Guidance and mentorship for women in the music industry

In an industry as complex and competitive as the music business, even students from the Frost School of Music’s top-notch Music Industry program have a million questions about their future. For women who are aiming for executive and upper-level positions, those questions can be particularly pressing.

The Music Industry program offered answers with a recent panel presented with the non-profit group Women in Music. Entitled “Breaking In & Moving Up: Career Paths in the Music Industry,” it featured four female executives, two of them Music Industry program alumnae and one a graduate of the University of Miami’s communications program. They offered invaluable career advice, illuminating personal histories, and the wisdom of experience to approximately 120 attendees, about half of them Frost School students, who packed the Clarke Recital Hall on September 18.

“Part of our DNA is to assist our students in finding meaningful careers,” said Olga Cardona, a lecturer in the Music Industry program who organized and moderated the panel. “We have a fantastic network of alumni who are always happy to come and give back.”

A veteran former executive who was a leader of BMG Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing Group, Cardona (M.M. ’07) is an alumna of the Music Industry program and a founding board member of the Miami chapter of Women in Music, where she is still active.  The 40-year-old non-profit, which supports opportunities for women in music through education, support, and recognition, has 25 chapters in the U.S. and 13 internationally.

Kateryna Alymova, a second-year master’s student in the Music Industry program, found the panel inspiring. “All of the speakers were successful, but their journeys were very different,” said Alymova, who has worked in live entertainment but is interested in music publishing and how new technology can protect creators. “It showed me that there is not just one way to start or grow in the industry, and what really matters is to keep moving forward.”

The panelists were Frost School alumnae Alejandra Jiménez (M.M. ’22), Product Manager at Warner Music Latina; and Dominique Arevalo (M.M. ’22), Label Manager at Virgin Music Group. They were joined by U.M. public relations and marketing alumna Esther Beniflah, CEO of her own company, Miami-based EB Public Relations; and Gabriela Diaz, associate director of business and legal affairs at Universal Music Publishing Group.

Cardona asked a series of probing questions on six topics, ranging from how the women obtained their first job and the importance of networking and mentorship, to critical current trends and the impact of technology, to the skills that helped them stand out as they started their careers.

Arevalo, for instance, discussed how she pushed herself to network and apply for multiple jobs, despite being somewhat introverted. Diaz advised students to apply for everything that they could. “Her message for students was get out there, be disciplined in your job search,” Cardona said. “You have to have an unwavering belief in yourself.”

All the panelists graduated from college within the last decade, and Cardona said their recent experience with breaking into the industry and building their careers made their advice particularly meaningful to Frost School students. “They provide invaluable insight that’s still relevant now,” said Cardona. “It’s good for our students to get different points of view from different positions.”

Alymova was encouraged by the panelists’ willingness to help the women coming after them. “Each speaker talked about people who guided, supported, and advised them,” she said. “Even a simple answer from someone experienced can spark a new idea or help shape your next steps. For many newcomers, the most challenging aspect is envisioning how to actually enter the industry. So having access to these conversations eases the uncertainty and makes the path feel more tangible.”