SoundGirls
SoundGirls.org is a non-profit community organization founded in 2013 that supports women and gender-expansive professionals in audio through membership, scholarships, mentoring, chapters, and industry advocacy worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSan Francisco Bay Area, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What SoundGirls does
SoundGirls.org is a U.S.-headquartered non-profit community organization founded in 2013 by Karrie Keyes and Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato to support women and gender-expansive individuals working in professional audio. The organization operates a web-based membership platform (soundgirls.org), a podcast, a Creator Directory (creators.soundgirls.org), and a Living History Project, paired with a network of international local chapters and recurring in-person and virtual programming such as the annual Virtual Conference co-hosted with Women in Vinyl. Core deliverables include scholarships (SoundGirls Ethel Gabriel and Leslie Ann Jones scholarships, Noise Engineering scholarships, L-Acoustics Education Program grants), the Gaston-Bird Travel Fund, mentoring and shadowing programs (e.g., King's X tour with Sean Peel), and curated industry resources including sexual-harassment reporting guides and a BIPOC/Women industry directories list. The technology stack is a standard WordPress-driven content and membership site with no proprietary software, APIs, or AI components disclosed. The business model combines a freemium membership tier (free plus paid-with-undisclosed pricing), merchandise sales through a branded shop, manufacturer sponsorships underwriting scholarships and conferences (L-Acoustics, Noise Engineering, DiGiCo), and tax-deductible individual donations via PayPal. Distribution is community-led and event-driven: chapters worldwide extend physical reach, NAMM and AES conference presence provides industry visibility, and content marketing via the contributor blog, podcast, YouTube channel, and organic social drives top-of-funnel awareness, with the website serving as the unified self-serve hub for registration, content, and e-commerce.
SoundGirls firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SoundGirls
- Legal name
- SoundGirls.org
- Website
- https://soundgirls.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- SoundGirls.org is a non-profit community organization founded in 2013 that supports women and gender-expansive professionals in audio through membership, scholarships, mentoring, chapters, and industry advocacy worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SoundGirls industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Audio Community and Advocacy
- NAICS
- Sound Recording Industries (5122)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Session Musicians & Vocalists (MPAIAHAC)
Keywords
Where SoundGirls is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco Bay Area
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
SoundGirls business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: SoundGirls offers a free membership tier as well as a paid membership tier that provides access to exclusive events, panels, workshops, job resources, networking opportunities, and discounts. The membership page is the primary registration portal.
- Merchandise Sales: The organization operates a shop selling merchandise (merch), with items including apparel and other branded goods sold through the soundgirls.org storefront.
- Sponsorships and Grants: Corporate sponsors (e.g., L-Acoustics, Noise Engineering, DiGiCo) provide scholarship funding, travel grants, and educational program grants. Sponsors also underwrite the annual virtual conference, providing reduced registration fees for attendees.
- Donations: The Gaston-Bird Travel Fund accepts tax-deductible PayPal donations to support women attending audio trade conferences. The organization solicits donations from sponsors and individual supporters.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free membership tier with basic access |
| Subscription | Annual | Paid membership with full access |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
SoundGirls product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SoundGirls is a non-profit community organization that operates a freemium membership platform (free and paid annual tiers) for women and gender-expansive individuals in professional audio, providing access to networking, mentorship, scholarships, workshops, job resources, and discounts. It supplements membership with a podcast, a community-built Creator Directory, a Living History Project archive, local chapters, an annual Virtual Conference with Women in Vinyl, and curated industry directories for women and BIPOC audio professionals.
Product overview
SoundGirls is a non-profit community organization (not a technology product company) offering a membership program, podcast, creator directory, living history project, chapters with mentoring, scholarships, travel funds, and sexual harassment resources for women in professional audio. The organization provides a platform for education, networking, and advocacy rather than a software product.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SoundGirls Membership Annual membership program offering women in audio access to discounts, exclusive events, panels, workshops, job resources, and networking opportunities.
- SoundGirls Podcast Free podcast featuring interviews with audio professionals discussing career journeys, industry challenges, and diversity topics.
- SoundGirls Creator Directory Community-built directory of women and gender-expansive content creators in music and audio to help users discover new voices and allow creators to gain visibility.
- The Living History Project Collection of interviews with audio industry veterans highlighting the careers and achievements of women and underrepresented groups in audio.
- SoundGirls Chapters and Mentoring Program Local chapters worldwide run under the SoundGirls mission with mentoring opportunities available to members.
- SoundGirls Scholarships Financial scholarships including the Ethel Gabriel Scholarship, Leslie Ann Jones Scholarship, Noise Engineering scholarships, and general scholarships for audio education.
- Gaston-Bird Travel Fund Fund to increase the presence of women at audio-related trade conferences by covering airfare and lodging for those invited to speak or present.
- Sexual Harassment Resource Center Resource hub for reporting sexual harassment, understanding reforms, self-care for trauma, freelancer resources, and guidance on how men can be allies.
- Women and BIPOC Industry Directories Curated list of directories and resources connecting users with women and people of color in the audio and music industry.
- SoundGirls Virtual Conference Annual Virtual Conference co-hosted with Women in Vinyl featuring panels, workshops, and networking, with reduced registration fees supported by sponsors.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 6,000 members served internationally across all audio disciplines
Companies that use SoundGirls
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
SoundGirls technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
SoundGirls partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- L-AcousticscoreL-Acoustics is offering 4 grants for courses in the L-Acoustics Education Program through SoundGirls, with in-person and online training options. Grant recipients receive hotel accommodations for in-person attendance. Prospective candidates must be SoundGirls members and apply by October 1, 2026. Winners are notified by October 31, 2026. L-Acoustics has also partnered with SoundGirls on System & Workflow Scholarships.
- Noise EngineeringcoreNoise Engineering sponsors two $500 scholarships through SoundGirls for members attending or planning to attend educational programs in Professional Audio. The scholarships apply to college programs, trade schools, seminars, and workshops. Eligibility is open to all genders.
- Women in VinylcoreSoundGirls and Women in Vinyl co-host an annual Virtual Conference, with reduced registration fees thanks to sponsor support. The 2026 conference is currently in early bird registration phase. Both organizations share the goal of increasing representation of women in audio.
- Audio Engineering Society (AES)coreSoundGirls co-developed AES's Diversity and Inclusion Guidelines for Convention and Conference Policy Committees, a year-long effort by 40+ committee members. Leslie Gaston-Bird, a SoundGirls member, chairs the AES Diversity and Inclusion Committee. SoundGirls also facilitates access to the AES D&I Committee's roster of diverse panelists for conference organizers.
- Recording Academy / GrammycoreSoundGirls supports the Recording Academy's Women in the Mix: Producer & Engineering Inclusion Initiative, which asks that at least two women be identified and considered every time a music producer or engineer is hired. The initiative involves prominent producers, labels, artists, agencies, and management companies working toward industry-wide change.
- Step Up Women's NetworkminorSoundGirls partnered with Step Up Women's Network in March 2013 to host a career day 'Behind the Scenes of Music Industry' for teen girls from under-resourced communities. The event featured women in audio including co-founder Karrie Keyes and highlighted non-traditional careers for young women.
- Know Other FestivalminorSoundGirls partnered with Know Other Festival to staff the festival's stages with volunteer interns and audio technicians, giving participants real-world experience working alongside experienced professionals in a live festival environment. SoundGirls will be staffing volunteer positions starting next year.
- JDoeminorSoundGirls references the JDoe encrypted and anonymous reporting platform as a resource for sexual harassment reporting. JDoe links victims of mutual offenders with lawyers and includes a detailed index of sexual misconduct laws by state to guide users through the reporting process.
- #HereForTheMusic / Calling All CrowsminorSoundGirls promotes the #HereForTheMusic campaign by Calling All Crows, which works with artists, management, venues, festivals, crews, and fans to design sexual violence prevention programs. Programming includes fan volunteers, pre-show training, messaging from the stage, and partnerships with local rape crisis centers.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
SoundGirls competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- SheSaidSo: Global network of women working across the music and entertainment industries, offering mentoring, events, and community. Comparable community-led model and audience overlap with SoundGirls, with a more digitally-curated membership approach.
Direct peers
- Women's Audio Mission: Non-profit dedicated to advancing women and girls in music production and audio engineering through training, mentorship, and community. Closest direct peer to SoundGirls in mission, audience, and programming (scholarships, studio access, mentorship).
- She Is The Music: Non-profit industry initiative focused on increasing the number of women working in music—songwriters, engineers, producers, and executives. Highly comparable mission and partnership-driven model to SoundGirls.
- Women in Vinyl: Community organization for women in the vinyl and record production industry. SoundGirls' co-host partner for the annual Virtual Conference and adjacent in scope (women in audio/music production industries).
Broad incumbents
- Women in Music: Established non-profit advocating for women across the broader music industry (not audio-specific). Comparable membership and advocacy model, but with a wider scope beyond professional audio disciplines.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SoundGirls social profiles
Digital presenceSoundGirls financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SoundGirls leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
SoundGirls funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SoundGirls M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SoundGirls
What does SoundGirls do?
SoundGirls is a non-profit community organization that operates a freemium membership platform (free and paid annual tiers) for women and gender-expansive individuals in professional audio, providing access to networking, mentorship, scholarships, workshops, job resources, and discounts. It supplements membership with a podcast, a community-built Creator Directory, a Living History Project archive, local chapters, an annual Virtual Conference with Women in Vinyl, and curated industry directories for women and BIPOC audio professionals.
Is SoundGirls a public or private company?
SoundGirls is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was SoundGirls founded?
SoundGirls was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SoundGirls based?
SoundGirls is headquartered in San Francisco Bay Area, United States, in the North America region.
How does SoundGirls make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales, sponsorships and Grants and donations.
Who are SoundGirls's main competitors?
SheSaidSo is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Women's Audio Mission, She Is The Music and Women in Vinyl. Women in Music is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does SoundGirls have an API?
No public API is recorded for SoundGirls.
What industry is SoundGirls in?
SoundGirls's product category is Professional Audio Community and Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAIAE, Audio Production & Podcasting, with a secondary code of MPAIAHAC, Session Musicians & Vocalists. Its NAICS code is 5122.