I recently had the incredible opportunity to attend The NAMM Show as one of six SWIM (Smart Women in Music) scholarship recipients. The SWIM scholarship gave me the opportunity to job shadow professionals in the music products industry, learn tips and best practices at breakfast and idea center sessions, and, most importantly, to connect with other women and industry leaders.
Having spent the entirety of my music industry career in print music, it was an opportunity to venture into the workings of not just other music products companies, but into the workings of the NAMM organization as well. While I took away knowledge of terms and techniques, it was the overarching themes of community, story telling, and advocacy that had the greatest impact on my time at the show.
NAMM is a community and we, as scholarship recipients and young professionals, were welcomed with open arms. Everyone I met was incredibly kind, eager to share their story of how they started and grew in the industry, and willing to help after the show in any way possible. We’re all connected by music no matter what we produce we produce, and it was amazing to see so many people wanting to learn how to authentically market their business through storytelling, promote and advocate for music education in the schools, and create genuine connections that will last a lifetime.
I am grateful for the opportunity to attend The NAMM Show as a scholarship recipient and to connect with industry professionals I may have never crossed paths with otherwise.
About Kristi:
Kristi is the Customer Service Manager at Alfred Music, and the founder of Broken Glass Media, a Virtual Services company offering support to busy music industry professionals. She is passionate about supporting and highlighting women in the music industry through her podcast, The Broken Glass Podcast, and providing tools, resources, and inspiration for women to achieve their goals in the music industry.