Career Path of a Booking Manager at The Kia Forum
Arden's career path began with a passion for music cultivated through a student activities board that planned concerts featuring big acts like Childish Gambino and the Chainsmokers, which led to a summer internship at CAA, followed by a full-time role as an assistant to a music agent. Through this experience, Arden realized a desire for more "boots on the ground" involvement in events, which ultimately led to a role at the Forum, where Arden progressed from booking coordinator handling contracts and admin work to booking manager focused on "driving revenue to the building" through sales and business development.
Event Planning, Music Industry, Talent Agency, Venue Management, Career Path
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Arden Baker
Booking Manager
LA Clippers/Kia Forum
Dickinson College
UCLA Anderson (MBA)
Environmental & Related Sciences
Sports & Fitness
Sales and Client Management
Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Finding a niche in college through the student activities board, planning concerts, and recognizing the music industry as a potential career path.
2. Interning at CAA and transitioning into a full-time role as an assistant to a music agent, gaining experience in pitching clients, managing contracts, and handling administrative tasks.
3. Moving into a booking coordinator role at the Forum, focusing on contracts, information dissemination, and eventually transitioning to a booking manager role focused on revenue generation and business development.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path? Please start with your experiences in college.
Also, what internships or jobs did you have before your current role?
My first role came out of a passion for music, even though it wasn't my college major. I majored in environmental studies, but I found a niche with the student activities board that planned concerts on campus.
I'd always loved music and events, and working on these concerts became the highlight of my day. Our small school in Pennsylvania hosted big acts like Childish Gambino, The Chainsmokers, Kid Cudi, and Pretty Lights.
Through this experience, I began to see the music industry as a viable career path, which I'd never considered before. I met an agent at CAA, a leading talent agency in Los Angeles, who recommended I apply for their summer internship if I was serious about a music career.
After college, I was accepted into the internship and moved from Pennsylvania to Los Angeles. I started at CAA, immersing myself in the agency and its role in the music industry. I supported assistants with administrative tasks and absorbed everything I could.
From there, I was hired full-time in the CAA music department, working as an assistant to a music agent for about four years. My role involved pitching clients for private and corporate events, managing roll calls, contracts, and a lot of administrative duties.
I realized I loved the hands-on aspect of event operations, seeing things through from start to finish, similar to my college experience. I sought a more direct role and became the booking coordinator at The Forum, a 17,000-capacity arena in Los Angeles.
I've been at The Forum for six years, starting as a coordinator in the booking department, which is responsible for bringing concerts to the venue. My initial responsibilities included contract and administrative work, and facilitating communication across departments.
More recently, I've taken on the role of booking manager. My focus has shifted to driving revenue for the venue, involving sales and business development. My journey has been about following my passions from college, identifying what I enjoyed most in each role, and shaping that into my current position at The Forum.
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