2022 Impact 50: Sara Bollwinkel

Senior Vice President
Wasserman Music

Representing the biggest stars in all of music brings extra responsibility and challenges, and that’s on top of things like getting the proper spot on the festival flier and securing the marquee night at a particular venue.

“It’s a big priority on team Billie to truly take action towards greener and more sustainable touring,” says Bollwinkel, who began working with Billie Eilish when the budding star was 14 years old. “This is something at the forefront of our focus as a team and we are working with organizations like REVERB, Support and Feed, and our partners at Live Nation to strategize the best methods of achieving a greener and more sustainable tour.” 

Of course, getting major headline slots (Coachella) and executing major tours (“Happier Than Ever”) is always a highlight, thanks largely to Bollwinkel’s engagement with both client and fanbase.

“I am still beaming from all of these moments,” says Bollwinkel, adding, “What made these moments successful was remaining mindful of COVID, taking the necessary precautions to keep the artists and teams safe and always being overly prepared to adjust if needed. Thankfully we had minimal issues.”

That also means being engaged and mindful of the current business climate, as well as what can be improved.

“What I love about Wasserman Music is that growing diverse talent within the company is a top priority and it’s a subject that we discuss regularly,” she says. 

For all the havoc wreaked by COVID, Bollwinkel says it’s part of an agent’s job to adapt.

“Consumer confidence is on a tour-by-tour basis,” she says. “If it’s a tour consumers don’t feel like they can miss, it’s business as usual. In general, we (the artists, agents, managers, labels, publicists) are all going to have to work more creatively to make things super interesting for consumers to ensure that our artists’ touring careers are experiencing the growth they deserve.”