#28 - How Insights and Transparency Can Save Independent Promoters with Jen Lyon

Jul 22, 2025

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Veteran promoter Jen Lyon, Founder of MeanRed Productions, shares a candid, inspiring conversation around how independents can stand their ground in a Live Nation world—plus why she’s urging promoters to join Insights now.

Inside the episode:

Jen’s personal journey from NYC bottle service clubs to building a values-driven venue in Detroit

Why Insights is a game-changer, and her urgent plea to fellow independents to join the movement
The power of transparency in booking, artist development, and leveling the playing field
How a data-sharing culture can create equity—and why withholding data hurts the whole industryThe real risks independent promoters take—and how tools like Prism help make it sustainable
Why she’s launching a nonprofit venue with community curators (and a unique for-profit/F&B model)
What the future of live music could look like, if we choose to build it together

Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned vet, Jen drops truth bombs, challenges the status quo, and brings hope for a more collaborative, independent future.

Episode Timestamps:

(00:01:01): Evolution of Live Music Booking Technology
(00:01:49): Early Career Challenges
(00:02:58): Transition to Prism
(00:04:04): Transparency in the Industry - Insights deep dive
(00:06:14): Industry Diversity and Inclusion
(00:08:05): Tech and the Next Generation
(00:09:18): Prism's Potential
(00:10:02): Sustaining an Independent Approach
(00:11:03): Different Perspectives on Industry Challenges
(00:13:30): Dynamics Between Large Promoters Versus Independent Venues
(00:15:40): Insights and Data Sharing
(00:17:32): Independent Promoters' Struggles
(00:19:03): Looking to the Future
(00:21:01): Jen's Journey into Live Music
(00:25:28): Building Community
(00:28:21): Finding Sustainability and Purpose

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