BABE #195: LINDSEY MEDINA; Head of Marketing, Danny Wimmer Presents
Lindsey’s schedule often keeps her in the office long after 5PM, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. As head of marketing for Danny Wimmer Presents, Lindsey has been instrumental in putting on a number of kickass festivals — most recently Welcome to Rockville (#nbd). With a background interning at Live Nation and working for House of Blues, her role keeps her constantly on the go; between promoting festivals (via TV, radio and print), managing sponsorships and budgets, and working with state and cities to ensure each festival benefits communities, etc.
The Basics:
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Current city: Los Angeles, California
Alma mater: N/A
Degree: N/A
Very first job: Camp Counselor, Sierra Canyon Day Camp
Hustle: Head of Marketing, Danny Wimmer Presents
The Interests:
Babe you admire and why?
Jacque Medina. I grew up with a mother who, for many years, was the primary provider for a family of four. She was a powerhouse in the fashion industry, starting out at The Broadway (now Macy’s) and deciding she no longer wanted to have a cap on how much money she could bring in. In her early 20s, she (without any sort of interview or appointment), marched herself in to the Mart building in downtown Los Angeles and told the receptionist at Monet’s corporate office (a jewelry store) that she was going to work there. Shortly after, she interviewed with a top-level executive and got the job working for Ciani, another major player in precious metals. Later, she started her own successful post-production business with my dad, but the job I remember the most was her time spent in cosmetics and packaging, where she started in sales and quickly became CEO. No matter if she was running an international company or working out of the bonus room of my parents’ house, there was not a day that went by where my sister and I didn’t feel the (sometimes overwhelming) love and support. Any success I have had or will ever have is 100 percent due to the brilliant, kind, beautiful woman I’m so fortunate to call my mother.
How do you spend your free time?
Walking my Goldendoodle to the beach, escape rooms, going to concerts. I’m still a fan at heart.
Favorite fictional female character? Why?
Wendy Rhoades, from the show “Billions.” She is smart, clever and, most importantly, respected in an industry dominated by men.
Go-to coffee order and/or adult beverage?
Dirty chai latte/ Blanton’s (bourbon) neat (or Tito’s and soda)—depending on what mood I’m in.
Current power anthem?
“Just A Girl,” by No Doubt (has been my power anthem since it was released in ‘95).
What would you eat for your very last meal?
Macaroni and cheese and frozen yogurt for dessert.
What’s something not many people know about you?
I graduated high school at 15.
The Hustle:
Tell us about your hustle.
I run marketing for all Danny Wimmer Presents festivals, meaning I’m responsible for selling all tickets to well over a dozen festivals every year (across the country)—and growing. It’s my job to communicate with music lovers all over that world that a festival is happening, when it is happening, where it is happening, who is playing, what brand activations will also be on-site and when tickets will be on sale. To make sure all bases are covered, I work with radio stations, print publications, digital outlets, social media, billboard companies, TV stations, street teams, artist agents and managers for additional support, and the greatest PR team I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with (AM Media.)
What does your typical workday look like?
A typical workday for me starts around 6:00 a.m. Since a lot of the festivals are on Eastern Standard Time, and I live on the West Coast, I’m typically working from home and get in to the office around 9:00 a.m. my time (PST). It’s 100 mph for the rest of the day from there. Throughout the day, I end up in meetings to talk all-things festival operations, budgets, sponsorship deliverables, creative marketing brainstorms, national and local partner support, amongst many other duties. If I’m not in a meeting, I’m on calls with partners of mine from all over the country. I typically prefer to get people on the phone so I can actually build a good relationship with each partner. Festival days are entirely different. Lobby calls are around 7:00 a.m. and we don’t leave the site to head back to the hotel until closer to 1:00 a.m. These days are all adrenaline where we can finally see the faces of the people we work so hard to sell tickets to.
Erik Veenhuis
What’s been your favorite festival to date and why?
Hands down, Welcome to Rockville this past April. It was my first “baby” and I found myself in disbelief that I had anything to do with such a massive event. More importantly, it was at Welcome to Rockville that I was able to pull off the surprise of a lifetime for a very deserving 14-year-old named Charlie. I was sent a video his mother Jessie took of him opening his Christmas present—an envelope that held his Friday GA tickets to Welcome to Rockville. After hearing what Charlie and his mom had gone through in recent years, I knew I wanted to do something. Ozzy Osbourne was the Friday headliner and apparently Charlie’s all-time favorite. I was able to work with Squiggy and Mike Ciero over at The Music Experience (one of our partners on-site), who knew Charlie’s mom through a friend, and upgrade them to VIP weekend passes. Throughout the day on that Friday, Charlie was continuously surprised by different artists he was meeting—but little did he know what was coming. Charlie was later brought backstage to meet Zakk Wylde, who spent some time with him and his mom before gifting Charlie a special guitar that Zakk signed, and eventually handed to Charlie after shredding “War Pigs” on stage with Ozzy, himself (thanks to Josh Bernstein and Loudwire). After the show, I handed Charlie and his mom a meet and greet pass to go meet the Prince of Darkness for themselves. Their reaction and the knowledge that, collectively, we were able to give Charlie and Jessie a weekend that they would remember forever is something I will keep with me for the rest of my life. They are truly special people who I’m lucky to have met.
How have your past academic and professional experiences prepared you for the work you do today?
School is important to have under your belt, but I find that real-world experience is what has taught me the most. I interned for Kelly Kapp (Senior VP at Live Nation) early on. She never held back on her opinions and never hesitated to be honest. I knew before I even started working that it would be a grind and getting into the “boys club” wouldn’t be easy. She prepared me for the hours, the personalities, the politics and the persistence it would take. She believed in me, supported me and vouched for me when it came time to get my first job working for House of Blues shortly after I finished the internship. I always say that Live Nation was the best boot camp of my life. If it weren’t for that job, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do today—let alone at the scale Danny Wimmer Presents operates.
What would you say is your biggest career milestone to date and why?
I am lucky to have two milestones that are both equally as important to me. (1) 8/3/15: Closing the House of Blues Sunset Strip, the flagship venue (at the time) in Live Nation’s clubs and theaters portfolio. I grew up going to shows at that venue and running all of the marketing to close it meant the world to me. There was a family built within the walls of that venue who will be with me for the rest of my life. I couldn’t be more proud of that team and what we pulled off. (2) 4/27 to 4/29, 2018: Welcome to Rockville in Jacksonville, FL. This was the biggest edition of Rockville in its history, not to mention the first show with Danny Wimmer Presents that I handled on my own without the help of my predecessor. I remember being on the phone with my mom when the “all call” came over the radio announcing that doors were officially open for day one. At that moment, my mom and I started tearing up thinking, Holy crap … I did it! The show I’d devoted my life to for the previous seven months was starting and I got to share those memories with my sister, who flew out to support me.
How has being a woman affected your professional experience?
I think people in the workforce regularly underestimate what I’m capable of because I am a woman—and honestly, I love being underestimated. It’s like a challenge card has been thrown down, and I’m too stubborn to lose.
What’s the gender ratio like in your industry? Do you see it evolving?
The reality is that I work in a “man’s world” where there aren’t as many women at the top as there should be. The times are changing, though, and so is the ratio. I’m proud to currently work at a company that has a lot of strong women running things.
What advice would you give to a babe trying to break into your industry?
First and foremost, make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. The people who want to get in to the music industry for the “access” or hoping to get closer to the bands typically don’t last long. If you have a pure love of music—so intense you can’t see yourself working anywhere else—then this is the place for you. Be prepared to sweat for it, and above all else, don’t ever stop fighting for what you want and where you want to end up in your career. It will not be easy, but with the right intentions, it will be worth it.
What is your philosophy on work-life balance?
Honestly, this is something I struggle with every single day. Balance is important so that you don’t burn out, but I stress about what I’m missing if I’m out of the office. I find that coming home to my puppy makes a lot of the day melt away. I live close to the beach, so that ocean air helps out, too. The reality is that I’m in that window of my life where I can and should be working a lot. In a few years, I’ll be able to have more of that balance, but at the moment, I love what I do and will continue to swing for the fences while I have these incredible opportunities.
Career and/or life advice for other babes?
Believe you can do it and be confident... you will be surprised at what you accomplish.
What’s next for you?
Short term: fall festival season is on deck starting in Louisville, Ky. with Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life and ending in Sacramento, Calif. with Monster Energy Aftershock. I don’t know where my career and life will take me next, but no matter what, I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.
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