Achieving a role in the music industry can be a rewarding experience, especially for those with a passion for music. However, with the ever-evolving trends and high competition of the business, the endeavor of breaking into this neck of the woods can seem a bit daunting. For Evan Rubinson, founder of ERA (Evan Rubinson Audio) Music Brands, a role in the music industry was offered to him quite out of the blue due to unforeseen family circumstances. Diving into a new playing field, Rubinson swiftly gained insight into a profession in music and offers advice to those interested in following suit.
Emerging from the competitive avenues of Wall Street, Rubinson's extraneous background in finance didn't stop him from jumping at the chance to assume the responsibility of inheriting the family business as it so suddenly occurred to him. Regardless of skill or educational background, one of the key qualities of smooth sailing in a music career, according to Rubinson, is passion. "It really is easy if you love it," says Rubinson. "If you reasonably care about your brands, the people around you, and you have a passion for it, you can be a very successful person."
For Evan Rubinson, his passion and impulsion to partake in the music business originated partly due to his father's terminal brain cancer diagnosis back in 2016. "The opportunity to be able to take over my father's legacy meant a lot to me," he describes, which provided him the willpower to step up and take the reins of his father's musical instrument business, Armadillo Enterprises, while eventually launching ERA Music Brands, a mash-up of various music brands under one roof.
Considering the numerous cherished memories of Rubinson's childhood, engrossed in all things related to music, it was his involvement in, and acquired knowledge of, the music scene that provided him the upper hand in navigating a somewhat unfamiliar field. "I had kind of grown up around music, the industry, playing stuff at shows, backstage, all of it, even from the time I was like five, six years old," he describes. "I kind of knew how things worked, how people worked, how backstage worked, how setups worked, and kind of how the whole industry jived." According to Rubinson, prior involvement in the music scene greatly aided his success in his role as "there were no big surprises and nothing that [he] was unaware of" further hinting at the importance of immersion in the music scene while seeking to obtain a significant role.
In addition to immersive learning, Rubinson further implies that networking offers an excellent alleyway to landing a job in the business as well as operating one. "If you're great at networking with people from publications, magazines, artists and dealers, then I think that really is a key point." Possessing the ability to communicate and connect with others sets potential music professionals up on their way to breaking into the music industry. Whether it be concerts, music lessons, festivals, and various other music events, surrounding oneself with the workings of music to learn, experience and network can greatly advance one's foot in the door for a potential professional opportunity.
Although Rubinson was heading towards a more "lucrative" career path in finance, his previous professional field didn't necessarily equip him with the prerequisite to work in music which he suggests is not required. "It's not an incredibly skilled kind of field. You don't need a degree. I would say probably 60 to 70% of the people that work for me don't have college degrees. It's not a prerequisite." Rather, possessing relevant personality traits such as "outgoing, friendly, relatable...trumps any type of 'skill level position" and is crucial for the job. Work ethic, loyalty, and a high degree of teamwork are additionally essential in the successful operation and functionality of various areas of his musical instrument business such as "imports and exports, manufacturing, research and development, sales, marketing and artist relations."
Additionally, opening up oneself and relating to others is more of the so-called required skill set one must carry. Although Rubinson's background in finance "gave [him] a great deal of discipline and a great barometer" the music industry allowed him to attain a more "important skill set of being a bit more nuanced, relatable to people, empathetic and understanding of people's individual concerns'' explaining the reason why Rubinson thoroughly loves his role in the industry. "I'm a people person, so I enjoy working with good people that are very passionate, and that genuinely seem to care about other people," he describes.
All things considered, Rubinson suggests that in a nutshell, working in the music industry is ultimately "about caring for others along with a passion for music...com[ing] down to passion, experience, and a really robust network." Rich in culture, compassion, and connectivity, involvement in this creative work field can act as a "reprieve from day-to-day life and stress," an aspiration definitely worth seeking in today's fast-paced, stress-inducing society. At the advice of a highly experienced professional like Evan Rubinson, pursuing such a fulfilling career doesn't seem so unachievable after all.
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