Meet Sarah Hughes | Digital Director at Loma Vista Recordings

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

Hi Sarah, how do you think about risk?
Risk has absolutely played a pivotal role in my life & where I am today with my career, taking the leap of faith to move out to Los Angeles from Philadelphia being the most obvious. I didn’t have a job set up and all I heard was how hard it is to break into the music business, but I just kept my blinders on and stayed bullish, figuring it eventually had to happen.

As cliché as it sounds, I’ve come to realize that if you aren’t pushing your boundaries, you’re going to stay in the same spot that you’re comfortable in. And hey, maybe that suits you which is fine, but I don’t like to stagnation, I like to explore. I like to stay curious.

And this mentality isn’t always as big & intimidating as moving your life thousands of miles away. It can start as small choices in your day-to-day: going to that event where you don’t know anyone, signing up for a conference panel that feels scary, expressing an idea that you’re nervous to put in the room, sharing that edgy new photo or video that you made. It’s all about getting comfy being out of your comfort zone.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As I’ve mentioned, I moved to Los Angeles back in 2015 after graduating from St. Joseph’s University. I knew that I wanted to work in the music industry but the options were limited in Philadelphia, so I was encouraged by my music industry professor to fly to LA and interview with a few of his colleagues (shout out to Professor David Allen for the push!). Lo and behold, I didn’t get a professional job in the industry for another 2 years, but it got me out here and I did what I had to do to stay in LA- interned at music start up companies, worked at a clothing boutique in Abbott Kinney, even took a job at Coffee Bean. Eventually I planted enough seeds and interviewed enough times to eventually land myself a job at a start up music management services company which then led to Loma Vista Recordings where I’ve been for nearly 7 years now. I’ve learned that if you’re persistent & hardworking, LA eventually has to oblige your existence.

By no means was this an easy path, but I’ve been a part of some of the most incredible campaigns since I’ve moved out here- from sitting in the pit at a NASCAR race for Ghost to crashing Club Penguin’s servers for an online Soccer Mommy concert to building an interactive tarot card site for Chelsea Wolfe. What keeps me engaged each day is the creative exploration of the digital space- doing things that haven’t been done online yet excites me. That and continuing to build the magical community created by music, both online & off.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Okay there are so many I don’t even know where to start! I’m a sucker for hole in the wall hangs, so I’d have to take them to Cha Cha Lounge in Silverlake or Ye Rustic Inn in Los Feliz for a casual night out. For fun daytime activities, we’d probably grab a coffee at Dinosaur and stroll around the Silverlake shops or pop into the Stories bookshop in Echo Park and walk around the lake, maybe meander around the flea markets and yard sales. Fred 62 is one of my favorite diners, so would have to swing by there at some point.
A big night out would probably include some dinner & dancing: I recently went to Mona Pasta in Downtown LA and the food was incredible & the staff were so friendly. Love a good speakeasy, so would roll through Kiss Kiss Bang Bang or Break Room 86. The Short Stop also always delivers. If time allowed, we’d grab a night cap at Jumbo’s Clown Room. Then to cure the impending hangover, I’ve learned the remedy lives in the form of an asada breakfast burrito from Tacos Delta on Sunset. You can thank me later.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
It’s so hard for me to narrow this shoutout down so I’m simply not going to (ha!). I made the move out to LA with one of my closest friends Katie Daubert, both of us hungry to break into the music industry. We truly went through it all together – from two broke college grads sharing a bedbug-infested studio apartment to working at a music startup together to eventually building industry careers in our own ways. I’m so happy to have grown with her, proud of how far she has come & so grateful for her support.

As far as mentorship goes, I have learned so much from my colleagues at Loma Vista. Rian Rochford actually recommended me for my job and is always giving me advice on how to carve my own way in the music business- I look up to her a ton. Todd Netter & Jazz Atkin are also insanely talented marketing directors on the team that I am constantly taking notes from.

Last & certainly not least, I couldn’t have made this move out here without the encouragement of my sister, Meg. She had made the move to LA on her own first and I crashed on her couch for months before I got my footing. She has always been a major supporter of my career and I wouldn’t be where I am without her.

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