EPISODE #5: JIM CATINO   EVP, SONY MUSIC - MUSIC, MENTORSHIP & LEADING THROUGH CHANGE

Executive Vice President Jim Catino is at the helm of Sony Music Nashville’s A&R team. Catino reports directly to Sony Music Nashville Chairman and CEO Randy Goodman who has lead the label group to become Billboard’s 2019 and 2020 Country Label of the Year.

By signing and developing a roster of diverse, record-breaking artists who continue to shape the sound of country music, Catino has established a culture of innovation at SMN that has helped it stay ahead of the curve. He has been instrumental in the careers of many Sony Music Nashville stars, among them, Kane Brown, Luke Combs and Maren Morris, all of whom achieved milestone debuts and multi-platinum success. 

A 22-year music industry veteran, Catino first joined Sony Music Nashville in 2001 after graduating from Belmont University. The Cleveland, Ohio native previously held posts at DreamWorks Music Publishing, Giant Records, and MCA Music Publishing, working closely with songwriters and securing copyrights. He serves on the Board of Belmont’s Music Business Department and is a member of the Academy of Country Music, Country Music Association, Leadership Music and The Recording Academy, including the P&E Wing.

Connect with Jim Catino on Linkedin.

Leading Forward with Christie Berger

Highlights: "Music, Mentorship & Leading Through Change"

• The music industry is constantly changing, and the “way” talent is found is different from how it was years ago.
• “If you can’t expose it (the music) to fans, they don’t know it’s there.”
• Being a fly on the wall can teach things that words cannot.
• Mentorship and the diversity of mentors empowered Jim to become successful. 
• Transitioning into new career opportunities can be scary…but patience can bring a sense of peace. 
• Thinking about the long term when presented with new opportunities can protect a person from making the wrong short-term move.
• Sometimes transitioning upwards in an organization means you may no longer be directly involved in the day to day (in the “thing you loved”) yet your ability to impact "it" on a larger scale increases. 
• Hopefully the roles will reverse, and YOU will become the mentor. 
• If you feel nervous about a new position, dive in. You were chosen for a reason, so “bet on yourself.”
• The past ten years have been very difficult for the music industry. As of three years ago, music sales have started to make a comeback and now COVID has really devastated the industry. 
• Finding your “favorite” thing in your career is relative to where you were at that time.