Bio

Erika Pursiainen is a tour manager and stage manager and owns a merchandising business.

Erika has an extensive background. Her work spans from specialized experience within non-profit organizations and small to medium-sized profit-based companies, to now using her energy and talent as a tour manager, stage manager, and merchandise manager. Building on her business management experience, Erika has laid a foundation for her career in live music by working as a day to day artist management coordinator and on the road, in both merchandising and tour management positions. She has toured throughout Finland and the United States and worked as a stage manager in live music productions in Los Angeles.

Utilizing her extensive background in sales, marketing, communications, and customer service, Erika is able to unite her previous experience, continuing education, and up to date job skills, for the benefit of both established and upcoming artists alike. Stemming from the same combination of skills, Erika recently launched her own merchandising business From Crew to Crew Merch, which offers merchandise to live music crews.

To complement her master’s studies in business administration and service design, Erika also has an academic certificate in music business from UCLA Extension in Los Angeles.

Erika Pursiainen wrote her master’s thesis about concert live streaming and develops her own music-related app.

Erika’s master’s thesis, Co-Creating an Engaging Live-Streamed Concert with Potential Viewers, is one of the rare human-centered studies on concert live-streaming. The study offers content producers concrete tools on how to create engaging, live-streamed concert experiences for their viewers, through interaction and participation.

Being a hard rock and heavy metal enthusiast, Erika is also developing her own app, Rockstage Pass. Using her extensive knowledge of service design, user experience, interaction design, content design, production, and virtual community building, she is developing this interactive platform for rock fans.

Erika Pursiainen is an experienced sales and communications specialist.

Erika was exposed to the artistic side of business through her experience as an office and communications manager at MAKE UP FOR EVER Academy, in Finland from 2015-2017. Beyond day-to-day office administration, she managed the team’s marketing communication strategy, in addition to the company’s branding and media implementation online and offline, incl. website and social media development. Erika also developed internal processes by setting up a comprehensive administrative system and database for the company.

In 2013-2014, Erika worked at UNICEF Innovation Unit, in New York with Christopher Fabian and Erica Kochi, who have been recognized as two of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people. Leading online communications, developing and implementing multi-platform strategies, producing and managing content, and engaging the global team into blogging, Erika grew the readership of the unit’s blog from 9,500 views to 24,000 per month, in less than one year.

Erika has advanced experience in planning and managing multi-level sales strategies by coordinating UNICEF Finland‘s sales division of greeting cards and gifts. From 2006-2013 she proactively progressed from an assistant level position to an upper-level coordinator.  Erika’s diverse experience includes complex project work and business unit management: customer relationship management, supply chain management, employee and sub-committee training and supervising, business planning of product portfolios and sales forecasts, marketing campaigns, logistics interfaces, and carrier set-ups.

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See Erika’s job experience and educational background on Linkedin.

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Recommendations and Endorsements

Position: Production Intern / Stage Manager

I had the opportunity to work with Erika during the season of 2019 concerts at Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles. There is no way we could have hosted over 150 artists without her support as a stage management intern. She displayed a professional work ethic treating all with respect and covering all the details needed to make each performance run smoothly. Erika then interviewed all front and back of house staff and wrote incredible articles on her blog that reflected our collective efforts in the most beautiful of ways. These articles have been used to uplift the individuals that make each event possible. This is further proof of her exemplary attitude and contributions to the field. Hiring her was a blessing and we look forward to continued collaboration once we get through this pandemic!

July 20, 2020
Allegra Padilla, Director of Community Relations and Partnerships at Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles

Position: Production Intern / Stage Manager

I couldn’t have asked for a better experience with Erika, she was one of the best interns I’ve ever had the pleasure to have on my team. She was punctual, asked questions, and was never afraid to dive into the unknown. I had several managers of our performers tell me they’ve never had someone so attentive and kept them on time. Erika has an amazing future ahead of her and any production would be lucky to have her on their team.

September 8, 2019
Matthew Himes, Director of Programming & Production at Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles

Position: Record Label and Artist Management Intern

Erika has been doing a fantastic job!

May 28, 2019
Mike Mowery, President and Managing Partner at Outerloop Group

Position: Merchandise Manager

Erika worked in my team as a merchandise manager when we toured clubs in 2016 in Finland. She is reliable and positive and always ready to do what is needed to be done. And those qualities are very well appreciated on tour where the venues and conditions are always changing and not always as good as could be expected! I can highly recommend Erika to any working team. She gets the job done and with good energy!

April 5, 2019
Chisu, Artist

Position: Music Business Student

Throughout the class assignments, Erika proved to have exceptional management skills with which to help any talent succeed. She has all the potential in the world to go far in this industry via her management skills and her natural affinity for the arts and artists, and her acute professional instincts. She bravely follows her own calling and works hard to reach her dreams in the music business. I can warmly recommend her to you, and can with confidence tell you that she’ll be an invaluable asset to you and your company.

March 19, 2019
Brian Malouf, Instructor at UCLA Extension

Position: Music Business Student

From the start, Ms Pursiainen stood out from her classmates with her drive to make herself a career in touring. She was very active throughout the class and asked relevant questions, as well as challenged her peers to think different aspects of touring on a deeper and more practical level. Based on Ms Pursiainen’s active participation during the class, I can see she is a very organized and detail-oriented person who’s able to plan and manage big entities. She clearly has the passion for the road. With her friendly demeanor, industry knowledge, skill level and practical approach, I can see her going far in the concert touring industry. I can warmly recommend her to different managerial touring and production positions.

January 13, 2019
Richie Gallo, Instructor at UCLA Extension

Position: Tour Manager & Merchandise Manager

You truly had us all in awe. Your organizational skills, diligence, and attention to detail is nothing short of amazing. Like we were meant to play music so were you meant to be a tour manager.

October 22, 2018
Lane Steele, Bassist and Lead Vocals at Worldwide Panic

Position: Artist Management Intern

Erika was instrumental in the EP release for James Harte. She helped us stay organized and was capable of any tasks. She also helped us get merch set up online. Overall, it was awesome guiding her and shape her business skills.

August 7, 2018
Chad Anderson, President at Aroo Industries

Position: Merchandise Manager & Vendor

Erika on hoitanut yrityksemme artistien fanituotemyyntiä (mm. Chisu, Anna Puu) erilaisissa tapahtumissa. Työntekijänä Erika on ollut oma-aloitteinen, ahkera ja tarkka. Hän on aina kuunnellut annetut ohjeet ja hoitanut työtehtävänsä erinomaisesti. Myyntipisteitä tehdessään Erika on osoittanut luovuutta ja huolellisuutta. Asiakaspalvelijana ja työntekijänä Erika on ystävällinen, sosiaalinen ja positiivinen.

March 15, 2018
Ulla Ikonen, Owner at Paitamesta

Position: Merchandise Manager & Vendor

Erika on erittäin luotettava, ahkera, tunnollinen ja tarkka työntekijä. Hän on hoitanut täysin itsenäisesti kokonaisia kiertuemyyntejä hyvällä myyntimenestyksellä ja tarttuu ennakkoluulottomasti tehtävään kun tehtävään. Erikan kanssa on kiva työskennellä, hän oli hyvin pidetty niin kollegoiden, kuin artistien keskuudessa hyvien sosiaalisten taitojensa takia. Voin lämpimästi suositella häntä vastaaviin tehtäviin.

November 30, 2017
Anna Maaninen, Levykauppa Äx