Zack Labos interned with Taylor Gang Entertainment over the summer, assisting with the Boys of Zummer Tour featuring Wiz Khalifa. He began by helping with meet and greets but took on more responsibilities like assisting various managers. Labos joined the tour full-time, adapting to life on the road. He gained valuable experience in touring logistics and hopes to use the industry connections made to further his career after graduation.

1. Zack Labos
Internship Report
8/20/15
SAEM Internship
Professor Gregory

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Zack Labos
Taylor Gang Entertainment
Mr. Scott Woods, VIP/Meet and Greet Coordinator
4 5th St. Carnegie, PA 15106
412-680-6663
zjlabos@pointpark.edu
A. Executive Summary
I spent my summer interning with Taylor Gang Entertainment under the
supervision of Scott Woods. Mr. Woods is the meet and greet coordinator for Wiz
Khalifa. The Boys of Zummer Tour took place in 40 cities across the U.S. and Canada
between June 10th and August 10th. The tour featured performances by Max, DJ Drama,
Hoodie Allen, Wiz Khalifa, and Fall Out Boy.
Prior to beginning my internship I spent some time at the Taylor Gang offices in
Etna, PA meeting with Scott to develop a schedule and set of goals for the summer. I was
able to make arrangements to attend several shows with a working pass in order to assist
with various tasks involving the meet and greet process. Since we had estimated these
shows would only account for approximately half of the required hours, I agreed to

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complete any remaining hours at the office assisting Wiz’s manager with tour related
tasks.
After working a few shows things were going really well and I quickly found
myself assisting in other departments such as production and management. Following my
third show at the Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, OH I was offered an
opportunity to join the tour full time and receive a per diem to cover any personal costs.
My first night as an official member of the tour occurred two shows later in
Buffalo, NY. Initially I had a tough time adjusting to the lifestyle but I was able to adapt
rather quickly. Sleeping in a bunk on a moving bus and waking up in a new city everyday
wasn’t something I had ever done before. Throughout the course of the tour I had an
opportunity to take on more responsibility by assisting other tour members such as the
tour’s manager, production manager, merchandise manager, and even tour security. By
the halfway point of the tour I was following a pretty solid daily routine of tasks. Living
on a 400 square foot bus with 8 other people, making 8-12 hour trips overnight and
sometimes into the early afternoon really made me appreciate the off days we had at
hotels every five shows.
While the shows did tend to get repetitive and even boring at sometimes I always
looked forward to the one-off shows. We had six one-offs throughout the summer. These
shows were always exciting because it was a change in routine being that it was Wiz
Khalifa only and they usually took place at smaller venues, festivals, or special events. I
also had an opportunity to attend a performance at ESPN’s SportsCenter, a taping at
MTV and Universal Studios, as well as several in-store meet and greets.

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Following the tour I received an unexpected lump sum payment for my help with
the tour and our entire crew was treated to a day of fun at Universal Studios in California.
I ended up spending an week and a half in Los Angeles with a friend from high school,
during my stay I was invited to dinner with Wiz a couple times and had an opportunity to
attend two studio sessions while he worked on his new album.
I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and the relationships I was able to
build with the crew. I made every effort possible to network at the last few shows and
hope to keep in touch with everyone over social media. I believe my prior learning
experiences from professor Traversari’s venue management, concerts and touring, and
business of live entertainment courses was extremely helpful and relative to my
experiences throughout the course of the internship.
B. Background of Host Organization
Taylor Gang Entertainment is an independent record label based in Pittsburgh,
PA. Wiz Khalifa founded the label in 2008 and signed long time friend and rapper Chevy
Woods, singer Courtney Noelle, as well as in house producers Sledgren and Big Jerm.
The name Taylor Gang originates from Wiz’s high school (Taylor Allderdice) and his
love for the Converse Chuck Taylor. As Wiz saw a huge rise in success in 2011 with his
chart topping single “Black and Yellow” he became close friends with Juicy J eventually
naming him co-owner of the label and head of A&R. Since 2011 rappers Ty Dolla Sign,
Berner, JR Donato, Tuki Carter, as well as producers Ricky P and RMB Justize have
joined the label. Wiz’s longtime friend and manager Will Dzombak is the CEO of the
label. Taylor Gang currently employs approximately 10 full time employees at their

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Pittsburgh headquarters and an additional 50 employees spread amongst the artists
personal team.
Although Taylor Gang has remained an independent label, Wiz Khalifa and Ty
Dolla Sign have cosigned with Atlantic Records. Atlantic Records is in charge of all
distribution, endorsements, and touring for Wiz Khalifa.
C. Business Operations
a. SWOT Analysis
Strengths
Wiz Khalifa- Founder of Taylor Gang, six times Grammy nominated, three number one
singles, estimated net worth of $75 million, strong influence in the hip-hop scene.
Current Artists- Juicy J is co-owner of the label. He has been in the industry for more
than two decades, won an academy award, two times Grammy nominated, two number
one singles, and an estimated net worth of $25 million.
Ty Dolla Sign- 2014 XXL Freshmen of the Year, four top 50 US singles, BET Best New
Artist, MTV Artist to Watch.
Established Label- The label was founded seven years ago and has since built a strong
roster of artists and producers as well as a dedicated and professional management team.
Funding- The label was initially funded solely by the success of Wiz Khalifa. In addition
to Wiz’s profits, royalties from the labels other established artists and a wide range of
endorsements have helped provide the necessary funding to bring Taylor Gang’s
upcoming artists to the next level.

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Atlantic Records- Taylor Gang has gained a lot of attention from Atlantic where both
Wiz Khalifa and Ty Dolla Sign have co-signed. Both Atlantic Records and Taylor Gang
must approve all distribution through Warner Music. This gives the artists some freedom
from the mainstream record label.
Weaknesses
Affiliation with Atlantic Records- The close affiliation with Atlantic can be a weakness,
as nearly all decisions must be made in accordance to each artists deal. Atlantic can limit
the amount of content and promotion Wiz is able to release with the artists on his
independent label.
Wiz Khalifa’s Image- Due to Wiz’s reputation as a Marijuana enthusiast a significant
number of organizations and artists refuse to affiliate with him potentially costing the
label profits and opportunities for growth.
Number of employees- A relatively small workforce means that approvals, and other
tasks can take longer to accomplish and require some employees to take on multiple
positions.
Location- A majority of business takes place outside of the labels headquarters in New
York City, Los Angeles, and remote conference calls due to a lack of industry
professionals located in Pittsburgh. The labels location requires employees to frequently
travel to major cities in order to meet with clients and authorize deals.
A&R- The A&R division of the label is relatively small and reliant on the Artists and
their managers to seek out new talent. A majority of talent scouting has to be done

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through online research and travel, as the Pittsburgh market is relatively limited when it
comes to touring hip-hop acts.
Opportunities
Signing/Developing new artists- Taylor Gang has a great deal of opportunities when it
comes to signing new talent. Since Wiz Khalifa has become a household name in the
industry many artists are looking for a way to sign a deal without the strict contract
restrictions held by mainstream labels. The developmental process gives upcoming talent
an opportunity to place on projects with established artists and perform their music at
major venues.
Business ventures- In addition to signing new musical talent Taylor Gang Entertainment
has began expanding into fashion, filmmaking, and the food/beverage industry. Over the
past few years the label has affiliated itself with three clothing brands (Cookies, Freshko,
WK), a beverage company (Hemp2O), and a team of photographers/videographers.
Expansion- Taylor Gang has a virtually unlimited potential for expansion. As the current
roster of musicians continue to further their careers, funding will allow the organization
to complete more services in house. The addition of multiple locations, in house studios,
and distribution could bring the label into direct competition with mainstream record
labels.
Threats
Major Record Labels- Mainstream labels are a major setback for the independent labels
due to their massive funding, ability to take big risks, and established collection of signed
talent.

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Distribution- Most major record labels have a parent company in charge of distribution.
These parent companies such as Warner Music Group usually require artists signed to the
subsidiary labels to go through them further increasing their profits. This is a real threat
as smaller independent labels don’t have access to these organizations and must find an
independent distributor that will typically charge high royalties.
Merging- The threat of a merger is always a concern for independently signed artists.
This is something that could potentially affect Taylor Gang in the future due to the fact
that all of their cosigned artists are currently signed to Atlantic Records. If Wiz Khalifa
decides that he no longer wants to remain independent an acquisition by Atlantic would
be highly likely.
Live Nation- Live Nation is the largest entertainment buyer and promoter in the world.
The organization continues to grow by controlling ticket sales and operating venues. If
Live Nation were to acquire the sole rights to book shows for Atlantic Records the label
could see a major loss in show profits as Live Nation would yield a greater percentage.
b. Organizational Structure
Atlantic Records, Taylor Gang Records, Live Nation
Tour Manager, Live Nation Manager, Artist Management, Venue Manager
Production Manager, Stage Manager, Tour Accountant, Head of Security, Road Manager
Lighting Designer, Pyro technician, Sound Engineer, Head Rigger
Artist Assistant, Artist Security
Merchandise Manager, Meet and Greet Coordinator, Catering Coordinator
Touring Crew, Drivers, Techs
Photographers, Director of Digital, Management Assistants

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Venue Staff, Local Crew, Caterers
D. RESPONSIBILITIES AS A STUDENT INTERN
a. Duties
As my internship began I had taken several responsibilities affiliated with the
Meet and Greet process. Initially I was in charge of the following:
o Setup/tear down of backdrop
o Counting/distributing merchandise
o Distributing VIP laminates
o Confirming VIP List names with ID’s
o Taking Meet and Greet Photos on Personal Cellphones
o Assisting the Meet and Greet coordinator with various tasks
As I joined the tour full time my number of responsibilities greatly increased
outside of the Meet and Greets. I found myself assisting everyone from the production
manager, road manager, and stage manager, to the head of security and photographer on a
daily basis. Knowing that I would be asked by each person to complete a certain task
each day I eventually developed a daily schedule to follow for the last ten or so shows.
My daily tasks went as follows:
o 9-10AM wake up, breakfast
o 10AM Retrieve M&G list from production, count merch, take posters to Wiz for
signing
o 11AM count/fold/rubber band 150 promo towels to be thrown into crowd
o 12PM Lunch, Post daily signs in Wiz’s & Band dressing rooms

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o 3PM Retrieve comps printout from tour manager and deliver to live nation box
office manager
o 4PM setup M&G area, give Wiz’s assistant 20 minute warning til start, escort
M&G group, check IDs w/ name on list
o 4:30PM Begin M&G, take photos
o 5PM Tear down/repack M&G
o 5:30PM Dinner, unpack/bag 100 party streamers to be thrown
o 7PM Take water bottles to left/right stage and B Stage for security
o 7:45 Retrieve ultimate VIP group for on-stage experience
o 7:55PM Wiz Performance Begins
o 8:15PM Escort ultimate VIP group on/off stage and back to concession area
o 8:30PM Assist photographer at “B” stage behind FOH
o 9PM Assist in retrieval of 9ft inflatable
o 9:15PM Assist with confetti canons
o 9:20 Wiz Performance Ends
o 9:30PM Assist production with after show food delivery to buses
o Carry and assist road manager with DJ equipment setup at club appearances (1-3
times a week)
While some of these tasks became extremely time consuming and repetitive it
gave me an opportunity to build relationships and network with professionals that I
would have most likely never took the time to interact with.
b. Accomplishments

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o Successfully communicate with venue staff and complete the entire meet and
greet process with limited assistance (Around 80 guests) in Concord, CA
o Assisted in post show merchandise inventory at two shows
o Assisted the stage manager with various pre-show tasks while understaffed at a
“one-off” in Boise, ID
o Sat in/observed a million dollar settlement process in Austin, TX
o Sat in on a pre-show security briefing in Kansas City, MO
o Completed a walk-through with security at an in store event in Seattle, WA
o Assisted the road manager in coordinating a VIP section and bottle service during
a club appearance in San Diego, CA
o Attended two studio sessions at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, CA
o Attended two studio sessions at ID Labs studios in Etna, PA
o Assisted during a private tour of Universal Studios in Los Angeles, CA
c. Goals of Internship—did you achieve them?
I believe I have had the opportunity to achieve more than I could have possibly
imagined. Going into the internship I was under the impression that I would be attending
a handful of shows completing a few simple tasks at each show in order to meet the hour
requirement. I was more than happy just to be part of such a star-studded lineup of artists
that I was willing to do any task imaginable in order to spend time with the tour. Little
did I know I would be asked to go on the full 40 city tour a few shows later and end up
getting paid while taking on some important responsibilities. I had the opportunity to
network with industry professionals on a daily basis. These past few months have been

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some of the most exciting times of my life; I had the opportunity to hangout with award
winning musicians and celebrities on a daily basis for nearly three months. I never
imagined I would be presented with so many different opportunities to interact and
observe the various different processes that take place everyday to ensure the show goes
on as smoothly and safely as possible.
d. New Knowledge Acquired
I have gained a multitude of new knowledge from this tour. I now have a
complete understanding of the way a venue operates, as well as the positions on a tour.
Some of the topics I found most interesting include the tour routing, determining “per
diem”, catering, security briefings, post show settlement, lighting design, and pyro.
e. Problems Encountered
I can’t say that I have personally encountered any problems during the tour but I
have certainly been around others when they have had issues and were able to get them
resolved. The biggest issues seemed to deal with security such as ill-informed venue
staff, fans producing fake passes, throwing objects on stage, and intoxication. A common
and less serious issue I had observed was running out of M&G merch before the next
shipment was received. In this case we would simply take down an address and ship the
merch to the customers home, sometimes they would get upset but it didn’t seem to ruin
the experience.
f. How Experience Impacts your Career
This experience could have a major impact on my career. I now have a full
understanding of the live entertainment and touring industry as well as the positions

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available to me. I was able to visit more than 40 major venues across the United States
and experience the different sizes and designs based on the geographic location. I would
estimate that I have obtained the contacts of around 30 people in the industry ranging
from the tour manager all the way down to my bus driver. While it may not appear very
important to network with someone such as a bus driver, my particular driver for the tour
had previously worked with A-List acts such as Taylor Swift and One Direction. I
quickly came to the realization that everyone knows someone no matter how small his or
her contribution is to the overall tour. I will be making my best effort to keep in touch
with everyone and hopefully a career opportunity will develop from this internship
following graduation.