A J O U R N E Y O F R E D I S C O V E R Y A N D F I N D I N G F U L F I L L M E N T B A C K S T A G E

Whether listening to it, playing or singing it, or seeing it live music is a constant in my life. But after transitioning from my first job out of college, it was no longer a part of my professional life And for over ten years, I loved working in fundraising for educational institutions I had the privilege of working for my high school and undergraduate alma maters. I traveled the world and met the most fascinating people bringing these schools on the road And then came March 2020 What I loved most about work stopped Not being a healthcare worker, I had time to reflect. Why was I put on this planet? Was it to help these incredible schools that had given me so much? Or was it to help others experience the joy of music? I was determined to figure it out

Two months into the pandemic, my cousin graduated from the University of Southern California's Music Industry program. We celebrated her graduation in their family driveway. Throughout her semesters that weren't spent on Zoom, she got to do things I couldn't believe She had a whole class focused on putting on a concert She went on tours of iconic venues around LA For class. While I wouldn't trade my undergrad experience, how did I miss out on this one? I remember standing in the driveway asking her question after question about her degree "You know, Laurel, there is a Master's in Music Industry at USC " A Master's degree in Music Industry? Too niche. Not a good investment.

And as COVID went on, I knew I had to make a change Music got me through the most challenging of times - the playlists for working from home, artists' live streams, and, eventually, the invention of the sociallydistanced outdoor drive-in concert So I listened to hundreds of podcast episodes, read all the books on making a career pivot, and decided to quit my job and leave at the end of the school year If not now, then when?

So I networked and networked and networked some more I soaked up all the advice I could from anyone who would take a phone call with me. I applied to countless jobs, and nothing stuck. I kept thinking back to USC as my cousin thrived in her role at a music PR firm She connected me with the program chair, who spent over an hour on the phone with me I wanted to learn from this guy and others like him But did I really need a master's degree in Music Industry? No, but I wanted one And most of all, I wanted to fully immerse myself in a space that would help me figure out how to best contribute my passion for music and be surrounded by others doing the same It was November 2021, and I was still working at a school in Ojai Tickets to Rufus du Sol at Banc of California Stadium brought me adjacent to the USC campus, and I spent the night at the USC Hotel. I woke up the next morning, looked down at the campus, and said to myself, "I am going to go to school here next year " Four months later, I got the acceptance letter

Fast-forward to September 2022 A professor who taught the course on live touring announced at the beginning of class "My friend owns a catering company and is hiring for a hectic fall show schedule. Let me know if you're interested." Catering? These loans weren't going to pay themselves off Why not? Little did I know what was in store for me

What I thought would be just a side hustle has led me to support artists in an unexpectedly fulfilling way preparing and taking down their green rooms. A few weeks ago, I stood on the side of the stage at the Forum and watched John Mayer command the stage and the audience on his own I got chills as he took a sip from a water bottle I had placed on the stage My small action allowed him to perform his best And the audience experienced tremendous joy seeing him in his element And however silly it sounds, I contributed to that joy.

Now I have been on stage and backstage at almost every major venue in LA, along with several festivals around the country I have gotten to work with some of my artistic heroes This summer, I started an internship with SoFi Stadium and YouTube Theater. And I couldn't be more grateful I let myself take the risk of a career pivot at 35. Hauling cases of water in triple-digit heat or cleaning up a dressing room at 3 a m has yet to jade me only excite me for what's to come