Welcome to the 22nd episode of the Troubled Artists Podcast. In today’s episode, I’m interviewing author and musician, Ray Hartjen.

In a professional career that has spanned parts of five decades, Ray has pivoted on many occasions, from investment banking to pharmaceuticals, from consumer electronics to SaaS software. One constant throughout his career path, however, has been storytelling.

In the past, Ray has been a frequent source for quotes from the national media on both the consumer electronics and retail industries. Additionally, as a contributor to a number of online outlets and platforms, including his rayhartjen.com site, he has spun his fair share of yarn on topics as far ranging as sports — primarily football, hockey and auto racing — and business, particularly revenue team functions like sales and marketing. 

Ray is the author of five published books, Immaculate: How the Steelers Saved Pittsburgh; Me, Myself & My Multiple Myeloma; The Indy 500: A Year-Long Quest to Win the Greatest Spectacle in Racing; Revenue Orchestration & Today’s New Era of B2B Sales and Marketing, and Outflanked, an espionage thriller.

Diagnosed with multiple myeloma in March of 2019, Ray is a cancer fighter every day of the week that ends in a ‘y.’ And, with the soundtrack of life playing continuously in his head, Ray also performs and records with his two-piece acoustic band, the Chronic Padres. 

A native of Texas, Ray holds an undergraduate degree from Eastern Kentucky University and an MBA from the University of Washington.

We’ll be discussing his upbringings as an artist and share advice for future artists around the world.

Ray Hartjen’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayhartjen?igsh=OWhoNzdscW4xZ2Jn

Ray Hartjen’s YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rayhartjen?si=QzJWqQgUgIBPkAkL

“Immaculate: How the Steelers Saved Pittsburgh”: https://a.co/d/2efKkvU

“Me, Myself, & My Multiple Myeloma”: https://a.co/d/b1pUBZ9

The Indy 500: A Year-Long Quest to Win the Greatest Spectacle in Racing: https://a.co/d/8JjrkSw