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It’s Your Money!

Event Menu

Handling & Protecting Your Financial Future

When you’re pouring your time and talent into your next single or album in the here and now, it’s easy to forgo considering what your bank account will look like 10, 20, even 50 years from now. That is why Music Biz has created this new two-day virtual event, where you’ll gain insights from music industry & financial experts alike on what to consider when planning for the future, how to build your financial “dream team,” which institutions best cater to the needs of creative audiences, estate planning and much more!


Event Agenda

MONDAY, May 24

5 – 5:30 PM ET
The Story of Jaxsta: Interview with Co-Founder and CEO Jacqui Louez Schoorl
& Pre-Event Networking Opportunity
Hear the story of how Jaxsta got its start in becoming the world’s most comprehensive source of official music credits; the Australian tech startup’s journey over the past seven years; and the financial principles that helped guide Jaxsta to today’s success. The Jaxsta Lounge will also be open to network with other attendees!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

TUESDAY, May 25

3 – 3:10 PM ET
Welcome & Intro

3:10 – 3:40 PM ET
Opening Keynote
Join us as we open “It’s Your Money” with a special keynote conversation with Sally Velazquez, LA-based tax attorney and business manager recently featured on Billboard’s 2021 Top Business Managers list. Founder of Empower Business Management, Sally represents musicians, DJs, social media influencers, actors, directors, and producers in the entertainment industry and is known for her expertise in tax and entity structuring. In this keynote, we’ll cover the most important topics when it comes to protecting your financial future and set the scene for the two days to come.

Interviewee

  • Sally Velazquez, Founder & Partner, Empower Business Management

Interviewer

  • Portia Sabin, President, Music Business Association (Music Biz)

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

3:40 – 3:50 PM ET
Break

3:50 – 4:40 PM ET
Finding Your Financial Dream Team
“Teams” are a trendy topic here in the music business with much of the spotlight being given to creative directors, tour managers, assistants, A&Rs, etc. – but this panel is going to shed some light on the team members we don’t always get to hear from – the ones that touch all the $$$. We’ll mix bankers, business managers, legal affairs, among others, to show all in attendance what the perfect financial dream team could possibly look like – and how it can help maximize and protect your income and assets.

Moderator

  • Nikisha Bailey, VP of A&R Admin and Operations, Artist Partner Group (APG)

Panelists

  • Nicole Barsalona, Director, Everyday Rebellion; President, Women In Music
  • Nima Etminan COO, EMPIRE
  • Mark Kaplan, West Coast Head of Music, Citrin Cooperman
  • Diane Pearson, SVP, City National Bank

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

4:40 – 5:00 PM ET
Break

5 – 6 PM ET
Talk The Talk: How to Successfully Work with Banks
Regular banks often generally do not understand the entertainment industry enough to take risks associated with the banking needs of creatives. Creatives, on the other hand, often don’t have the business acumen needed to present their financials in a way that is compelling to a bank. Far too often they are in “hustle mode” and are not taking care of business or using a scalable business model. In this panel, we’ll spotlight entertainment-specific banking institutions who can help you on your financial journey. Most importantly, we’ll present tips on how best to communicate with them during the process. What questions should you specifically be asking? Join us here and we’ll break it down for you. 

Moderator

  • Tony Alexander, President, Made In Memphis Entertainment

Panelists

  • Ben James, SVP Sports & Entertainment, First Horizon Bank
  • Katrina Frye, CEO & Founder, Lauretta Records
  • Cassandra Williams, SVP Community & Economic Development, Hope Credit Union

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

WEDNESDAY, May 26

3 – 3:10 PM ET
Day 2 Welcome

3:10 – 3:40 PM ET
Day 2 Keynote: Daouda Leonard, CEO, CreateSafe
Daouda Leonard is a philosopher at the forefront of the creator empowerment movement and is currently CEO of CreateSafe – a music fin-tech startup building technology solutions for artists. After 15 years of working on production teams for artists like Lady Gaga, Kanye West and Justin Bieber as well as managing businesses for artists like Grimes, Skrillex and DJ Snake, Daouda started CreateSafe to build software products for artists and managers to build and scale their business. Throughout his career in the music industry, Daouda has also worked as a manager, publisher, producer, A&R and creative director. In his keynote conversation, he’ll discuss what he believes to be the most important new revenue streams for an artist’s business in the modern music industry and how they can optimize and protect their businesses as they scale them.

Interviewer

  • Clayton Blaha, Head Of Partnerships, Audius

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

3:40 – 3:50 PM ET
Break

3:50 – 4:35 PM ET
Level Up: When It’s Time For Wealth Management…
Let’s take it to the next level and have a conversation about wealth management —  from taxes to estate planning to everything in between. Conversations will include structure, planning, and discipline as it’s all about the long game here. Join this panel of experts as they detail the ins and outs of wealth management and what to expect when it’s (hopefully) time for you to consider it as an option.

Moderator

  • Portia Sabin, President, Music Biz

Panelists

  • Louis Barajas, Founder & CFO, Business Management LAB
  • Cory Litwin, EVP, Hallwood Media
  • Eden Lopez, Managing Director / Financial Advisor, The LSS Group, RBC Wealth Management

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

4:35 – 4:45 PM ET
Break

4:45 – 5:10 PM ET
Fireside Chat 

Speaker

  • Andrew Jervis, Director of Artists and Labels, Bandcamp

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

5:10 – 6 PM ET
Responding To Mistakes: Strategies For Financial Adversity

Nobody’s perfect! We all make mistakes! Unfortunately, financial mistakes sometimes are the ones that hit us the hardest. The point is, we’re all human and have stories and hardships to prove it. In this finale panel, we’ll get real and talk about how mistakes, especially in the music business, are inevitable. While we can’t go back in time, we can strategize and respond to these mistakes in ways that help us grow and learn from them.

Moderator

  • Karl Fowlkes, Esq. Managing Partner, The Fowlkes Firm

Panelists

  • Rob Bonstein, VP of Membership, HIFI
  • Blair Clark, CEO & Marketing Director, Brooklyn Basement Records
  • Lisa Robinson, VP Income Tracking, Songtrust
  • Dan Weisman, VP, Bernstein Private Wealth Management

CLICK HERE TO WATCH

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