#HighVoltageWoman Spotlight: Jessica Cole
BY LAURA HARPER/WWR Staff Writer
Starting a career in the music industry from scratch can be an exceptional challenge, especially without any industry contacts, but this challenge did nothing to hinder the determination of Jessica Cole.
Cole jumped into entrepreneurship at the age of 26 and is now the CEO of Lyric House, a music publishing and licensing company that is focused in TV/film, trailer, and commercial placement. She started this business with a small number of sync industry contacts and has since helped it grow into a multi-million-dollar company with hundreds of high-profile clientele and over 250 artists.
“I wanted to create a safe, creative space to share songs and give constructive feedback, while forming a deeper sense of connection within the music community,” Cole said.
Cole says her original idea was to start a songwriting association, but that idea soon changed and shifted into a publishing company, which created an important “lightbulb moment” for her.
Originally from Aspen, Colorado, Cole says she was surrounded by music from a young age and was inspired to create Lyric House after spending some time in Nashville, Tennessee. Upon returning to Denver, she missed the Nashville music community and wanted to bring a piece of it back to Colorado.
“Music has always been my chosen path, and I’ve never wavered from that,” Cole said.
Cole says she is most driven by the passion she feels for her artists and her company, which pushed her through the initial building process despite the challenge of starting her business without a basis of sync contacts in the music industry.
“Starting from square one actually lit an intense fire within me and forced me to work as hard as possible, in the best of ways,” Cole said. “Instead of being intimidated, I was excited and determined.”
In addition to her duties as CEO of Lyric House, Cole takes a hands-on approach in the day-to-day operations of her business. She says she has gained a lot of value from this approach, since it has allowed her to connect with songwriters on a deeper level, since she is a songwriter and a musician herself.
“Being able to connect on both a business and creative level is actually invaluable,” Cole said.
Cole says she has not experienced too many challenges related to being a woman in the very male-dominated music industry. However, she has had a few experiences early on with male clients or prospective clients acting inappropriately or not taking her seriously as a female business owner.
“I’m sure seeing a mid-20s petite blonde girl as the owner of a new music company repping a bunch of artists in a male-dominated industry was a bit of a sight, although, I hope a refreshing, change of pace,” Cole said.
However, Cole considers herself blessed to be surrounded by wonderful, respectful people, and says that she has formed amazing relationships with both men and women in the industry.
As for advice to other young women who may be looking to get their start in the music industry, Cole recommends to just go for it.
“Be confident in your path, master your craft, be unique, and don’t be afraid to go up to someone and introduce yourself,” Cole said. “If you go for something, do it 110%.”