Your Words Here: Meet Ayisha Jaffer & Zack Eastman, Emerging Talent Agents

Seniors Ayisha Jaffer and Zack Eastman have really made their mark in Chicago during their time as students at Columbia College. Collectively, they have interned and worked for such companies as Universal Music Group, The Windish Agency, and JAM Productions. Additionally, Ayisha and Zack work on Columbia’s Student Programming Board (SPB) as the president and PR representative, respectively, and the two already manage several local Chicago artists. Ayisha represents DJ Kid Color and Zack is working with a team that represents hip-hop/electro artist Keith Masters and DJ duo Black Holes.

We sat down with Ayisha and Zack about their involvement in SPB, their recent trip to the CMJ music conference in New York City, and the advice they can offer to all of us as they graduate from Columbia this year.  Read more details about Ayisha and Zack's CMJ adventures on their CMJ blog.

The two of you are on the executive board of a major student organization on campus. Did you intend to get so involved from the start of your Columbia career or is it something you fell into? 

A: I actually always looked at the walls on campus for something about booking shows and events at Columbia. I finally found and held onto this flyer from the Student Programming Board that said, “Promote your own bands! Book bands for live shows!”  I held onto it until second semester of my sophomore year and finally emailed them.  I got involved immediately and eventually became president.   
Z: I was a transfer student here and throughout my whole college career I had never been involved in anything on campus. I figured Columbia would be where I would change my whole focus, both academically and professionally. Joining a student organization was the beginning of that change for me.  I joined SPB in my first semester and participated in every meeting and event.  When it came time to form the executive board I gave them this resume that was four or five pages. I had no idea what to do. But I showed them what I could do, what I was all about.  

What do you define as the major differences between SPB when you joined and SPB now? 

A: When I first joined SPB there wasn’t a distinction between an executive board and the rest of the board. We had a different project manager for each event and that person would delegate responsibilities to the other members. Since then, the events have become more popular it has grown immensely. Our board now has 30 active members who actually get to run the events, find marketing, promotion, sponsorship, etc. while the executive board members oversee everything. So it’s a major event committee now and is a really great learning experience for those involved. 

How has your high level of involvement influenced your professional life outside of Columbia and your personal growth?  

Z: That’s a really big question and I don’t want to talk your ear off but it’s changed everything for me. Well, I’ve changed everything, but SPB has been alongside many of my changes especially in terms of networking and getting down to the nitty gritty of planning events, regardless of how big of a hand I have in each one. Professionally, it’s a great conversation topic when networking or interviewing. When people realize that you know how to work with a team and be successful with that team that is a huge asset.  SPB has been a really inspiring piece of my college career and my life. It’s definitely been my engine for success. 
A: It’s definitely affected my professional life. Based on the work I did in SPB our adviser would recommend me for great job opportunities, one of them being Universal Music Group, where I have been working for almost two years now. Aside from that, the faculty just notices you when you’re working with a student organization and they’ll help you out. Thanks to SPB I’ve also been exposed to the opportunity of networking with other students at events. 

You recently went to the CMJ music conference. Can you tell us a little about that?  

Z: We went to a lot of really great panel discussions, like one about festival decision making and one about sponsorships. The sponsorship discussion was really amazing; they showed us how valuable brands are to a musician’s career.  It spawned a lot of great ideas in my head as I’m sure it did for everyone else there.  One of the funnier moments was when we were sitting in an artist management panel called “The Future of Indie Labels?” Ayisha and I were sitting there listening to them talk and I realized that I already knew everything they were saying, just from class and from personal experience. I truly believe any one of our friends could have been up there. Not that we have any of the success under our belts that they have, but what we’ve been doing and learning at Columbia has really prepared us. 
A: A month before CMJ I came across an artist online that I’d never seen before – French Horn Rebellion. I was very impressed and emailed them right away basically saying, “Hey, you guys sound great. We should do something together.” Little did I know they were actually going to be playing CMJ so I checked them out and they had a great show! We got to talking after the show and I found some really great opportunities for us to work together and for them to work with Kid Color. So I now have connections with them and their booking agents from taking advantage of that experience.  

Lastly,do you have any words of advice? 

Z: First off, join a student organization.   
A: Yup, the first thing I would suggest is to get involved.  It doesn’t matter what organizations or how many organizations as long as you get involved and really be involved. That way you’re going to network and find people who will notice you for what you do.  Being in the city also really gives us an advantage. You can find the companies you want to work for, find where those people hang out, talk to everybody, and try to get into that field of work. 
Z: But it’s also about gaining experience. Sometimes you hit your head against the wall and if you’re not ready to make a bunch of mistakes you’re not going to go anywhere.  That has been monumental in my own life. I make a lot of mistakes, sometimes I make the same mistake over and over again but that’s how you move forward.  I’m not sure that I would call myself successful but I would definitely say that Columbia and SPB have shown me the path to success and it’s up to me to take it.

~ Gali Firstenberg
   AEMM: Music Business
   Sponsorship Coordinator, Student Programming Board