Meet Amy Blankemeier | Founder & Host of THE SIX FOUR Podcast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amy Blankemeier and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amy, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
As an entrepreneur, risk factor is considered in every aspect of my career and life, but I believe without taking risks we limit our human potential. When starting my podcast, THE SIX FOUR, it was scary not only to start the business, but to put my voice, opinions, and music taste out into the world (literally!). I’m an introvert, so taking this step was huge for me. Once I made the decision, recorded the first episode, and put it out on the internet, the response was incredible. I received so much support and love which made taking the risk worth it. When you believe in yourself and what you’re doing, I think that changes the level of risk, too. I believe in the product I’m creating and am so passionate about the work I do that I will stop at nothing to succeed. With this approach, it makes things seem a lot less risky!

Throughout my life and career, I have taken huge risks, but I’ve reaped huge rewards because of them. In 2018 for example, I was accepted into a top university in London to pursue a Masters in computer science. I moved 5000 miles away from home and ended up dropping out two weeks later! I decided to follow my passion for music and the following year moved back to London to study Music Business. I learned so much, made friends from around the world, and followed my dreams to live in London and work in the music industry. When you take risks to go after something you love, or to fulfill a life goal, you won’t regret it. So get out there and get after it!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My career so far has been quite the adventure. I’ve done everything from music to working with special needs children, web development and computer science to even being a pool manager. Even throughout my career exploration, music has always been a constant in some way, but it took a lot of courage to step outside of the norm to pursue it. I’m currently working at Virgin Music by day, an indie music distributor under Universal Music Group, and host my indie music podcast THE SIX FOUR by night. I’ve gravitated towards indie music because I love the idea of helping the underdog and supporting artists as they grow in their careers. There is so much amazing music being made these days, and I’m grateful that I can be a part of a company that champions the diverse artists we work with. My path hasn’t been the easiest at times, but I was determined to make it in the music industry. I’m a big believer in manifestation and every year I create a vision board. This year I put a picture of the Universal Music Group logo next to the words “I love my job. I’m so grateful for the work I do.” I graduated with my Masters during a pandemic, so you can imagine the job market was pretty tough during 2020. While I was hustling to find my dream job, I looked at this vision board every day and read those words aloud. I applied for countless jobs, sent hundreds of cold emails, and faced a ton of rejections and “no”s along the way. One day, I cold emailed someone at Virgin asking for advice, and within two weeks they hired me. I think it’s important to remember to always keep moving forward despite any setbacks you may have, stay focused, and find people who are in your corner cheering you on. In everything I’ve learned in my career so far, it’s to be kind to people, show gratitude whenever possible, and pursue things that bring you joy and happiness. I think that’s the key to achieving great things in your career and in life.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As someone who grew up in North County but has lived in downtown San Diego, I’d show them the best of both worlds! For food and drinks in Oceanside, my hometown, I would definitely take them to Local Tap House for brunch, drinks at the rooftop of the Seabird hotel, and hit up any of the beaches in Oceanside or Carlsbad. Sandwiches at Board and Brew are a must, and we’d stop by the Stone Company Store in downtown Oside for some brewskis. For dessert, we’d head inland and go to Peppertree, a hole-in-the-wall ice cream shop in Vista with the best Boston milkshakes you’ll ever have. As we make our way down south, we’d stop in Encinitas for a California burrito from Taco Stand – there’s always a line but it’s worth the wait! We’d then cross the street and grab a cocktail at Death by Tequila (DxT) known for their signature margaritas. Later in the week we’d head towards San Diego, but stop in Torrey Pines for a quick hike with amazing ocean views. Next stop is Little Italy, where we’d hit up Underbelly for some bomb pork belly buns and tonkotsu ramen and then walk around the Farmer’s Market. On our way we’d stop for a quick cocktail at False Idol, a speakeasy inside Craft and Commerce. Next we’d head towards the Gaslamp, maybe play some games at The Deck and check out Seaport Village (since, you know, they’re a tourist). After that we’d shine up our boots and head to Moonshine Flats for a night of dancing and live music. To close out the trip, I’d take them to North Park, where we would explore the local shops and of course get Champs at Dark Horse Coffee. We’d go to my favorite bar in all of San Diego, Polite Provisions, and sip on delicious cocktails there. To close out the trip I’d book us in for a gig at Observatory North Park or head back to Little Italy to see a show at The Casbah.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First I want to give a huge shoutout to my mom. She’s been my biggest supporter from day one, even when I’ve changed careers 3847 times or have come up with crazy ideas. She’s always taught me the importance of doing what you love and she’s someone I continue to look up to to this day. She’s my hero. Thanks to my fam for being my cheerleaders during every win and loss throughout my career. I also want to recognize one of my favorite authors, Jen Sincero. She is the author of the “Badass” books series and her books have changed my life. If you want to achieve greatness, she’s your gal! Big love to all of the women and men in music who’ve mentored me – I wouldn’t be where I am without their support. To my London friends for getting me through grad school during a pandemic and showing me great music along the way, and my friends in San Diego for keeping me sane while living far away from the sunshine. And lastly, thanks to the haters – you motivate me to succeed even more.

Website: https://www.thesixfour.com

Instagram: @_thesixfour | @amy.n.b

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyblank