I'm a happy human who wakes up every day with a passion for life, love, creativity and good coffee.
4. What do you do? (Elevator speech)
I'm a singer/songwriter, certified Kaizen-Muse® Creativity Coach and the founder of Creative Oasis Coaching™. I help people create the time and space to experience the joy of creative fulfillment in all aspects of their busy lives. I practice what I preach by writing, recording and performing original music and infusing my life with creativity every chance I get.
5. What's your story (how did you get here)?
Years ago when my daughter began kindergarten, (she's in middle school now — how did that happen?) I realized that, although I love being a mom, somewhere in the midst of those years of diaper changes, first steps, mountains of Cheerios and PBS cartoons, I'd let some pretty wonderful parts of myself slip away. Where was the writer? Where was the musician, the entertainer? I had dozens of creative ideas I wanted to pursue, but no idea where to begin. I was overwhelmed, procrastinating and cranky. So I went looking for a way to change all of that.
First I took an Artist Way course, and though that was a great place to begin, it was connecting with Jill Badonsky and Kaizen-Muse® Creativity Coaching, and being coached by her that changed everything (cue the choir of angels background music — 'cause this felt like nothing short of miracle!).
After a few weeks of creativity coaching with Jill I was making music again. Within a month or two I was booking gigs, performing around town and writing new material. And within two years, I had written, recorded, co-produced and released my debut solo CD, "Dancing in Limbo," created a wildly fun and successful CD release as silent art auction which raised more than $10,000 for Women for Women International, completed the training to become a certified Kaizen-Muse® Creativity Coach and started my own business, Creative Oasis Coaching™. This from a legendary procrastinator, queen of self-sabotage and when it came to follow through — not so much.
6. Why is creativity important to you?
I truly can't imagine my life without creativity. I'm so thankful that creativity infuses all aspects of my life from deciding what to make for dinner to what I wear to writing and recording a new song. It just makes life brighter, better and more fun! I love the Albert Einstein quote: "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." My personal twist on that is that I choose to live as if everything is a creative possibility!
7. When/how did you realize you had a creative dream or calling to fulfill?
Since childhood I've been called to sing, write and act. I was called to be a creative in advertising as a copywriter after college. But when I found creativity coaching it was as if everything I'd been passionate about my entire life had been leading me to this ideal career.
8. How did you embrace it?
I already knew through personal experience that creativity coaching worked. When Jill asked me what I thought about taking the training to become a certified KMCC coach, I thought it would be fascinating to see behind the curtain and learn how it worked from the coach's perspective. By the time I had created and held my first creative retreat and experienced coaching a few people one-on-one, I knew that this was what I was meant to be doing. I had the thought, "Oh, so this is what I want to be when I grow up! Finally!"
9. How did that feel?
It was fantastic! It still does. It seems that several times a week I'll have a great session with a client or super fun group class or even a personal experience that reinforces my gratitude to have discovered and embraced creativity coaching.
10. Where has your journey taken you?
As I mentioned above, I've enjoyed major accomplishments such as recording my solo CD and creating a huge fundraising event and starting my own business that would never have seemed possible before I began my KMCC journey.
11. What challenges have you faced?
Like so many creative types, I still sometimes deal with procrastination, feeling overwhelmed or worrying about not being good enough. The difference is now I have a treasure chest of tools and techniques that help me move past all of those blocks quickly and get back to the joy of creativity!
12. What worked for you?
Pretty much all aspects of KMCC, but some favorites include small steps (Kaizen is a Japanese term that means 'small steps to continuous improvement'), starting with just two minutes at time and the gentle accountability of working with a creativity coach one-on-one.
13. What didn't work for you?
Trying to do it all by myself. I've learned to get help when I need help. Whether that be hiring someone to create my website rather than trying to add that to my plate or work with a coach or personal trainer, I'm a thousand times more productive and happy when I admit that I need help and find it!
14. What three tips can you share with those starting on a similar path?
- Be open to the non-linear nature of the creative process.
- Embrace imperfection! It lowers the pressure and helps you move forward.
- Take a class that interests you — you never know where it might lead. (I'll admit, I'm a self-proclaimed life-long learner — so this is something I passionate about.)
15. What are you working on now?
I try to perform at least once or twice a month. I'm teaching a fun group class series in Dallas called "Living the Creative Life," I have a full schedule of wonderful one-on-one coaching clients and I'm in the beginning stages of writing a book.
16. What's coming up for you in the next year?
A trip to Bhutan!
17. What else do you desire/dream to do?
Somewhere in the back of my mind I'm flirting with the idea of writing a musical and I'd like to do more acting again at some point. I plan to travel the globe spreading the good news about KMCC!
18. How will you make that happen?
Small steps, a sense of humor and knowing when to seek assistance.
19. What question do you want to answer that wasn't asked?
What's the best part about being a creativity coach?
Helping people discover they really can enjoy creatively fulfilling lives — no matter how busy they may be. Watching my clients' lives transform in amazing ways — usually in all aspects of their lives — not just creatively. I am grateful for the opportunity to do what I do every day!
20. Where can we connect with you?
Next: How one bullet sparked creative chaos
Jill Allison Bryan helps people to experience the joy and fulfillment that creativity can bring to their lives with Kaizen-Muse creativity coaching. …