Meet Michelle Hockett | Associate Marketing Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michelle Hockett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michelle, what are you inspired by?
I’m inspired by all of the amazing black creators and executives that are around me, especially black women! I’ve listened to so many podcasts and read articles about our people who are leveling up, looking at their journeys and just knowing that that could be me in a few years as well, so it pushes me to do the work to push myself to the next level.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I always knew I wanted to work in the entertainment industry I just didnt know where in that space was for me. I started my career off in television ad sales space working for WarnerMedia fka Turner Broadcasting as an account service rep. I thank that job for helping me start off my career journey, giving me lifelong friends and sisters and teaching me how it is to be a professional. I was super involved in my company’s ERG and knew I would always be a leader in any space i;m in. Even though it was a good first step, I wanted to be more creative. I have a marketing degree but I was working in sales and that was not my lane. From there, I knew I had to make a jump. I told myself, “ok, I worked in tv, now let me try a different entertainment route.” I have always loved music, was an avid fan of music so I told myself, let me see how it would be to work in music — that became my focus. I applied for so many jobs at that time in music, getting so many denials. I ended up landing a job at TIDAL, the streaming service for a position I didn’t directly apply for, but when I interviewed, they believed I would be a great fit. My team there was small so I was thrown into having to teach myself everything quickly. I worked on the Artist Marketing team where I created marketing plans for how TIDAL would support artist releases, original content & podcasts, and events & livestreams. This really was my dive into marketing where I learned so much about the music industry and every different aspect of marketing. From there, I did a short stunt at Spotify back on there ads team. But my real focus for my career was to work for a label. I’ve listened to so many podcasts and interviews with black women music executives in the space and knew that was where I needed to be. From there, I worked at Sony’s catalog label, Legacy Recordings and that was my first label experience. I loved working catalog and pushing the culture back with Sony’s massive hip-hop & R&B catalog working projects from Ghostface Killah to Destiny’s Child. Working on the catalog side was cool, but I knew the next level of my career had to be on the frontline side, working on new releases and that is where I am now.

I wouldnt say it’s been an easy journey. I’ve had countless nights where I am up late working. Taking calls late or on weekends to make sure things get done, but you also have to set boundaries and find balance. Work can’t be your entire life, or what you’re known for all of the time. You need time for family and travel too! I’ve definitely learned a lot of lessons along the way of getting to where I am now. I’ve learned that in this industry, money isn’t everything. There may be times where you need to choose your peace and sanity over a role with more pay so you can work doing what you’re passionate about. I’ve always been a goal getter and if I have my eye on something, nothing will stop me until I reach it. I would say if you do the work, stay on task, be friendly, personable and confident in what you do, you can land your dream job.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
OOOOH! So i just moved to LA a few months ago so i’m still learning, but I definitely already have a bunch of favorite spots! My favorite restaurant to take people in LA is definitely Laurel Hardware. The ambiance is great, and the food & drinks are even better! I also have a favorite Korean BBQ spot in K-Town, Quarters!! We’d wake up and hit a nice workout at Runyon or the Culver City Stairs before hitting a day party like Everyday Ppl or an afrobeats one. If you’re just visiting LA i would say you definitely need to go to a nice rooftop like Mama Shelter or Harriet’s. One secret gem that i don’t think a lot of people know about unless you live here, is Monday Night Karaoke at Station 1640. It’s all r&b / old school vibes and you may catch a celeb or two singing on stage.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to thank Femme it Forward’s Next Gen Femme organization for connecting me with THE best mentor, Margeaux Watson! She worked with me bi-weekly helping me talk through tough conversations, teaching me her bomb organizational skills, teaching me to be more confident in my work and speaking up for myself in rooms in the workspace.. Margeaux is literally a superstar when it comes to marketing in the music industry and I cannot thank her and the mentorship program enough to helping me get to where I am now!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelly.hockett/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellehockett/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shellyhockett

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@shellyhockett?lang=en