We were lucky to catch up with Jonnie Macson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jonnie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there an experience or lesson you learned at a previous job that’s benefited your career afterwards?

Taking ownership is one of the most important professional lessons I’ve learned in my years as a professional. Quite early on in a previous role, I realised that being upfront and honest about what you do means so much. Owning both your successes and your mistakes only serves to reinforce your authenticity and integrity.

When I first started out in my career, I had a lot to learn both professionally and practically. Instead of putting on a front about my own abilities and skills, or pretending I didn’t have any shortcomings, I admitted that I had a long way to go and needed to own my inexperience. In so doing, I gained knowledge a lot faster than I might have if I had been left to fend for myself.

My experience of having grown and learned within my own career has also helped me to coach and lead others as they are taking their first professional steps. Ownership is one of the facets I consistently identify as a key part of learning, developing and establishing yourself in your career.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Working within the music industry in Nashville is something I thought would never apply to me. I got my start in the industry as a relatively clueless 21-year-old in London, hoping to work in the world of music, but never really knowing where it would end up. From working at PRS for Music (PRSfM) in London, to Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) in London, to UMPG in Nashville, and finally to Concord Music Group in Nashville has been a long but exciting journey.

Twenty years on from where it started in 2004, I count myself extremely fortunate to have enjoyed a (somewhat) long and (so far) successful career. Not everyone harbours an ambition to work in Music Publishing Administration, or indeed the desire to make a long-term working life from it, but for some of us, it fits perfectly. I realised after a few years that this was the sector for me. Ensuring songwriters are fairly compensated for their work is something I’m incredibly proud to do.

When I first visited Nashville in 2017 (whilst working for UMPG), I was instantly taken with the city and surrounding area. There is a soul and an authenticity about Nashville which I hadn’t fully experienced anywhere else I’d visited. When people would refer to Nashville as “music city”, I used to think this was a cliché, but when you spend any amount of time here, you realise how true it is. Nowhere in the world respects the noble art of music more than here.

When people ask me “why Nashville?” (and, since I grew up in suburban London, they ask it a lot), my response is that it’s the centre of the universe as far as my skills are concerned. As more and more music companies relocate their Administrative and back office services to Nashville, the strength of the city as a centre of excellence and rapid growth only increases.

My skills have so far seen me work for three incredible companies, each of which has taught me something different but equally valuable. Working for PRSfM in the UK as a starting point was the exposure I needed to show me where my future lay. It also happens to be the starting point for a great many of my colleagues and contemporaries today – there’s no doubting the deep impact that reverberates throughout the UK music industry as a result of the tireless work that the PRSfM continues to do.

My time at UMPG (by far the longest stint I’ve spent at a company) was an opportunity to take in all aspects of the music publishing business, both at home in the UK but also across the world in a truly global role. I have been fortunate enough to experience the music publishing ecosystems and industry idiosyncrasies of several different countries and cultures. Working initially in Royalties, then taking in other Administrative elements of the business, I was able to round out my skillset and better serve the writers and clients who make all of this possible. Not to mention, this is what brought me to Nashville in the first place.

I am currently working as Vice President, Global Royalties for Concord Music Publishing. Despite being relatively new in the role, I couldn’t be more excited by the possibilities that abound for the company. Concord has been making waves in the industry – in all the best ways – for some time now. Working as part of an independent music publisher for the first time has presented me with the chance to learn a lot more about areas of the business I’ve not previously been exposed to. The spirit of collaboration and interaction between different departments is vibrant and vital, meaning we are able to be agile and dynamically serve those we represent.

I always come back to the simplest explanation of what I do, when I speak to anyone outside of the industry: I make sure songwriters get paid for their work. Given that I was recently able to explain this to some of my young nieces and nephews, I think I’m finally getting the hang of describing what it is I do! I couldn’t be more proud to work with the people I do, doing the work that I do, adding value to the industry that fuels so much of the passion we all feel every day. Nashville is the place to be and I’m enjoying my adopted home more and more as time goes by.

Being able to effectively serve the creators who contribute so much to so many means the world to me. When I reflect on what I have done so far, and indeed what I hope to be able to achieve in the long run, my goals are always consistent: to ensure songwriters are always fairly and honourably treated, to constantly strive for excellence, and to exceed expectations.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

I’m a firm believer in a personal, meaningful foundation in business relationships. One thing I learned some years ago is that the key to working with happy clients is letting them know that you are available to them whenever they need (within reason) and that they will always be a priority to you.

Understanding client requirements and interacting with them through process changes and cultural transformations is critical in ensuring loyalty and faith in a partnership. Working together to achieve a common goal is a simple principle, but one I firmly believe in, and one that I have seen occasionally overlooked. Establishing a partnership with clients is absolutely critical in my view.

Trying to move interactions away from incessant emails is also something I fully support. Yes, we are all on email constantly, but a phone call, in-person meeting or a working lunch has a more profound impact. I believe that, once you’ve eaten a meal with somebody, you’re likely to want to work that much harder together going forward. (Though, I accept that may be my love of food speaking…)

Of the various clients I’ve worked with throughout the years, the messages of thanks I’ve always been grateful to receive have focused on these themes. Being available, caring about what they need, troubleshooting and analysing details and putting them first are the recurring messages. These relationships are the ones that motivate me to keep doing what I do.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Doing what I do, there’s always something of a challenge in maintaining high morale. Not because people aren’t motivated or they don’t enjoy their work, but because large parts of it are repetitive and challenging. Nothing is ever straightforward in the world of music publishing. Or, if it is, something straightforward becomes instantly clouded by dozens of exceptions.

Managing a team, or several teams, can be challenging, but it’s something I’ve always found exceptionally rewarding. Investing in and developing people is a part of my career I feel most proud of, since many people who I have helped take their first steps in the business, or make changes within it, have gone on to achieve excellence. Keeping morale high plays a part here, since everyone needs to have a goal they are working towards in their career. Ensuring my staff have an eye on the future, and helping them make the adjustments needed to get there, is something I always encourage.

I also believe in the power of demonstrative and hands-on leadership. I am comfortably aware that people who report to me, or work on my teams, are far more skilled at what they do than I am. But I will always do my best to understand the challenges they face so I can better advocate for them and any solutions we are working towards. Sitting with someone to examine a problem, jumping on a call to talk through a challenge or giving the team space to speak about what they are doing always serves to improve morale, in my experience.

The true nature of a successful team is one that is in it together. Showing a team that they matter, they are heard and that they are appreciated – through actions as well as words – is how morale often remains high. I’ve been lucky to work as part of, and oversee, several fantastic teams within my career. It’s been a privilege to do this, so maintaining high morale through actions, intentions and true leadership remains my ongoing focus.

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonnie-m/