How I Started in the Music Industry with Zero Experience

I have spent more than a decade in the music industry, and when I tell people, followed by the comment that I left my corporate job just a few years ago, they are often perplexed. The short answer is yes, I was juggling two careers over the past decade. Truthfully, that’s how I was able to get to where I am today with my freelance work, allowing me to quit my day job and work for myself full-time.

But, of course, there’s a long backstory to how and why I got started in this industry. It all goes back to my first few days as a young adult living in the Seattle area. I was in my junior year of college at the University of Washington, pursuing a degree in technology management. This was around the same time when I got my first job at Apple, working at the genius bar and what they called back then the red zone. I’ve always been a big fan of electronic dance music, and prior to my university years, I was a DJ at local parties in high school and in the fraternity I was in. I feel like that background really paved the way for my interest in live event work. As soon as I turned 21 in the Seattle area, I was invited to go to several nightclubs with some friends.

Enter the Nightlife Industry

That’s when things got interesting. I immediately fell in love with the high level of production that many of these nightclubs had. Sure, the party was fun, but while most of my other friends were drowning themselves in alcohol, I was transfixed on the lighting, the audio, SFX, and all other aspects of the nightclub environment that created such a sensory overload. I was hooked and started going out to various nightclubs and music halls at least three or four times a week. Of course, during this time, I worked a full day job at Apple, so the only time I had available was after work. I remember some nights I would get off work at Apple at 9 PM, head straight to the club for 10 PM doors, and wouldn’t get home until three or 4 AM, with work starting at 8 AM the next day. It was definitely a rough schedule and not something I can still do, which is why I’m glad I took the risk and did it when I was younger.

There’s a saying—I can’t remember exactly how it goes, but it has something to do with hanging around the barbershop long enough, and you’ll eventually get a haircut. That’s exactly what happened in my experience. I became such a regular at these music halls and nightclubs that the local staff began to recognize me, and I became their friend. It was a difficult balance, maintaining my expectations of professionalism with the party scene. I’ve seen, even to this day, many talented individuals get lost in the sauce, so to speak. I mean, let’s be honest, it’s tempting to give in to the party when you’re there every single night!

Level Up!

Eventually, I got acquainted with some higher-level management at one particular club. The artist relations managers at the time, a couple that was many years older than me, saw that I had a genuine interest in learning what they did and working with their team. They took me in as an intern. Those first few years of being an intern were rough. Every night, I would have to arrive before doors opened, run to local grocery stores to purchase various snacks and rider items for artists performing that night. Then, I had to tend to artists and their friends' needs all night, bringing them drinks, snacks, or whatever else they may ask for.

I did this intern work for probably about three years. And when I say intern, I truly mean intern—I was getting paid zero dollars to be there three nights a week from 9 PM until 3 AM. But at the time, for a young adult male who loved music, dancing, and partying, it really didn’t feel like work. It felt like I got to hang out with some cool people in a cool place doing some cool things. I think my genuine interest in the nightlife and music scene is what pushed me through those early years of working for free, essentially.

Eventually, the management team ended up stepping down, and because I was the most trained and qualified to fill their place, I did. That meant I was brought on as a full-time employee, I had a few options for benefits, and it opened up the door for the level of access I had, not only with other promoters in the city, but also with literally hundreds of touring professional acts that came through the nightclub every year.

Learning Curves

The next learning curve came from speaking the language of the industry. There’s a certain flow and meter to how music industry professionals speak and interact with each other. Coming from a corporate background, I had a bit of an advantage because much of how the music industry operates, and still operates to this day, is a bit loosey-goosey. I come from a very meticulous, logistically-minded background from my university days and my corporate job, which I think gave me an advantage in the eyes of potential employers within the industry. Basically, they saw how professional and detail-oriented I was, and that I didn't party as much as everyone else. This made me a much more interesting candidate for formal employment.

After working in this job for several years, making literally hundreds of qualified contacts from artists to managers to publicists to lyricists to agents to promoters, I was truly in a place where I could justify making a full-time living on the road. I mean, after all, all of these touring groups and individuals I was working with were already doing this full-time! In fact, it was a bit of a funny reality check for me, realizing that I was working within this industry that I’ve wanted to be in for so long, and now I’m working with people that are doing this full-time. It sort of opened my eyes to the possibilities of working in the industry. Where I once thought there were very few options for formal employment, I was now exposed to an entire world of employment opportunities.

Moving On

From there, the rest is history. The work I was doing at the nightclub eventually evolved into work I was doing for a much larger promoter through networking and them asking me to help them out. Word got around with various artist groups who then began contacting me for assistance and asking if I would be available for work, etc. Today, I’m blessed to be able to work with various groups around the world, having some level of freedom to pick and choose who I work with, while simultaneously working on my own business in music and other ventures.

There’s a lot more that could be said about this story, but I want to be respectful of the reader's time today. So, I’ll end this blog post here with just the subtle reminder that anybody who wants to work in the industry absolutely can. There was absolutely nothing special about me other than the time, effort, and focus I put into becoming a valuable person in the industry. Eventually, of course, I came to a point where I quit my full-time day job to pursue my freelance and music work full-time. That decision is what has brought me to create the "No Wey Home" brand and write these blog posts, so I can share my experience with others who may be interested in doing the same.