by Lauren Campbell
Looking back, I am grateful for the ways that Olivia Management has pushed me to grow and apply my skills in unexpected ways. Let me explain:
When I applied to the OM internship in the spring of 2022, I never expected to be working here a year later. I have never taken a class on the music business, written a song, or anything that I imagined was a prerequisite to working in the music industry. Still, Erin took a chance on me, and I am grateful. I have been learning non-stop about the entertainment industry since my first day at OM, so it is bittersweet to recount the end of my time here.
I study English at Belmont University, and my professors often tell their students that the analytical and creative problem-solving skills we learn in the major courses are universal needs in any business. I knew my professors were right, but I had only worked in traditional English-related spaces before I worked for OM. I enjoyed those experiences immensely. Still, I felt like I had not taken a chance on exploring other career paths, which I desired to do before I graduated college.
I came across OM at the perfect time. I was at a Belmont University internship fair, and the art at the OM table caught my eye. Artists like Jill Andrews, Madeleine Kelson, and Ruthie Collins have such vibrant and earthy art that communicated to me that OM represented a lot of Folk/Americana artists, which is my favorite musical genre. This seemed the fresh opportunity I was looking to experience.
I approached the table and was greeted by OM employees Grace and Mackenzie. They told me about how OM is a women-led musical artist management company that stands for growing the opportunities and audiences of independent artists in Nashville.
Truthfully, I had no idea what artist management consisted of before speaking with them. Grace and Mackenzie had nothing but positive things to say about their employment at OM and their boss, Erin. I had a good feeling about them, and I decided to apply.
My first day at OM in January 2023 marked my first time working in the entertainment industry. I arrived at the office space, nervously anticipating the training session to prepare me for this new opportunity. Immediately, Erin set high standards for how interns were expected to behave and work. The office space accommodates six people, so unlike some internships, I always had a direct line of communication with the person sending me tasks to complete, and had someone check to see if I was meeting the standards. This effective communication is one of the major benefits I experienced at OM.
Outside the office, some of my favorite tasks included hanging up artist posters at various restaurants and stores around Nashville and helping with merchandise and tickets at artists’ concerts. I never thought I would get to explore Nashville or go to concerts for work. Yet, OM made that possible for me.
