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Ralph Jaccodine management

How to break into a "Boy's Club"

Dear Ralph,


Just wanted to send you a hello from Nashville! And I also wanted to say thanks for making us write that paper in intermediaries about problems in the music industry. Now being an intern in a studio that's completely run by men, I'm seeing a lot of what I wrote about all first hand. And doing that research has kind of prepared me to deal with some of the issues down here. Not all, and it's definitely tough. There are four interns, three guys and myself. And sometimes I feel like the staff engineers are more likely to go to the guys for help, physical or otherwise. And I know we've talked about this many times but I was wondering if you had any bits of advice on how to stand out or at least match up to the guys?




Dear......,

I know about some of the problems women face in the music business, but I am not an expert. What I DO know, I learned from my family, coming from Italy and other families coming from other countries to America. I learned when immigrants came to America they were underdogs and they had to out-hustle their competition. They worked longer hours and had to find out what people/customers wanted more aggressively than the existing businesses. They had to work hard on people skills to become important members of the community, all while constantly hustling more than others.

Regarding your situation with the 'boys club' in the music business... Don't wait to wait for staff engineers to 'call on the boys'! See what YOU can do to help the engineers before they ask for help...this is about paying attention. Stay late at the studio, get there early and ASK questions. Try to bring in business to the studio if you can, this is how you become invaluable. Make friends, network/socialize like crazy. Use your youth and inexperience as a badge which emboldens you to not be afraid to make mistakes, and to be bold... even when you think you have no right to be so!

You are smart, talented and have the goods to have a successful career.

A career in music WILL NOT come to you, don't wait to be picked for it... make it happen the old fashioned way, out-hustle everyone else... do it will grace, patience and intelligence... your education gave you a good foundation, but now it is up to you.

The patience part is hard... but if you keep going, work through the frustration, you will carve out your own niche.

I am rooting for you.


Best Regards,

Ralph Jaccodine

PS. This makes good reading: http://www.pias.com/blog/41-tips-for-women-starting-out-in-the-music-business/