I HIT THE GLASS CEILING IN MUSIC AT 34

When I was 34, I left the major label world.

I’d worked at major labels for over a decade, lived through two big mergers, built a strong reputation in business development, and consistently delivered results.

I loved what I did, but I looked around and realised that the industry was shrinking, and there was nowhere else to go.

The ladder didn’t feel broken.

It just stopped.

There were no clear leadership opportunities.

The people in those roles weren’t moving on.

No conversation about succession.

No real path forward, unless you were one of the men at the top.

So, I left.

I became a bigger fish in a smaller pond and moved into music merchandise, where I worked for another decade.

Because the message was clear: stay where you are or move on. Especially if you wanted to move up, earn more, or lead.

Fast forward to 2025, and I now coach women across the music industry - on the business side - in the UK, Europe and USA.

Many are in their early 30s—talented, experienced, and wondering where they go from here.

And what’s striking to me is how little has changed.

According to the 2024 UK Parliament report on misogyny in music:

Women are leaving the music industry in their 30s and not returning owing to challenges around access, career progression and parenting.

So according to the report - what’s really driving women out?

1. Nowhere to Grow

Women are still underrepresented in senior leadership and gatekeeping roles like A&R, management, and tech.

By their 30s, many are ready to step up—but often find those roles blocked or unavailable.

2. Toxic Culture + No Accountability

Assertive women still get labelled “difficult.”

They’re overlooked, talked over, or mistaken for assistants—while men with similar traits are praised.

The real decision-making still happens in male-dominated rooms, often late at night, with drinks flowing.

But that’s not the full story.

Because here’s what else I see every single day in my coaching work: Women are rising.

Many are breaking through as managers, promoters, label execs and agents—finally being promoted, supported, and given space to lead.

And I’m lucky to work with several music businesses that are genuinely investing in their female staff and backing their progression.

Other women are forging a different path altogether; consulting, freelancing, or building their own businesses.

(In fact, over 70% of the music workforce is now freelance, according to the report.)

They’re still in the industry, but now on their own terms.

Leading, earning, and creating in ways that feel aligned and empowered.

If you’re standing at the crossroads, here’s what I want you to know:

You’re not imagining the pressure. Or the ceiling. Or the silence.

But you’re also not stuck.

There are women carving out new paths. Some are stepping into leadership right where they are. Others are creating something entirely new. And many are redefining success on their own terms

You don’t have to burn out to move up.

You don’t have to shrink to fit.

And you certainly don’t have to do it alone.

Sometimes it starts with a pause.

A conversation.

A moment of honesty with yourself.

As Shirley Chisholm famously said:

“If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”

At the heart of my work is this belief:

We need more women in leadership.

More women starting and running their own businesses.

And more women being paid fairly and treated equitably - across every corner of the music industry.