Grace Affeltranger – “If we stay static in this experience or even go back to the way things were, we are failing to overcome this”

Grace Affeltranger is a world-class singer and songwriter who also happens to be an entrepreneurial powerhouse. Raised in Pittsburgh, Affeltranger studied jazz piano and voice at Loyola University in Chicago, then brought her career to Nashville where she established herself as a professional musician and worked in artist management. Now back in Pittsburgh, Affeltranger owns and operates three local businesses — Botanical Vegan Cafe & Market in Aspinwall, Affeltranger Music Company, a collection of multiple musical endeavors including private lessons, and an online business selling sustainably-sourced supplements and cleaning products.

In the face of the pandemic, Affeltranger has had to adapt to a changing economy and culture. Her latest business, Botanical Vegan Cafe & Market, opened its doors just one week before the quarantine began. However, Affeltranger remains optimistic. In our interview, she speaks honestly about the emotional hardships the quarantine has meant for her personally, and shares words of wisdom and encouragement for us all.

You’re a musician who also runs multiple small businesses. Tell us a little about that and how they came to be.

Sometimes I joke that I start businesses to avoid actually going all-in in music, but it really comes down to setting myself up to have the financial freedom to do music for the love and not for the income. I own three businesses that are all impacted by COVID-19. My brick-and-mortar business is a vegan cafe and market that just opened its door to the public March 2nd, 2020. Botanical Vegan Cafe & Market was created to merge the social and health worlds to provide a boisterous happy hour environment without sacrificing your health. This business is affected greatly with the most to lose financially. It has only just begun a week before Pittsburgh shut down creating an obvious challenge of maintaining business and finances during a time when the public is limited in socializing. The next business is not affected negatively, but positively as the need for sustainably sourced nutrient-dense supplements are in high demand. My husband and I own and manage an online-based sales company that sells high end supplements, and plant based cleaning products. It aligns with both our passions to use sustainable products in our daily lives and maintain healthy lifestyles. My third business is my music company that currently is limited to voice and piano lesson online. I have been involved in management, tour directing and production, as well as performing in Nashville, TN that proved lucrative but definitely relied on performing to suit the public more than oneself. Amidst this pandemic, I think it is the entrepreneurs, and musicians, and creatives that will find ways to thrive. The economy and public needs creative thinkers now more than ever to satisfy new needs and a new market. 

What are some ways your businesses have adapted?

I am currently working on morphing my cafe into more of a grocery store that sells produce, grains, superfoods, and sanitary goods such as the coveted toilet paper. Our online sales company hasn’t changed much besides the fact that all of our meetings are over the phone or zoom. The music business has come to a complete halt. Venues are closed and no performances are happening in person, leaving musicians to find other ways to express themselves and earn a wage. My lessons are being formulated to online courses but will prove to be a different experience as there is so much to be said about the vibrations and exchange of energy when singing or performing physically near another. 

What have you been doing during this time to keep yourself mentally and physically healthy?

I will speak for myself when I say that this time has been a challenge. I am an extrovert to a T. I thrive off of small pointless exchanges in public and making someone laugh. People energize me so the change of being around literally no one all day has be quite taxing on my mental health. A positive I find in that experience is the rawness of our emotions that rear their ugly heads when we are forced to be quiet by ourselves for an extended period of time. I have faced a lot in the past month emotionally that I have pushed away for a rainy day (or 2 month long quarantine). It has overall been an experience that is bringing about growth and change. If we stay static in this experience or even “go back to the way things were”, we are failing to overcome this. We are sitting in our shit so to speak and we have to choose to stand up, wipe ourself off, and find a way out. I have days where I am super strong and can wash all the walls in my house while mentally developing the next implementation to my business plan, and the next day I can’t get out of bed without feeling like a failure with no friends. This time has highlighted the vast amount of pressure we place on ourselves, especially as creatives who see far beyond themselves into their future. We see endless possibilities and sometimes it’s maddening. I do yoga and try to keep my exercise up but most of all I tell myself all day that I am okay. I list things I am grateful for and focus on my life as a whole, big picture. How do I want to view myself when I look back on this in 10 years?

People turning to music like never before to find meaning and connection during these times. What would you like to say to them?

Music is like the mother we all wish we had (I actually have a fantastic mother so in my case, the mother I actually have). It knows exactly what to say when it needs to say it and at exactly the perfect volume and its only intention is to make us feel loved, included, and relevant. People should be turning to music right now, as well as when they want to celebrate, and mourn, and eat dinner, and decorate for the middle school dance, and literally any part of life. Music is such an overlooked therapy. It’s 100% valid that music helps us process emotions and get through periods of overwhelm or even extreme happiness like your first dance at your wedding. it marks moments in time, narrates history, brings nations and cultures together and has the power to force them apart. Music is so innate the public doesn’t realize how much power it has over us. Or maybe they do, all I know is that I am aware of it and still get beautiful overwhelmed at the impact music has in this world. I would say, never stop listening. Never stop searching for the perfect sound that makes you feel a certain way because its real. it’s not in your head, its a real vibration that is hitting a “chord” with you. It satisfies some vibrational imbalance in your body and mind and that’s why it ‘feels’ right. Have you ever said, “I don’t know why I like this song, I just do?” Vibrations. And also correlations to things in your past that may be happy memories, or maybe its intriguing and pulling you in a direction that is new and inspiring. There are endless directions. Keep searching and keep listening. 

What are some ways we can help support your endeavors right now?

For the couple of businesses I have, there are a few ways – the cafe, we are selling digital gift cards online. You can also purchase any menu items for pick up, OR we offer weekly delivery on Mondays and Tuesday for orders over $25. Search Botanical Vegan Cafe & Market for information or go to our website at www.botanicalvegancafe.com. For the online sales business, if you or anyone you know if looking for quality health vitamins, supplements, or plant based cleaning products, have them email me for more information and I’m happy to see if I can help them.  For lessons and music, I have a virtual tip jar on Venmo @Grace Affeltranger and would be grateful for any donation you would like give to support musicians and gig workers through this time. I also have been following updates regarding unemployment for gig workers and self-employed persons through this economic disaster and if anyone needs any information or assistance, I am happy to help where I can!

Any upcoming projects you’ve been working on?

I have an EP that is recorded and waiting for mixing. I am guilty of writing music and failing to produce and release it. I have an entire book of songs that need to be recorded. I play them out often so that might be the place to hear them, or maybe just maybe I’ll perform online some of them if I’m feeling crazy enough! I have material on Spotify. Search my name and it will come up. I don’t have to say this but anything before 2015, don’t judge. 😉