On the evening of Monday 5 February, Bristol Beacon’s CEO, Louise Mitchell, shared her remarkable professional journey, starting from her university days to her current role as the CEO of Bristol Beacon – a music charity, renowned venue and award-winning music education hub in Bristol.
Recently, she oversaw the 5-year £132m transformation of Bristol Beacon. Bristol Beacon aims to unite and bring joy through live music, underpinned by an inclusive approach that ensures access for all residents of Bristol. For example, aiming to share music with everyone, Bristol Beacon provides provisions for deaf people or those with hearing loss, visually impaired and wheelchair users to ensure they can partake their programs.
During the talk, Louise captivated the audience with a laid back and interactive approach, sharing powerful anecdotes from her professional journey. Here are some key takeaways:
- Teamwork and collaboration: Louise emphasised the power of building great teams and recognizing that no one person can do everything. By leveraging the strengths of individuals, she has successfully crafted impactful teams.
- Do not be afraid of failure: Louise encouraged the audience to not fear failure, as it is through facing challenges and learning from mistakes that one can truly grow. At the same time however, it is important to be honest about your weaknesses and be open to learning.
- Be open to learning: Regardless of age or career status, Louise highlighted the importance of being open to learning. She shared how she has been consistently inspired and nourished by colleagues.
- Stay close to your passion: Keeping one’s passion at the core of their career was a recurring theme throughout the talk. Louise has put her passion for music at the heart of her career. By doing this, you can ‘live your life through the job’ and enjoy it. It is important to keep doing this throughout your career, even as you climb the ladder. Due to the nature of management, Louise has been disconnected from the passion, however, she does small practices like to sit in the music hall during a performance to stay close to her passion.
- Listen and trust yourself: Louise reminded the audience to listen to themselves, as their current position is a testament to their abilities. It is natural to feel scared, but taking action and addressing those fears is crucial.
Following the enlightening discussion, participants left the room feeling “inspired”, “strong”, “confident”, “positive” and “encouraged” about their individual aspirations but also about the promising future of Bristol Beacon.
Louise’s journey served as a beacon for motivation, illustrating the path for those who aspire to make a meaningful impact in the music industry or beyond.
Check out our next Inspiring Women Talks here.
