WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Independent Women Features (IW Features), the grassroots storytelling and original journalism arm of Independent Women, released the fourth feature article in its Champion Women series highlighting Carla Ondrasik, former vice president of Creative Writer Development at EMI Music Publishing and author of “Stop Trying!: The Life-Transforming Power of Trying Less and Doing More,” which will be released on September 23, 2025. 

“My book is all about not trying,” Ondrasik told IW Features. “You can’t try to do anything. You can’t half heart your effort.”

[Photo credit: Michael Blank for Independent Women Features]

What success really requires, she added, is “a strong, determined mindset with strong, determined action.”

Ondrasik knows a thing or two about success. She’s had an impressive career in the music industry, having worked with some of the world’s most famous music artists, including Cher, Barbara Streisand, Christina Aguilera, and Mariah Carey, to name a few, as the vice president of Creative Writer Development at EMI Music Publishing. 

[Photo credit: Michael Blank for Independent Women Features]

“If there’s anything that you want to do, what I’ve learned is that you have to give it your all,” Ondrasik said. “You have to be fearless because there’s a lot of fear. So you have to face those fears and get through them.”  


[Photo credit: Michael Blank for Independent Women Features]

Read Carla Ondrasik’s profile here: Champion Women: Why Music Powerhouse Carla Ondrasik Wants You to Stop Trying 

“Carla Ondrasik’s message to young women is both refreshing and empowering,” said Samantha Aschieris, senior contributor for Independent Women Features and producer of the Champion Women series. “Her success—and her bold advice to stop overthinking and start acting—will resonate with any young woman chasing big dreams.” 

IW Features’ Champion Women series showcases the remarkable women who make up the fabric of America. These are women who inspire generations, give back to their communities, seek change for good, reach new heights, break barriers, tell the truth, care for their families, and believe in what they do. 

Read more Champion Women profiles below: 

Direct media inquiries and booking requests to [email protected]

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