Pollard breaks glass ceiling
SHEILA Pollard, CEO of Ms Go Getter Entertainment, knows the struggle for equality for women is still a work-inprogress, but she is equal to the task.
Pollard made her name in Chicago as a concert promoter. Now she is setting her sights on music production and artiste management with an up-and-coming artiste, Concrossis.
“I am breaking glass ceilings,” Pollard said. “Being a woman in a male-dominated industry as a promoter is one thing, and to push to be an entrepreneur and a producer in the world of dancehall and reggae is another thing. It’s not easy being a woman in this industry, and it’s hard to push upcoming artistes that you have faith in, and try to convince people as a woman, but I am pushing through with God’s grace, Concrossis will be the next big thing.”
Women graduate from college at higher percentages than men do today, yet studies show that women still earn less money and hold fewer executive positions. According to a Pew Research Center analysis, “the gender gap in pay has narrowed since 1980, but it has remained relatively stable over the past 15 years or so. In 2017, women earned 82 per cent of what men earned”.
Pollard believes that her work will inspire other women to challenge the present status quo. She is also passionate about respect for women producers and people of colour.
“It will be easier for the next person coming up behind me. It’s harder now with COVID being around, but I am fighting through it,” she said.
She plans to have a Go Getter Fest in Jamaica in 2021.
Pollard got her start in 2016 when she teamed up with well-known Chicago promoter “Rum Punch” Mcgregor to start a weekly event in that city.
“At first, I intended to be a silent investor but then he challenged me to start promoting the parties and the Monday night took off, and was successful for several months before the club changed ownership and we had to stop,” she said.
Since that time, she has ventured into artiste management, inking a deal with Concrossis, who she had met at the Chicago Jerk Fest. After impressing her with his performance in the opening slot for her show with Dexta Daps in Chicago, she offered him a contract.
“It’s huge to be a promoter and now a manager. I am also on my way to being a producer, I am producing tracks with a couple of wellknown dancehall and reggae artistes, right now, the sky is the limit,” she said.