I spent most of my career in the booking agency world, starting as an assistant and working my way up to agent at Paradigm, Arrival Artists, and Wasserman Music (check out my LinkedIn profile). I was fortunate to start in a role where I was surrounded by like-minded women who helped me make sense of the industry. But not everyone gets that kind of support.

Too often, I’ve seen early-career women and nonbinary folks struggle without access to mentors who are willing to offer support or understand their perspective. That lack of guidance can lead to power imbalances, stalled career growth, unfair pay, and uneven workloads. “Pay your dues” mentality is antiquated and maladapted to the oversaturated and overstimulated world we live in now.

While I was still in the agency world, I made a point of being a mentor whenever I could. When I left, I knew I wanted to keep doing that, especially for women and nonbinary folks navigating those early, uncertain years without a trusted advisor.

The entertainment industry can be all-consuming. Setting boundaries and advocating for yourself isn’t easy.
Sometimes, what you need most is someone who gets how it works—but isn’t in the thick of it with you.