Founders Note #2

When I was 13, I saw my favorite guitarist perform live in Boston. As he stepped on stage, he played a song called “Glasgow Kiss” that changed everything for me. As we walked out, I turned to my dad and said, "I will play that song for my Berklee audition."

At that point, I had only been playing guitar for six months. But I went home, printed the sheet music, and started working. It took five years of relentless practice to finally master the piece. When the day came, I played "Glasgow Kiss" at my Berklee audition—and I got in. I only applied to one school. (My mom applied to a backup, just incase) But I knew what I wanted, and I was laser-focused.

That experience taught me the power of a clear, actionable goal. When I arrived at Berklee, I set my next goal: to put together a band, record an album, and start playing gigs. By the end of my first month, I had a band and we were writing music. Within a year, we were playing shows, getting record deal offers, and even landing a dream opportunity to perform on a progressive rock festival cruise.

Last year, I signed up for a triathlon. I had never swum a lap in my life and didn’t even own a road bike. By June, I was swimming 1,500m comfortably, and I crossed the finish line. Then I set another goal: swim 10,000m in a single session. I’ve now done it twice. (Currently working on my next fitness goal)

Now, my goals are bigger than music or triathlons:

🎶 Muzie.live will continue to grow and become the #1 platform for hosting online music lessons. (We’re already very close.)

🐝 Hiyve.io will become the biggest platform for online communication, reshaping how people connect.

Not all of my goals have come true. Most haven't. But enough of them have that I know the formula: persistence, focus, and a lot of luck.

The Takeaway: Goals don’t guarantee success. But without them, success is impossible.

What's one goal you set that still motivates you today?