It’s no secret that the music industry continues to be a very male-dominated industry, despite efforts to redress the balance over the years. And as much as we’d love to drop the “women in music” accolade that seems regressive of the time we’re living in, it’s still an impressive feat to be one of the top female executives in Indiana’s music industry. For Laura Lakes — Chief Operating Officer at TopView, an Indianapolis-based talent and marketing agency — she believes that all it requires is three simple things: hard work, innovation, and fearless leadership from the front.
Humble beginnings
After graduating from Indiana University with a degree in psychology, Lakes worked as an event production manager for two years with the NFL, before she made a career change into the music and entertainment industry. She would work her way up to one of the top talent executive roles in Indiana when she became one of the first people tapped by Topview to help the agency expand into new markets.
“It all started when I was a teenager,” Lakes recalls. She remembered being around movie sets with her grandma, where she helped with “all the little pieces” and first got a taste for the creative process that would motivate her down the line. At the same time, working on her psychology degree from Indiana University, she continued to be drawn to entertainment-related projects. It’s why, throughout her career, she’s always had a “soft spot” for the entertainment industry.
Leading the charge
After graduating, Lakes took a job working in the nonprofit sector, where she helped military veterans and also collaborated on NFL events. But then she took advantage of local networking events that allowed her to meet like-minded people who could help her land her dream job in the music industry, which would come in the shape of TopView.
Her work has helped the company go from strength to strength over the last few years, including leading it through the nation’s largest economic crisis we have seen in decades. Now, she has big goals set for 2023 — including expanding the company’s services and team members into new departments and services. As Lakes says, there is no time like the present to work with TopView.
She took the helm at TopView in 2020 and, in that time, has managed over 150 artists, creators, and figures in the entertainment industry. That also included assisting in the overseeing, execution, and delivery of nearly 1,000 different marketing campaigns, along with managing the company’s talent growth initiatives. To add more strings to her executive bow, she’s also a licensed real estate agent and model.
Redressing the balance
“We are doing a lot of things that will change the industry for women,” Lakes says. Being the only female, Indiana-based executive in the industry is something she “takes great pride in” but also comes with a degree of responsibility. “I want others to see themselves in me. It all comes back around”, she continues. As for what she would like to see the industry do better in the future, Lakes believes that female executives will help to continue breaking down barriers, and instead pave the way for opportunities that will allow the advancement of future generations of young women.
TopView is looking to not only have a large impact on Indianapolis for years to come, but also on the wider industry. Lakes hopes to do this by way of her own advancements, while also helping those around her. “I don’t think there are any limits regarding what people can accomplish,” Lakes says. “With a strong work ethic and a bit of belief, anything is possible.”
— Find out more about TopView here.
