Jason Oschwald (’00)
This interview was conducted in summer 2020.
Owner, Big Spring Entertainment
Nashville, TN
WFU Class of 2000
Major: English
Minors: Religion, Studio Art
DeacLink: Please walk us through your path from graduation day to your current job.
Jason Oschwald: After graduating, I thought I was going to be an attorney. I moved to Washington, DC for two years where I worked at a law firm downtown. I applied to law school and was accepted. I finished 1.5 years of law school before coming to the difficult realization that I didn’t want to be a lawyer. I moved back to Raleigh and got my first job in the entertainment industry working for eTix – a ticketing company similar to Ticketmaster. From there, I got a job at Feld Entertainment, where I worked for 10 years. As I moved up through the company, I relocated to Nashville. A position became available as the Director of Marketing at the Ryman Auditorium. I was there 1 year and left to build a new company as an independent promoter. Along with my team, I have been growing Big Spring Entertainment since 2016.
DL: How much did your studies and general experience at Wake inform or drive your career path?
JO: Honestly, my studies didn’t have much of an impact on my current career path. It would have been very beneficial had I become an attorney. However, if there were any entertainment business classes in the late 90’s I don’t remember seeing them. As part of my general experience, I found a group friends that enjoyed travelling and attending concerts with me. It was during this time that I fell in love with the live entertainment experience. After leaving law school, I took a step back to think about what I loved doing, and what would excite me everyday to get up and go to work.
DL: How did you find and apply to the various positions you’ve held (online, inside reference/rec, networking in person, WFU resources, other)? Tips and suggestions for the student audience on networking, interviewing and applying for jobs.
JO: Network, network, network! I have found, especially in the entertainment industry, that there is less focus on where you went to college, and more credence given to how hard you work. I have helped hire lots of people during my career, and I always look for attitude over aptitude. Any job you get, do the absolute best you can do, because others will notice, you will advance, and you will need references. And remember, lots of the icons in the entertainment industry today started out pushing crates on loading docks out of college. You have to work your way up! Also, research and seek out companies where you want to work instead of applying for everything on a job board. I want to interview a candidate that wants to work for my company… not someone that wants to work for any company in any part of the music industry. Be focused!
Collect a database of entertainment industry professionals willing to assist recent graduates in their job search. Also, look at what the University of South Carolina, MTSU, and Belmont, among others, are doing. In addition to providing the courses, they bring speakers and adjunct professors in who are currently working in the industry. I have hired a lot of students out of USC because I know they have been trained and ready to enter the work force.
DL: What is your favorite part of living and working in Nashville? What is the most interesting thing going on in the art scene there at the moment, in your opinion?
JO: Nashville is the epicenter of the live music industry. People are moving here from New York and LA every day – cost of living, family life, commutes, etc. are all easier to manage in middle Tennessee. If you want to work in the music industry, move to Nashville.
DL: What is your favorite part about your work?
JO: I like owning my own company. I like the traveling. I like producing events. And living and working in Nashville comes with a tremendous number of perks.
DL: What and where is next for you?
JO: Since I own this company, it is next for me. The goal is continuing to grow and expanding the number of venues, events and shows we manage and produce.
DL: Any kernel of advice you’d like to impart to the readers?
JO: When you are starting out in the entertainment industry, no task or job is beneath you. There will be LOTS of hard work and manual labor with little pay before you get to a more comfortable place. If you want to be rich, find another job. But if you know there is nothing you love more, buckle up!