Lyte presents “Womyn at Lyte,” a series of conversations highlighting the voices of our womyn.
Q: AS A CHILD WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WANTED TO BE, AND HOW DO YOU THINK YOU CAME TO THAT DECISION?
CC Rozen: As a child, I wanted two things: I wanted to be a mom and I wanted to be happy. And so far, I am a dog mom and I’ve found a way to bring both my passions and interests together in work – so I feel really happy. My work is very interesting to me because music is something that's very fun for me. It doesn't keep me up and I don’t get stressed about it – it's a very healthy passion.
Q: WHAT WOULD YOUR YOUNGER SELF BE MOST SURPRISED ABOUT YOUR LIFE TODAY?
CC Rozen: This has to do with both the era that we're living in now and also the community at Lyte, but I definitely didn't think when I was younger that I would be able to be out and comfortable in terms of gender and sexuality in the workplace, I thought it was always going to be “don't ask don't tell” behind closed doors kind of thing. I feel really grateful that I can be open about my personal life and work.
Q: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE HARDEST PART OF WHAT YOU DO FOR A LIVING?
CC Rozen: Honestly, I think just overcoming self-doubt in terms of working in the male-dominated fields I’ve spent my whole career in tech, entertainment, etc. I’m just learning to trust myself and that my voice is important. This has been really difficult, but I feel again I've somehow miraculously ended up in a place where, first of all, it's not all men, and, second of all, it's a very welcoming community. I’ve really gotten better at that as time has gone on and I've also gotten better at discerning what kind of places will foster that open atmosphere as well.
Q: WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT WORKING AT LYTE?
CC Rozen: I mean, pretty much everything. I can't decide if my favorite part is knowing that I get to work for a company that is actively trying to make things better for fans and musicians. A lot of companies in the industry say that, but I feel we actually are doing that. The other thing I like about working at Lyte is the people. I’m so often astonished by my coworkers. “So-and-so is a DJ” or “so-and-so plays guitar” - the people who work at this company have the most exciting hobbies! And while music is one of my hobbies, I wouldn't say being musically inclined is one of my gifts. It's very cool that there are so many ways the company gets to share music with all of us.
Q: WHAT LESSON TOOK YOU THE LONGEST TO UNLEARN?
CC Rozen: I'm actively unlearning this since the hardest lessons are ongoing because of the way that we're socialized. In the American cultural context, being different wasn’t necessarily a good thing, especially when you're in school. If you stand out, you get bullied, so everyone tries to dress and act the same. But when you work in innovative and disruptive technology, being different is the most important asset, and bringing unique perspectives is so incredibly valuable. This is a lesson I'm constantly reminding myself.
Q: WHAT HAVE YOU ACCOMPLISHED RECENTLY THAT WOULD HAVE SHOCKED YOU A YEAR AGO?
CC Rozen: A lot. Where do I even - I think a year ago, I was exhausted. I loved my work but I felt really stuck, both professionally and personally. I feel very unstuck right now. I feel I've opened a lot up for myself. And I also feel even the last sentence is an accomplishment because a year ago I think it would have said, “I'm really lucky.” Now I'm recognizing the changes as a result of my own doing.
Q: WHAT ARE YOU MORE AFRAID OF: FAILURE OR SUCCESS? WHY?
CC Rozen: The answer to this has changed as I've gotten older. I'm honestly more afraid of success because I don't really know what happens next. I feel maybe it's the hunger mentality, but it's so easy for me to find the next small step. I accomplish one thing, and once I accomplish it, then it’s on to the next thing. But when I think about the ceiling, it would be scary to actually get there because I don't know what I would do there. I feel like sometimes we're all just little dogs on a little treadmill with a little treat dangling in front of us on the treadmill. Obviously, failure doesn't feel good but it always teaches me a lesson. With success, I think sometimes I can get overconfident and I don't see the lessons as easily.
Q: WHAT’S A NON-NEGOTIABLE IN YOUR LIFE?
CC Rozen: Eight hours of sleep. Period - that's the end of the answer.
Q: WHAT CAN womyn CREATE TOGETHER?
CC Rozen: Change.
Q: WHAT IS THE MOST EXCITING IMPROVEMENT FOR womyn IN THE INDUSTRY OR JUST IN GENERAL?
CC Rozen: The fact that there's more of us – there's a community to lean on. Again, I haven't worked in live events specifically for as long, but I've worked in other types of entertainment and technology, and it was really isolating even just five years ago. At Lyte specifically and in the industry, there are more womyn working and there's more of an understanding of the value of diversity, what we can add and it's just less isolating which feels really good.
Q: WHAT TITLE WOULD YOU GIVE THIS CHAPTER IN YOUR LIFE?
CC Rozen: I am in the 2016 Rihanna era when the “ANTI” album came out in 2016. She was about to not release music for so long. She was just focused on herself: expanding her empire, not bothered by anyone. I feel like I released an album last year, and so much has changed since then, but no one's going to hear from me for a while because I’m on the grind. Post ANTI era.
Q: ANY LAST WORDS FOR US?
CC Rozen: I was talking to a friend, who was really frustrated about where they fit in at work. Because a year ago I was at a company that I really enjoyed what I did, and there was a lot of talk of DE&I, but they weren't really committed to, or they were very defensive. I'm a confrontational person, my astrology placements are such that if there's something that's not sitting well with me I can’t not talk about it. And what I love about Lyte, is that our greatest asset is–even if we don't get it right–people are always open to conversation. There's an open-mindedness. With respect to new perspectives, new ideas that I think serve us. You fail when you are defensive. In my experience at Lyte, people are willing to put that to the side to hear and listen, and that is something really special and hard to find.
Womyn at Lyte featuring CC Rozen, Associate Strategist, Business Intelligence & Strategy at Lyte
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