Make Merch a Pleasure Not a Headache

By Maggie Adams and Connor Kozlecar

I’ll just say it. I hate dealing with merch! History has taught me that I prefer not to deal with any tasks that are in the physical world because I don’t have the same control as with tasks that can be completed online. Social media? Yes. Emailing? Yes. Marketing? Yes. Slacking humans I work with? Yes. Sending a shipment of vinyl across the ocean in hopes that it’ll arrive to a hotel during a very specific window of time that corresponds with an artist passing through on tour? NO. Absolutely not. However, there are some things in this life that must be dealt with! Our intern King, Connor, is amazing at handling the logistics of merch, and saves me from that hassle. I, on the other hand, can tell you about merch from a marketing and sales perspective. Read on if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by either aspect of your merch business! - Maggie

Connor modeling a rare Olivia Management t-shirt and the best trucker hat that ever existed courtesy of Smooth Hound Smith.

1. quality over quantitY

   If you have a plethora of fans that’ll buy up anything and everything you put in your store than you may at first have an averse reaction to this point. If you’re one of those people, I’m not necessarily talking to you. Sounds like you have great fans. But if you’re a DIY musician who’s growing your fan base and who has limited funds, then this is for you! It might seem like the better play to put up a lot of different designs on your store so that there’s something for everyone. However, paralysis of choice is a real thing. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to an online store with the intention of spending money (even using a gift card!) and become overwhelmed by all the options. To avoid your fans experiencing this on your web store, invest time and money into being really intentional about what you offer. Look at the buying history of your fans, and decide on products and high quality designs that not only represent what your fans like, but also accurately represent your brand. -Maggie

2. Work with companies that you trust or that have come highly recommended.

   Stickers: Sticker Mule - Check out our full blog post about Sticker Mule, and then head to their site to check out their offerings!

   T-shirts & Posters - Friendly Arctic - We can’t say enough good things about this team! They’re a screen printing company that handles all aspects of the merch ordering process from design to printing to shipping, and even in special cases, to fulfillment. Their design team is cool and creative, and you’ve probably seen their eye-catching work in the wild before. Not only are they quality designs, but they’re also affordable. Once you begin the order process, they’re wonderful at communicating about your designs, costs, and what to expect. We work with them for designs as often as possible!

   Fulfillment - Port Merch - These guys are pros at what they do. Just check out their client list, and it speaks to their trustworthiness and expertise in the field of artist merchandise fulfillment. Head to their info page which includes just about everything you’d ever want to know about working with them!

   On-demand products - Printful - If paying for merch in large quantities up front scares you, then consider companies like Printful! You can order on-demand or one-off designs. They’ll print, fulfill, and ship the product to wherever it needs to go. Printful also integrates with most website hosts, which makes life much easier if you want to continue running our online store and just add a few printful products to your existing offerings.

3. Collect designs along the way

   Our very own Smooth Hound Smith does a great job of this! One way to gather designs over time is to be aware of fans that might be posting fan artwork for fun. Usually they’ll tag you. Maybe they’ll even hashtag your band name. Save those to your Instagram account or a dropbox folder with that person’s handle or email address. You can even reach out on the spot to the fan and negotiate a fee for you to use their work on your merch. And oftentimes because they’re a fan, it might be more affordable than going to a popular designer that all of your friends are using! Another helpful habit to start is reaching out to designers or visual artists when you’re scrolling through your feed and you see a design you like! You can even create a spreadsheet or dropbox folder with designers and examples of their work for the next time you need inspiration for a new piece of merch. - Maggie

4. Take the time to work out a manageable process to fulfill orders.

   Process is everything! As a company, we strive to work through every process to the point of ease and excellence. Basically, if we see something that doesn’t work perfectly or could be better in some way, we change it! Recently I took the initiative to migrate our Ecommerce fulfillment system over to a newer, more user friendly, and overall time-saving system called Shipstation. The biggest upgrade in this change was the fact that our new system directly integrated into the selling channels that we use for our artists. What this means is that as soon as we received an order for any one of our artists, our new system would automatically gather all of the information from the website (SquareSpace in our case) and populate a new order with a unique shipping label all on its own, basically eliminating several tedious steps in our old process. Next, after filling out just a few dropdown fields and pressing a single button, our new system will have: 1. Created a shipping label 2. Automatically fulfilled said order in SquareSpace 3. Sent a confirmation email with tracking info to the customer and 4. saved me probably 10 minutes on shipping a single order. And let me tell you, that extra 10 minutes multiplied by a bunch of orders is game changing. Ultimately, taking the time to find a system that works best for you and your situation is paramount. Once you find your groove, get in a routine, and get going with the right tools, you will be able to spend less time worrying about fulfillment and more time doing the things you are passionate about! -Connor

5. Try using a tool or system that will help you deal with organization.

   Try thinking big. When it comes to efficiency for systems like these, it’s all about organization and practice. If you don’t care to work through an online system that keeps track of everything for you because you can’t afford it, thats fine! Just get in the habit of thinking ahead, being meticulous about your logging and inventory tracking, and thinking ahead. For many, the shipping system that you use online will keep track of your inventory for you! For us, since it integrates with several of our other processes, we use Airtable to keep track of all of our artists inventory, and have made it a habit in our fulfillment process to manual adjust it every time we remove or add a piece. It’s all about consistency here people! If you are a pen and paper person, try using a google doc instead! If you already use a typical spreadsheet, look into systems that integrate those options directly into your selling channels! If you have more inventory than you know what to do with, break it up into chunks and take it piece by piece. Its all about what you’re comfortable working with and that you have an organized, consistent plan/process! - Connor

We hope you’ve been able to take away some actionable tips from our experience with merch! Now check out this amazing video of Connor creating his own t-shirt folding apparatus.

Partner Series: Sticker Mule

By Maggie Adams

Welcome to our brand new blog series featuring some of our favorite people and companies to work with! In this series I’ll be sharing and recommending companies that we have personal experience with so that it hopefully makes your life a little easier when you’re searching for the same type of partners.

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3 Things We Love About Sticker Mule

There are only a couple merch companies that we can whole-heartedly recommend and Sticker Mule is one of them! They offer high quality and affordable customizable products including stickers, buttons, acrylic pins, branded packing tape, labels, and more.

1. Amazing weekly promotions

Empower Music Therapy LLC buttons

It sounds a bit silly to be a “fan” of a merch company, but if you get an adrenaline rush from good deals like I do then you’ll understand. What made me remember Sticker Mule after ordering from them for the first time was that every week they put a product on sale, and send out a very short & sweet email about it. And by “on sale”, I mean you’ll usually save well over 25% on your order. This makes a huge difference when you’re ordering small products that you likely can’t make too much of a profit on. The weekly promotional sales are also a great time to purchase promo products for your merch store or your business! Recently, we purchased 50 buttons for $20 with their weekly promotion, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find prices like that at such a low order quantity. If you want even more bang for your buck, use our referral code for $10 off your order!

2. Easy ordering process

Hush Kids magnet for our office fridge

No matter what product you’re ordering, you can easily upload your custom design, and then get a proof of the order before it’s finalized. You’ll get a text and an email when the proof is ready, and from there you can make changes if the product doesn’t look how you imagined. One Friday night, I was trying to get my order in before midnight so that I could take advantage of that week’s deal. I was a bit worried the proof wouldn’t come back in time for me to finalize the order, but was pleasantly surprised when my revision of the proof was ready to view in less than an hour.

If you’re ordering stickers, quality is super important especially if you envision the stickers being used outdoors on car windows or being put up all around town for some good old fashioned, guerilla-style marketing. Thankfully, there’s a helpful sticker printing guide so you can make sure that the quality of your custom stickers will be up to snuff!

Free swag with every purchase

3. High quality service + products

I’ve purchased several different products over the years for our artists, and what I’ve received in the mail has never disappointed. There’s something nostalgic and exciting about receiving a physical package on your doorstep, and Sticker Mule includes a bunch of well-branded swag with each order so that it actually feels like you’re getting a gift delivered to your house. When it comes to ordering online from a company, what keeps people coming back for more is the small, unexpected touches of detail that you receive with an order. Sticker Mule does this super well, and even offers branded packaging on their site in case you’re inspired to up your merch delivery game too.

P.S. Don’t forget to use the handy sticker printing guide to order your custom products in a pinch!

P.P.S. Check out our friend Kate Kelly’s new company, Empower Music Therapy!

10 Tools for Posting like a Pro

By Maggie Adams

Whether you’re a social media manager or an artist, or just want to grow your own personal platforms, it’s essential to come up with a posting system that’s sustainable for you. Consistency is key for any social platform, and there are a plethora of tools out there that’ll help you become more efficient so that you can focus on creating authentic content.

Check out my interview with Marissa Begin of Riss Entertainment to learn about what tools I use on a daily basis to manage our artists’ socials. (Note: the original live video abruptly ended due to connection issues, so this video is a recap of our full conversation.)

View this post on Instagram

WOW! @srta_margarita did not hold back on episode 3 of #WeeklyBits with Riss! Maggie walks us through her process with content from the planning stages to the scheduling and posting stage. She also lists over 10 applications that help her stay organized, efficient, and create killer content. . . . . #contentmanagement #artistmanagement #oliviaManagement #digitalmarketingtips #rissentertainment

A post shared by Riss Entertainment (@riss.entertainment) on Apr 20, 2020 at 2:46pm PDT

(Another) Summer Intern Introduction: Madeleine Kelson

Surprise! We’ve got another intern to introduce! Woohoo! We’re so excited to add to the team (again). Let us introduce you to Madeleine Kelson. Madeleine interned with us last semester, and we loved her so much we just had to have her back on the team! She’s such a valuable person and we’re grateful to have her!

Madeleine Kelson

What do you want to get out of this internship?

I would like to immerse myself in the Americana music world and get a better handle on what it means to be a professional in that realm. I want to improve my skills in the different systems that OM uses and learn my way around any new ones. I’m also hoping to listen to lots of great music and hopefully pet Erin’s dogs.

What do you love to do? Hobbies? Activities? 

I love all things music; listening to it, writing it, playing it, etc. Lately, I have also been doing some recording and sound engineering. Other than music, I love hanging out with my dog, cooking, and watching brain-melting reality TV. I also love traveling and finding absurdly cheap ways to visit other countries.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?

Al Pastor tacos. Yum.

Favorite musicians, artists, genres, equipment, shows you’ve been to...tell us anything you love about music.

I am a huge Americana fan and all of its related genres. I grew up on Dolly Parton, Lucinda Williams, Mavis Staples, Bonnie Raitt, The Band, and Led Zeppelin. Lately, I have been listening to Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile, Noah Gundersen, Kacey Musgraves, Yola, and John Prine. My current favorite show I’ve been to was also the last show I went to — the “To Nashville, With Love” tornado relief show at Marathon Music Works. The lineup was PHENOMENAL, and it felt important to be there supporting my community. Moments like that, when the catharsis that music brings are so tangible, are the reason I love music.

Why did you choose to intern here? 

I chose to intern here, first and foremost, because I had such a great time and learned so much last summer. Supporting women in the music industry is also incredibly important to me. OM’s artists and the music they put out is also a major draw.

What is your favorite part about Nashville?

I love how supportive the music community can be. There are so many people here who are dedicated to furthering their friends’ careers just as much as their own. I also love the mild winters.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I want to be an Americana artist. There is nothing I love doing more than playing music for myself and other people!

Support Black Voices

by Madeleine Kelson

We observed Blackout Tuesday on Tuesday, June 2nd. This was a day for the music industry to stand in solidarity and support the Black Lives Matter movement, to research and educate ourselves on how to eradicate racism and become anti-racist. Not only are black artists are a cornerstone of American music, but black artists are the bedrock of modern music as whole. You’d be hard-pressed to find a genre that was not in some way influenced by the work of blues, rock and soul created by black artists in the early 20th century. Americana today would sound a lot different without artists like Elizabeth Cotten, Lead Belly, or Sister Rosetta Tharpe laying the foundation. In an effort to amplify those voices, we put together a playlist of some of our favorite black Americana artists. We hope you love these artists as much as we do, continue to listen to their music in the future, and are inspired to go find other similar artists to support. If you’re interested in supporting the Black Lives Matter cause further and retroactively taking part in Blackout Tuesday, check out DonateMyWage.org to find organizations fighting racial injustice.

Summer Intern Introduction: Chelsea

It’s been a blast and a half remotely getting to know James and Chelsea. I get the honor of now introducing you to Chelsea. She’s an intelligent, loyal, and hardworking addition to the team. Stoked she’s part of the team! Hoping you get as much out of this interview as we did!

Chelsea Hallman

What do you want to get out of this internship?

I want to gain all and any knowledge that will further help me in this industry. I want to acquire connections and build relationships that are meaningful.

What do you love to do? Hobbies? Activities? 

I love to go to local shows and discover new artists. This is something I’m missing most during the pandemic. I love fashion and makeup. I have a bad shopping addiction. I love to be with my friends but also value self-care. I’m working on taking more time for myself. 

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?

I would eat chicken piccata from the Cheesecake Factory for the rest of my life. If anyone wants to take me there, at any point you know what it do. 

Favorite musicians, artists, genres, equipment, shows you’ve been to...tell us anything you love about music.

I love Lorde. I love her writing style and the way she revolutionized the industry through unique sounds that are still appealing to the general public. I think she is a trend setter. I love Harry Styles and Billie Eillish for similar reasons. As a classic I love The Beatles and to jam out to Micheal Jackson’s hits. I think a lot of my fellow peers are outstanding such as Clare Ernst, Chloe Hogan, Cole Ritter, Analise Malick, Luke Prost, bstrok, etc.

Why did you choose to intern here? 

I chose to intern with Olivia Management because I see opportunities across the industry that are very accessible because of how tight knit the group is. I like the sense of community the company has. It feels home-y. 

What is your favorite part about Nashville?

The local bands. I love music being everywhere. I love the culture of the people. The fact that everyone loves music so much and supports the art of music is what keeps me here.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I don't know. I want to be where God places me. As long as I am personally content with my line of work and making enough money to live comfortably, I think I’ll be happy. 

Rethinking Routine

by Mackenzie Fey

If you’ve been following along in the last couple of blog posts, you might’ve seen me fish out some tips for working at home and making yourself a pro at this. These tips included starting your days with intentionality, spacing things out mentally and physically, and the importance of taking breaks. All of these things emphasize keeping things as normally as possible within the confines of an abnormal time. There’s nothing wrong with this! For people like me, I need to maintain that mindset to continue being productive and get the responsibilities I have taken care of. But this came to a realization that during these abnormal times, it’s okay to have things be just that. Abnormal.

Don’t get me wrong! There is so much value in routine! Right now, however, times are evolving and changing. Nothing is how it was a year ago. I mean, not even a month ago! What’s the harm in evolving your own routine? Doing things a little differently and reminding yourself it’s okay to be imperfect and skip out on getting into normal people clothes on Tuesday morning and just staying in your pajamas. It’s actually kinda fun! This can even look like finally picking up that brush and paints you got forever ago and never actually used it. It could be listening to an artist or genre you haven’t taken the time to listen to during your work hours (see below!). Go ahead and eat cereal and a donut for dinner. Try a new tv show on a Monday night at 11pm. Now’s the time!

Having a hard time deciding what your new non-routine could look like? I can help with that:

Today, Ruthie Collins released her sophomore album Cold Comfort featuring singles like “Dang Dallas” and “Bad Woman”. It has everything you’d want in an album: truth, heartbreak, enchanting melodies, storytelling, incredible production, and a song that can relate to any one of us. Check it out at this link here and give it a listen! Try it out, you won’t regret it.

To further break up the “normal”, tune in tonight at 7pm central to hear the new album live from Ruthie’s couch in New York! Join us on her YouTube channel tonight at YouTube.com/RuthieCollinsMusic.

Work from Home like a Pro

by Mackenzie Fey

Some Tips for working in your new home office

If your kitchen table has seemingly become the hub for all things eating and working, tune in! This post is for you. These days, working from home is becoming the new norm. Your living and relaxing spaces are now coinciding as the same space as your concentration and effort. Check out a few tips on how to make all this crazy a little bit more manageable!

Photo from The Lighting Judge

Tip 1: Start your days off intentionally!

A long time ago (well, not really all that long ago), commutes to work were actually a thing. This could’ve consisted of getting up, starting the coffee, a quick workout and shower, the list could go on and on. Now that our “commute” is from our bedroom to the livingroom, we’ve seemingly gained a few more minutes to spare. It’s easy to fall into a pattern of waking up 5 minutes before you’re supposed to hop online. In experience, this can lead to lack of effort and motivation. Efficiency isn’t as high as it could be, well, because you woke up 5 minutes ago. You’re brain’s not fully awake! It’s possible that setting up your mornings a little bit earlier and setting up a slight routine will help, even if it isn’t much. For me, it’s getting up and still pretending that I’m heading into work. This includes getting dressed (yes, even jeans sometimes) and heading downstairs for a light breakfast and coffee. It starts my days off a little bit more motivated and gets things going!

Tip 2: Spacing things out

Spacing is everything for me. I tend to correlate my physical spaces to my mental spaces. If I’m relaxing, reading, and sleeping in my bedroom, that is no place for me to try and dive into work or homework. I have designated spaces for work, for hanging out, eating, and so forth. If I overlap my work spaces with any other, I find I can never really turn that work “switch” off. My brain really has a hard time differentiating what mode I’m supposed to be in at a given time. When your normal hours of work are over, turn off your computer and hide it away. Outta sight outta mind, I guess!

Tip 3: Take Breaks!

You do this at work, why would you not do this at home?! Avoid cabin fever and restlessness by taking your lunch and eating it outside, away from the screen. Walk to the corner and back with your dog for a quick 10 minute break of movement and fresh air. Do this a few times throughout your day. Maybe even call some family or friends for some outside of work social time and see how they’re doing. It helps, I swear!

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Okay, let’s be real. None of this is purely factual or scientifically researched on our end of things, but more of what seems to help us at Olivia Management that might just help you! Take what you’d like, leave what you’d like. At the end of the day, we’re all just trying to get through this as quickly and safely as possible! Stay well, and wash your hands, y’all.

My Favorite Lyrics from these New Releases

by Mackenzie Fey

In case you missed it, our very own Ruthie Collins and Jill Andrews released music today. There’s so much depth and so much story behind both of these pieces. Something I strongly pick apart from the music I listen to are the lyrics. I need what I listen to to have depth and story to it. A rhyme or two doesn’t hurt either. Check ‘em out!

Making Golden Designs

by Mackenzie Fey

Have you ever heard of the Golden Ratio? No?! No fret, me neither! Until quite recently, that is. The Golden Ratio, without getting into the severe math complexities of its origin, is basically a template to follow when designing any sort of visual graphic or image! It’s an easy way to organize information and images that is pleasing to the eye of viewers. Of course this doesn’t mean you have to follow this! It’s just a fun, clean, way of starting to thinking about your designs intentionally!

For those of us in the music business, sometimes you just don’t have the budget for outsourcing designs. This method can be used in tour poster design, website curation, promotional images, and much more all on your own computer.

Try it out and see what you can create with it! We even used it on our blog image template. How golden is that design?!

Recapping this Valentine's Day

In case you missed all the happening’s on this great day and holiday here at our artist management company, then you’ve come to the right place. I’ve got it written all out for ya. Take a look, take a gander, it’s all right here. From music videos to new singles to show announces to free Valentine’s, we’ve got it all.

Derek Webb’s New Singles

Today, Derek released not one, but TWO singles today. “Valentine’s Day” and “The Safest Place” are sure to make any day a great one.

Ruthie Collins’ New Single and Music Video

Ruthie released an enchanting new single, “Cold Comfort” in anticipation for her upcoming record. Along with this single, we got just lucky enough to receive a music video. Haunting and warm, check out the single and music video below. Be sure to look at The Boot’s premiere of the music video for “Cold Comfort” and take a look at American Songwriter’s article on the single.

Hush Kid’s Free Downloadable Valentines

Check out Hush Kid’s free downloadable valentines to gift any valentine in your life. It’s a good way to spread some love the way we know how: through song. Check it, give it, love it. We know we do!

Big News for Olivia Management!

We’re starting the new year off on many highs: New interns, Smooth Hound Smith kicking off their tour in Europe, Jill Andrews announcing her Thirities album and tour, Derek Webb's new Patreon opportunity, and so much more! But wait! There’s one we haven’t mentioned yet! As of recent, Olivia Management is proud, and oh so excited, to announce that we’ve started to represent musician and producer, Lucas Morton!

A little about Lucas:

Lucas is based right here in Nashville, TN. He’s an incredibly talented multi-instrumentalist. As a man of many gifts, he also spends his time supporting artists on the road. If you’ve been listening to any recent songs our very own Jill Andrews has released, then you’ve heard him! Lucas co-produced her upcoming album Thirties, as well as played acoustic and electric guitar, piano, percussion, etc. Along with Jill, he’s spent his time producing great music for Jordy Searcy, Jillian Edwards, and more. Not only as a producer, Lucas supports artists on the road as a touring bassist, keyboardist, or auxiliary musician. The list is simply never-ending!

Welcome to the team, Lucas!

Spring Intern Introduction

Just last week, we had the honor and privilege of welcoming three new interns to the team here at Olivia Management! We can’t wait to watch them grow in all things artist management and music business. World, please meet Jackie Minton, Emma Martin, and Connor Kozelcar. We know you’ll love them just as much as we do!

Jackie Minton

Why did you choose to intern at Olivia Management? 

I met Olivia Management at an artist panel I went to over a year ago and was so stuck by their community focused approach to artist management, I applied to intern here as soon as I could! I am so thankful for this opportunity to learn how they do their work from the inside out.

What do you want to get out of this internship?

I hope to learn how to work on a variety of tasks, while also learning how to dream about the future. I want to improve my skills in seeing things to their end, while also working with a team.

What is your favorite part about Nashville?

Oh, definitely the community. I also love all the variety of restaurants and coffee shops, but they are all a fruit of this city’s focus on encountering each other. When I moved here, I was amazed by the willingness of others to listen and share authentically about their experiences.

Favorite musicians, artists, genres, equipment, shows you’ve been to...tell us anything you love about music.

As a songwriter, I enjoy most anything with a poetic lyric and melodic sensibility.  Some of my favorite artists include James Taylor, Ingrid Michaelson, Taylor Swift, Leif Vollebekk and Josh Garrels. If there is a guitar picking part or a cello, I’m sold.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?

If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life it would probably be almonds. I’m pretty sure I’m already halfway there.

What do you love to do? Hobbies? Activities? 

I enjoy eating dark chocolate, drinking hot tea, and reading philosophy. I would minor in all three, but sadly I only study the latter. I also do calligraphy on the side for fun!

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Emma Martin

Why did you choose to intern at Olivia Management?

I chose to intern at Olivia Management because I saw how passionate the company was in helping artists grow as much as possible both artistically and as people.

What do you want to get out of this internship?

During this internship I hope to gain more knowledge about touring and what kind of planning goes into sending artists on tour. I also am really interested in learning about the prep work right before album releases. In the future, I hope to work in the creative part of publishing or management.

What is your favorite part about Nashville?

My favorite part about Nashville is how you can walk into almost any restaurant or coffee shop and hear live music. I also love the sense of community that Nashville has even though it’s such a big city.

Favorite musicians, artists, genres, equipment, shows you’ve been to...tell us anything you love about music!

Some artists and songwriters that I have been into lately are Emily Weisband, Madison Kozak, The Band CAMINO, Lizzo, Kelsea Ballerini and Dan + Shay. I love all different genres of music but my top genres are singer/songwriter and country.  

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?

If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life it would probably be pasta!

What do you love to do? Hobbies? Activities? 

I love to go hiking and camping! I also love listening to music and playing card/board games with my family and friends.

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Connor Kozelcar

Why did you choose to intern here?

Any internship opportunity is an opportunity worth taking in my opinion. When you are unable to find anything negative about past internship experiences and the reputation of a company you’re interested in, is in my opinion when you’ve hit the gold mine.

I chose to intern at Olivia Management because of the strong community that they promote and the clear message that when you’re devoting your time to their efforts, they’re devoting the same time right back to your experience. Since starting school at Belmont, I’ve had big hopes to find an internship that cares for their interns and cultivates the right atmosphere for growth. To me it just felt like Olivia management is doing exactly that.

What do you want to get out of this internship?

In a general statement, as humans we are all students, all the time. The whole goal of an internship is to learn right? With this being my first internship, I am excited to have the opportunity to work in an atmosphere with such hard-working individuals and a team aspect that promotes a strong sense of community. I am eager to learn, become proficient in this facet of our industry, and create the relationships that will help me succeed and confidently move forward with my career.

What is your favorite part about Nashville?

Aside from the music, The food options….. Wow. So much good food, so many cool little nooks and crannies in the city, and so many great genuine people that come out of the area. I’m blessed to have the opportunity to live and attend school here.

Favorite musicians, artists, genres, equipment, shows you’ve been to...tell us anything you love about music.

I’m a listener of almost all genres. A few of my favorite current artists include Allen Stone, Tom Misch, Theo Katzman, Joey Landreth, Chris Stapleton, Lawrence, Jordan Rakei, Marcus King Band, Stephen Day, The Dip, etc (I could go on forever). My all time favorite artists/musicians/bands include The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, John Mayer, Dave Matthews, The Beatles, Jack Johnson, and The Allman Brothers

I love everything about music, but what sticks out to me the most is the raw expression that the medium represents. Any single piece of music can tell you more stories about the person who wrote it than you can think up. I think that in the vast creative world that the music industry embodies, its infinity is the most fun part. Whether you’re listening or creating, the passion behind every piece of music tells a story that no other medium could. 

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?

Logical answer: Chicken - there are a million ways to prepare chicken and it never gets old. That's smart, right? The ~Just what i'm craving in this moment~ answer: Five Guys Fries

What do you love to do? Hobbies? Activities?

I love to sing! I am currently the Vice-President of a collegiate A Cappella group at Belmont University called The Beltones. When I’m not knee-deep in school work, singing my heart out with my friends, or working my other jobs, you can find me:

1. Stopping traffic to pull over and pet a dog

2. Playing far-too-competitive games of racquetball on Tuesdays

3. Browsing the internet for things that I would buy if I had the money to blow

What We Learned From Our Internship

Autumn Johnson

I find it’s easier to reflect on what you’ve learned at the very end of an internship rather than each day, because while every day is a new learning experience, I find that it’s much easier to look at the sum of all that I’ve learned over time. Here are just a few of the things I’ve learned from Olivia Management.

• A little affirmation goes a long way. Every Monday we write down on little pieces of paper what we appreciate about someone else in the room. We read them all out loud to each other, and they always give us a boost for the rest of the week. I always feel more motivated to work and improve my work when I know that someone notices and appreciates what I do. And taking the time to think about others also helps me better appreciate them.

• Just like what you say reflects who you are, your social media is a reflection of who you are. This is important because when it comes to having an artist career, social media is a big part of getting yourself out there. The way you present yourself on social media is really important and understanding the way people will perceive what you post on social media, can help you better communicate who you are to your followers.

• People still love a good story. People seem to become more attached to art that tells a story. When there’s more to a song than the surface level, people will stick around long enough to find out it is. Social media posts that tell a story are more likely keep people reading and sharing their thoughts. Stories can be resonated with and can make listeners feel less alone. The artists at OM do it well with their songs and the team at OM works hard to make sure those stories get heard by more people.

I am so grateful I got to intern at Olivia Management and have the opportunity to work in such a loving, supportive atmosphere. P.S. Thanks Rachel for the headshots!

Madeleine Kelson

These past few months at Olivia Management have been awesome. Literally. I am in awe of the amount and quality of work done by everyone here. I am even more impressed by the fact that they do it all without losing their minds, and on top of that have the time and patience to teach us. I have learned a ton. Here are just a few of the things I learned about artist management this summer.

• Show Up

It seems simple and obvious, but it is so important. Whether it’s showing up to shows and events, or just showing up to work, people notice when you’re there, and they notice when you’re not. It’s how you get to know everyone, and how you show your artists that you care. 

• Be a Good Communicator

Ask questions. Be direct. Tell people when something isn’t working, and tell them when they’ve done a good job. It doesn’t do anyone any good to pretend you have things under control when you don’t, or to tell someone a job is done when it isn’t. It only pushes your problem further down the line, and if anything, makes it into a bigger deal. On the other side of that, tell people when they’ve done a good job. Everyone likes to feel appreciated, and it encourages people to work harder, and stay invested in the team.

• Slow Down and Focus

Getting work done on time is important, but only if it’s done right. Details are so important. A dropped zero, or a misplaced period could cost your artist money. A little typo on a show date  can turn into a big mess. It’s better to work slowly and diligently, than quickly and carelessly.

The whole OM crew is incredible, and I am so sad to leave them. If you have a chance to work with them, intern for them, or just be in their brilliant, genius, magical presence, DO IT!!!! I feel lucky to have gotten to learn from them, and I will miss them all immensely. 

Kara Greskovic

I have learned so much from my time here at Olivia Management. All of these women and my fellow interns have created an environment that is both fun and productive at the same time. In an industry that is so stressful, the Olivia Management gets tasks done with grace and taught us to do the same. Here are my top three things I learned at Olivia Management:

• Take Initiative

If there’s an unassigned task that no one is tackling, take it! If there is something that needs to be done that no one else is doing, be the person that gets it done. Not only will this help out the company, but it will make yourself feel good as well.

• Try New Things

This may seem like an obvious one, but always find new tasks or projects where you have to ask questions or explore something unfamiliar. Knowledge is power, and the only way to get that knowledge is to try something new.

• Be Yourself

Although this may seem like an elementary school rule, but it is so important during your professional career. During an internship, it is easy to get caught up in trying to be perfect or acting a certain way to fit the mold of the company. Here at Olivia Management, everyone has their own personalities and their all fully embraced. The more I relaxed and became myself, the more I felt embraced here at my internship!

My time here at Olivia Management has been so valuable. They are some of the hardest working people I know! If your looking to work in artist management, I urge you to consider interning at Olivia Management. You won’t regret it!

What I Learned at My Favorite Internship Ever

by Suzannah Peek

When I started at Olivia Management in January, I had no idea how much I would come to love these ladies and how sad I would be to leave them. Y’all… THIS is an internship. I laughed, I failed, and definitely embarrassed myself a few times. Most of all I grew. With every failure came a lesson and I will forever be grateful to Erin, Madeline, and Maggie for this experience. If you’re reading this and need an internship, do this one!! There’s going to be hard work, spreadsheets, Calypso Café, live music, and maybe even some bowling. Keep reading to find out the top three things I learned from the past 4 months.

AFFIRMATIONS CHANGED MY LIFE

I’ve had a couple of internships where I learned insane amounts but never knew if I was doing a good job. Each week in our Monday meeting we would write down personalized notes to each other saying anything we liked about the other person. We would then go around the room and read them out loud. It could be something specific that they did well that week, a compliment on their overall personality, or encouraging words if they weren’t having the best time. This seriously changed the game for me. Knowing what I do well helps me center my focus and saves time by allowing me to move onto tasks that I don’t do as well. It makes me feel valued and makes me want to work even harder. Every company should do this, no question.

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MATTER

Before coming to Olivia Management, part of me wanted to work at a big company. After this internship my mind has totally changed. Seeing Maggie build a tour from the ground up and seeing Erin run this company like the boss she is inspires me so much. They created everything they have themselves and it’s that kind of entrepreneurial drive that makes me proud to have been a part of Olivia Management. A big time management company has more artists and more resources but Olivia Management is just so hands on, you feel proud of what you made at the end of the day. This semester the interns were involved in editing videos, creating album art, and even setting up some of the artist’s websites. I don’t know of another internship that gives out that much responsibility. I was so immersed in the artist management world and I gained knowledge that I couldn’t get at a large company. THESE LADIES ARE HARD WORKING AND IT SHOWS.

PEOPLE ARE GENUIENLY NICE AND HARD WORK IS REPAID

 I’m graduating in a little over two weeks and it is scary. It’s painful, things are ending, and my life is changing. Everyone at Olivia Management went through the same thing and they have been so encouraging and helpful throughout this process. They have given me job searching tips and forwarded job postings my way. I worked hard for them (at least I think so) and they have returned the favor 2x over. Internships don’t always have to be about coffee runs and grunt work. There are companies out there (OLIVIA MANAGEMENT) that care about your growth. Maggie and Madeline always asked me what types of tasked that I liked and tailored them that way. For that reason, I genuinely loved the work I was doing and who I was doing it for. Work hard and people will do the same for you. Ok I’m emotional now goodbye.

The Hardest Goodbye

By: Emily McCreight

This past semester has been one of the most life changing experiences in my entire college career. I have learned more than I ever thought I could in just 4 short months, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the 5 strong women that helped me through my first internship.

EVERYONE NEEDS WEEKLY AFFIRMATION

Everyone loves to be told that they’re doing great or that their hard work is paying off…but I don’t think people realize how much it’s needed in order to be motivated in such a cut-throat industry. The music industry comes with high’s and low’s everyday, and it can be draining for some. I learned through Olivia Management that giving affirmations is essential to keeping your team motivated and ready for whatever this crazy environment throws at you. Celebrating accomplishments, no matter how big or small, is extremely rewarding. I’ll never find the love and kindness this office has at any other workplace.

Be your true self

Walking in on my first day at Olivia Management, I was extremely scared to say anything, move a certain way, or even eat. Little did I know that there was nothing to be scared of. A couple weeks into the internship, I was told at our weekly meeting that they were happy I was finally becoming comfortable and coming out of my shell. If I was still as shy as I was on that first day in January, I would never be where I am right now. These women have given me confidence in my work and personality that motivates me to keep going in the music industry. I have been told and shown time and time again that I can’t expect things to happen, I have to make them happen for myself. (While also being graceful)

It’s all in the~Details~

I’m already a pretty detail-oriented person, but whether or not it shows in your work is what matters. Over the past 4 months I have been given multiple projects that were time consuming and tough, but these were also my favorite things to work on during my days in the office. I worked on a single cover for one artist and paying attention to detail really payed off because now that single cover is on Spotify. 2 years ago I never thought my work would ever make it to something as prestigious as the top streaming service in the world, but lo and behold, because of my hard work, IT DID. I cannot thank this company enough for giving me opportunities I never thought I would have the chance to take.

From discovering people’s hidden talents, to first Monday of the semester dance parties, to tarot card readings, I will always look back at my internship with Olivia Management as my best internship. With all the love in the world, Em ♥︎

What the heck just happened?

By Mackenzie Fey

Well, I’m glad you asked, because let me tell you—I learned. So much, too! I have two semesters worth of more knowledge to share! Here’s a few that would actually fit onto one blog post without it turning into a short novel:

Music Bizz (Artist Management, to be specific)

There are so many different moving parts in this industry, and I have been lucky enough to get a magnified view into what that looks like. With artist management, I’ve learned how much it requires real love of music, believing in the artist, taking risks, thinking outside the box, creativity, and patience. That, and more of course. I have found I learn so much more about what the industry actually looks like in the real world through experiences here than I typically would in the classroom settings. And even after about a million and one times trying to explain it to me, I finally understand what overages are (thanks Madeline).

Excellence

I remember sitting in Erin’s office during one of my first days here at Olivia Management last August, and as we were going through what the semester was going to look like, the word “excellence” was brought up a few different times. This means working hard, being honest, checking your work over, and showing nothing but kindness. I can’t express its importance enough. Excellence has been shown to me through Erin, Maggie and Madeline without fail. They are shinning examples of the word. I’m like 99.9% sure if you search “excellence” on dictionary.com, their names appear in the definition. It’s something I’ve strived for this semester, and will be carrying with me even after I leave the doors of this sweet, teal building.

Just Listen

Huh? What did you say? Just kidding! Whether that’s listening to instructions, or listening intently during all-company meetings, you’d be surprised how much you can absorb and learn from by just from staying quiet to observe. I’m definitely guilty of sometimes not being the best of listeners in my personal life, so learning how to be an attentive listener has been more than valuable here. It’s still a learning curve, personally, but I’m on my way!

Ask questions

With only just finishing my sophomore year in college, I’m still in the early stages of my music business knowledge in the real world (I still feel twelve years old most days). It was made known to me from the start of the semester that my internship at Olivia Management was a space to ask the questions I had about anything and everything going on with the company and/or industry. This is an incredible asset in an internship, and I have my wonderful supervisors to thank for that. Asking questions is how you take your learning to a whole new level, but, if you can google your question…then go ahead and just google it.

“Just do it!” - Shia LaBeouf

Sometimes, it can be a scary thing to do things you’ve never done or had the opportunity to do before, but as a wise man once said, “Just do it”. This can mean stepping out of your comfort zone and applying for that internship, reaching out to a professional, showing up at an artists show or industry party without knowing anyone, sending that email for a pitch, asking honest questions about something you’re really unsure about…the list could go on and on. There have been times I’ve been very unsure if I’m doing the right thing, or doing it correctly but I’ve noticed my tendencies to overanalyze and think about something way more than necessary. I’ve now learned to do it, and to be confident in myself and my abilities through and through.

NASH You Oughta KNOW

Sometimes I am overcome with emotion when I think about how many talented folks and friends there are in this city. I’ve been trapped in my own bubble lately, not paying attention to new releases, but I recently went to a show that inspired me (Oginalii!) and popped my bubble. There’s a constant flow of incredible music coming out of this city, and I’m making it a priority (and declaring it here to the internet world to keep myself accountable) to highlight my friends, friends of friends, friend’s bands, friends’ bands friends or just great Nashville music. (But most of them will be friends of friends ‘cause Nashville, you know?) Thus, I present, “Nash You Oughta Know,” where genre has no meaning, and music that makes you feel something and pops your bubble of day-to-day monotony is as meaningful as it gets.

A playlist featuring Lilly Hiatt, Monica Moser, Various Artists, and others

Some Lydia Luce and Andrew Duhon Musts

by Mackenzie Fey

Starting this Friday, Lydia Luce and Andrew Duhon are hitting the road for their Follow the River Down Tour. This is their very first time sharing a stage together, and we’re all over the moon about it (or should I say river….ha)! Living in all the exciting preparations for this tour, I can’t help myself from listening to both Andrew and Lydia nonstop. Here are a few songs you must listen to. I insist on it. Enjoy!

Tour Dates

New Orleans, LA - March 29

Chattanooga, TN - March 30 - SOLD OUT

Nashville, TN - March 31

Asheville, NC - April 2

Decatur, GA - April 3

Charlotte, NC - April 4

Charleston, SC - April 5

Jacksonville, FL - April 6

Clearwater, FL - April 7

If You're a Fan of Olivia Management Artists, Check Out These Suggestions!

By Suzannah Peek

We are always searching for new or “new to us” artists over here at Olivia Management. Whether it’s an artist we’re trying to sign or an artist we just love to jam out to, the search never ends. Personally, I’m always in the “fans also like” section on Spotify. I want to find as many artists that are as similar to my favorite artist as possible. We created our own “fans also like” lists featuring Olivia Management artists. Click on the picture to listen to the artist!

We’re huge fans of duos, especially male/female duos. There is nothing like hearing the contrast of a low and high harmony come together. If you love The Hush Kids’ vocal symmetry and captivating melodies, then you’ll love…

Lydia’s vocals are really one of a kind. She has the ability to transfer her listeners to a completely different place. When I listen to “Strawberry Moon” I’m transported to the beach at night and when I listen to “Linens” I picture a couple in love during the Summer. If you enjoy Lydia’s storytelling and angelic vocals then you’ll love…

The nostalgic feeling of Matthew Perryman Jones’ “Anything Goes” makes me want to turn up the music and drive with my windows rolled down. His voice brings me to places in my memory that I don’t even remember visiting. If you weirdly like feeling nostalgic and sentimental then you should check out….

Carolina Story! The duo was formed in 2009 in North Dakota. They currently reside in East Nashville and are killing it around town. They have played the Opry and the Bluebird Cafe several times. I actually saw them at the Bluebird Cafe last summer and was floored. Their style of music is very similar to Hush Kids and they both have a lot of love songs! So if you’re feeling in love or lovesick, click on the photo to listen to Carolina Story.

Ira Wolf! The Montana native has some serious acoustic guitar skills and it shows in her music. She is a force in the folk community with four albums out. Her vocals remind me of Lydia’s in the way that they make me a little bit homesick. Ira traveled cross country in a van for several tours and it translates in her music. All I want to do when I turn on "Can’t Say’ is get in the car and drive to my hometown. Click on the picture to listen to Ira Wolf!

Joe Purdy! Speaking of nostalgia, Joe Purdy’s most famous song, “Wash Away”, was in one of the first episodes of Lost. That was one of my favorite shows growing up and I’m sure the same goes for many others! Although Purdy is prominent in the LA scene, he writes music like he’s a Nashville native. His stories take you on journeys of couples in love, travelers, and the tough topics of American life today. If you want your music to captivate you and make you think then click the picture to listen to Joe Purdy!