Vanessa Ferrer has been a successful businesswoman for over 15 years in finance and artist management. Armed with the heart of an artist, the belief that she could make a difference, and the drive to make it happen, Ferrer founded InFocus Artist Management in 2009.

A Certified Public Accountant and alumni of NYU with an M.S. in Real Estate Finance & Investment, she solidified her music industry acumen through Berklee College of Music’s music business program and hit the ground running.

After managing several touring clients and consulting with high-profile industry professionals, Ferrer used her multifaceted background to develop and launch Merch Cat (2015), a musician friendly platform for music artists to sell and manage merchandise at live shows. Merch Cat Fan, a fan facing virtual merch table and merch marketplace launched in late 2018.

Merch Cat’s big vision is to create an ecosystem of solutions that empower artists and stakeholders to maximize merchandise opportunities rooted in the live show environment.

Since the launch of Merch Cat, Ferrer has spoken at over a dozen conferences, including Music Biz and SXSW 2018, and has quickly become a familiar face and respected voice amongst her peers in the music community.

Through her speaking efforts, Ferrer aspires to help artists have sustainable careers, as well as inspire other entrepreneurs in music and music technology. Ferrer is a member of NARAS, the Music Business Association, and Women In Music.

1. Why is merch so important for the marketing plan of any music business.
2. What is considered essential merch and non-essential merch.
3. How can musician-entrepreneurs use merch to increase fan engagement during quarantine.
4. What type of merch has the greatest return on investment regardless of the state of the industry.
5. What type of merch should musician-entrepreneurs be focusing on a this time.
6. How can Merch Cat help musicians improve the current state of their music businesses.

And much more…

Merch Cat is the best way to organize inventory, track payments, and get real-time reports. Move seamlessly from stage-front to store-front. Go ahead and subscribe to their newsletter at https://www.merchcat.com/.

Amanda Alexandrakis is a music executive based in Ft. Collins, CO. She is the founder of Music Promotion Inc., a successful music marketing firm that marries strategic marketing with other promotional aspects of an artist’s career. Not content to focus on just one area, Ms. Alexandrakis looks at the big picture and, with an ‘all hands-on-deck’ mentality, connects all the marketing aspects so they function together to promote a project from top to bottom.

A graduate of Florida International University’s College of Business, where she earned both a Bachelor’s (Business Administration/Marketing) and Master’s degree (International Business), Ms. Alexandrakis immediately felt a pull toward marketing but had no plans to focus on music. While a freshman in college, Amanda connected with a friend whose mother was a famous 60s singer and was launching her own record label. With Ms. Alexandrakis’ bubbly personality and outgoing nature, they felt a job in radio promotion would be a perfect fit. Within her first month, Ms. Alexandrakis made the nascent label over $45K and booked over 40 radio interviews. She was promoted to Promotions Director, put in charge of domestic and international campaigns – and a career was launched.

Ms. Alexandrakis realized she not only had an aptitude for marketing but for getting people excited about a project. After leaving the label, she had a short stint as an in-house promotion director for a booking agency before deciding to strike out on her own. This was not surprising to anyone who knew Ms. Alexandrakis as a youngster, as she played several sports and was called “kamikaze” by her coaches because she would never back down from a challenge. Skiing black diamond runs at age 4, a 12 year stretch as a gymnast and a period spent as a stuntwoman prepared Ms. Alexandrakis for anything the music industry could throw at her. Her ability to give it her all through any circumstance is something she’d been cultivating her entire life.

While attending college in Miami, Ms. Alexandrakis established two entities: Dalin Promotions, an independent promotion company that specialized in College Radio Promotions and soon after came Dalin Records, a recording label that focused on the Adult Contemporary and Alternative genres. The label’s first release charted Top 20 on the national radio charts and for the next five years, the label signed multiple acts and became known within the industry for their high-quality releases and youthful but aggressive approach to marketing.

In 2001, Ms. Alexandrakis co-founded South Beach Marketing and Promotion, Inc, based in both Miami, FL and Boulder, CO. A radio promotion company that focused on secondary and mainstream Adult Contemporary radio campaigns, Ms. Alexandrakis would head up all corporate marketing, campaign development, branding and sales. She also expanded the company into the Australian market. During this time, Ms. Alexandrakis also worked as a consultant for the European Music Office, an official government funded agency created to educate artists, something she still looks back on as a career highlight.

In 2011, Ms. Alexandrakis founded Music Promotion Inc. after seeing the need for a comprehensive marketing company for small labels, artists and management companies. The company works strategic marketing, radio, press and digital campaigns in the U.S, U.K., Europe and Australia, juggling several different time zones with ease. During this time, Ms. Alexandrakis began working with the David Lynch Foundation Music, acting as their Worldwide Radio Consultant and Marketing Manager for a charity compilation series featuring 18 artists released in over 30 countries. “This was one of the most gratifying projects I have ever been involved in. It was extremely complicated with so many moving parts and I loved every minute of it!”

Ms. Alexandrakis is an active member of The American Marketing Association as well as The Recording Academy (Grammys). She has worked on multiple projects that have won and have been nominated for a Grammy, and she has been recognized by The Recording Academy for her professional contribution 4 times.

If she wasn’t already busy enough running a business and raising a son with her musician (yes, she married one) husband, Ms. Alexandrakis managed to get a Certificate in Disruptive Strategy from Harvard Business School in 2019.

To learn more about Amanda Alexandrakis or Music Promotion Inc, please visit: https://www.musicpromotion.com

1. What is music promotion.
2. How has Covid impacted the way music marketers market and promote music.
3. How has the process of new releases changed during the pandemic.
4. How does music promotion helps musicians stay afloat during uncertain times.
5. What type of marketing and promotion should an artist be focusing on at this time.
6. How will music promotion pivot in the future with the aftermath of the pandemic.

And much more…

Music Promotion analyzes the entire project and “connects the dots” between radio and other aspects of an artist’s career to obtain optimal results. They provide Radio Campaigns in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe and Australia. They can be hired to handle solely radio or they can have a more comprehensive role in the project by handling Marketing Strategy, Branding, prepping before a major release and overseeing the project.

You can find more information at https://musicpromotion.com/.

Eric de Fontenay has spent his career steeped in what has been called the “digital revolution,” starting in the 90’s as an economic consultant working with some of the world’s largest telecommunication firms. In 1997, Eric founded MusicDish just as the “new” music industry began to emerge on the scene. Starting with the launch of Mi2N (Music Industry News Network), its industry portals became leading voices in the debates that characterized the transition to a networked, digital music sector.

He has spearheaded artist development for over a hundred musicians and bands, culminating in his role as manager for Canadian kaiso group KoboTown whom he signed to prestigious world music label Cumbacha. In 2010, Eric launched MusicDish*China to bridge greater China’s music sector with the world. He has coordinated Taiwan cultural missions in France, Canada and the United States, serving as an international consultant for Taiwan’s Government Information Office. He is the international manager for the mainland China’s biggest Rock band “Second Hand Rose”, as well as representing Chinese rock acts Iron Kite, Gemini and Namo.

Eric has also been developing and touring a growing roster of award-winning overseas music acts in China. He has organized talks and exhibitions for NYCxDesign and China Institute, been featured in a variety of media such as China Daily, CCTV America and China Today, contributed a chapter on China’s music industry in the 4th edition of The Future of the Music Business and was selected for Mandarin Leader’s 2016 Honoree List.

1. Some differences between a US music promotion plan and an international plan.
2. What research to do when entering an international market beyond the label or promoter’s knowledge of the market.
3. What cultural aspects an artist needs to consider when touring internationally.
4. What is the current state of music promotional, distribution and sales efforts in China.
5. How have Chinese streaming platforms been impacted by new releases during the pandemic.
6. What is the current state of the live music scene overseas.
7. Some alternative responses to navigate lockdowns of the live music scene internationally.

And much more…

With China being one of the fastest growing streaming markets in the world, MusicDish*China has released over 70 albums/EPs over the last year to all the major Chinese music services, such as Xiami, Tencent’s QQMusic and Netease.

Getting music released in China is one thing, drawing new listeners and fans is quite another. With social media like Facebook, YouTube and SoundCloud blocked in China, MusicDish China works with a variety of partners (from music platforms to online radio) to promote their music releases to Chinese listeners, combined with marketing on our established Chinese social and mobile channels such as Weibo, Weixin and Youku.

From curated playlist to music video distribution, we are one of the leading promoters of overseas music in China.

More information can be found at https://www.musicdish.com/.

You can also subscribe to their mailing list.

Suzanne, founder of The Rock/Star Advocate, is a mindset and productivity coach for music professionals. With a degree in Music Business as well as a Master’s in Psychology, she thrives helping creatives reach their goals with custom goal-setting and time management solutions that enable them to gain clarity on their next steps while maintaining a healthy work/life balance.

She published her first book, The Rock/Star Life Planner, now in its latest edition, as a tool for creatives to find focus in their daily lives (www.therockstaradvocate.com/planner). Her teachings can be found in her podcast – The Music-Preneur Mindset – and her many guest posts for Rising Tide, Sonicbids, Thrive, Tunecore, and Soundfly.

1. What does a powerful Music-Preneur mindset looks like.
2. What is the impact of time management for a musician-entrepreneur.
3. Why it is important for a Music-Preneur to get clear on his goals.
4. What are the first steps an artist can take to get clarity on goals.
5. What is the importance of slowing down.
6. What does “mono-tasking” means.
7. What does self-care means.
8. What tools artists can use to help think more clearly about his craft.
9. How does the Rock Star life planner helps any artist.

And much more…

Get Suz’s Rock Star life planner, make sure you subscribe to her email list, and take her brief quiz to find out exactly what to do next to reach your goals and to access free tools to help you get there at https://therockstaradvocate.com/.

Kate Westwood is the founder of an Australian music management company called ‘Westwood Management’. Kate calls herself a non-traditional manager – meaning instead of working with established artists for a percentage, she works exclusively with early stage, emerging artists on a flat fee, no contract basis!!!

She self released her debut album ‘The Lament & The Love Song’ in 2018, and is working on her second album while at the same time helping 30+ artists develop their careers, and build sustainable music businesses!

A bit of a self proclaimed ‘jack of all trades’ – Kate has a wide range of knowledge, skills and experience in the music industry and is always up for a chat or a flat white or both!

1. The first key elements an artist needs to put in place when starting his music career.
2. How to split the split focus between creating music and developing a music business.
3. The best order of action to go from emerging to mid-level artist in the Australian market.
4. The impact of the global lockdown for Australian musicians.
5. Possible challenges local musicians experience when going national in Australia.
6. Some Australian music regulations that are different from other countries.
7. Major mistakes artists make in their early stages and how can they fix them.
8. Some A&R opportunities for musicians in Australia.

And much more…

Westwood Management offers music management & coaching that helps take away the stress of being an emerging artist. Find more information at https://www.westwoodmgmt.com.au/ and subscribe to her newsletter.

As a co-founder of Music Gorilla, Alexia Erlichman has helped build one of the leading commercial marketplaces for independent musicians and their work. With Music Gorilla, Alexia has merged her passion for networking, commitment to the independent movement and a decade of career success in the entertainment industry to create a service that helps artists get their songs heard and licensed by Labels, Music Publishers and Players in the Television, Film, Advertising and Web/Gaming industries.

A native New Yorker, Alexia graduated from NYU and spent years in production roles for Miramax Films, Tribeca Productions Robert DeNiro, Creative Film Management, Robert Rodriguez/Elizabeth Avellan and the Executive Producer Lynda Obst. She and Music Gorilla co-founder Lawrence Erlichman recently moved back to their native East Coast where they live with their rambunctious rescue dog, Crusoe.

1. What is a label showcase.
2. How does a publishing deal works.
3. What indicates a musician is ready for placement or label showcase.
4. Some major and secondary sources of income of a publishing deal.
5. The difference between a publishing deal and a songwriting deal.
6. Who owns the copyrights.
7. How does a TV or a film deal works.
8. How licensing existing songs for motion picture works.
9. What is the role of a music supervisor.

And much more…

Music Gorilla is a leading commercial marketplace for independent musicians worldwide. Music Gorilla takes no part of the deal from either party. It is as simple as signing up, uploading your music and creating a profile page to submit your music to Film, TV, Songwriting and Major Label Showcase opportunities. You can get heard by a wide range of industry pros from music supervisors to internet radio hosts to major label A&R representatives.

Find more information at https://www.musicgorilla.com/.

Basic Membership is free and you can also subscribe to their newsletter to receive new music opportunities.