Today we’d like to introduce you to Patricia Maertens.
Hi Patricia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Inglewood, a working-class neighborhood in South LA, during the 70s. At that time, it was a wonderfully diverse neighborhood, and I was surrounded by a swirl of Latino and African American culture. Alongside that was my parents’ mashup of immigrant influences — my mom is Salvadoran, and my dad is from Germany — meaning we had a constant stream of visitors from all over the world bringing their languages, foods, and music to my childhood.
My community was a roaming band of neighborhood kids and left to our own devices, we found imaginative, organic and creative ways to play. We spent whole summers and nearly every day after school dreaming up choreography for a new dance routine or roller skate routine (it was the 70’s!), creating plays where everyone had a role and singing to whatever new songs we loved.
Those long afternoons were formative to the philosophy of my company today. When kids have the opportunity to choose how they want to participate, are able to take their time, to work together, to start with joy… their love and appreciation of music and creativity blossoms. When there are no rules and they can express themselves freely, that is where the magic happens.
As I grew into a young adult, I began to explore the possibilities of music as a career and started the first of many projects, a hard-core 80’s punk band in high school, Top-40 bands in my late teens (paying my dues!), a Jazz Quartet that played around LA. I was also offered a contract with Polygram Germany at 19 which I declined realizing that the formulaic pop music did not align with my musical soul.
These experiences led me to Dick Grove School of Music. There I really learned what music and the music business was all about. After attending, I began to write, lead my own musical projects, and create my own my artistic vision. That was the beginning of my path to performing, songwriting, and producing my own original songs, some of which have been picked up for movies and TV shows.
I began working with younger children in 2004 and after several years of teaching early childhood music, I realized that the parents were all asking me for the same thing “please give us class music that is relatable and enjoyable for us too!”
I knew I could offer something to parents and kids that they couldn’t find anywhere else. So, in 2009 I started recording with a group of amazing musicians here in LA, and created six full albums of smart, eclectic, interesting and high-quality family music and began my own early childhood music and education company. Today, Ladybug Music is offering classes in more and more cities in the US and around the world. All our classes are taught by talented directors and instructors who are invested in the same goal: a music program that is playful, meaningful, and engaging.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In my own career, there were challenges being a woman in the male-dominated music industry. It takes a lot of effort and courage to push back against those forces. Especially when you’re trying to maintain a certain creative vision or stay true to your own values, any woman who finds success in this world is doing so despite a system that wasn’t designed for us. I’m very proud that I have been able to keep my integrity during this journey and not sway out of fear.
For Ladybug Music the big challenge — which now I can see as an advantage — was that I was creating a whole new space which potential clients might not understand. In 2009 our company, the music and the program were very different from the well-established and traditional music programs that were out there. Ladybug was the “new kid on the block” breaking the norms.
But I knew I could find families who really valued the same things I do, and over time our community has grown and proven that to be true. I have families who have seen several siblings through the program and their kids are now in their teens. When they tell me their whole family still sings Ladybug Music songs years later, it melts my heart and fills me with gratitude that they took this journey with us.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
What makes Ladybug Music different from other early childhood music companies is our philosophy around meaningful participation and Ladybug’s adult quality music. The parents and caretakers who come to our classes are invested in an immersive learning experience, not just 40 minutes of entertainment or an unstructured playdate.
I’m so proud of our highly engaging curriculum and also the music we use in class. The class songs are originals that I wrote and classics that I have rearranged, which were recorded with an extremely talented band, some of whom have gone on to win Grammys. The Ladybug catalog of music respects and celebrates children and the adults. In any one of our classes, you could hear styles from funk, jazz, classical, soul, country, folk, hip hop, Irish jigs, African traditional.
The time from babyhood to five years old is so important for bonding, language acquisition, and brain development, and the experience of learning alongside your child sets the stage for a lifelong relationship of curiosity and discovery. We lay the musical groundwork for a program where both the children and adults are inspired to participate. The whole experience is playful and lighthearted while offering real, deep learning.
Now that we’re expanding the licensing of our program, the community of Ladybug Music classes is spreading around the world, and I’m so excited for more and more teachers and music lovers to join us. A shout out to any musicians, parents or folks interested in starting a small business. If this sounds like something you’d like to be a part of — let’s chat!
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Honestly, working alone and being an introverted person made it difficult to find a personal mentor. So, in the beginning I found resources like podcasts and books that helped me, especially with the business side of things, which didn’t come naturally to my artist personality. And I haven’t been afraid to get help on certain things I know are not my strong suit. The first thing I did when I started this company was to hire a bookkeeper and a payroll service, so I’d never have to think about it.
I grew up in an entrepreneurial family, and one of the biggest blessings of that was a level of confidence that starting my own company was possible! Seek out people who have experience you don’t, whether that means working with a coach, asking people you admire specific questions about their process, or joining a group with similar values to expand your community. I have found that the world of artists, creatives and entrepreneurs is generous to people who are professional, gracious, and genuine.
Contact Info:
- Email:office@ladybugmusic.com
- Website: www.LadybugMusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ladybugmusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8qXDNyLL-bD7hhFfGQ9wnQ
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ladybug-music-studio-city
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7pvlb2IXmEnb9xg1sve2mc
Image Credits
Ladybug Music Inc.
