Before marketing was my career, music was my business. I started a band in college, booked 350+ shows across North America, grew our following to 20K organically, and landed two distribution deals and a Mesa/Boogie endorsement, all self-managed, no label, no safety net. When the chance came to tour-manage Within the Ruins across 22 countries through eOne Music, I said yes and figured out international logistics, visa paperwork, and border crossings on the fly.

That period taught me something no degree could: when you're the only one responsible for the outcome, you learn fast or you fail publicly.