Run It Like a Business

”““Aubrey Bergauer’s book has given arts organizations a bold and special road map to becoming successful, sustainable, relevant, and transformative.”” —Pamela Carter, board chair of the Nashville Symphony “”Run It Like a Business is a fresh and modern method for sustaining your not-for-profit. Aubrey Bergauer is an energetic, knowledgeable coach when it comes to sensible business practices for people who hate business.“” —Sallie Krawcheck, CEO and cofounder of Ellevest ““Just when arts organizations need it most, here comes an extraordinary book that brings it all together—from programming to marketing and from outreach to development. Aubrey Bergauer’s passion for the arts is complemented by the mind of a brilliant CEO. Here is the playbook for the performing arts of the future.”” —Mason Bates, Grammy Award-winning composer and former composer-in-residence for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Chicago Symphony Orchestra “”Run It Like a Business captures exactly what every arts leader needs to lead their organization to success … Astutely weaving strategy, data, and case studies, this text is a must-read for emerging arts leaders enrolled in arts management, leadership, or entrepreneurship programs.“” —Brett Ashley Crawford, PhD, associate teaching professor at Carnegie Mellon University ““Aubrey Bergauer has brought together a well-crafted plan for how the classical music industry can flourish. Her impressive collection of data on where we are—and what needs to change—will benefit any nonprofit organization that seeks to connect with their community and remain relevant.”” —Jamie Barton, critically acclaimed mezzo-soprano ““Aubrey Bergauer promotes a critical examination of existing business strategies to help arts organizations reclaim their financial acumen and develop generations of loyal supporters.”” —Germaine Franco, Grammy Award-winning composer and music producer ““In Run It Like a Business, Aubrey Bergauer brilliantly weaves the heart’s passion with strategic pragmatism … For every arts leader, this isn’t just a guide—it’s a testament to what can be achieved when mission meets meticulous planning, discipline, and creativity.”” —David Lomelí, chief artistic officer of the Santa Fe Opera“

Aubrey Bergauer, hailed as “the Steve Jobs of classical music” (Observer) and “the Sheryl Sandberg of the symphony” (Los Angeles Review of Books), is known for her results-driven, customer-centric, data-obsessed pursuit of changing the narrative for the performing arts. A “dynamic administrator” with an “unquenchable drive for canny innovation” (San Francisco Chronicle), she’s held offstage roles managing millions of dollars in revenue at major institutions including the Seattle Symphony, Seattle Opera, Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival, and San Francisco Conservatory of Music. As chief executive of the California Symphony, Bergauer propelled the organization to double the size of its audience and nearly quadruple the donor base.

Bergauer helps organizations and individuals transform from scarcity to opportunity, make money, and grow their base of fans and supporters. Her ability to cast and communicate vision moves large teams forward and brings stakeholders together, earning “a reputation for coming up with great ideas and then realizing them” (San Francisco Classical Voice). With a track record for strategically increasing revenue and relevance, leveraging digital content and technology, and prioritizing diversity and inclusion on stage and off, Bergauer sees a better way forward for cultural institutions and knows how to achieve it.

A graduate of Rice University, her work and leadership have been covered in the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, Thrive Global, and Southwest Airlines magazines, and she is a frequent speaker spanning TEDx, universities, and industry conferences in the US and abroad.