Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiamo De Vettori.
Hi Tiamo , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
In my early 20s, I started writing poetry, and eventually realized that songwriting was like putting poetry to music. Seeking to impact more lives with my messages, I learned the guitar and wrote my first song. After making my live debut as a performing singer/songwriter, I quickly discovered my new burgeoning passion. Roughly three years later, I started gaining momentum performing at public venues, developing a loyal fan base, and recording studio albums. Songwriting awards followed, as well as greater opportunities with my live concerts and recorded music. In time, I embraced the privilege of doing my music as a full-time career. After a couple of years, momentum began to fade with concert and music sales. Rather than get discouraged, I began attending conferences about personal growth and entrepreneurship. I discovered a new outlet for my live music performances on conference stages. But the real breakthrough came when I realized that keynote speakers were good storytellers with a message. I was a storytelling songwriter, and felt that I had the stage presence to become a keynote speaker. The question then became, “Can I have success combing keynote speaking with live music?” My instinct was right as audiences loved this blend of music with speaking. With that reinforcement, I started delivering “Keynote Concerts” and experienced first-hand the promise of a new career path on conference stages. Additionally, I was getting hired to write custom songs for conferences and private clients. With ascending success, musicians who were witnessing this unique path had an abundance of questions for me. In time, I created an online course for musicians about my success model, and as my client base grew, I began leading live 3-day workshops, seminars, and retreats. After a decade of success leading seminars and coaching music artists, I yearned to focus on my personal life, including health, wellness, and quality family time. Following my inner compass, I embarked on a solo retreat weekend, and I came home with a life-shifting question that I never had before. I thought, “What would happen if I put joy first in my life?” I loved this inspiring question, but with the growing demands of my business, I didn’t know how to begin. However, I decided that I would commit to a year-long experiment to see what would happen if I scheduled joy daily, then structured my life around it. At the end of the year, I discovered that I went from working 50-60 hour weeks to 15-20 hours. I transformed all of my health challenges. I had a much deeper connection with my family and friends. I reclaimed my joy and zest for life. And I earned 30% more income while working 75% less. After experiencing this radical transformation in life and business, several of my entrepreneurial friends (many who were burned out like I was in the past) asked about how I was able to accomplish this new Joy First way of living. Realizing there was both a mindset and practical side to this model, I started writing a book about my year-long experiment and how others could venture on the same journey. After a few years, the Joy First book is complete, and I’ve given new speeches and talks about this topic at conferences, retreats, and the TEDx stage. Today, my new purpose is about helping others to find and live their life purpose through the power of joy.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Along my journey, there have been a bevi of struggles and set-backs. With my career as a singer/songwriter, there were many times where I performed in front of near empty rooms. On a number of occasions, these were large venues and I spent months hustling and promoting myself leading up to the concerts. I also encountered people in the music industry that were starting to take me down paths that didn’t resonate with who I am at heart. So, I stepped away from the music industry for a long period to reinvent myself, which I did in the conference world. As I grew my live seminar and coaching business, I enjoyed the success of it, but found myself hustling more than when I was a struggling musician. I was burned out, but I kept pushing to grow my reach and business. Eventually, my body was wearing down, and mystery illnesses were limiting me for a few years. This was some of the inspiration behind my Joy First journey, where then joy became my medicine, and my illnesses were healed.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
The foundation of my work has been around “Keynote Concerts” and teaching other message-driven musicians how to have success combining keynote speaking with live music. This has led to 15 years of leading live seminars, retreats, and masterminds. In between the events, I’ve conducted thousands of hours to private and group coaching. Currently, I have been immersing myself in the personal growth field, delivering speeches and talks, and writing my latest book, Joy First.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
This is an exert from my Joy First book which is one of my favorite childhood memories…
As I stood in the vibrant green grass surrounded by olive trees, the embrace of the hot afternoon sun, and tranquil sounds of the white Spanish fountain in the middle of the lawn, I was tormented in indecision.
It was the end of my school day, but this was no typical day as I was faced with a decision that came with clear consequences if I made the wrong choice.
Due to severe ear infections as a child, which was often initiated by water getting in my ears, under strict direction by our family doctor, my mom emphasized the importance of being careful around water.
And because one of my favorite things in life was to run through the sprinklers while waiting for mom to pick me up from school, it came to the point where she had to become more strict with me.
“Tiamo, when I pick you up from school, if I see you running through the sprinklers again, I’m going to have to ground you for a whole week,” mom said. Because I lived for play, being grounded was the worst thing that could happen to me, and an entire week seemed inconceivable!
Knowing what I was faced with, I’ll always remember that afternoon when I kept repeating to myself with my fists clenched tight, “When the sprinklers turn on, I WILL NOT run through them.” I was committed. I was sure of myself. I would stand my ground.
And then, the sprinklers turned on.
The sun’s rays were sparkling through the beads of water, and I could feel so much joy welling up inside me. I struggled to keep it down as my mind kept telling me “No!”, but my heart kept saying “YES!”. I was bursting with excitement.
In that moment, despite all of my five-year-old willpower, I completely gave in and surrendered to my joy. I threw my backpack down and ran through the sprinklers in reckless abandon while laughing and yelling with overflowing happiness, presence, and innocence.
Despite knowing the inevitable consequences, I felt wild and free. Every drop of this moment was going to be worth being grounded for a week.
After getting completely soaked from head to toe, I remember seeing mom arriving as she drove up to the curb, her face demonstrably in shock. Before she could exit the car, I remember crying, not only about the certainty of getting grounded, but knowing that I had disappointed her.
Regardless of my tears and awareness that I had given into my temptation, while driving home with my mom in tense silence, I felt a strange sense of peace. Something inside me instinctively knew about the importance of joy in the moment. Looking back on that day, it reminds me of our human nature and how we’re truly meant to be. In joy.
Contact Info:
- Website: JoyFirstBook.com and http://TiamoDevettori.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/tiamo_devettori
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/tiamo-de-vettori-4526661a6
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/user/tiamovideo
