She doesn’t feel that she has faced much sexism or discrimination being a minority (woman) in the audio industry.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever lost a sale or client because of being a woman although I have gained some clients because I’m a woman,” she says. “Yes, women are the minority, and maybe I’m just oblivious but honestly, I’ve found everyone with whom I’ve come into contact with pretty cool and very respectful. I think that’s why I’ve stayed at Rat Sound so long. Dave Rat is pretty clear that we are all a team.
“And male or female, we all have our strengths and weaknesses, but as long as you work hard, it’s the collective that works. In this industry, I’ve found most people really easy to get along with.
“That being said, I am pretty feminine, I know my limits, what I’m good at and what I’m not good at. It’s that old phrase, better to be right or happy?” she notes. “Quite honestly, I think no matter which industry you work in there are always occasionally those who may be arrogant or ego driven. That’s life in general. But I have done a lot of work on trying to not take anything too personally—from males or females. You just roll your eyes, keep your head down and move on.
“It’s building relationships. You gel who you gel with, and you enjoy talking to some more than others. Screw up and you’re going to lose jobs.”
Peters points to the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Center as one of her favorite long-term projects. “We won the bid for a brand-new L-Acoustics sound system for their two theaters, which was exciting for everyone here. They are such a landmark venue that it was a real privilege to be trusted with their project and build that relationship with them—especially being in such close proximity.
“I think every project ‘takes a village’,” she continues. “While yes, I was the project manager, I worked with our general manager on this one. He has different strengths to the ones I have so we worked together.
“A funny story; one of the first days we were on site, I met one of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Center team members who two years earlier, it turns out he had contacted Rat Sound and we’d actually met. It was late on a Friday, and he had needed a part at the last minute for a show and he was stuck and calling around. It was small but important to him, and I had gestured “Just take it, I don’t want any payment. But don’t forget to bring it back Monday otherwise I’ll hunt you down!” He had remembered. I think there was something Karmic in that gesture even though it wasn’t on purpose at the time.
Her career advice? “Go for it. It doesn’t cross my mind that you shouldn’t truly go for anything you want to do in life, and while you’re doing that, you may find your life takes a direction you could never have even dreamed. Quite honestly, I didn’t have a fixed plan starting out. I started in the beauty industry, but over time realized I was gravitating towards music.
“Get as much experience as possible,” she adds. “When I was younger, I sought out as many experiences as I possibly could and said yes to any opportunity, no matter what. I had no ego attached to doing even the most mundane of tasks to gain experience. I built up experience and relationships until I stumbled into the role where I felt was meant to be. Pay your dues, watch and listen, work hard, get creative!”
Peters must-have skills include: Being organized and accurate. Be good with people. Be great with numbers. Don’t be a diva. Know your place in the food chain.
What gets you excited about your job? Working with open-minded people. That goes for both clients and co-workers. Also, new friends I get to meet. I have met a couple of my best friends through NAMM, and the SoundGirls NAMM dinner last year was extremely fun.
In closing, we asked, when you close a big sale that you’ve worked very hard on, it must feel somewhat like finishing a successful show?
“Yes, especially if you didn’t think you were going to get the job. Some can last over a year, quoting, re-quoting. The fact that someone trusts you enough to go with you—rather than elsewhere—feels really great.”
SoundGirls.Org supports women working in professional audio and music production by highlighting their success and providing a place for them to connect, network, and share advice and experiences, in addition to providing career development and tools to help those working in the field advance in their careers.
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