CLAIM TO FAME: With a passion for music and a knack for marketing, Bridget Herrmann '05 has found her niche as an executive assistant to the general manager at A&M/Octone Records. At this small label that represents multiple Grammy-winner Maroon 5, as well as seven other artists and bands, Herrmann wears many hats, from marketing to promotions to sales.
CREATING THE NEXT BIG THING: Recently Herrmann has been traveling across the country, working with radio stations to get A&M's artists heard. “We are focused on artist development, so we have virtually unknown bands that we work to the top,” Herrmann says. “It's an amazing experience when you have artists that you believe in so much and you witness someone else's eyes open up and believe in them too.”
FINDING HER CALLING: Herrmann has always had an ear for talent. As a college student, she cut her teeth in music marketing by working on a “street team” for then-unknown, now Hollywood heartthrob John Mayer. It was real grassroots publicity, handing out buttons and stickers on the street. Her stint with him was brief, because soon Mayer was signed to Columbia Records. But the experience convinced her to study arts administration. Now at A&M, she works with up-and-coming artists such as Hollywood Undead, K'naan, and Paper Tongues.
LANDING HER DREAM JOB: “It's not who you know, but who knows you,” is Herrmann's mantra. She began building relationships with A&M/Octone as an intern during her senior year at Wagner. “Internships give you the opportunity to make connections and showcase your abilities,” she says. After graduation, she went to work for music giants Sony and Warner Elektra Atlantic, but kept in touch with her boss at A&M/Octone. When they had an opening, she was at the top of their list of people to call.
