The Executive Leadership Council launched a new program called “LEVELS,” which endeavors to help junior and mid-level Black employees in the music industry better navigate their careers and climb the ladder in the music business. Variety made the exclusive announcement.
Sponsored by Spotify, LEVELS is a four-month comprehensive virtual cohort program designed to accelerate the progress of Black music professionals to the executive level. The program is designed for Black music professionals with 5 to 15 years of experience in the music industry including sound technicians, studio managers, marketing specialists, brand managers, producers, and more.
Each LEVELS participant will be assigned an executive coach who has been certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Providing up to 8 hours of individual support, these ICF-certified coaches will help participants translate their LEVELS insights and strategies into tactics and outcomes tailored for their specific work environment.
By the end of this program, participants will create a 5-year professional development blueprint that aligns vision, values, goals, networks, resources, and opportunities. They will be able to present viable solutions to music industry challenges, clarify their professional brand, and expand their networks. In addition, participants will design “promotion packages” for their next two advancement opportunities.
In 1987, the NAACP published a report outlining the “rampant” racial discrimination that existed at every level of the music industry. In June of 2021, a USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative report found that just 4.2% of top music industry executives are Black. Also in June of 2021, the Black Music Action Coalition released their music industry report card which noted how the promises made by music companies in response to the extra judicious murder of George Floyd and the social justice reckoning that ensued have yielded little in results; the report describes a continuous cycle of progress and regression within the industry. It is clear that despite calls for and promises of change, little progress has been made in terms of improving the executive pipeline for Black music professionals.
While systemic changes within the music industry are still necessary, it is clear that Black music professionals can’t wait for the industry to do the right thing; they need to take matters into their own hands. The Executive Leadership Council’s LEVELS program is here to help them.
The program runs from September 1 through December 9 and is limited to 60 participants. Apply here!
