From obsessing over music magazines as a teenager to working major stadium shows and shaping artist careers, Jane’s journey is a reminder that there’s no single pathway into the industry, just curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to back yourself.
Pictured above: Collarts entertainment management lecturer Jane Jacob
Jane’s story starts the way a lot of great careers do: with pure obsession.
“Sounds obvious but I was always obsessed with music. Literally any genre! I was such a music nerd and would religiously read music magazines from cover to cover and spend a lot of time at the local record shop,” she tells us.
Jane's career didn’t happen exactly as imagined, but that’s the point. Careers evolve. Jane went on to work at Warner/Chappell, building a long-term career in the music business that took her far beyond that first spark of inspiration.
And yes, there are many stories. Like accidentally mistaking Chris Martin for a courier. Or being tasked with buying Ozzy Osbourne a birthday present early in her career.
“I managed to get him a framed John Lennon signature… He loved it apparently!”
Entertainment management looks exciting from the outside, and sometimes it is. But Jane is quick to call out the reality behind the scenes.
There are lots of perks, but there’s also a lot of waiting, planning, admin, and persistence.
“So much work goes on behind the scenes with the outside world just seeing the best bits! It can seem boring but that is where the work happens.”
It’s not just gigs and festivals – it’s contracts, strategy, and long-term thinking.
At Collarts, Jane focuses on what really matters when building a career, and it’s not just technical knowledge.
“I think at Collarts we are really focussed on those ‘soft skills’ that employers look for whether that’s communication skills, time management, organisational skills etc., so that our students can go into any situation/job and flourish.”
Because the truth is:
“Most ‘hard’ skills can be learned along the way.”
And the mindset you bring? That’s what sets you apart.
It’s something Collarts students are already seeing play out through internships, industry placements, and global opportunities that often lead directly to employment.
Jane strongly encourages students to explore widely:
“Internships are a brilliant way to suss out what jobs and roles are out there.”
Programs like Collarts’ international student exchanges give students a chance to experience that firsthand and often open doors they didn’t expect.
There’s no single path into entertainment management. But if Jane’s journey proves anything, it’s this:
Or, as Jane puts it:
“Good people get good jobs.”
And in an industry built on relationships, creativity and momentum, that might just be the most important lesson of all.