Ep. 80 Merrill Miller: Be a Sponge  This week we start with video games that taught us something before Bryan and Josh sit down with fellow presenter, Merrill Miller. Merrill shares his journey from booking his high school band gigs to booking bands at the North Shore Center. He talks about the challenges of booking a venue so close to Chicago, what a performing arts center can be, the importance of hospitality for performers, and a little about his hobby outside of the industry. Merrill Miller is the Manager of Concerts/Marketing Assistant at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts (https://northshorecenter.org/) in Skokie, Illinois. Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod  Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 79 Jeeyoon Kim: A Degree Doesn’t Guarantee Anything Our hosts start this week’s episode talking about changing traditions. Bryan shares his conversation with award-winning performer, Jeeyoon Kim. Jeeyoon shares how and why she is challenging the traditions of classical music, her unique start in Korea with playing the piano, and the challenges of being a classical music performer after university. Jeeyoon Kim is a classical pianist, educator, author (https://www.jeeyoonkim.com/product-page/whenever-you-re-ready-autographed-copy)  and a podcaster (https://www.jeeyoonkim.com/podcast) with a mission to create a bridge between her as a performer and her audience to better share classical music. Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 78 Sarah Saltwick: Bring Your Whole Self   This week, Danielle and Katie share their conversation with the powerhouse that is Sarah Saltwick. They dig into taking ownership of Holden & Arts, managing the agency with three leaders, and what running an agency entails. Sarah also shares how she got started in the industry, how she continues to get involved and learn more, and attempting to balance business, life, and her artistic endeavors. Our hosts this week take a look back in their lives to what seemed like simpler times.  Sarah Saltwick is a Co-Director of Holden & Arts Associates (https://www.holdenarts.org/) and handles Sales & Artistic Relations. She is also a playwright and avid supporter of the industry as a whole through various volunteer roles. Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 77 John Ernesto: Take Care of the Artist, Take Care of the Fans To start this episode our hosts discuss the artist they presented that created that surreal moment of “I can’t believe this is happening”.  Bryan and John discuss the origin of the Berks Jazz Fest and its subsequent development.  His theory on taking care of the artist and the fans and the rest will take care of itself.  We learn about how the Jazz Fest developed through community partnerships and everyone being on board.  John is retiring as general manager and artistic director of The Berks Jazz Fest, a festival featuring over 100 performances in 10 days. Find more information at  https://www.berksjazzfest.com Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 76 Jenny Sirota and Didi Perez: Be Confident, Stay Educated, and Stay Flexible Our hosts share their choices for “live on stage” adaptations before Josh shares his conversation with Jenny and Didi. They share their incredible journey in starting RoadCo in collaboration with Sony Music Entertainment. This honest conversation shares the ins and outs of this relationship, what it takes to put a show on the road, and how relationships with presenters help influence new touring shows. Didi Perez and Jenny Sirota are both Principal Agents for RoadCo Entertainment (https://www.roadcoentertainment.com/) Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 75 Joshua Heim: Embed Art in Your Community This week Katie and Kevin sit down with Joshua Heim to talk equity, Western Arts Alliance, the state of the arts and more. Josh shares his journey in the arts, Hula as a lifestyle, working with and for constituents, and the role of the arts in communities. Our hosts this week share awkward meetings and interesting meeting locations. Joshua Heim is the Executive Director of Western Arts Alliance (https://www.westarts.org/) Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 74 Ally Haynes-Hamblin: Trust Yourself and Go with the Flow Our hosts share just some of the many influential women in their lives. Danielle sits down with another influential woman in our lives, Ally Haynes-Hamblin. Ally shares her lineage in the arts, the challenging role of being a "fixer,” her leadership style and philosophy, and how to get involved in a community.  Ally Haynes-Hamblin is the Executive Director of the Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts in Richardson, Texas (https://www.eisemanncenter.com/). Ally is also a board member for the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP). Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 73 Jim Lenz: Transparency Leads to Trust Our hosts share their dreams on what they would do with an abandoned mall before our guest Jim Lenz joins Josh for a conversation. Jim shares his love for live music, booking artists into venues in high school, importance of artists taking control of their marketing, and changes in PAC rock shows over the years.  Jim Lenz is with TKO Booking Agency (https://tkoco.com/). Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 72 David Rowell: Inspiring the Next Generation Our hosts talk about times they said, “never again,” and then totally did again. This week Bryan sits down with David Rowell, an amazing educator and mentor in the industry. David shares his introduction to the arts, clown ministry, his incredible career, opening performance venues, and teaching the future of the industry. He is joined by two of his students, Ashanique Riche and Hannah Pogemiller, who share their unique view of the industry and an inside look at the program at Dean College. David Rowell is the Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Arts and Entertainment Management at Dean College in Franklin, Massachusetts (https://www.dean.edu/academics/majors-degrees/arts-and-entertainment-management/).  Ashanique Riche and Hannah Pogemiller are students in the Arts and Entertainment Management Program. Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 71 The Okee Dokee Brothers: Being Connected to Families is an Honor Before we kick-off this week’s interview the Pod Squad gives their opinion on camping, and the team congrats Josh on his appointment to the board of NAPAMA (https://www.napama.org/). The Okee Dokee Brothers join the podcast to be interviewed by their number one grownup fan, Katie Miller!  They share how they started the group, their adventure albums, engaging with their fans to market their shows, turning down a GRAMMY nomination, and more. Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing make up The GRAMMY Award winning group, The Okee Dokee Brothers (https://www.okeedokee.org/).  Joe and Justin record and perform family music with a goal to inspire children and their parents to step outside and get creative. Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 70 Sarah Rogers: The Scariest Things Are the Most Rewarding  Our hosts talk about big professional risks and this week Kevin shares his conversation with Sarah Rogers. Sarah shares her early introduction to the arts, her introduction to being an agent, the challenges of touring major dance pieces and more. Sarah also shares the importance of mentorship and the importance of funding mentorship programs. Our host continue the conversation about dance, international work, and green touring. Sarah Rogers is an agent and producer representing Dana Gingras, Animals of Distinction (https://animalsofdistinction.org/)   Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 69 Dan Talmi: The Art of Rebranding Our hosts talk about “pandemic pivots,” before Josh’s engaging conversation with Dan Talmi. Dan Talmi shares his almost reluctant start in the family business, overseeing an impressive rebrand amid global conflict, the evolution of marketing, merchandising as an experience, and so much more.  Our hosts continue the conversation and discuss the concept of the “house merch cut.” Dan Talmi is a Producing Director at Talmi Entertainment, the company behind the holiday classic, Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet (https://nutcracker.com/)    Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 68 Jared Freiburg: Roll With the Punches and Treat People With Respect The Pod Squad talks who they would play in a biopic, with varying levels of seriousness. This week Katie talks with Jared Freiburg, who “can play like a mother”, about his incredible and short (but still unfolding) career. Jared shares how he started working in the touring industry, life as a cruise ship performer, life on the road, starting his own band, the challenges of being a performer, and so much more. Jared also shares some tangible takeaways for new artists who want to get started touring. Jared Freiburg (https://jfreiburg.com/) is a musician, performer, and front man of Jared Freiburg and The Vagabonds. Jared toured as Jerry Lee Lewis in Million Dollar Quartet and helped create the role of Jerry Lee Lewis in Million Dollar Quartet Christmas. Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 67 Dena Blizzard: Learn Your Craft, Be Funny  Our hosts share embarrassing moments before Bryan and Josh share their conversation with comedian Dena Blizzard. Dena tells her story of being a comic, creating an off-Broadway show, and eventually creating a multi-media company, starting with her unique approach to marketing. Dena shares funny stories and poignant moments in her career. Dena Blizzard is a comedian, mother of three and creator of “One Funny Mother”, a multi-media company creating content (https://www.onefunnymother.com/), products and live comedy shows about “Wine, Women and Laughter”.   Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 66 Pam Komar: Mindful Service This week Katie shares her conversation with friend of the podcast Pam Komar of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. They discuss the power of embracing change, how to focus on wellness and taking care of yourself, and how particular programming areas are avenues to connecting with disengaged audiences. Pam also shares the history of the Cultural Trust and the impact it continues to have on Pittsburgh. Our hosts share how they unplug and take time for themselves, and we discover that Kevin is actually from the Jersey Shore. Pam Komar is the Director of Programming at The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust (https://trustarts.org/). Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 65 Wone Vang: Never Give Up on Your Stupid Stupid Dreams Kevin tries out his old-timey radio voice before sitting down with Wone Vang. Wone shares the struggle of being a full-time artist and full-time employee, the Guaranteed Income Program she is managing for Springboard for the Arts, and the importance of pay equity. Our hosts talk about their life in cross stich, what individuals can do to increase pay equity, and how we can learn more on these topics.    Wone Vang is an artist (https://3drdcrafts.com/) and the Economic Opportunity Director at Springboard for the Arts (https://springboardforthearts.org/). Resources mentioned in this episode: The Art of Economic Justice: https://springboardforthearts.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/GI_Impact_Report_SBftA_2023.pdf Stefanie O’Connell Rodriguez: https://tooambitious.com/    Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 64 Micah Christian: A Process Unfolding This week Bryan sits down with the lead vocalist of Sons of Serendip, Micah Christian. Micah opens up about his journey into creating music, learning to not compare himself to others, life on the road, and more. Meanwhile, our hosts have a rousing conversation about ringtones and ring backs, Bryan effectively shuts down criticism, and realize we all have learning to do on how the music charts work.  Micah Christian is an artist passionate about storytelling, composing, and performing music that supports, enhances, and creates meaningful moments. He is the co-founder and lead vocalist of America's Got Talent Finalist, Sons of Serendip (https://www.sonsofserendip.com/). Micah is also on the board of NAPAMA. Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 63 It’s a New Years’ Spectacular! … with Guests!  The holiday season is busy and filled with surprises just like this episode! Three guests + 5 hosts = 1 fun filled episode! We’d like to thank our guests Christine Cox, Tracie Lawie, and Barron Ryan for closing out the year with us with some games and some resolutions. Thank you for listening this past year! Christine Cox – Ep. 16: is the Owner and Founder of C Squared Entertainment (https://www.csquaredentertainment.com/) and the Executive Producer of the Off Broadway family-friendly magic show, The Amazing Max (http://theamazingmaxlive.com/). Tracie Lawie – Ep. 29: is the Director of the Miller Auditorium (https://www.millerauditorium.com/). Barron Ryan – Ep. 60: (https://www.barronryan.com/) is a composer, performer, author, and creator Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 62 Sara Barasch: It Doesn’t Have to be Perfect  Katie connects with friend of the pod, Sara Barasch. Katie and Sara dive into industry hot topics including block booking, the booking cycle, how to connect with venues/buyers, and how a childhood of dance and musical theatre led her to becoming an agent. Our hosts talk about pivotal show moments in their lives, the importance of relationship building with agents you are working with, and more. Sara Barasch is the Senior Vice President, Booking Manager at IMG Artists (https://imgartists.com/) Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.

Ep. 61 Devin and Lolita Walker: Know Your Worth  This week our hosts kick off the conversation discussing being in business with family. This week Danielle sits down with the powerhouse couple Devin and Lolita Walker. Danielle, Devin, and Lolita talk in-depth about being business owners, the lives of teaching artists, and the need for advocacy around working conditions and fair pay for teaching artists. They also discuss the importance of asking for help, transferrable skills, and taking time off to rest. Devin and Lolita Walker are the co-owners of The Uncle Devin Show, a live musical experience for children (https://theuncledevinshow.com) and WeeMusic Radio (https://www.weenationradio.com), a streaming radio station curated for kids and families. Follow us on social media and let us know your thoughts and questions - https://linktr.ee/nobusinesslikepod Our theme song is composed by Vic Davi.