Breaking Through the Business with Lauren Masterson

As the Vice President of Product Management at Vydia, Lauren Masterson sits at the intersection of collaboration, innovation, and strategy in the music-tech industry. Since joining the company almost seven years ago, she has been a key figure in shaping the evolution of Vydia’s product, having launched key initiatives, led cross-functional teams, and helped guide the company through numerous growth spurts and shifts over the years. With a background in marketing and a passion for problem-solving, Lauren brings a unique perspective to the team. Beyond the tech world, she is also a dedicated community leader and continues to inspire the next generation of changemakers.

Q: What is your current title, and what are some of your responsibilities at Vydia?

A: I am the Vice President of Product Management at Vydia. I really think I have the coolest job. I get to work directly with our users and every single department to understand what their needs are, and then work with our incredible team of product managers, UX designers, data engineers, and developers to make those ideas come to life in our ever-evolving product.

As PMs, we get to weigh in on strategy decisions and prioritization, set requirements, review and influence prototypes, work with development through all stages of the build, and then work with the marketing team to define go-to-market strategies for our new features. It’s like we’re all trying to solve this crazy, intricate 3D puzzle together, except there’s no picture on the box, and every so often we get a few new pieces thrown in that we’ve got to figure out how to work with. Every single day, all of our teams unite to solve problems that no one has ever faced before. It’s so exciting.

Q: You’ve been with Vydia since 2018. What has been the most rewarding way you’ve seen the company evolve? 

A: It’s amazing how fast time flies when you’re working on new things all the time. Working at Vydia has been like having a front row seat on a rocket ship. It’s been so gratifying to watch the way the company has pivoted, strategized, and grown over the last seven years. One of my favorite tentpole moments was the launch of our White Label services. It marked the beginning of our focused expansion into the B2B2C market and was such a fun technical puzzle to solve. Its success also helped pave the way for our acquisition, which I was very proud to be a part of.

On a personal level, it’s been amazing to watch the team evolve over the years. I have witnessed so many talented people elevate their skillsets and advance in their careers. The culture at Vydia really is an incubator for high-velocity learning. I’ve been privileged to work alongside so many people who have taken advantage of it and accelerated their success. 

Q: Before diving into the Product space, you led marketing teams at many different companies. What inspired you to make the jump from Marketing to Product?

A: When people think of marketing, they often think of big glitzy events or impactful ad campaigns, and while I loved being involved in the creative aspects of all of that earlier in my career, the work that really excited me back then was the scaffolding behind the scenes. I loved leading marketing departments because I loved setting up and optimizing systems, creating frameworks that would garner the best ideas, coordinating resources to implement them, and measuring how successful they were. Making it as seamless as possible for talented people to come together and create something amazing is what keeps me motivated, and all of those values translate perfectly into product management.

The fun part about product management is that it’s a relatively new career path, and while there are programs and certifications, and college majors for it now, a lot of the most successful PMs I know started in different disciplines first. I think my career in marketing gave me great foundational skills that help me bring a new perspective to our product. I highly recommend the field for anyone who is an excellent communicator, excited by strategy, and wants to be in the room where decisions are made. 

Q: What are the steps you take to ensure a successful product launch?

A: For me, the most crucial step in any successful product launch is validating the idea up front. Before we even think about building, we want to make sure we’re solving a real problem and that what we’re creating will genuinely help people. That means talking to users, digging into their pain points, and really understanding what’s needed to make an impact. Once we’re confident in the idea, we get super clear on the requirements – what’s essential for launch and what will truly move the needle.

Another key piece is defining the right success metrics from the start. It’s easy to get caught up in surface-level numbers, but we focus on metrics that actually reflect meaningful progress and align with our company’s goals. That way, we’re not just launching features that look good on paper—we’re delivering real value and making sure our efforts are driving the outcomes that matter most.

Q: How do you see the music industry evolving in the next few years, especially with the evolution of AI?

A: The music tech industry is evolving at lightning speed, and AI is really at the heart of that transformation. In the next few years, I think we’ll see AI making music creation, distribution, and discovery more accessible and personalized than ever before. Whether it’s helping artists reach new audiences, curating playlists that feel tailor-made, or even assisting with songwriting and production, AI is opening up possibilities we couldn’t have imagined a decade ago.

At the same time, I believe the human side of music will remain just as important. Technology can amplify creativity and connect people in new ways, but the emotional connection that music creates is something only humans can truly understand and nurture. The future of music tech will be about striking the right balance—using AI to empower artists, labels, and fans, while keeping the heart and soul of music front and center.

Q: Is there anyone who mentored you or inspired you to grow into the leader you are today?

A: I’ve been fortunate to have a few mentors along the way, but working with Jenna Gaudio has had a particularly profound impact on my growth as a leader. Watching Jenna navigate her journey from Head of Marketing to Co-President—building and scaling teams, launching new products, and leading the company through acquisition—showed me what it truly means to lead with both vision and empathy. Jenna has a unique ability to align teams around a shared mission, foster innovation, and support the professional development of those around her. Her example taught me the importance of advocating for yourself and your team, embracing change, and always keeping the needs of artists and labels at the center of what we do. The way she champions diversity and community, both inside and outside the company, continues to inspire me to lift others up and push for meaningful progress in music tech.

Q: You are involved with other organizations such as NJ HOBY. What inspires you to give back to your community?

A: I’ve been volunteering for 17 years for New Jersey HOBY (Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership), a nonprofit that empowers high school kids to become leaders in their communities. I attended one of their seminars when I was in high school, and fell in love with the energy, inspiration, and opportunities the organization fostered for its alumni. I felt compelled to return the favor and help throw the ladder down for the next generation.

In my tenure, I’ve worn many hats including recruitment, marketing, fundraising, programming, leading volunteer teams, and running the alumni association. For three years, I served as the Leadership Seminar Chair and coordinated all conference logistics for the 400 person, 3-day seminar. I now serve on the Corporate Board, where I advise the seminar planning team and ensure they have what they need to operate effectively.

I’ve spent thousands of hours giving back to the organization, but at the end of the day, I’ll never repay the debt I owe for all that HOBY has given me. Seeing the impact of the program on the volunteers and ambassadors and watching the amazing things they go on to accomplish to better our world makes it the most valuable work I’ve ever done.

Q: What was a time in your career when you learned a valuable lesson from an unexpected challenge?

A: When the pandemic hit, it was an unexpected challenge for everyone in the music industry, and for us as a company as well. Practically overnight, we had to shift to fully remote work, which could have easily disrupted our momentum. Fortunately, because we had already invested in scalable processes and strong communication standards, our team was able to adapt quickly and seamlessly. In fact, we found that we didn’t just maintain productivity, we actually became more efficient and collaborative. That experience taught me the value of being proactive about building resilient systems and fostering a culture of clear communication. It reinforced that when you’re prepared and trust your team, you can turn even the most unexpected challenges into opportunities for growth.

From a product perspective, we needed to make sure our platform could help labels adapt quickly to not just a digital-first, but a digital-only landscape. We were able to focus on rapidly delivering features and support that empowered our label partners to navigate shifting streaming trends, optimize digital releases, and keep their artists connected with fans. The experience really reinforced for me how critical it is to have resilient processes and a customer-focused mindset, so we can help our partners stay agile and successful, no matter how much the industry changes.

Q: If there was one thing you could go back and tell your younger self when embarking on your career journey, what would it be and why? 

A: When I started at Vydia, I was new to Product Management and didn’t have a strong technical background. After my first standup meeting, I told my friends that I felt like I’d signed up for space camp and instead showed up at NASA where everyone was speaking Spanish. I struggled with imposter syndrome as I learned the ropes and tried to absorb information like a sponge. In those early days, I wish I had been faster to realize these life lessons: 

1. Chase the work that excites you. Throw out the plans for what you thought your life might look like and lean into opportunities that stir your soul.
2. Be resourceful. You can teach yourself literally anything with the information available online these days, especially with AI as a copilot.
3. Don’t count yourself out. In the words of my fellow HOBY volunteer, Brian Selander’s, iconic annual keynote, “Somebody’s gotta do it, why not me?”

Q: Lastly, if you had to choose one song to be the soundtrack to your journey, what would it be and why?

A: Long Live by Taylor Swift. It’s an anthem for scrappy, underestimated teams who face the odds together and come out stronger on the other side. It’s about banding together, proving people wrong, celebrating hard-won victories, and cherishing the journey as much as the destination. 

About Lauren: Lauren Masterson is the Vice President of Product Management at Vydia, where she leads cross-functional teams through all stages of product development and launch, as well as overseeing UI/UX and E-Commerce operations to drive innovation in music technology. With more than a decade of experience spanning product and marketing roles, Lauren is recognized for her leadership and impact, including being named one of NJBIZ’s Best 50 Women in Business and a Leader in Digital Technology. She holds a BA in Communication from Monmouth University.

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