Carrie Lelwica is an Artist Manager and the founder of Soar Entertainment. She previously worked on the road as Production Assistant for Alison Krauss, Blake Shelton, and Hunter Hayes and currently works as a Promoter Rep. for Police Productions with Cody Johnson. Additionally, Carrie manages rising country stars like Ashland Craft, Sean Stemaly, Stephen Paul, Sammy Arriaga, and serves as a Day-To-Day Manager for Adam Sanders, Jenny Tolman, and The Dryes.

Follow Carrie: @carrielelwica
Follow Soar Entertainment:
IG: @soarentertainment
www.soar-entertainment.com

Find your next Gigg: https://www.giggs.live/

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live

Host: Nikki Sanz

Jamison Wiersema, an Experiential Marketing Tour Manager, Brand Representative, and CDL-A driver. Jamison has managed marketing campaigns for WME/IMG Live, working with clients like Budweiser, Verizon, and Coca-Cola, and has been involved in some of the biggest events in the industry, including the Super Bowl, World Series, and major music festivals. Currently, Jamison is the Activation Manager for the Tim McGraw Arena Tour, handling the transport, build, and activation of a 53-foot mobile on-demand gym for the touring team.

Find your next Gigg: https://www.giggs.live/

Stay up to date:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live

Host: Nikki Sanz

"How can I work in music industry?" Giggs Founder, Nikki Sanz, answers the most frequently asked question by sharing 18 practical strategies to break into the music, live event, and touring industry. In this episode, she organizes insights from top professionals and her personal experiences to provide actionable advice, moving beyond the typical "just meet the right people" suggestion. This episode is all about strategies you can put into practice.

#1 - Build Your Network
#2 - Research & Cold Calling
#3 - Volunteering & Internships
#4 - Attend Networking Events
#5 - The 15-Minute Phone Call
#6 - Always Ask for Introductions
#7 - Stay Top of Mind
#8 - Maintain a Clean Online Presence
#9 - Find Mentors
#10 - Research Local Production Companies & DMCs
#11 - Never Say No to a Gigg
#12 - Take Every Gigg Seriously
#13 - Follow Up After Giggs
#14 - Be a Sponge & Learn from Mistakes
#15 - You Are Your Own Business
#16 - Celebrate Others' Successes
#17 - When One Door Closes, Another Opens
#18 - Get on Giggs

Find your next Gigg: https://www.giggs.live/

Stay up to date:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live

Host: Nikki Sanz

Sooner Rae Routhier is a renowned Principal Designer who is a 2X Parnelli, Live Design Achievement, Live Production Summit Pinnacle, and multi Top Dog award-winning designer. Her designs can be seen on Jimmy Fallon, The AMA’s, The Ellen Show, The Voice, and The Billboard Music Awards. She has crafted iconic shows for artists such as Coldplay, Panic at the Disco, The Weeknd, KISS, Imagine Dragons, The Lumineers, and many more. Beyond her creative genius, Sooner has also been a driving force in shaping the modern landscape of entertainment lighting and design. Sooner is also part of Giggs' advisory board and we are so lucky to have her be part of the team.

Follow along with Sooner:
Instagram: @soonerrouthier

The Playground:
Web: www.theplayground.live
Instagram: @the.playground.creative

EVEN:
Web: www.theevennetwork.org
Instagram: @theevennetwork

Find your next Gigg: https://www.giggs.live/

Stay up to date:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live

Host: Nikki Sanz

Jim Yakabuski is a veteran live audio engineer with 43 years of experience. Jim has mixed Front of House for iconic artists such as No Doubt, Shania Twain, Matchbox 20, Gwen Stefani, Rob Thomas, Peter Frampton, and many more. He has worked on massive events like the Super Bowl and Coachella, and is currently the Audio Director for US Live Productions at Solotech.

Find your next Gigg: https://www.giggs.live/

Stay up to date:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live

Host: Nikki Sanz

Mark Oglesby, currently the tour manager for Post Malone, is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the music industry. His career began as road manager for The Clark Family Experience. Since then, Mark has managed tours for high-profile artists including Jennifer Nettles with Sugarland, Billy Carrington, Emerson Drive, Good Charlotte, Sum 41, Pink, OneRepublic, and Kane Brown.

Keep up with Mark on the road:
Instagram: @onemarkonly

Find your next Gigg: https://www.giggs.live/

Stay up to date:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live

Host: Nikki Sanz

Lolo Kinser currently serves as Tour Coordinator for Tim McGraw. With a background in nutrition and business, she brings her passion for health on the road and builds community wherever she goes. Previously, she was the Production Coordinator for Chris Young and Jason Aldean, and the Tour Manager for The Peach Truck. Lolo discusses her duties as a Tour Coordinator and how she balances life on and off the road.

Find your next Gigg: https://www.giggs.live/

Stay up to date:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live

Host: Nikki Sanz

Olly Rowland has lived the life we all have dreamed of living. A professional stuntman on Game of Thrones, Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor 2, Captain America, many others, an adventure cameraman, filming monkey bike races over the Andes Mountains into the Amazon rainforest, tour manager for “McFly,” “Bros,” and “Matt Goss,” and currently handling all of Dolly Parton’s production, from shows and appearances, to all TV and music video production.

Find your next Gigg: https://www.giggs.live/

Stay up to date:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live

Host: Nikki Sanz

We're excited to have Thomas O’Keefe, a seasoned Tour Manager with a long, successful career in the music industry. Thomas began his career in the late 1980s as a bass guitarist for the punk rock band ANTiSEEN. After 6 albums and tours in the US and Europe, he switched careers to become a tour manager in 1996. He has worked with notable artists like Sia, Vince Gill, Train, Mandy Moore, Third Eye Blind, and Weezer, and traveled to over 50 countries. Beyond touring, Thomas is an author, educator, speaker, and a mentor in the music business, currently working on his 2nd book and preparing for Weezer's Blue Album 30th anniversary tour.

Find your next Gigg: https://www.giggs.live/

Stay up to date:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live

Host: Nikki Sanz

Hosted by Nikki Sanz, Founder & CEO of Giggs, the professional career platform for the live event industry, this podcast dives deep into the world of touring and live events to share the good, the bad, the ugly, and the unbelievable moments of gigging life, along with invaluable lessons learned on the road.

We’re here to fill the gap in content about what it truly takes to work on the road. Our episodes will explore every discipline within the live event industry, showcasing big wins, hard-learned lessons, and everything in between. We honor the pioneers of this industry, offering invaluable insights from the older generations who shaped modern touring.

Whether you’re an aspiring tour manager, a seasoned backline tech, or just passionate about the live event scene, this podcast is for you. Join us as we take you behind the scenes to explore the highs and lows of gigging life.

Find your next Gigg: https://www.giggs.live/

Stay up to date:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giggs.live
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@giggs-live

Host: Nikki Sanz