Meet Emma O’Connell | Small Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emma O’Connell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emma, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am from Loveland, Colorado and growing up here with so much music definitely impacted who I am today. I remember summers in particular jam packed with music from New West Fest, Taste of Fort Collins, Summer Nights Series, shows at The Aggie, The Mishawaka, Fiddlers Green, and Red Rocks right up the road. Many of my family members are talented musicians, so holiday gatherings typically turned into living room concerts, further fueling my love for music. There is no shortage of creative people, dreamers and doers in Northern Colorado so growing up around people with big dreams, who actively worked towards achieving them, undoubtedly impacted who I am, and the businesses I am running today!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My company, BPMM (Booking Promotion Management and More), provides various artist services. I started this company because I wanted to help local talent get the recognition they deserve. Some of the services I provide include booking artists for shows and media appearances, artist management, music promotion, release planning, and more. I think my love of traveling and being able to network organically all over the globe to connect artists across countries and state lines is a quality that sets my company apart. I have been able to grow this business into what it is today, simply by not stopping. I dove head first into the music industry learning everything I could between hands-on experience and going to school for music business. It has not always been easy, but I have truly enjoyed every moment of it. I have learned along the way that good things come with time. Real results come from consistency and dedication. I have learned the importance of studying how people before me have accomplished similar goals, and to stay open minded to new strategies. Most importantly I have learned how to have fun while doing it! It has been a dream come true to be able to work with such talented artists every day.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We are starting our itinerary in Fort Collins! First, we will head to Snooze for breakfast with some dear friends who have started many businesses in northern Colorado to catch up and hear all about their bad ass endeavors. After breakfast with them we will leave feeling inspired and ready to hike Horsetooth Falls. After our time on the trail, we will grab the paddle boards and explore the coves of Horsetooth Reservoir. Then, we will head in town to get Cafe Mexicali for dinner and get ready for some live music. We are going to The Mishawaka for a show! Day two in Fort Collins, we can go boating all day at Horsetooth and have Cheba Hut for lunch. That evening we can grab cocktails at Ace Gillett’s, hit The Rio for dinner, and walk over to Washington’s for a show or just enjoy all that old town Fort Collins has to offer. Next stop, Denver! We will go to a Rockies game to watch some baseball, and enjoy a beautiful Rocky Mountain sunset. From here we will head to Red Rocks for concert number three! The next morning we can stop at Bacon Social House for some breakfast before heading to Colorado Springs to see the Garden of The Gods. After exploring this beauty all afternoon, we will enjoy dinner at Hacienda Colorado. Steamboat, here we come! On our first day here, we will start with breakfast at Freshies. Then, we will hike Mad Creek Trail. After a full day of moving we will go relax at Strawberry Park. We will spend our last day relaxing in the sun while tubing down the Yampa River. For the perfect end to a perfect day we will have dinner on the patio of Yampa River Icehouse. Time to head back to the front range to get them off to DIA, but one last stop on the way for an unforgettable Vern’s Cinnamon Roll!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am so grateful to be surrounded by a multitude of ambitious and encouraging people, I would need a whole page to list them all, but I would not be where I am today without my family. First and foremost, shout out to my family and their businesses, LoCo Landscaping, O’Connell Environmental, Graham’s Flooring and Design, and Plant the Future. Not only have they encouraged me to pursue this, they also showed me first hand how possible it is through starting their own businesses. I would like to shout out Rolos Rios for the inspiring music he makes, and for being the first artist to fully trust me with his career. Shoutout to Colorado artists Darius King, Not A Toy, Snowy LX, Bloomer’s Band and producer RedHead Wayne! Shoutout to Foresight Meetings, Boredom Fighters and The Music District for the opportunities they provide to independent artists and young creatives! Riley Sbrana and Gina Burd are two individuals that had a heavy impact on developing my love for music & the entertainment industry over the years, so shoutout to both of them! Last but not least, shoutout to a couple of great reads, The Power of Now and The 50th Law are two books I’ve gained wonderful information and new perspectives from.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmakayo17?igsh=YzNiN2lvajZ2MmV3&utm_source=qr

Other: bpmmcorp@gmail.com

Image Credits
Monica Douglas
Molly Reid
Larkin Berry