Today we’d like to introduce you to Paula Courtney
Hi Paula, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Mariposa Entertainment was founded in 2022 with a mission to provide opportunities and support for musicians, live music venues and charity organizations in the DFW community and beyond.
My professional background is in sales and marketing, but I have always identified as an artist, and my passion for music is rooted in my childhood. I believe we experience a few key events or series of events during our lifetime that can change our trajectory or define a directional shift for our future. One of those events for me, was the tragic passing of one of my close childhood friends in 2011. I was consumed with grief, dissociated and numb. A week later I purchased a guitar, and with the support of some classmates, I taught myself to play. I played eight hours a day, every day for two months. Many days my fingers would bleed, but slowly I began to feel again and could work through what had happened.
Over the past decade, I have picked up or set aside that guitar for months and sometimes years at a time, but it is always there. In 2019, my father was diagnosed with a terminal lung disease, and in 2021, he had a double lung transplant that turned out to be unsuccessful. During his last two years of life, the entire family struggled, I struggled, and my relationship failed. Through these challenges, music was a steady and reliable source of strength and community. I began songwriting as a means to process the complicated emotions and grief I was experiencing. I began supporting charity organizations that help people heal through music, and founded Mariposa Entertainment, LLC. so I could host events and support the music community in a variety of ways.
Today, I am honored to utilize my business acumen, network and creative skills to support fellow artists and industry professionals through artist development, band management, talent buying, event planning, festival management, professional concert photography and graphic design work.
My favorite part of this journey is that I get to work with an endless list of talented people whom I admire and learn from every single day. That makes everything worthwhile.
Paula Courtney
Owner & Operator
Lead Photographer
Mariposa Entertainment, LLC.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t believe any entrepreneur claiming to have had a smooth road along the way, especially in our current economic state. The general business atmosphere is unstable, and the music business is no different. Many live music venues in the DFW area have closed their doors over the past 18 months. There are less venues and a seemingly flooded market of artists needing work, which has both helped, hindered and shaped my business into what it is today- and we are definitely still growing and evolving.
Diversification of my services has been a key element of my success this year. When venues are struggling, it’s up to me to develop and sell creative ideas that will support their business growth. The music industry often works on percentages, if the artist I represent is successful, then I am also successful and vice versa. It is a true partnership in many cases, which can be rewarding but can also be high-risk in difficult economic times.
General challenges around reliable labor and contract service providers are in no shortage this year, but aligning with reputable brands, sponsors, and creating meaningful partnerships continues to alleviate some of the initial challenges I have experienced early on. I look forward to even stronger partnerships moving into 2025.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have a strong sales & marketing background having worked in many capacities throughout the animal heath, chemical and food safety industries over the past 13 years. I have a B.S. in Animal Sciences and an M.S. in Entomology. I have a passion for insect management, collection and symbolism. As an artist, I also collect and preserve insects and turn them into beautiful works of art. The name “Mariposa” means “butterfly,” which was a key element of my ideation process when naming my business. Anyone that has interest in insect taxidermy or artwork is welcome to reach out regarding our “Bourbon & Butterflies” event that I host several times a year where we combine whiskey tasting with a class that teaches butterfly pinning & preservation.
Fun Fact:
I am an American Rabbit Breeders Association licensed Rabbit Judge, and have traveled all over the United States to judge rabbit shows. I have raised rabbits for over 25 years and have been running my own rabbitry business [now called Lake Effect Genetics], since I was ten years old. I often joke that most of my negotiation and budgeting skills come from my early experience buying and selling animals and managing my own feed and equipment expenses.
Specialization: I truly am an artist at my core, which helps me relate to and understand the needs of the artists I work with. I am also a business person and I understand the importance of communication, reliability and dedication.
There are a lot of talented individuals with a ton of creative ideas in this industry, but not everyone is equipped to execute on those ideas. Integrity and reliability are what we strive for at Mariposa Entertainment, and are what has helped us to stand out in an industry with hundreds of artists, booking agents, talent buyers and ideas.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was a pretty shy and introverted child that really came out of my shell around age 14 or 15. I was always very creative and high achieving even in elementary school. I grew up in Wisconsin and did not move to Texas until 2016.
I have always had many interests and a belief that I can accomplish most things I put my mind to. This has led me through a life full of adventurous experiences such as spending a summer working on a ranch in Montana, traveling across Europe, researching whales in Canada and working on shark cage-diving boats in South Africa. I have always had a passion for fishing and still sneak trips in whenever I can to this day.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/mariposa.entertainment.events/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089523127863
Image Credits
Paula Courtney
