Sweetwater Empowers Women in Music and the Workplace, Expanding Mentoring, Training, and Philanthropy in Concert With International Women in Music Day

Sweetwater, the No. 1 online retailer for music makers, is making noise well beyond the walls of Sweetwater with a formal, expanded commitment to empowering women in its workplace and across the music industry. The two-fold commitment includes the launch of Sweetwater's Women's Career Development Program and philanthropic partnerships with three renowned non-profits dedicated to amping up women's voices and opportunities in the music industry.

As one of four female executives on Sweetwater's leadership team, Dr. Kristal Walker uniquely understands the importance of mentoring in both the workplace and the music industry. Walker is not only Sweetwater's Senior Vice President of Human Resources—she also was an aspiring Hip Hop artist in the late '90s and worked alongside other West Coast local artists. Blending her lived experience and professional training, Walker spearheads Sweetwater's employee career pathing, training and development.

"Through our Sweetwater Diversity & Inclusion focus group, we've advocated for transformational ideas and opportunities that we've implemented across the company. Building on this success, we're excited to formalize and expand our mentoring, coaching and professional development opportunities with Sweetwater's Women's Career Development Program," explained Walker. "But our work doesn't stop there—we've also partnered with non-profit organizations across the country to create more opportunities to help close the gender gap in the music industry."

According to the University of Southern California's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, women are still outnumbered across the music industry. While women are finally gaining ground in the music industry, according to the January 2024-published Annenberg Report, there is a long way to go. For example, the ratio of men to women producers across 900 popular songs was 30 to 1 .

"It takes a chorus of voices and players to impart change, especially in the music industry," said Mike Clem, CEO of Sweetwater. "We have a responsibility to serve as an ally and advocate for women in music—and our expanded philanthropic partnerships are designed to lend surround sound, expertise and resources to best help each non-profit support their mission."

Sweetwater's expanded commitment includes support, programming and resources benefitting three organizations—We Are Moving The Needle, We Make Noise (formerly Beats By Girlz) and Women's Audio Mission—as follows:

● We Are Moving The Needle was founded in 2021 by GRAMMY winning and 8x nominated mastering engineer Emily Lazar to close the gender gap for producers and engineers and strengthen the future of the recording industry through equity and inclusion. We Are Moving The Needle and Sweetwater are launching an innovative student micro-grant program that will provide funding for students as they prepare to enter careers in audio, empowering and equipping the next generation of women, trans, and non-binary producers and engineers.

● We Make Noise (formerly Beats By Girlz) and Sweetwater partnered to produce a songwriting and production retreat in Fort Collins, Colo. focused on experiential learning. The multi-day retreat coming up in late 2024 provides opportunities for women and gender-expansive people to contribute to writing and producing for a featured artist; to create a new song or track to add to their body of work and resume; and expand their network among artists, producers and industry professionals.

● Women's Audio Mission is changing the face of sound by providing hands-on training, work experience, career counseling, and job placement to over 2,000 women annually in the San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose area. WAM courses focus on increasing the gender balance in audio production and technology sectors, since fewer than 5% of the population employed in these sectors are women. Working with Sweetwater, WAM is expanding its programming into the Los Angeles area, making it possible to inspire and amplify even more voices.

Sweetwater encourages everyone to learn more about these non-profits' mission by visiting each organization's website. For additional information about careers at Sweetwater, visit https://www.sweetwater.com/careers/.

About Sweetwater
The No. 1 online retailer for music makers, Sweetwater is trusted and beloved by millions of musicians, sound engineers, band and orchestra directors, and podcasters who rely on the company to help advance their musical and creative journeys. From beginners to rock stars, music makers everywhere seek out Sweetwater's industry-leading expertise, including in-depth product videos to inform their purchases and unrivaled post-care support. Headquartered in Fort Wayne, Ind., and founded in 1979, Sweetwater Sound, LLC credits its four decades of profitability to its now 3,000 employees and its deep understanding of the profound connection that music makers have with their craft, their gear, and the creative process. Sweetwater views music as a force for good, with philanthropic efforts focused on youth music education, bringing music to underserved areas, and advancing musicians' mental well-being. For more information, visit sweetwater.com.

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