I’m excited (and nervous!) to share the soft launch of the Offbeat Academy.
After years in corporate America, most recently selling “AI solutions,” I’m returning to something that has been part of me since childhood: making music and sharing the joy it brings.
As a mother of two young children, I’ve been thinking about what I want to contribute to the world they’ll grow up in. For me, that starts with children themselves: encouraging their curiosity, giving them space to create, and helping them discover their own voices. The Offbeat Academy is my way of putting what I know and love toward that hope.
A childhood dream, finding its way back
When I was in kindergarten, someone asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. My answer was an art teacher. As I got older, that dream became teaching high school orchestra.
I never became either professionally. Life took me in a different direction, and for a long time, those dreams stayed in the background. But they never really left.
Starting the Offbeat Academy feels like finding my way back to my roots-and giving an old dream room to become something new.
Where the music began
My mother was a beautiful singer and music teacher in Seoul, where I was born. I like to think I was listening to her sing and play the piano before I even entered the world.
When I was very little, we moved to America so my father could continue his education. My parents were young-much younger than I am today-and building a life in a new country while navigating an unfamiliar language and culture.
Even through those challenges, they gave my little brother and me so many opportunities to learn and explore. Those experiences helped shape who I am today.
Now that I’m a mother myself, I’m beginning to understand the depth of their love and how much went into giving us those opportunities. My gratitude for them keeps growing.
My mother is my inspiration for spreading joy. Through her music and her love, she gave me something I now hope to pass on.
Passing it on
The skills and traditions I carry came from years of learning, and from my mother and grandmothers before me. I want to share them in a way that is positive for my community.
Through playful, violin-led classes, I hope the Offbeat Academy becomes a place where children can experiment, listen to one another, try something unfamiliar, and feel proud of what they create together.
Our children are our future-the people who will imagine, build, and lead what comes next. I hope to contribute a small part by helping them grow in confidence, think creatively, and find joy in connecting with others.
A beginning made possible by others
To my family-Anthony, M & G-thank you. I could not do this without your love and support. And to Grandma, Grandpa, 할머니, 할아버지, and Uncle David: thank you for being the village that helps our family thrive.
To the friends who encouraged me to give this dream a chance: thank you for helping me take the first step.
A special shoutout to my awesome neighbors, Andrea and Matt. If you’re looking for creative insights, check out their work at Pantones & Palindromes.
And to Yujin (my balcony neighbor), founder of Whimsy Art Club: thank you for being an inspiration and so generous with your support. We’re beginning in Fort Lee, NJ, where Yujin has graciously welcomed the Offbeat Academy to share the Whimsy studio. Please take a look at Whimsy Art Club and show this fellow local creative business some love!
Finally, thank you for being here, reading my story, and visiting the website. I hope you leave feeling a little more joyful-and inspired to share some of that joy with someone around you.
Juae
Founder, the Offbeat Academy
Making joy, one note at a time ♪
