With all these strings to her bow, it’s no surprise that Keturah was high on our list of women to interview. A DJ, radio broadcaster, music curator, label founder and self professed ‘slashie’ (a term for the modern day multi-hyphenate) Keturah has launched a new podcast, Jackie of all Trades, out now via all Podcast platforms. Is there anything this woman can’t do? We find out.

Oremie: Would you say your main passion is music? Where did it all start and what's your favourite genre?

Keturah: Music definitely underpins most of my creative pursuits, so much of my life and my career trajectory to date has been tied to my love of music.

It probably started with scouring the internet via Limewire and similar sites for new music, and making mix CDs for myself and my friends. Nowadays that would be called ‘curation’, but back then it was just a fun thing to do without much of a thought.

There’s no way I’d ever have just one favourite genre! Maybe it’s a personality trait, because much like having a multifaceted career, I have multiple favourite genres and it splits out even more between what I enjoy listening to walking down the street, to what I enjoy playing in my DJ sets. That could be R&B to Baltimore Club music. It’s more about the vibe for me than the genre.

Oremie: How was it starting out as a multi-hyphenate? Did you have one area you focussed on more, say DJ-ing, or have you always thought you’d like to do a combination of different interests, hobbies etc.?

Keturah: At the beginning I never set out to be a multi-hyphenate or even realised it was possible to have a ‘multifaceted’ career. It really all started with creating a music blog cause I wanted to share all of the new artists and alt sounds I was finding online. 

Everything that came after that was part curiosity around trying and self-teaching new things, and later, part necessity to be able to grow my music blog to a YouTube channel, a radio show, and live events to fill a gap in my hometown (Manchester). Even when they were all in the mix (no pun intended) it was very much for enjoyment.

DJ-ing came a little later and was actually something I’d tried to learn previously while I was in university, but I got frustrated at not being able to crack beatmatching, so I gave up and didn’t go back to it for years. It was definitely a natural progression from making mix CDs back in the day.

I wouldn’t have been able to choose one solo pursuit to be honest, so it’s probably a good thing that all of this has worked out!

Oremie: How or when did you know you wanted more than one career?

Keturah: As cliche as it sounds, variety really is the spice of life. I left secondary school, sixth form and university not knowing what I wanted to do career-wise, so when I started exploring all of these different things and learning all of these new skills, there was no way I was going to choose just one; I was having too much fun and still had too much to learn. The challenge was trying to figure out how to make them all work together so it made sense financially.

Oremie: How does Forward Slash work? What inspired you to start this company?

Keturah: Forward Slash is a creative solutions company, so in a nutshell we combine creativity, communication and culture to help our clients authentically connect with their audiences. This could be strategy, education, content production, generating ideas, social media management, delivering projects and campaigns etc.. 

My team is made up of super talented individuals who are primarily experts in one or two areas, but are also multi-hyphenates in their own right. This is a conscious hiring decision on my part, rather than a coincidence.

In 2018 I left my full time role at a media broadcasting company to try out freelancing as a cultural strategist and digital marketing consultant, along with DJ-ing. After a year of consistent client work (that required me to hire other freelancers to help deliver), I realised there was a clear need and demand for creative marketing services that prioritise building authentic engagement between the creative/brand and the target audience, and providing them with real value, over uninspired sales and promo messaging.

Currently the company comprises Forward Slash Creative (client agency services), Forward Slash Studio (motion & stills production)  and Forward Slash Academy (educational platform for other creatives, entrepreneurs & small business owners).

Oremie: Who inspires you in life?

Keturah: I’m inspired by lots of people, some I know personally, others I’ve never met. I’m drawn to people that haven’t necessarily figured out life, but have found something that brings them joy and are dedicated to seemingly making the most of the experience.

Oremie: What advice would you give to others wanting to combine multiple ideas, passions, and careers?

Keturah: For me, I didn’t know a multifaceted career was a thing or even a possibility and I never set out to make it so; it came together very organically. So my advice would be to consistently explore all of the things you’re interested in and are most passionate about. Over time it will become apparent which ones you want to pursue further, where there might be crossover or similarities between them and how you might be able to leverage each of them to support yourself financially.

I also think it’s important to have other interests outside of what you want to/think you want to pursue. As much as you can love what you do, it can be all consuming at points. So much inspiration and ideas for my work comes from outside of music and marketing.

Oremie: What is the most important character trait for multi-creatives?

Keturah: I think overall, curiosity, but coupled with organisation and tenacity.

Oremie: Does anything make you feel insecure? If so, how do you deal with such feelings?

Keturah: That this is the life I chose, meaning I can’t realistically give 100% to everything I’m doing all at the same time. So getting caught up in comparison with people that have put in their 10,000 hours pursuing one of the three/four things I’m juggling, and are rightly achieving the deserved success from that, is fruitless. But it crops up from time to time and I always try to remind myself that none of this is by force. At any point I can decide to stop pursuing 50 things and focus on one or two. But then I remember how much I enjoy the variety and those thoughts quickly go away!

Oremie: Would you say you are spiritual? If so, what does being spiritual mean to you?

Keturah: I think the definition and depth of spirituality will differ depending on who you ask. For me, being spiritual is recognising that life is bigger than all of us as humans and individuals, and taking time to tap out to stay connected to this notion. Which I think is heavily reflected in how you treat people and the way you approach everyday life.

Oremie: Being so busy, how do you look after your mental and physical health?

Keturah: Admittedly, I‘m not always consistent with prioritising my mental health, and can fall into unhealthy habits quite quickly; particularly when it’s a busy time at work. But when I am focused and have a good routine going, I’ll meditate in the mornings, write down my reflections at the end of the week and try and get a full 8 hours sleep in at least half the week. 

In terms of physical health, I mainly exercise through playing football every week. Being part of a team means I stay committed to training and matches (even if I’ve DJ’d til 4am the night before!)

Oremie: Is fitness important to you, do you use a trainer?

Keturah: Fitness is definitely important to me, I don’t use a trainer but find the combination of cardio and strength training I get from playing football keeps my fitness levels up.

Oremie: Finally, what are some of your other interests, and hobbies in life?

Keturah: Playing football - I train and play competitively every week. Playing the piano. Reading. Solo travel.

Jackie of all Trades is out now. Go and give Keturah a listen HERE.

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Oremie Bidwell is a fashion designer turned personal trainer/life coach. She is also a writer & author of one book, Absolute Nightmare on Dartmouth Road. For more info please see: www.gettingoverpain.com.