AMPLIFYING POTENTIAL: THE MAGIC OF MENTORSHIP IN MUSIC INDUSTRY
Over the course of my career, I've found myself thinking every now and then, "if only I had known about this when I was younger!" or "if only I had known someone who could have told me about these things!". Times were quite different when I started out, and contacting people was very different compared to what it is today, when you can just fire away a DM to anyone on LinkedIn. I've never had a mentor whom I would sit down with to discuss things, but I've had many people in life who have sometimes very unknowingly guided and taught me the tools of the trade. And to those people, I'm forever grateful! But I've also come across people during the years who refuse to share their knowledge with younger colleagues.
A friend of mine introduced me to a person in the industry who, at that time, seemed to be in many places and doing well. I asked him if he would tell me more about what he does and if he knew of any opportunities for people with my background. The answer I got was a door slammed straight in my face, with him questioning how dare I ask for the things he had worked so hard to achieve. He told me that if I wanted to work in music, I just had to do things and not think that because I had education, I was entitled to work in the business. I felt very sad reading that email because it showed how there are gatekeepers who want to keep you out and who look at your CV and only see your music management degree, not your years of experience. It was then, I believe the year might have been 2011, when I promised myself that I'd never speak to anyone wanting to enter the industry like that. I vowed to do my best to respond to every email I received, even if that response might come late. I've tried to support people entering the industry to the best of my abilities, whether by having them as interns or sharing my knowledge.
Fast forward to 2021. For the first time in my life, I joined a mentoring program as a mentor for Elevate Mentoring. It was a six-month program, and I was very much looking forward to my monthly meetings with my mentee. It took five years until I got to meet my mentee face-to-face, as we did all our sessions online, but it was such a rewarding and inspiring experience. Due to scheduling conflicts, I haven’t been able to join Elevate in the following years, but I have continued to work with people aspiring to work in live music. After some restructuring with Thrust Productions, I'm really glad to say mentoring is now part of our service offering, both as a free session and paid.
As you can tell from the previous paragraphs, in my opinion, mentoring should be regarded as the lifeblood of the music industry, enriching lives, nurturing talent, and propelling careers to new heights. It’s not a one-way street; it’s a symbiotic relationship that fuels both sides. Mentoring facilitates the transfer of knowledge, expertise, and wisdom from experienced veterans to novices. As mentees evolve into mentors themselves over time, the cycle of learning and growth perpetuates, ensuring the continuity of knowledge and wisdom across generations. In this way, mentorship becomes not only a means of individual development but also a legacy that enriches the entire music community.
So what can one expect from mentoring?
Personal development - Mentoring helps foster personal growth, nurturing qualities such as resilience, adaptability, and empathy. A mentor will bounce ideas with you, help you set goals, and keep you accountable for them.
Boost in confidence - Self-belief is everything, especially in the industry that’s as cutthroat as it is creative. A mentor will offer you honest feedback, build you up, help you find your voice and keep you on track to achieve your dreams.
Fast-tracking your career - The music industry thrives on connections. A mentor can help you navigate the industry maze, steering you toward the right gigs, deals, and opportunities you never knew existed but that can be crucial for building your career. If possible, a mentor will also help you connect with the right people in the industry for your career.
If you’re interested in having a mentoring session with me, check out this page for more information and calendar availabilities. If you’re interested in building a longer mentoring program, feel free to get in touch via the contact form on our website, and let’s work it out together.
PS: remember the guy I talked about in the beginning, who told me to f*ck off? He continued to behave awfully towards the people in the industry and people willing to work with him remained fewer and fewer. He has periods when he posts a few times a day that he would be willing to do any kind of work in the business as long as someone is willing to pay him. So if there’s any morale to that story, it’s the good old: you get what you give.
