Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Martin.
Michael, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Music has always been the defining cornerstone of my life. I was surrounded by music constantly throughout my childhood. My dad was a jazz trumpet player when he was younger and I always dreamed of performing in front of crowds. I picked up the trumpet at age 12 and soon, I was showing up to open mic nights at jazz clubs. I had my first regular gig by 15 in Columbia and have gigged regularly since then.
Thanks to my jazz background, I landed a scholarship to Appalachian State University, and it was there that I learned a new passion. In their Music Industry Studies program, I was trained in the science behind making music and fell in love with production and engineering. It was a small mountain town, but I managed to link up with a crew of incredible musicians and we started a live Hip Hop band with me as the MC and trumpet player. For years we toured the Southeast and I learned so much about the music touring culture that exists, and I realized Atlanta is where I needed to be.
Since I moved here, life has been crazy. I’ve shared the stage with so many amazing acts and have had to manage to gig and my full-time job as the senior Application Developer at Georgia Tech Research Institute. I’ve also landed myself with another talented group of musicians in a band called No Diggity, where I still get to showcase my skills on the mic and the horn in and around the Atlanta area.
It has been a balancing act, but I found a way to marry my love of music with my skills in programming as well. I started a digital design studio called Modern Design Solutions LLC, where we focus on building websites for independent musicians and find ways to streamline the many tasks that they have to take on with their careers.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road to this point wasn’t an easy one, and it definitely wasn’t a straight line. I’ve had so many moments where I was so close to quitting it all. In time, I learned that setbacks are the way that we gain flexibility. Were it not for the setbacks in my musical career. I wouldn’t have pursued a career in web development. When I was younger, I feared that I would lose my musical career when I found I was going to be a father, but it really helped push me to a whole new level of seriousness with my crafts.
The lesson I’ve learned is that while it may be true that if you set your mind to something, you will achieve it, there is an equally important skill that comes with knowing when to change your mind. I learned not to confuse a detour for a failure. I’m definitely not living the life I saw for myself when I was 18, but the life that I’m living right now is so much more rewarding.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Truth Hz story. Tell us more about your music.
I’ve still got my hand in a lot of pots. At Modern Design Solutions, we are working hard to build customized, beautiful websites that streamline the tasks that independent musicians have to take on with their careers. Something as common as a website can do so much more than just present a pretty picture of your career. It can be the central hub that you use to automate your whole business. We are also expanding our work to build apps that will hopefully help to bring more visibility to our amazing local Atlanta musicians and the venues that regularly feature them.
The pandemic has really changed the music scene. It’s been tough finding ways to perform, but as always, flexibility is a must. I’ve found a great community on YouTube Live and Twitch at the name @itsTruthHertz that really help me to get back on stage in a digital way.
My greatest pride is definitely my family. I have three amazing kids and a wonderful wife who supports me in everything I do. I owe everything great I’ve done to them. Not just for what they directly do to help, but more than anything because of the way they changed me. The way you fight for yourself is very different for how you fight for your family. That added momentum and pressure has pushed me to accomplish things I could never have done for my own benefit. As a result, I never take them for granted and prioritize them over everything. My legacy lies in the quality of the relationships that I hold with those closest to me. Knowing that is solid helps me to know that I’m set no matter what. Everything I achieve beyond that is just icing on the cake.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I have a funny relationship with luck. When I was younger, I saw other people seemingly get lucky and I would feel almost envious. “Why was I not lucky enough to have this or that happen to me?”. But, as I got older and really focused on my grind and stopped wishing for luck, I found that luck showed up much more often!
I stand on the shoulders of so many people and I see luck now as something that I can expect but not plan around. I know that as long as I stay focused, honorable, and truthful with everything I do, it will be there to lift me up in all the places that I may fall short.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://theTruthHz.com
- Phone: 8033512954
- Email: contact@theTruthHz.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itstruthhertz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsTruthHertz/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/itstruthhertz
- Other: http://ModernDesignSolutions.com
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