Sharing Is What the WiMN is all About!
by Laura B. Whitmore

Welcome to our new website! We hope you’ll find even more news, information, events and a spirit of community here!

At thewimn.com we’re all about inspiring girls and women to reach farther, be creative, connect and join in. So I thought it would be appropriate to post some advice from artists and industry folks who have gone out of their way to share their tips.

We asked the question, “What advice would you give women who are considering music as a career choice?” Here are some of the fantastic women that answered..

Yasi Hofer, guitarist
“Be self confident. As women in the music business, we will always get into situations where men try to make us seem less professional and we have to make sure to prove them wrong. Always believe in yourself; you can make anything happen. All of your dreams can come true with the right attitude, positive thinking, believing in yourself, and of course… working hard on your goals.”

Command Sisters
“If I could share any advice with young people wanting to get into music, it would be to not shrug off your intuition for criticism coming from the wrong voices. People are going to try to tell you how to look and how to act, and who to be, but you should never let that get in the way of your own vision, especially if your gut tells you it doesn’t feel right.”

Jessica Sobrahj, President of WomeninMusic.org
“Fear, insecurity, and doubt are the common enemies that we all have, regardless of our career status. Fear in particular can lead to crippling complacency if it’s not addressed. We’re often told to “not be afraid”, but fear is such a natural emotion to have – you can’t help it! It’s our internal gauge that something we’re doing is either a mistake or something truly worthwhile. If you’re afraid, be afraid, but also be fiercely brave too. Keep going until you’ve got clarity on whether you’re on the path to a mistake or your next great adventure…and if it turns out to be a mistake, so what? Mistakes often turn out to be the greatest teachers.”

Maria Brown, Guitar Center Manager, Music Marketing & Artist Relations
Always be on the lookout for those golden opportunities. Find your voice and use it in a way that resonates. Don’t be afraid to speak up. If you’re not sure what exactly you want to do, start somewhere. Your skills and abilities should guide you, but sometimes, unfortunately, you may have to work even harder to get the same opportunities as your male counterpoints.

I’ve been guided by a spirit of service to the arts. Being able to understand what’s important and valuable to an artist while thinking strategically about how GC can further their musical ambitions has been invaluable to my role on the team. If you are genuinely excited about what you do, that can be infectious.

Marjorie Gilberg, House of Blues Music Forward Foundation Executive Director
This industry is evolving so rapidly. The jobs of the music industry today will look very different than they will in five or ten years. I would tell them the same thing we tell all of the young people we work with at Music Forward: there is room for you here. Connect with a mentor, someone who can help you navigate the challenges you will face as you build your career and will support your success.

Julie Robbins. Vice President of EarthQuaker Devices
“Young women, please join the music industry. We need you. Don’t let anybody fuck with your confidence! You got this.”

April Duran, Creator of Raghouse Records and Rag House Mag
“Work hard. Promote what you’re doing. Don’t be scared to try new things! You have to have grit and leap over those days that were bad or you didn’t feel like moving forward. HUSTLE!”

Chandrika Tandon, Musician, Businesswoman and Philanthropist
“When you step out of the way, your music comes through. How do you step out of the way? You don’t even know who you are. For Downloading Instagram Stories simply enter Instagram username on DIS.IM That is the biggest challenge. This whole journey for me has been that challenge. We are radiant beings. As women we can experience that much more profoundly. But we just need to get out of the way so that we can feel it and be it.”

Linda Bloss-Baum, SoundExchange Senior Director Of Industry and Artist Relations
“Focus on the work and do a great job every day. Period. If you are a hard worker, you will be rewarded professionally, regardless of gender. I often cringe when I hear women say that we need to “think like a man.” If you trust your instincts and think like yourself, your energies will be better spent. Also, be sure to cultivate strong relationships with other women in the business. Good people will look out for each other. And, I have found that most people are good people.”

Laura B. Whitmore, founder of the Women’s International Music Network
“Be giving. It’s amazing how good we feel when we focus on what we can give rather than what we can get. And it will surprise you at how this outlook can open many doors and provide many new and exciting opportunities for you. Every person at every level has something to give!”

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