Alumni Update: Katelyn McNeill, Entertainment Business Management

When we last caught up with graduate Katelyn McNeill, she was working as the Director of Touring and Logistics at The Management Trust, a Toronto-based artist management company led by Jake Gold. She has since brought the skills she developed in that role to three new positions with three industry-leading companies; Assistant Artist Manager at Watson Entertainment, Talent Agent at I Book Shows, and Production Coordinator at Place My Booth.

As an Assistant Artist Manager at Watson Entertainment Katelyn oversees the day-to-day logistics of Watson’s touring artists including, publicity and promotion, funding applications and general administrative work. Similarly, in her position as a Talent Agent at I Book Shows she acts as a liaison between promoters, venues, and artists to finalize bookings and tours. And finally, her role as Production Coordinator at Place My Booth allows Katelyn to implement both her managerial skills and technical knowledge. Not only does she manage production on-site, she also organizes and contracts vendors, staff, and front of house suppliers for large scale music festivals. Since starting her role with Place My Booth Katelyn has already been contracted by multiple industry-leading companies including Republic Live, Embrace, and AEG. 

After catching up with Katelyn about her new jobs, we asked her “What has been the most helpful aspect of your Metalworks education?” and this is what she had to say: 

“I liked how versatile the classes were. You learn a large spectrum of the music business which helps you understand and interact easier in the real world. Also, the amount they stressed volunteering and getting your foot in the door at conferences and festivals really was the way [that] I made all of my connections. I took full advantage of the week off they gave us to volunteer at Canadian Music Week and that week changed my life. I can honestly say I would not be where I am today without that experience.” 

While she was still a student, Katelyn used her networking skills to help her secure an 8-month internship at The Agency Group right after graduation. Katelyn credits this experience with helping her to focus her career, telling us “I had the opportunity to work with well-known and respected agents. I think that experience paved the path to my career.” 

Katelyn finished up our interview with some great networking advice for current students: 

“The biggest key is networking and keeping your connections strong. It is often not enough to meet someone once and expect they will offer you a job a year or two down the line. You need to stay relevant in the industry, go to events, meet new people and re-connect with the ones you have met previously. The person that gets the job isn’t always a “better fit” – they may just be more relevant.”