Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach Green
Hi Zach, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in the suburbs of NYC, having been a musician from a very young age. I came to Nashville initially to go to school at Vanderbilt, where I received a dual degree in Saxophone and Public Health.
In the summer of my junior year, I took an internship with SESAC in New York. SESAC is a “performing rights organization” or “PRO”. Their job (in a nutshell) is to collect and distribute royalties to songwriters & publishers for the public performances of their songs. I was on the Writer/Publisher Relations team, working directly with songwriters and surrounded by some incredible mentors and creative minds. This was when I decided that the music business was the place for me.
Graduating Vandy in 2013, I left Nashville and started gigging on cruise ships. I’ve never had more fun in my life, getting paid to play music, travel the world, and party with tons of new friends, all the while having my mind set on eventually returning to NY and getting a job in the music business. In between ship contracts, I was in close contact with my former SESAC boss and mentor Diana Akin (now Scarfo), who got me involved with all sorts of music business initiatives in NYC. I helped the local Woman In Music chapter with most of their events, and got very close with their board and members.
When I left ships in 2015, I quickly got a job at ASCAP in New York – another PRO akin to SESAC. The role was very different though – mostly computer based, very impersonal, and not super fulfilling. Though I gained a ton of administrative expertise and loved living in NYC, I was craving the direct relationships with creators that I experienced during my internship. Diana helped me during years of searching until the perfect job opened up as a Creative Coordinator at SESAC in Nashville. I got hired and took the leap back to TN.
Working at SESAC was amazing – I was given a lot of responsibility off the bat, and got to sign some writers that are now doing super well like KNOX and Bonner Black. I also took over a lot of existing accounts, and had the opportunity to take meetings and attend shows/events all over town.
It was during that time that I began my Red Door Hangs: a low-key monthly gathering of music minded folks across the board. They soon became very popular among songwriters, artists, industry professionals, and anyone looking to meet new people without the “networking event” vibes. Recently, these hangs earned me the Nashville Briefing “Red Door Lifetime Achievement” Envy Award. I also joined SOLID: a prestigious music industry member group based in Nashville.
I kept my job at SESAC when we went into quarantine, and began hosting the Red Door Hangs virtually (which I still do once a quarter). The hangs were highly received by the SOLID community, and I ended up getting the honor of Member of the Year for SOLID in 2020. I was also tapped to head up their newly formed DEI Taskforce in 2021.
That year, I left SESAC to pursue a job in publishing as the Creative Coordinator for BMG: a global music mecca based out of Berlin. There were a lot of ups and downs about that position, but I got an invaluable education in music publishing, and got to be a part of some incredible initiatives with some of the best songwriters and peers I’d ever worked with. I also went on to become the Social Co-Chair on SOLID’s board for two years.
I resigned from BMG in 2023 and very quickly got scooped up by a local boutique publisher called Banner Music. They offered me my first Creative Director job, which was a title I’d been building towards for years. I also got elected the VP of SOLID that year. I loved working with their writers, and helped them grow out their brand by booking monthly writer rounds and pitching songs to major labels. About 9 months in, unfortunately their investor decided to drop funding for the publishing operation and most of the writers were dropped. I was also laid off. The company has since closed its doors.
Immediately after losing my job in Feb 2024, I kept the gears moving and formed my business – Green P&M, LLC (Green Publishing & Management). I’ve had to learn a lot in the entrepreneur space, and have risen to the challenge with a slew of initiatives to support the songwriter community. I still pitch songs as a freelancer for several local clients, and I started a “Publishing Jumpstart Intensive” to educate songwriters on every aspect of their business, in order to equip them with the knowledge to collect the most and confidently enter into deals. I also represent several international writer/producers for sync (music for TV/film/etc), and have joined a second board as the Sponsorships Chair for a new coalition called Nashville in Sync. I’m still serving SOLID this year as President.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all! I’ve watched a lot of peers skyrocket ahead of me as I kept my head down and pushed through a lot of tedious bureaucracy in entry level roles. I’ve been told things like “if you don’t like it here you can be replaced” and “your unsolicited input is a burden on the team”. It’s been arduous, but I’ve always put community and equity first. Losing my job last year and having to figure it out a long the way has been an incredibly challenging experience.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I’m a music publishing and management consultant. My business offers publishing admin, licensing, song plugging, and coaching via my unique “Publishing Jumpstart Intensive”. It’s a comprehensive dive into the business of songwriting, including catalog auditing, education & best practices, song evaluating, and much more. I strive to empower writers to understand what they need to be doing to make sure they’re maximizing their income and understanding their industry on a holistic level. In doing so, they can hopefully remain confidently independent or enter a deal equipped with the information to confidently & respectfully keep track of their rep.
I’m pitching songs/consulting for several clients, including Inside Pitch Club, Lucky Money Entertainment, and BKER MGMT.
I’m also representing a handful of international writer/producers for sync agency, trying to get their music placed in TV/Film/Commercials/Etc. Those clients include Phil Sunday (Berlin based and part of hit rock band Saint Chaos), Justin Frieden (Tokyo based scoring composer), Muzikaldunk (Philly based production & instrumental music, part of group Mobbluz), and Brett Petrusek (Minneapolis based, lead of heavy metal band FuZZrd).
I’m also working closely with HOME (Helping Our Music Evolve) on some of their sync initiatives, host a monthly industry hang called Red Door Hangs, am a gigging saxophonist, and serve on two boards. No, I don’t sleep!
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was a very rambunctious kid with a lot of energy and a lot of interests. I played music and sports, did theater productions, and loved to cook (and make a huge mess if you ask my parents). Growing up in the suburbs of NYC, I always loved the city and still make my way up there whenever I can!
Pricing:
- Publishing Jumpstart Intensive: $1,000.00
- Hourly Coaching or Consulting: $250.00
- Publishing Admin Services: $50/song (requires one hour min of coaching)
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greenpandm/
Image Credits
Personal Photo: Chrissy Nix (@chrissynixphotography)
Pool Party Sax Photo (with DJ): Connor Morss (@connormorss)
