BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Freelance Like a Pro – How to Be a Contractor
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Freelance Like a Pro – How to Be a Contractor
Being a freelancer in live events takes more than talent; it takes business savvy. This panel will dig into how to set yourself up for success, building your reputation so people remember you, negotiating fair rates, and handling the business side so you can choose the gigs you want to take. You’ll hear from seasoned pros who’ve built strong careers, the folks who hire them, and experts who can help you protect your bottom line.
SPEAKERS
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Lolo Kinser
LoLo began her journey in country music in the summer of 2015, going on the road selling merch for artist Raelynn. Over the course of the next ten years, she would go on to work with Post Malone, Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson, Chris Young, Kane Brown, Cassadee Pope, and Danielle Bradbury. She now wears many hats (figuratively and literally!) working a variety of different roles often juggling what she calls Travel Booking Bingo, Guest List Tetris, After Show Food Roulette, and helping the band through Spinal Tap-like moments backstage.
Beyond the juggling, her true passion is making sure the people around her have a great experience on tour. With a Masters inNutrition and Exercise Science, LoLo knows the importance of taking care of oneself on the road and works tirelessly to ensure her camp is fed well and has the opportunity to rest and exhale. This love motivated her at the beginning of 2025 to start her own company called Feed the Tour which specializes in helping tours advance all things catering and hospitality.
LoLo is recharged by great conversations, coffee, sneakers, puppies/kittens, and travel... of the non-work variety. She lives in Nashville with her husband Dane (another musician that she must care for) and their fur baby cats Zelda and Link
Mark Oglesby
TBD
Fred Yanda
Fred Yanda brings over 30 years of hands-on experience in live entertainment, touring, and event production. He has supported a wide range of top-tier artists including Lonestar, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Chris Tomlin, Florida Georgia Line, Dan + Shay, and WWE—serving in roles from FOH Engineer and Backline Tech to Production Manager, Technical Director and Stage Manager.
Most recently, he was Set Carpenter for Morgan Wallen’s “I’m The Problem” tour.
When not on the road, Fred continues to freelance for high-profile clients and events such as Nashville’s "Let Freedom Sing," the Country Music Hall of Fame Medallion Ceremony, and CBS’s New Year’s Eve Live. He’s passionate about building seamless show experiences and mentoring the next generation of production professionals.