Meet Robert Levine of Beyond The Natural Foundation

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robert Levine.

Hi Robert, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am born and raised in Baltimore, MD. I grew up in a home where the music of Earth, Wind, & Fire, Isley Brothers, Gap Band, and many more R&B legends was our soundtrack. My desire to use music as the vehicle for my creative expression formed at a very young age and was cultivated when I began playing drums in church at 8 years old. My entire youth was a mixture of participating in school marching, jazz, and concert bands, and playing drums for various church choirs and community groups. After graduating college with a Bachelors of Science in Mathematics and Economics, I embarked on a 12-year career as an Actuarial Consultant. The entire time I knew I was being called to something greater. In 2013, I got the inspired vision to give back a summation of my life experiences as a musician, songwriter, and music producer to invest in the creative future of this world: our children and youth. I founded Beyond The Natural Foundation with a mission to serve youth by engaging them in music education and performance to provide expressive therapy and inspiration for creating greater life opportunities. After 10 years of tremendous success and impact in Baltimore, I was inspired to expand our programs to serve the children and youth of Nashville, TN, where I recently relocated to grow my career as a music producer. I started with a very successful drum clinic event for Nashville youth, followed by an impactful after school music production club at Independence Academy High School in Antioch funded by Tennessee Arts Commission. The rest is history! Onward and Upward from here!

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?
The road was not smooth nor would I have wanted it to be. It was all of the obstacles that formed my ability to navigate as an entrepreneur. Obviously, when you are a visionary you have to create things that have never existed, all while convincing others to appreciate this new thing and find value in it. For me, these obstacles occurred on many fronts because everything I did then, and even most things now, it’s usually my first time ever doing them. This is the life of a trailblazer. So of course, I had to find mentors and pick their brains about their own experiences as entrepreneurs, gaining the benefit of learning from their experiences in business, both good and bad. I had to organize the passion and purpose I had inside into an organized business plan that I can then take action on. Couple that with the stress of having to learn an entirely new industry for me, the world of nonprofits, and the stress of realizing that the most risky decision in my life of leaving my corporate job was looming over my head, anyone can see why that would be overwhelming. Of course, after commencing business there were many moments where I heard the word “NO” or even a lot of negative talk about what my success could be considering 30% of nonprofit organizations usually fail in the first 10 years. After a number denied grant applications, I still choose to use the word “No” as a navigational tool which means I’m always getting closer to my “Yes”. My faith is what ultimately anchors me during difficult times. This is why I can stand proud and say that after all the adversity highlighted by a global pandemic, Beyond The Natural Foundation is still here going strong and experiencing success each and every day!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Our mission is to serve children and youth by engaging them in music education and performance to provide expressive therapy and inspiration for creating greater life opportunities. We exist so that children and youth in cities across America can have access to rigorous and inspiring music arts enrichment programs while out of school. Founded in 2013, BTNF has served more than 3,000 children and youth by engaging them in after-school music programs, workshops and clinics, and music arts enrichment summer camps. Kids with no prior music experience get to have fun bonding with their peers while learning drumming, piano, songwriting, beat making, music production, steel pan, guitar, and many more program offerings. Our goal is always to be able to offer these fun experiences at low-to-no cost for families. We understand that music education is not a one-size-fits-all approach. BTNF is designed to accommodate diverse learning styles and backgrounds. We offer engaging content, interactive activities, hands-on experiences, with access to dynamic teaching artists, music industry professionals, and career development opportunities. What sets us apart is that we are primarily a mobile operation with the mission of being able to remove barriers of entry into the music arts enrichment space for as many children and youth as possible. We collaborate with schools, churches, recreation centers, and many other community organizations to show up with all equipment necessary for children to have a fun, engaging, and transformative life experiences.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
My most valuable lesson has been on time management. There are only 24 hours in a day. Contrary to what people may think because they always see me going and going and going…I do prioritize rest and time for mindfulness and meditation. I learned a better way to maximize my impact. I realized the “One of One” principle which says whatever you do in life, you are either going to be “One of Many”, “One of a Few”, or “One of One”. Therefore, don’t spend majority of your time in the space where you are one of many. In this space, you won’t be missed when you are gone, making you rather replaceable and not as valuable. If you are “One of a Few”, you should spend more time here because your presence is felt and your contribution is significant. You can still be replaced, but not as easily. However, the most important space is the “One of One” space where I matter the most and I’m doing the things that only I can do. These activities have to have priority over everything and are at the top of my list each and every day. After all, they matter the most to my legacy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.beyondthenatural.org
• Instagram: @btn_foundation
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/btnfoundation/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@btnftv3351