Media Industry Guru (Forbs West)

Ruchi Parikh is currently a manager at 3V Method, a management company that represents a diverse roster of artists, writers, and producers. She got her start in the industry in college where during her 4 years she interned for many entertainment companies including Live Nation, Patriot Management, Scooter Braun Projects, and CAA. She started to independently manage some of her friends at USC to start immersing herself in the world of management and was able to land a job at 3V Method post-graduation where she continues to become more involved in the field.

Credits:

Track: Best Dress

Artist: 19&YOU

Label: 3V Records

Track: New Year's Eve

Artist: OSTON

Label: 3V Records

Here we are going to talk about all things Nashville! Have you been to Nashville? There is so much to do in the city you are never bored. You can always explore something new, hiking, music, culture, sports. The food is amazing (My favorite restaurant is Pemrose. Highly recommend if you like seafood). We are here with Kristen Westerbeck. She graduated 10 years ago from Belmont University studying the music business. Her first job out of college was working at CAA, one of the largest and most-premiere talent agencies. She then transitioned to working as the Marketing Director at a local brewery. After working there, she is now graduating in May with her MBA from Vanderbilt University and will be moving to Oregon work in the sports industry at Nike. We're going to hear about all things Nashville, her music industry experience, her MBA experience, and the advice that she gives to aspiring sports or entertainment professionals. 

Here is writer and director for Ela Road Films and proud member of the Writers Guild of America, Colin Francis Costello. He has many accolades incuding writing many episodes for PBSKids. He's been nominated for a Midwest Emmy award. He has written and directed short films including "Dreamwisher" which has won ten awards and "The After Party" which has played in 25 festivals internationally and has won five. Colin’s writing has gotten the attention of Spike Lee (whom he helped launch an ad agency with), Michael Bay, Dr. Maya Angelou, Reginald Hudlin, Tim Burton, Jan DeBont, Marcus Nispel, Pam Thomas, Disney, ABC, Netflix and The Montecito Picture Show Company. We are going to learn about his writing background and also his passion for helping others as an educator and advocate for aspiring writers. Colin volunteers for Young Storytellers, helping Latinx and Black 5th graders develop their screenwriting voices. He also teaches screenwriting at UCLA Extension and is a freelance journalist for Reel 360 News, an online outlet that covers advertising and entertainment.

Here we are with Lauren Castro. She is an entertainment journalist, writer and social media specialist for Texas Monthly. She knew that she wanted to be a writer before she got to college. She genuinely enjoys learning from others and what their passions may be, how they got to where they are, what makes them tick, etc. She loves storytelling and everything that goes into it: the vulnerability in sharing your innermost thoughts, pouring your heart into a project that can potentially help others, refining your own words and arranging a piece to better tell a story.

Once Lauren got to UT Austin, she was opened up to the world of journalism and how many facets there are to it. Reporting can come to you in so many ways (social media, video, podcasts, and traditionally, articles) and she just happened to land at a job that was in need of a social media editor. At Texas Monthly, she's been given the opportunity to work on my writing and report on topics she is interested in while also doing her main job which includes scheduling posts on all of our platforms, making sure each story is getting the promo it deserves, and keeping a finger on the pulse of the ever-changing media landscape. We will get to hear her favorite interviews and her upcoming professional goals as well as a few more sneak peaks for up and coming interviews.

Here, we are with Mason Edwards. He grew up on the east coast and after college moved to Nashville to pursue a career in the music industry but then turned entrepreneurial becoming a DJ. We will get to learn more about his experience and what it's like being a DJ in the South. We will get to hear his upcoming personal goals with his newest band's single and performances.

Today we are going to learn about NFL. Here we have Bruce Murray, a well-known journalist and sports broadcaster for SiriusXM. He was at Mad Dog Radio from 2006 to 2012 and he has been at SiriusXM NFL Radio since 2012. He had done a nationally syndicated morning show on sports new radio from 1996 to 2006 and started right his career in college radio right at Tulane's radio station (Roll Wave!) WTUL. Here he is going to talk about his experience and his advice on the ever evolving broadcasting industry. He will share his tips and trick to amazing students. He has been an incredible mentor to me and provides great wisdom about broadcasting.

For more information on Bruce Murray, check out: https://twitter.com/BruceMurrayNFL

https://www.facebook.com/brucemurraynflradio/

We are going to learn about debits and credits and the balance sheet, income statement, statement of cash flows, and the statement of shareholders' equity. Here is Matt Gillman, CPA. He went to American University and recieved an accounting degree and got his CPA license too. Prior to the university, he interned twice for his dad learning some of the ropes of the entertainment accounting industry. Now he works full-time as a Senior Analyst and Royalty Auditor over at Gelfand, Rennert, and Feldman. We are going to learn all things about his background and his new personal endeavor creating a travel blog.

Here we are with Dylan Emmet, music producer and artist. We will get the chance to hear more about his background in music and what got him passionate at such a young age to be an artist. We will get to hear more about his professional background as well mentoring artists on a day-to-day basis. We will wrap up the episode hearing more about his professional goals with producing and songwriting especially his latest upcoming releases.

Here we have a singer-songwriter, Sadelbia. She is a rising artist. We will learn about his composition background obtaining her BFA at Tulane and what it's like to start from scratch creating a folk and blues song. We will learn about her upcoming album, one of her latest songs "Love Like Loneliness," and the advice she will share to upcoming artists. 

Love Like Loneliness Credits:

Artist, Management, and Lyrics: Sadelbia

Production: Sadelbia Music

Label: S/R

Sound Engineer: Hustla at Green Tea Studios 

Co-producers:Logan Zutavern and Chris Prinzo

Here we are with Lea Kraft. She has a very unique story to tell with her industry background. She did an internship at Atlantic Records in A&R. Then upon graduating college she landed a job in the Business Development department for Disney doing strategy for mergers and acquisitions. Afterwards, she landed a role at Spotify in the Artist Research department. However, one of her biggest patterns within the industry is helping and seeking out talent. She also does artist management and represents Tim Atlas who she found at a Sofar Sounds concert. She will be sharing her story, her educational experience, and pieces of advice that she has taken along her career journey.

Here we are with Natalie Lane, founder and owner of Gloom Management. She will chat with us first and foremost about her experience being a child actress in commercials and then pivoting into management in her career without working at a big management firm. Natalie will share what it is like working with clients and helping them launch their endeavors on a professional and personal level. We will get to hear about her advice to rising music industry professionals and also students who are inquisitive to learn more about the management side on the industry.

Here we are back with another HipHop artist, Reggie Baril. We will get to hear more about some of his projects including his music videos and what it's like to not only be an artist but to also own his LLC, ToBySeason Creative Services LLC where he writes, records, performs, and produces original music and videos.

Here is Aaron Raus. He just started his career as a music professional in the music industry but is a creator and founder of the non-profit called THE FAM, a music industry platform. He started this as a class project and then he took the idea and made it into a club. Now THE FAM has 501c3 status. He is also a Junior Account Manager at Top Drawer Merch, working in a multitude of hats within the music industry and held 4 internships while at USC (including at Live Nation). We are going to hear his college experience, his creation of THE FAM, and his inspiration for being entrepreneurial and the tools and tips that he has given to members of his organization to be creators, leaders, and pioneers in the music industry.

Here we are with Lea, the band leader of LOLITSLEA. Here she will chat more about what made her interested in being a singer for a once pop artist to a neon pop punk band leader. We will get to learn about her current vocal experience and what have been some of the professional yet rewarding challenges. We will also get to hear about her experience with one of her first and most popular music videos, "I Guess I Like You Anyway." Finally, we will chat more about her goals and exciting announcements including traveling to LA for NextFest LA's Indie Music Festival and her upcoming album.

Here we will learn from Chad Gobar, independent filmmaker. We will get to hear about his upcoming latest projects for the new year and what it's like to move from the east coast to the west coast. Chad will also talk about his goals getting his works into indie film festivals.

Here in today's episode we are with Alany Rodriguez. Alany is a conference programmer at SXSW where she oversees the music mentor sessions, workplace track, and assists with new music conference initiatives. Her main role is to curate and showcase inspiring, creative, and forward-thinking content at SXSW by working with top industry professionals from around the globe. At 18 years old, Alany began working in the music industry. She started at Bass Concert Hall on UT Austin’s campus and climbed her way up into gaining invaluable experience working or interning at companies such as Warner Music Group, Live Nation, Pulse Music Group, Orienteer, and her previous role, which was at the Recording Academy working as the Texas Chapter GRAMMY U Representative. During her time at the GRAMMYs, Alany worked on both local and national projects, events, and initiatives, including GRAMMY Week festivities, launching the GU Instagram, GU Social Media lounge at SXSW, Texas Chapter Advocacy Day, GRAMMY Career Day, Up Close and Personal events with artists Leon Bridges and Rico Nasty, GRAMMY U’s national conference, and was a contributing writer for GRAMMY.com. Now in her role at SXSW, she continues to use her experiences in music/entertainment to curate unforgettable and valuable moments that have long lasting impact. We will wrap up the episode talking about her personal and professional goals and what advice she gives to aspiring industry professionals and also artists.

Ever wonder how a label operates? There are so many different sectors of a label. With me is Jay Gilbert who is the co-founder of Label Logic. You might have also heard him on a few of his own podcasts including Your Morning Coffee Podcast and the Music Biz Weekly Podcast. He has been a previous executive at among the top labels including Warner Music, Sony, Universal and worked as the VP of New Media and Online Marketing at Universal Music Enterprises. He is also a voting member of the recording academy and is a guest speaker for among the top entertainment universities in the country. He also has his own independent professional photography firm. Let’s welcome, Jay Gilbert, entrepreneur, executive, podcaster, lecturer, and music industry professional.

Here he is, the brother of Bruce B Godorn (Season 2, Episode 8 –https://bit.ly/3PV8ve7). He has been involved in the creative side of the music industry, as a music producer, singer, songwriter, saxophonist and entertainment executive. He has worked at Sony/BMG and also played on 4 Gold records with Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio on Arista). He was born in Detroit & mentored by an NBA Hall of Famer, Dave Bing before moving to L.A. This is where Andrew Woolfolk of Earth Wind and Fire & Ray Parker Jr. mentored him. He also appeared in Prince’s Partyman video. Now, we will get more insight about his day-to-day life, what he says about the DSP (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.) side of the music industry, and his eclectic experience working with some iconic artists. We will also hear two of his songs that he co-produced and sang including Every Day & Night & A Woman.

Everyday & Night

Artist: Horatio Gordon

Management: Horatio Gordon

Production & Songwriters: Darryl Rainey, Bruce B. Gordon, & Horatio H. Gordon

Label: Unreleased

A Woman

Artist: Horatio Gordon feat. Kacey the Songbird

Management: Horatio Gordon

Production & Songwriters: Horatio H. Gordon and Bruce B. Gordon

Label: Unreleased

Meet Aidan Adler who grew up in Kansas City, MO. Went to college at Tulane and double majored in Political Economy and Music of the Gulf South. He is currently working full-time at The New Orleans Jazz Museum as a Program and Production Coordinator. He is also a guitarist and has performed with George Porter and students at Loyola University in New Orleans. He is going to provide some advice about the music industry and his ventures working in the music industry. We will also get to hear about his guitar experience performing at NOLA venues.

Here we are interviewing Amanda Forbes. She graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2021 as an entertainment management major. She is a Florida native and has been working in the hospitality and touring industry since 2019. She has always loved concerts and has been to over 30 countries before she turned 18. Amanda is going to chat about all things about networking and her day-to-day job. She works as a Tour Accounting Assistant for the Dave Matthews Band. Amanda will also talk about her experience working as a freelancer for festivals and cruises. To wrap things up, we will hear more about her tips and tricks on networking and the advice that she shares including it is never to early to start and it is never too late to start.

Here today we are with Tyler, and Seth, and Masa and they are going to share their upcoming endeavors in the film world. We'll get to hear more about Vanlife which has acquired over 10,000 through a go-fund me page. We will also get to learn about their background and what got them passionate about the film business and who they look up to. We'll wrap up and part ways by hearing their upcoming professionals aspirations.

To learn more about VanLife:

https://www.instagram.com/vanlife_film/?hl=en

https://givebutter.com/vanlife

Here we are with Myles Hoffman. At 15, crashing his first concert, he bribed his way in with his savings and asked the crew on breaking into the music biz. Denied by top programs, he stumbled into Belmont University on a full ride. From there, he hustled—juggling internships across NYC, LA, and Nashville, founding IDENTITY Artist Management. Today, he helms IDENTITY, nurturing talents like Molly Grace, while freelancing for a slew of indie artists. We will get to hear his advice and life on living in Nashville.

Here is Jeff Pulver. Pulver is going to explain his unique background becoming an entrepreneur and having an accounting degree. He was a DJ in the 80s, establish his own firm for helping independent artists grow from the ground up and is a venture capitalist. He is the owner of Pulver Radio and has a law established in his name called the Pulver Order. We will learn about his unique background, how he is connected independent artists on his Zoom coffee platform and his life living in NYC being an investor for FourSquare and Twitter.

For more information on Jeff Pulver, you can check out his website at: https://www.pulver.com/

Here on the Media Industry Guru Podcast we are going to learn about Shadoe Stevens and what brought him interest to the radio broadcasting world. We are going to learn about his newest endeavors with Mental Radio and we'll get the opportunity to take a listen to some of his voice tracks. Finally, to wrap up our episode we'll get to hear some of his wisdom that he'll share to aspiring radio broadcasting professionals in their 20s. 

To learn more:

http://www.shadoe.com/

https://www.mentalradio.net/

Here is Sean Bucheck. He co-founded a producing studio called Stereogram Sound. We will learn about his musical background and his transition to producing and also pitching music for artists to get sync deals. He is also an in house mixing engineer for Symphonic Distribution. We will hear about what it is like to pay the hours as a producer until it pays off. We will be discussing music and its place in film whether it be composing, pitch writing, or post sound designed certified in Dolby Atmos. Finally, Sean will chat about his upcoming career goals.

Here we are interviewing Luis Oliart. He has worked with a lot of high profiled artists including The Doors and Fishbone. He is a musician himself and performs with his band called The Hinges. He is signed to Mesa Bluemoon Records. Here, we are going to chat about the A&R side and the digital media landscape of the music industry and what it is like touring as an artist and his upcoming personal and professional goals with his two newest singles called “Hold On To Your Love” and “Sad and Lonely.”

For more information on Luis: https://luisoliart.com/.

Here we are with Arielle Harris, Founder of RELMORE ENTERTAINMENT. Based in Los Angeles, California, Harris constantly surrounded by the world of music. As her involvement in the music industry expanded, she realized that her passion was in guiding artists and securing opportunities for those who had extraordinary talent and vision. After being taken under the wing of legendary music manager, Trudy Green (Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, to name a few), Harris quickly learned the effective and constructive ways to be a manager in the entertainment industry. She went on to work for talent managers in the digital space to better understand the landscape and eventually apply her knowledge and connections to the music space under her own company. She's been an independent music manager since July 2021 and has had the fortune of working with some of the best industry on both the talent and industry side. She will talk about what it's been like having her own company and her upcoming goals with her clients. She will also wrap up talking about advice that she's taken along her epic career journey.

Here we are with Andrew Portwood. He grew up in Colorado working at concerts and festivals sneaking into Red Rocks. He has had a lot of professional mentors along the way. He went to Belmont in Nashville and worked at the Ryman Auditorium and then moved to NOLA to work at the Joy Theatre under Winter Circle Productions and AEG Presents as the GM. He has worked at a number of venues in NOLA including MKTG, DBA, and the Howlin' Wolf. We are going to also learn about his experience and his music entrepreneurial journey as the founder of Fox Pocket where he does music industry consulting.

To learn more about Fox Pocket and Andrew Portwood: www.foxpocket.co

EPISODE 8 of SEASON 2 on TUESDAY! Bruce B. Gordon is a Consultant/CEO/Director, Producer, Songwriter and Actor for his firm Bruce Gordon Media. He started in this industry while attending UCLA studying economics and interning at Columbia Pictures now Sony and shadowing VPs and executives. He has also worked for Warner Bros. Entertainment. Bruce has also done a number of acting supporting roles, including the ABC prime-time miniseries “Roots: The Next Generations,” produced by David Wolper and the “Partyman” video for legendary Warner Bros. recording artist Prince. Before starting his firm and after graduating he has working in Accounting at Aaron Spelling Productions he has also written comedic scripts and sold them to iconic comedians including Joan Rivers. Furthermore, one of his short films that is well-known “Whole Nother Level” was selected in the Festival de Cannes Short Film Corner in France. We are going to learn more about his background and the advice he gives to students, recent graduates, and people in their 20s who are navigating the film business. https://www.brucegordonmedia.com/Consulting/

Here we are with Jo Mcakenzie from Kansas who moved to LA to pursue a career in music. Jo MacKenzie first discovered her love for music when her dad played Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock” in her childhood home in the suburbs of Kansas. Immediately inspired, she began writing music at age 7. Quickly enamored by production, she began teaching herself how to produce at age 11. Her indie-pop sound has morphed over the years, but she’s always been inspired by Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, and Lorde. Her music has been featured on Hulu, The CW, and an Amazon-charting podcast. MacKenzie’s newest self-produced single, “So Much More,” unabashedly celebrates the joy of young love and the universal feeling of wanting “so much more” than just friends. Jo will further chat about her upcoming professional goals as an artist including her campaign for her newest music video, Newly Fallen Snow. Check it out here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/newly-fallen-snow-music-video#/

Here we are with Andrew Adams, producer, mixer, and live sound engineer. Here, we will get to learn about his experience growing up in Ohio and then moving to Queens to work in NY. He has worked almost 30 years in this space and he will give us a day in the life of what's it like and some great resources for aspiring mixers.

Here in Episode 10 we are with Ryan Svendesen, music executive who is a Music Supervisor at Millennium Media, one of Hollywood's longest lasting independent studios. He is also a professional trumpet player and is a TikTok star. Have you heard of the Cactus Choir on TikTok? Well, that is him on TikTok @musicbefore. He has over 1.1 M followers. He is a champion for the arts and music and is also an educator teaching music supervision at UCLA Extension. Here we will learn more about his experience starting off in the music business, his arts career performing with Lil Nas X on Industry Baby (Trumpet-I told you long ago...) and the start of his TikTok creation, the Cactus Choir. 

Here we have an independent artist Kid Nozy and here he is going to share what it's like launching your own songs without a label and doing all the hard work while being persistent and hustling. He is featured on the DSPs including Spotify and SoundCloud. He is going to share his advice on pursuing your dreams in the music industry and what it is like being an independent R&B/Hip Hop artist. 

Have you heard the artist Sara Bareilles' most iconic song Love Song. I’m not gonna sing it since I haven’t warmed up my vocal cords and I’m not a professional singer but I’m here with an artist whose inspiration is Sara Barellies. She also looks up to Carly Pearce and Carole King. She is an independent singer/songwriter and we went to the same high school (Go Chargers!) She has performed at one of the most well-known venues called the Canyon Club in the sunny Agoura Hills area where even artists such as Pat Benatar, Smash Mouth, Linkin Park have performed there. Some of her songs have over 100,000 streams on Spotify and 34,000 monthly listeners and is very proactive as an artist. Let’s welcome Sami Siteman where we will hear about her songwriting process and we'll get to the opportunity to listen to one of her popular songs, Body Heat.

Credits:

Body Heat:

Artist, Management, and Lyrics: Sami Siteman

Production: Vittorio Iuè, Sami Siteman

Label: Self-released

Here this week we are with James Jordan. Music has been part of James' life since he was little and singing in church, but but dreaming of becoming a musician felt almost like a guilty pleasure. Then, he landed in New Orleans studying at Tulane University. It was here, surrounded by masters of music, that his dream gained traction including performing at the most popular NOLA festival, Jazz Fest. We will get to hear about her New Orleans experiences and his upcoming goals being a band leader and singer.

Here we are with Harry Eucrow. He plays Southern Gothic Americana and Folk-Rock along with his band The Sorry Lot. They've put out two EPs and a couple of singles over the last 5 years, and played a bunch of shows in Denmark, Norway, Spain and the US. Harry started out playing in a lot of shitty punk bands as a kid, then moved on to being campfire guitar player, and finally decided to take my music as seriously as others seemed to be doing. As Harald Toksværd, he is a novelist and playwright, with two novels, two books of poetry and a play behind him, and work as a newspaper opinion writer, academic researcher, mayoral speech writer and terrible bartender. We will get to her his career advice and what it is like being a musician outside of the US and his tips and upcoming personal and professional goals this upcoming 2025 year.

ENCORE! Let’s party on! In episode 6 on the Media Industry Guru Podcast, we will be chatting with Stacey Morales, founder of 1520 Vision and Festivals Assistant at Wasserman. Side fact…Stacey is a die hard K-Pop fan. 1520 Vision provides resources for aspiring music industry professionals with internship opportunities and finding a mentor/mentee in the field. During her college career at UC Irvine, Stacey has worked under VIP Nation under BTS, worked on many street teams for concerts, and now works as a Fairs and Festivals Assistant full-time at Wasserman Music. While also working full-time and being the founder of 1520 Vision, she manages a mid-level band called Foxglove and she creates quality content on TikTok for them. In her interview, we are going to learn more about how she explored the festival side of the music industry, her definition of fan engagement, and her company 1520 Vision. We are going to put her K-Pop Trivia to the test as well! 

Here we are with indie rock band Powers and The People based in Nashville. Here, we will get to learn about each of the band member's unique stories and how they got to form this collective band. We will get to hear more about their experiences creating songs including If It Ain't Broke, Big Man, and Places We Go. Finally, we will get to learn about their upcoming endeavors and goals in Nashville and who their dream artist would be to perform/headline for.

Lillimure is a singer, songwriter, and producer based in NYC. Influenced by melodies of her multicultural upbringing, she draws from introspective lyricism and pulsing grooves for when you want to run away and find yourself at the same time. Lillimure’s genre-bending sound can be described as pop with a heavy sensibility to musicianship influenced by sounds from R&B, jazz, and folk to the likes of John Mayer, Tom Misch, and Emily King.

Her journey began as a songwriter with her first single “Summer Blues” in 2017. Her latest singles, "Lately" (2024)and "Favorite Song" (2023), debut her work as a producer as well as showcase the band she tours with. Lillimure’s music has made its way to many stages including locally at the Pleasantville Music Festival, The Mercury Lounge opening for Kiltro and Eaglin, and her annual return to the New York Botanical Gardens, and internationally at The Forge in London and Salotto Di Alice in Naples, Italy.

Her upcoming body of work surrounds the emotions of knowing people and places for a brief period of time, and keeping those memories close as the pages turn. Find her on all social media @lillimure to keep up with her latest projects! Lillimure's next upcoming goals are to focus on her show at the Mercury Lounge on December 15 as well as her upcoming music video and single "Slow Rider" releasing in 2025.

Here we are with Nikita Lev. Nikita grew up on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, immersed in a world where music was always present. With a family background in chamber music and a mother who played in a 90s rock band, she was exposed to a wide range of sounds, from ABBA to The Rolling Stones. Inspired by seeing Taylor Swift perform on television at the age of four, she picked up a guitar and began writing songs by the time she was ten. Rather than following a traditional path of formal training, she developed her craft intuitively, allowing her songwriting to evolve naturally.

Her music exists at the intersection of indie pop, electronic, and cinematic storytelling, blending folk-like intimacy with layered, textured production. Influenced by artists like Radiohead, St. Vincent, and The 1975, she gravitates toward raw, emotionally charged soundscapes that explore themes of longing, transformation, and self-reconstruction. Whether through hypnotic guitars, pulsing beats, or haunting melodies, her work captures the tension between solitude and connection, nostalgia and uncertainty, and the fleeting moments that shape human experience. We will get to hear more about her professional experience, her upcoming goals with her new EP "Waiting" out May 16th and her goals regarding performing and songwriting collaboration.

Welcome back to another episode on the coolest most educational way to break into the Media Industry podcast. Have you heard of the company Patreon? They are a subscription based platform that allows content creators to set tiers to their fans to give them great perks such as exclusive content, merch, and many more awesome items. With me is Todd Tuchek. He is a tenacious media industry professional who works at Patreon as a Creator Partnerships Rep. Interesting side fact, he was also involved in the national tour of Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief, one of my favorite middle school books of all time. He is always striving for ambitious outcomes and he is always working very hard to keep on growing the creator economy. Here now we will get into Todd’s story and his involvement in the theatrical and content creator side of the media industry.

Anyone into doing the renege on TikTok or what’s your favorite dance. Feel free to DM me on instagram @mediaindustryguru. Would love to hear. I’m here with a TIkTok creator, influencer, who I worked with in college when I was a TikTok rep. He has interned at tech startups within the media industry and has worked for a big advertising agency based out of NYC. He has accrued over 1.1 million followers on TikTok and has just launched his own podcast. He is also pursuing his masters in media at The University of Tampa. He also was interviewed and got the opportunity to take part in the TikTok Billboard Awards. Here he is, Adam Barrera aka @adamtheflop on TikTok.

Here we are with Rem Scobell who is a writer and director. We will get to hear about his unique experience learning more about what it's like to be on the writing side of the short film world and learn more about marketing and branding within the film and digital content spaces.

Here we are with Amanda Sherman, a graduate of the University of Maryland. She developed a profound passion for the music industry during her undergraduate years. She was an active part of her school’s Music Business Society and record label. Amanda gained valuable experience as a Summer 2022 intern for Universal Music Group. Presently, she serves as the Digital Marketing Coordinator at Spirit Music Group, an independent music publisher representing renowned artists like The Who, Chaka Khan, Ingrid Michaelson, and Tim McGraw. Just when she thought she couldn't get enough of creative marketing in music, she is staring an indie record label with her friend Jake! We will wrap up the episode hearing more about her upcoming adventures with her label and what advice she'd like to share that she learned along her journey.

We are going to learn from Amanda Mester, PR and journalism professional. She is an entrepreneur, an academic, a writer, and a scholar. She has worked with a plethora of musicians in the NOLA music industry community especially the hip hop space. Amanda also went from living in NYC to discovering the music culture in NOLA. She is going to provide great advice and we will quiz her on hip hop trivia and we will learn more about music industry journalism. Right now, she is also pursuing her PHD in the creative arts at the University of New Orleans. Amanda is the founder of Under The Sun, a creative agency, The Gentilly Agency and co-founder of Jazz Crawl, a live event and digital media company.

Here we are with Sabrina Monique, a New York City-based alt-pop singer-songwriter, who has embarked on a courageous journey to artistic autonomy, marked by her upcoming debut album, "It’s Not Me, It’s You."

From a tumultuous upbringing in White Plains, New York, to navigating the pressures of the pop music industry and overcoming living with 12 women in an apartment, Monique's narrative is one of resilience and self-discovery. Rejecting formulaic norms, she channels her experiences into poignant yet catchy songs, characterized by radio-ready hooks and unvarnished lyrics.

With a background in skipping school for auditions and living in a crowded Manhattan apartment, Monique's path to success is filled with adventure and determination. Now, empowered and liberated, she emerges with a collection of songs that serve as battle anthems, giving voice to women's struggles against sexism and outdated industry stereotypes, all while asserting her role as the captain of her artistic journey. We will wrap up our episode hearing from Sabrina's detailing her advice for aspiring singers in NY and hear more about latest single, "It Was Always You."

Here we are going to talk about the film side of the industry and how to promote and market a film. We are going to learn about brand partnerships and marketing. I have an entertainment executive who is the Executive Vice President, Global Partnerships and Brand Strategy and Head of Location Based Entertainment at Sony Pictures Entertainment. He is responsible for the studio's continued global growth and extension of its brands including Uncharted, Spider-Man, Ghostbusters, Hotel Translyvania. We are going to learn about his marketing strategies and his initiatives, his personal background coming from Tulane to study film. We will also get to hear about one of his first jobs working in media working on big projects as a Field Manager for films including Ghostbusters and Karate Kid.

Here we are with Jennifer Alvarado. She is country and rock singer whose songs come from her love for Christianity. She has returned to her country roots where she released her first EP titled “Playing with Fire.” Her latest singles which we will hear include Rock This Way and Curious. She was named “One to Watch” by Nashville Songwriters Association in Spring 2021. Her songs “IDWYB” and “Filthy Water” were Top 10 Finalists for “Best Pop Song” and “Best Modern Country Song” for the Spring and Summer 2021 World Songwriting Awards. She also received an accolade by Indie Star Radio. Let’s welcome her to the podcast where we will learn more about her songwriting process, her tips and tricks to songwriting and her experience and advice working in the legal side of the entertainment industry as a paralegal. Credits: "Curious" and "Rock This Way": Artist - Jennifer Alvarado Management - Bsquared Mgmt Producer - Ricky Rodriguez at Bombhouse Recordings in Morganton, NC Label - unsigned Publisher - Jennifer Alvarado Music

Welcome to the first episode of the Media Industry Guru Podcast. Thank you for listening. Here, I’ll be sharing with you a very special guest Emily White who is an educator, entrepreneur, author, and podcaster. She is the founder of iVoted Festival garnering over 450+ artists to her virtual 2020 festival including with artists such as Billie Ellish, Playboi Carti, Jim James, Maggie Rogers, Young The Giant and many more. She has an educational book and podcast entitled How to Build a Sustainable Music Career and Collect All Revenue Streams as well as another publication entitled Interning 101. Furthermore, she is adjunct professor at NYU. Here, we will be talking about her experience in college at Northeastern University to transitioning full-time working in the music industry. She has worn a lot of different hats including in touring and launching her own firm Collective Entertainment. And now, let me introduce to you Emily White, entrepreneur, consultant, podcaster, founder, educator, and artist developer!

Here today Remy Ozer has a very special story. She started playing guitar then transitioned to being an artist manager while attending USC studying Communications and then after she took a few music industry courses and managed artists on the side. She landed an internship at Warner Chappell and this changed her vision of what type of career she wanted to pursue in the music business. It's interesting how one class and one internship can change your career endeavors. Now she is a licensed attorney for a big music publishing firm. She graduated with her law degree in 2 years. After that she passed the bar during COVID and now is working full-time. We are going to talk about her experience, the advice she gives and then we will quiz her on her music industry experience in law. 

I’m here with an outstanding guest who has been involved within the media entertainment industry at such a young age. She has worn many hats from being an actress, a college DJ radio broadcaster, director of theatrical productions and singer/songwriter. She has just released her EP called To Me with the band Sound of The Fury. She has also garnered internships at major music industry professional companies and now works at A+E Networks. I introduce to you outgoing, driven, and ambitious Amanda Marino where we will chat about her career path, her advice, and her industry background. Finally, we will get to take a listen to one of her band's songs. The band is called Sound of the Fury and the song is called Worst Thing to Do.

Worst Thing to Do 

Credits:

Music and Lyrics: Amanda Marino

Audio Production: Tim Enny

Mastering: Andy Greatorex

Distribution: Distrokid

Here we are with pop, folk, and R&B artist Brett Altman. He has had a lot of great performances in the NY area and has been recently been completing a residency at The Delancey in the East Village. We are going to learn more about his latest hits My Way Out and Abundance and what his advice is to aspiring pop artists. For more information on Brett Altman's Tour you can get tickets at: https://www.someday.fm/events/444664392088813571

https://linktr.ee/brettaltmanmusic

Credits: My Way Out; Abundance

Artist = Brett Altman (both songs co-written by Brett Altman & Colin Rowe / produced by Colin Rowe / mixed by Paul Kimsal / mastered by Idania Valencia)

Song title = My Way Out; Abundance

Album = My Way Out

Label = self-released

Management = self-managed

Here we are with Nina Musolino. She is a extraordinaire at Page 1 Management. She started at Red Light Management and prior to her experience over there was studying music business at Belmont University. She has worked with artists like BONES UK, Zella Day, Rayland Baxter, and Sure Sure. Now, she’s crafting her own empire at Page 1, representing talents like David Kerckhoff, Isabella Kearney-Nurse, Sayak Das, and Evan Cline. We will hear more about this epic journey from west coast to Nashville and her upcoming personal and professional goals in artist management.

We are in the studio interviewing another studio Acoustic Sessions LA Founder, Marco De Santiago. We are going to learn more about his industrial engineering background and what is was like growing up in Mexico and transitioning to the music industry world in LA. We will hear how he got plugged into the music industry thought MeetUp and what his upcoming goals are with Acoustic Sessions LA.

For more information on Acoustic Session LA events: https://acousticsessionsla.com/home

Here we are with Sandra Dib Biochemist turned to Artist Manager. She has always had an interest for working in the music industry and decided to take a leep of faith and fly out from Chicago to Los Angeles to pursue a career. That is where she stumbled into Artist Management and currently represents Lea The Leox. We are going to talk about her unique career path and her story of living life now out in LA and what skills she learned from science that transfer to the music business.

Here we are with a good friend of mine who I met when I took a film summer class in California as part of a humanities core requirement for my Tulane diploma. I had the pleasure of meeting a great friend Kristen Case. She studied film at Cal Lutheran and minored in dance and now is working as a freelancer in the film business doing many different gigs. She is very creative, driven, motivated, and passionate about the film industry. We will get to learn all about her day-to-day and what it is like working as a freelancer covering those crazy 5 AM shifts and sometimes also getting those good gigs too. Kristen will wrap up giving her points on maintaining a positive attitude. Finally, Kristen will wrap up the episode sharing her advice.

Here we are with Stephen Phillips. We will get to hear more about his background in music growing up in Syracuse and what it is like to have a team of musicians that are supporting you along your journey. We will also learn more about his works including "5:17," "Nineteen," and "twenty-two." Finally, we will get to learn more about Stephen's upcoming gigs in NYC and his other newest single coming out in September.

Wendy Parr, The Holistic Artist Coach + Founder of The Parr Method has spent 30 years in the entertainment industry empowering recording artists to develop their authentic voice with consistency across every platform. She empowers recording artists Melanie Martinez, Regina Spektor, Sara Bareilles, Ballistik Boyz, PVRIS, Qveen Herby, Marc Bassy, + took A Great Big World from 1st vocal session to a GRAMMY.

Compass, her 6 month artist development program takes pro + emerging artists on a deep dive into who they are empowering them to lean into and layer their weirdness, passions, and skills to create a magnetic and authentic brand. Wendy excels at bringing out the truth of the artist, the heart of their story + Uses her coaching skills to elevate, expand and take the artist somewhere new vocally + artistically.

She has been featured at the largest TED community, TEDx Gateway, NAMM, Jump Global, CLIVE DAVIS Institute, NYU, Chiat Day, CD Baby DIY Conference, and MusiCares. We will get to hear more about her programs and courses and basically a crash course 101 on living the life as a potentially successful artist.

Here we are with a first-generation Korean Brazilian and rising music executive who manages Korean American artist Audrey Nuna. Paula is carving out a unique space in the industry by championing social impact initiatives and helping artists find purpose beyond the stage.

As someone who has navigated the complexities of two distinct cultures, Paula is deeply connected to the growing wave of Korean cultural influence in the U.S., yet her work goes far beyond the typical K-pop narrative. She’s focused on amplifying the voices of underrepresented artists and pushing boundaries around what it means to be a Korean and Korean-American artist today. Her insights on blending music and philanthropy, building authentic social impact initiatives, and navigating cultural identity in the music business make her a compelling figure to watch.

Paula began her career at a major label in Brazil before joining Scooter Braun’s SB Projects, where she quickly rose to lead the company’s Social Impact and Philanthropy department. She played a key role in creating global campaigns for high-profile artists, including Demi Lovato’s reproductive rights initiative and Quavo’s anti-gun violence project, The Rocket Foundation. Now, she’s focused on developing artists with a strong sense of mission, purpose, and creative vision. With a degree from Berklee College of Music and additional studies at Harvard Business Online and MIT Sloan, Paula combines industry expertise with a deep passion for social good. We will up the episode getting her advice on social impact and justice.

Here is an interview with Hector Meza He is an entertainment music industry professional and has had a lot of experience from the agency side to the marketing side to now being the Director of Operations for an independent label, Guin Records. We will get to learn about Hector's role and how he gets to connect with all departments at the company. We will wrap up this episode by talking about keeping in touch with industry professionals.

Reina Mora is an LA based Puerto Rican singer/songwriter, performer, and activist. She writes and sings in multiple genres such as Rock, Pop, Folk, Latin, and even Country. She started singing well before she could ever speak, as her grandfather, a Puerto Rican Bolero, was her mentor through her early years.
Now, as a go to collaborator when writing with other artists, she loves the joy of making something out of nothing with like minded creatives. That level of trust, intimacy, and confidence in knowing that everyone has a story, it just hasn’t been written yet.
She also performs her own music, like her NPR featured single “Trouble”, or through her Folk Duo, Willow Crest, where their single “Folktale” won SiriusXm’s most haunting song of 2021!
She loves advocating through volunteering her time to WriteGirl, where she’s been a special guest the last 3 years and by helping SONA for the last 5 years. The thing she loves most from continuing to give back, is being a part of something bigger than herself. We will get to hear her advice living her dream out in LA pursuing music.

Today is an amazing day for learning about film production and TV development. Here is Peryn-Reeves Darby. She is currently working at Endeavor Content as the Manager of Film Development and Production. She oversees the distribution of many different film projects from IP to scripting to packaging to the finished product. She grew up in Mississippi and went to Harvard and studied Economics and Film. Then she transitioned to work on a desk as an Assistant at WME and now Endeavor Content. Peryn is also the founding programmer of the Social Justice Now Film Festival which is a global showcase of content that confronts the social and economic issues facing the United States’ in the DEI space. She has created a ton of events in this community and a coalition spanning to amplify voices of marginalized groups. She also ran a non profit at Harvard for a few years too and being a part of theater. We are going to learn all things about her involvement in social justice, film, philanthropy, and more.

AND...another great episode of finding your path within the Media Industry hosted by Forbs West. Today we are going to chat about the non-profit side of the music business especially in New Orleans. I have an entrepreneur on the line who connects creatives with resources to pursue their dreams in music. She has secured 501c3 status for her business and received a major grant from both the Jazz and Heritage Foundation and the State of Louisiana to help local musicians rebound professionally from COVID-19 setbacks. By the way, she has not one, not two, but three incredible businesses entitled Love Notes Music Group, Love Notes Music & Arts Foundation, and The Little Brown Basket, a customized gift baskets business for her music clients. We are going to hear about how to get grants for non-profits within the music industry, her educational background, and the advice that she gives to people in their early careers who want to work in the entrepreneurial non-profit side of the music industry.

Here we are with Courtney Cloud, licensed music industry attorney and artist manager. She grew up playing clarinet and with my dad playing music. She always knew she wanted to do something in music, but she tried a few different avenues.

She started in music education, then business, then law, and then she interned with a music publisher and the rest is history. Currently, Courtney is the Director of Copyright, A&R at TRO Essex Music Group which is a music publisher. Courtney also started my own management firm called Arioso Cloud Management.

She's been working in music publishing for a little over six years. She worked in law (real estate, landlord/tenant, trademark, and copyright law) for 2 years. Courtney went to Louisiana Tech for a business degree and then got my JD from Loyola College of Law New Orleans. Now she's a licensed lawyer in New Jersey. She handles all rights, agreements, metadata and sometimes royalties for our songwriters under copyright. Here she is going to share on the episode what it is like working in a lot of the different fields in the business and growing up in Louisiana. She will wrap up the episode with some exciting news in her artist management career.

Here we are with two band members from the band 2ŁØT. We will be speaking with Omar Jahwar II (Drummer, co-producer) and Robert Trusko (Bassist, Music Director, Ableton Push Player, co-producer). 2ŁØT is a genre-blending five-piece band creating transformative music that fuels social change. Known for their unique style, Electronic Jam Music (EJM), which merges hip hop, soul, funk, jazz, rock, and electronic elements, 2ŁØT approaches music as a tool for connection and advocacy. Formed during a period of uncertainty, the band—comprised of Rudy Love Jr, Omar Jawar II, Sage Judd, Chase Koch, and Robert Trusko—draws inspiration from the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, striving to combat social entropy with themes of resilience, community, and support.

Their new single, “Call For Me,” emphasizes the power of unconditional love and connection, underscored by a poignant music video about healing from substance abuse. A portion of the song’s proceeds supports The Phoenix, aligning with 2ŁØT’s dedication to addressing addiction recovery and social isolation. As they anticipate the release of their debut album this fall, 2ŁØT continues to inspire listeners to embrace connection and join their movement of positivity and societal impact. We will also get to hear their upcoming personal and professional goals with releases and contributing to non-profits.

Here we will learn from one of the first people that I've met in the radio broadcasting business Kris Daniels. How did I get in touch with her you may ask. It takes a lot of hustle to be in the music industry. I cold called a lot of my favorite radio stations growing up. I called Radio Disney and she answered the phone and I got a tour of the studio followed by a meet-and-greet with the Jonas Brothers. It was fantastic!

Now back to the episode,...we will get to hear more about Kris Daniels background growing up doing radio broadcasting as a teen and then going to college and getting a Masters in Psychology. We will hear about what is the difference between a host, producer, program director, and marketing director under the radio umbrella as they as combine to create an eclectic and vibrant radio station. We will get Kris Daniels' pointers on voice tracks and air checks as some of her parting wisdom before we hear more about her personal and professional goals.

Here today we have a singer-songwriter Sasha Salk. Here today is going to talk about his new EP called "Red Shirt" as well as his new upcoming works entitled "Useless Commentary" which has been released in mid-January. We will learn about his life growing up in Chicago and then graduating from Tulane (Roll Wave!) studying music. Sasha is going to explain his tips and tricks on working in the NOLA music industry. Credits: Red Shirt Artist: Sasha Salk Management: Sasha Salk Production: Mixed and Mastered by John Abbey at Kingsize Sound Labs (in Chicago, IL) Engineered by Sasha Salk, Jack Miele, and Adam Keil Recorded at The Music Shed (in New Orleans, LA) Label: S/R Shoes // Worn Down Artist: Sasha Salk Management: Sasha Salk Production: Mixed and Mastered by John Abbey at Kingsize Sound Labs (in Chicago, IL) Engineered by Sasha Salk, Jack Miele, and Adam Keil Recorded at The Music Shed (in New Orleans, LA) Label: N/A

Have you wanted to study the music industry and learn more about the guide to being a great songwriter? Mike Errico is the author of a new book entitled “Music, Lyrics, and Life: A Field Guide for the Advancing Songwriter.”  He is both a recording artist and a professor at Yale, Wesleyan, the New School, and NYU as well. And he’s here with me now to chat about his songwriting experience, his publication, and his advice to music industry professionals. 

Here is Chelsea Cankar. She started her career in music by having a music/fashion blog (Stic-of-the-Week). She really had learned the ropes of the industry through her creative mind, and this was pre-Instagram. She then ended up befriending some bookers and venues and covering shows, which then he finally told her she needed to start talking to PR people. Before she knew it she was having more own events/DJing and covering major music festivals like Lollapalooza and Coachella. Doing all this landed her a job at UMG and then Interscope and then forming her own business Cankar Creative. She will get to chat about her advice and the pros and cons of having her own business.

Here we are with Dylan Kaplan who is a Broadway producer, Tony award winner and MBA candidate at Stern. Here we will get to hear about his eclectic experience starting at NYU Tisch and getting his Bachelor's in Theatre Design and then a Master's in Performing Arts Management. We will also get to hear more about his NYU Stern MBA experience and what it's like to work with Broadway actors. We will get to hear more about his upcoming personal and professional aspirations.

Here we are with the Brooklyn-based band Boys Go To Jupiter. Here we will get to learn how the band met on a dating app. The band members will talk about each of their roles and how they contribute to the band collectively and will share some of their experience creating their biggest hits including: Last Last Time, Overconfident, and Wall St. We will get to learn about their upcoming 13 gigs and their album.

Happy Tuesday again and welcome to the Media Industry Guru Podcast for those that are aware of it welcome back and for those that aren’t this podcast will change how you can pursue your endeavors within the media industry. Today I’m here with a music industry professional who is a marketing manager for The Joy Theatre and promoter for Winter Circle Productions. He is also a realtor and husband and father. He is also a drummer and DJ. Let’s call in Austin Thompson to hear more about his experience in the music industry in the South.

Here we are interviewing Matt Kuttan. He is the Chief Creative Officer at PeterMayer Advertising in New Orleans. He has 30+ years of marketing experience and is a former columnist for the Chicago Tribune. He also speaks over 6 languages. We are going to learn about the marketing and advertising spaces within the media industry and Matt's upcoming professional goals within the creative enterprises.

Here we are with Mama B, the musical enchantress behind the whimsical world of "Imaginology," her debut album set to release on May 10th, just in time for Mother’s Day. Drawing inspiration from the imaginative tales of childhood, Mama B's music blends contemporary production with timeless songwriting, creating a magical experience for listeners of all ages.

With her latest single "Unicorn," Mama B showcases her talent for storytelling, weaving tales of mythical creatures and nocturnal adventures that captivate the imagination. This release follows the success of her collaborative project "Zoology," which garnered over 55 million streams and 14 million YouTube views.

Mama B brings over two decades of music expertise to "Imaginology," having worked in songwriting, pop artistry.

Raised in a musical household in Newport Beach, California, Mama B's childhood was steeped in the sounds of rock n' roll, soul, and Motown, laying the foundation for her passion for creating music that transcends generational boundaries.

Ever wonder how to create a playlist? We are going to review the ins and outs of playlists and talk about how artists can make money and what are the analytics behind a good playlist? Mike Warner is a music industry professional who works as the Director of Artist, Label and DSP Relations at Chartmetric. He helps independent artists on and off the charts. He has created a book called Work Hard Playlist Hard, https://workhardplaylisthard.com/p/book has his own podcast, and has been participating in a select group for LinkedIn’s accelerator program. We are going to learn about his music business background from starting off being a DJ at a few bars to now being a mentor for the next wave of artists and music business leaders.

Here, Logan Zutavern shares his experience in the marketing realm of the live events space in the music industry. Here we will hear about his tips and tricks about staying humble in the entertainment industry and what it's like learning from a venue and going to concerts. He just graduated UC Riverside in Marketing.

Here we are with Rachel Rose. Connecticut-born, Austin-launched, and Brooklyn-based indie folk/rock singer/songwriter Rachel Rose, known for her rich, nostalgic sound blending soul, folk, rock, and pop. Her debut EP "100/10/1" dropped in 2020, followed by the second EP "And One More Thing," produced by Charles Myers. Collaborations with industry heavyweights like John Alagia and Tyler Chester underscore her rising prominence. With sold-out shows at Rockwood Music Hall and Babys All Right, Rachel's career soared when she opened the Hootenanny Sessions at Cafe Wha? post a 50-year hiatus. A recent 3-month residency at The Bitter End and a slot as a featured artist at SXSW 2024 cement her status. She's shared stages with Juliet Ivy, Theo Kandel, and more, even gracing The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

Her original track "Back To The Beginning" made waves, landing in NPR Tiny Desk's Top Shelf Segment. Rachel's brand partnerships, including AEA Microphones and Virgin Hotels, showcase her versatility, while her performance of the national anthem at a Rangers MSG game underscored her impact beyond music.

We will get to hear about one of the biggest risks--quitting her full-time job to pursue a full-time career in music. She will be performing at the Brooklyn Bowl on May 9th.

Have you ever wanted to be a singer/songwriter and have to record your own works or have someone else record it for you, master it, mix it, edit it, engineer it? Barry Rosenblum runs Green Tea Studios out of Los Angeles. He moved from New York, was originally from Chicago, and has written publications for Lyrical Lemonade, Rap Fiesta, and many more. Also, Green Tea Studios has been featured in Voyage LA. Barry is the Co-Founder, CEO, and Director of Marketing for Green Tea Studios. Barry is going to share his wisdom on what is the difference between mixing and mastering, his advice to people that want to get into the audio engineering industry, the challenges he faced. We will also learn how he developed and ran a fried chicken business in college and how his sales and marketing experience led him to develop a recording studio. He connected his fried chicken business to the recording industry. Finally, we will hear about Barry's upcoming goals as he aspires to expand his business to Chicago. https://www.greenteastudios.com/

Here we are with Alyssa Heyer, actress, writer, and director. In middle school, her best friend really wanted to audition for the school play, but she didn't want to do it alone, so she dragged her into the audition with her. She ended up being cast as a kid who got to spray mace and she absolutely fell in love with theatre from there.

In high school, Alyssa continued to perform in plays and competitions ranging from state to internationals and was so blessed to be accepted into the University of Southern California's School of Dramatic Arts in 2019.

Growing up in Missouri, there's wasn't much opportunity for on-screen acting, so when she got to LA, she focused primarily on the business and art of film and television. Alyssa fell in love with everything about the process and have now dabbled in directing, screenwriting, casting, and producing, as well as maintaining my main passion of acting.

Alyssa would like to give a shoutout to Brandon Whipple and Some Dude Productions. She's been working with Brandon for 5 years and not only did he take a chance on her as an actor, but he's helped her grow so much as a person and artist. He gave her the opportunity to direct for the first time through SDP and has entrusted her with casting all of their productions. We will wrap up the episode where she will give some career advice and updates on her professional goals, one of them being getting an agent.

Here is Sam Tall. He works at Studio71 as the Director of Music & Content Operations. He is a 10-year digital media veteran with a demonstrated history of revenue creation for independent and major label music artists. He makes sure that all of the copyright, monetization, and platform management functions are handled properly and proactively for the roster of over a thousand content creators and artists. Here he has helped several independent artists quit their day jobs. He is analytically driven and research oriented. Now we will learn more about the Studio71 brand, his experience in NYC and in LA and all about artist management and content operations. 

Here we are with a C-Suite Executive, entertainment professional, and MBA candidate. Here name is Sienna Jackson. She is the founder and CEO of Zoran Creative Strategy which is a social impact and consultancy firm that works with clients to maximize their triple bottom line within the intersection of cause, culture, and capital. She is getting her MBA at UCLA Anderson and has a plethora of experiences within media for over 13 years and in philantrophy. She started college at 14 doing journalism and political news. She then transitioned to film licensing and the music industry. She gives $10,000 advice to current students and recent grads pursuing opportunities in the entertainment industry.

For more information on Sienna Jackson, you can look at her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siennajackson/.

Here we are with Sydney Oberholtzer. She is the host and producer of a Music Podcast called The Set Up. The Set Up helps you navigate new techniques in tech, music, entrepreneurship with the most disruptive professionals in the industry. It is available on DSPs including Spotify. Sydney is also a marketing consultant by trade and works independently to create awesome experiences for her clients, artists, tech companies, and brands. She has worked at Rolling Stone Magazine and AEG Presents and just recently transitioned from the corporate route to the entrepreneurial route. We will learn more about Sydney’s story, her development of her podcast and her firm, and the wisdom and support she provides to other rising entrepreneurs who want to create a podcast or start their own business. https://www.thesetupseries.com/

AND...REPORTING LIVE! Do you love telling stories and sharing them with the world? Do you like talking about what’s going on in the world with the weather, news, that famous celeb? Here today, I have a very special guest who has her own YouTube channel The Amanda Exclusivo (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQhBnu0HumNqJWL9wBWY1Qw), AKA Amanda Geffner. She is a New Jersey native and graduated from Hofstra University. In college, she has interned at big broadcasting companies, has worked for News 12 in NJ and now works full-time as a Digital Producer at WABC. Side fact, she is a Disney fanatic, a go-getter, and always determined to have fun. We are going to learn more about her eclectic broadcasting experience and the tips she shares tips and tricks to building a broadcasting resume.

Amanda Exclusivo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQhBnu0HumNqJWL9wBWY1Qw

I'm here with Bad Crystal Art AKA Tara Demers. She does the lights, camera, and action in the music industry, not talking about film. She is a digital artist and designs content for artists to create fan engagement. She has also done a ton of photography stuff at iHeart Radio and got even recognized by John Mayer. Now we will learn about Bad Crystal Art's projects and her latest endeavors into digital media and fan engagement.

Here we are with Sophie Sargent. She is a New England native building a career in media through persistence and passion. During college, she launched a self-help podcast and began working in radio and TV, while completing a degree in Homeland Security.

She currently co-hosts the morning show on 95.7 WZID, is a night DJ on 96.5 Live Free Country, and reports for NESN. Sophia also works as a freelance model and actress and is competing for Miss New Hampshire this May.

Follow along for updates on her work in media, her perspective as a member of Gen Z, and her journey across multiple creative platforms and her upcoming personal and professional goals with Miss New Hampshire.

In this episode, I’m bringing on that smooth jazz voice because you know why. I have to introduce a Jazz expert on my podcast, Lydia Liebman. She is the Founder and President of Lydia Liebman Promotions and was featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 in Music in 2020 during the Pandemic. This is woah!!! She is a publicist by trade and has a huge roster of R&B, soul, and jazz clients. She is always optimistic and never stops working and is an associate professor at RocNation School at Long Island University. Let’s now welcome Lydia Liebman to the Media Industry Guru Podcast.

https://lydialiebman.com/

Can anyone define for me what an artist manager does? A lot of people get the terms agent and manager confused so today I’m bringing on a guest who works at Red Light Management as an Executive Assistant and Day to Day Manager. She wears a lot of hats within the management side of the music business and manages a few emerging artists as well. She is also a trained vocalist. Here Lauren what it's like to work at one of the biggest artist management firms in the music industry, her goals for her developing artists, and where she thinks the industry is headed in artist representation. 

Here is Brit Balazar. Brit worked as a researcher in a brain cancer laboratory for two years from the ages 15 through 17 before experiencing multiple deaths in her life and realizing life was way too short to not pursue their greatest passion — arts and entertainment! We will learn more about Brit's background now pursuing a career in the entertainment and theater world as well as her upcoming personal and professional goals.

Follow Brit on Instagram @thebritbaltazar, and stay tuned for the official launch of Brit's next project — a reality TV immersive show at The 2025 Hollywood Fringe Festival!

If you're interested in booking Brit as a game host for any virtual parties, go to vortexevents.online and enter the discount code BRIT10.

It’s once again Tuesday on The Media Industry Guru Podcast. This week we’ll be talking about film scoring and licensing within the intersection of film, music, and TV. Virgil Thomas is a media executive helps bring music based IP to life on screen and help artists get their talent works into tv shows that you see. He is from the SF bay area and remains grounded and determined in a very competitive industry. Here is caring, charismatic, and helpful to others. His favorite song is Turn Your Lights Down Low by Lauryn Hill and Bob Marley. We are going to hear all about his advice on what is the difference between supervision, licensing, and editorial and what his day-to-day is like as a Manager of Music Creative at Endeavor Content, an independent film production company under the talent agency William Morris Endeavor (WME).

Here we are going to learn about the film industry for a sec since I have been rambling on with guests about the music industry. Step aside now…Crystal Dozier is one of the most hardworking masters in the film space. I had the pleasure of first connecting with her while she was at NBC on the studio lot! She has won an honorable mention for filming LA temptation. She worked at NBC in the finance department and now she is the CEO of Crystal Spotlight Productions. Crystal was the committee lead for TECHWoman and in the video committee at NBC in 2019. She has a strong background in sales when she started off in the entertainment industry working for a travel agency. She looks up to Oprah Winfrey as inspiration and has exciting new film projects that are in the works this year. Here, we are going to learn about how she got her launch in the film industry by working in her high school's journalism club. Crystal is also going to talk about the tips of networking and her upcoming film debut Favorite Son as well as what was it like to leave her 9-5 job to pursue her dream of having the three letter title, CEO.

Welcome back Media Industry Guru Fanatics on another epic episode. Today we are going to learn all things about film. Here I am with Yolanda Macias and she is the chief content officer and head of sales and marketing for Cinedigm. Cinedigm is an entertainment film company that specializes in digital cinema, streaming channels, content marketing, and distribution. She grew up in sunny Los Angeles from a bilingual and bicultural family, went to public school, and received her MBA from Northwestern University. Yolanda is also on the Board of Directors for Sketchers. We will talk about her greatest achievements both personally and professionally and the advice that she gives to 20-year-olds navigating the entertainment business. We will hear all this from a C-Suite executive. We will also get to learn about her philanthropic work, her goals, and her advice that she gives to aspiring media professionals who want to be entrepreneurial like herself. 

Here we are with Erica Wei. She has worked as the EA to the CEO at Rostrum Records where she did a lot of A&R and management responsibilities. Here, we will get to hear her college experience going to Wash U in St. Louis and then coming back to LA to pursue her dreams of working in the music industry.

Here is April Bredael who is a 21-year-old rising music industry professional. She got her start in high school as a journalist. She has had many different internships within the music industry and just wrapped one up at Warner Music in Nashville. The work that she has put into her professional career and helping out artists is outstanding. Taylor Swift is her inspiration and motivation. She has had internships in social media management, A&R, and marketing. She also interned 2x at WMG in summer of 2021 and summer of 2022. She is a part of the Warner Music college marketing program where she is a marketing rep promoting Warner Music to college students on campus at UW Madison. She also wrapped up her first-ever tour experience for Ethan Jewell's Lonely Together tour where she drove across the country gig after gig after gig. She is also responsible for booking and and marketing artists on her college campus's music club. Friends and family call her Girl Boss.

Kristoffer Birkedal is a musician and songwriter whose life revolves around his love for music. Songwriting is his passion and purpose—a craft he pursues with unwavering dedication because it brings him true happiness.

Drawing inspiration from genres with depth and substance, Kristoffer’s influences span folk, jazz, reggae, classical, and beyond. His own sound is deeply rooted in the 60s folk revival, shaped by artists like Nick Drake, Joni Mitchell, and Bert Jansch.

Kristoffer’s journey has been anything but conventional. From hitchhiking across Europe and playing gigs in small venues, to working on farms and performing on the streets, he has channeled his experiences into his art. His debut album, A Tapestry, set for release in 2025, captures years of personal growth and change.

Now based in Oslo, Kristoffer is finishing the album while co-hosting Folk & Røvere Festivalen, a folk music and poetry festival he organizes each summer with his girlfriend. The festival celebrates creativity, community, and the spirit of folk music.

Follow his journey as he brings his heartfelt stories to life through music.

Jordan Harari grew up in Bay Area and attended University of San Francisco and works in the licensing and clearancing department for a big studio. We are going to interview him tonight and discuss what his day-to-day entails. We will also get to wrap up and hear some advice on his transition from the agency side of the entertainment business to the clearancing side. Jordan will also chat about the article "Music Copyright in the Age of Forgetting" and how it has affected Jordan's work in the business. Jordan will wrap up the episode sharing his advice for those that are new to LA culture and life what it is like to transition to a new city.

https://www.theringer.com/music/2021/9/9/22663301/music-plagiarism-copyright-infringement-lorde-olivia-rodrigo-blurred-lines

Here we are with Danny Hanna, a writer and film editor. Here he is going to chat more about his professional background within the film and theatrical space and what it was like going to USC one of the top film schools. He is going to chat more about his credits and major highlights working with industry professionals and major actors. Finally, we will wrap up the episode hearing more about his application for the Hollywood Fringe Festival.

Here we are with Lila Forde. We will get to hear about her life growing up in Seattle and pursuing a career in music studying at USC's Thornton School of Music. Lila will also share her musical journey performing as a contestant on The Voice and placing in the Top 5. Lila will wrap up our episode sharing her career advice and her upcoming personal and professional goals especially with her EP encompassing her song performances from The Voice and her new Album.

Here we are with the Pinktastic Plastixx. Here we will get to learn more about how they formed the band and we'll be chatting with two of the band members including lead singer Kitten Kay Sara and guitarist Celinda. We will get to learn about some of their favorite Hollywood venues experiences and they will share their career advice if you want to form a band.

Today I have an MBA graduate who prior to pursuing his MBA he started working at CAA, then went into artist management and then into booking and touring at APA. He started his MBA in fall of 2020 due to COVID and has been very open minded and inquisitive. He is also an artist on the side and grew up on an island. Here, Gabriel Berenson will describe what it's like going to business school, his tips and advice on being a generalist and his experience working in the agency world and transferring his skills in tech.

Here we are with David Frangioni. He is here to chat about his amazing drum kits with Goldin. He talks about his experience appearing on Netflix’s King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch. David also will chat about the iconic drum kits that he's auctioned as well as other rare music memorabilia. This collection includes legendary kits from Neal Smith (Alice Cooper), Joe Stefko (Meat Loaf), Frank Beard (ZZ Top), and Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick). Finally, he will also share his books that's published as well his upcoming goals with his museum.