In the world of live events, everyone has a story, and June Abernathy, a touring spotlight supervisor, has more than most. When Ellen Lampert-Gréaux and I sat down to interview her last week on the Artistic Finance podcast, we knew we'd be discussing more than her recent work, which includes touring with The Lion King and SIX. June is also the author of The Spotlight Operator’s Handbook and the delightfully quirky The Tried and True Book of 101 Spotlight Excuses.
We covered a lot of ground during our conversation—everything from saving for retirement to gambling in the stock market. And trust me, June’s financial advice is as on point as her followspot cues. So, here’s a little breakdown of what I took away from our chat.
Save 10% (But 15% Is Even Better)
One of June’s lifelong financial philosophies, which she picked up from the classic The Wealthy Barber, is to save 10% of everything you earn and pay yourself first. That’s something I can’t stress enough, especially for those of us freelancing, where paychecks can be as unpredictable as a last-minute moving light swap.
June’s approach to saving is simple: Automate it. It’s the 21st century, and we have the technology to save ourselves from, well, ourselves. Automation is your friend when it comes to financial success—whether it’s setting up regular retirement contributions or automating bill payments so you’re not hit with late fees. June reminded me that the old adage about paying yourself first is more relevant now than ever.
Ellen tossed in the fact that Dave Ramsey updated his advice to saving 15%. If he can, maybe we all should!
The Stock Market: More Las Vegas Than Wall Street
If there’s one thing June made clear, it’s that the stock market is a gamble—just like that time you weren’t sure if the followspot was pointing at Simba or the usher selling popcorn. June’s philosophy on stock trading? Don’t risk the money you can’t afford to lose.
June likes to keep things simple: stick with index funds and no-load mutual funds for actual investing. Save the stock picking for your “fun money.” While it’s tempting to try and pick winners, June pointed out how wildly individual stocks can fluctuate, sometimes just because Elon Musk farted. Even seemingly invincible companies can go under. Remember Sears, Blockbuster, or Rite Aid? June made a point that sometimes she picks right, but that's merely luck. And luck doesn’t equal expertise.
Touring Taxes and the Magic of Quicken
Taxes are always fun (said no one, ever), and June’s experience as a touring electrician has given her a crash course in tax considerations. Whether it’s navigating per diems or figuring out how to keep a home address while bouncing from city to city, June has learned how important it is to have a plan—and an accountant you can trust.
She gave us a reason to use tax software. In her case it is Quicken. It categorizes your expenses, making tax season less terrifying. Knowing where your money is going, especially as a freelancer, is the key to staying on top of your finances. As someone who freelances across multiple states, I can attest—anything that simplifies taxes is worth its weight in gold. Or maybe bitcoin? (Just kidding, June wouldn’t recommend that unless you admit it's gambling.)
Diversification: Not Just for the Stock Market
One of the most refreshing things about June is her mindset about work. The pandemic reminded her of the value of diversifying her income streams—for her it is being an author, stage manager, stagehand, followspot supervisor, and electrician. Stagehand work and her books helped her weather the storm when stage management work evaporated during the pandemic.
In theatre, it’s easy to get tunnel vision and think you have to stick to one thing. But June reminded me, you don’t have to be pigeonholed. The more you can do, the better prepared you’ll be when the industry throws you a curveball. It’s the ultimate backup plan—like always having an extra lamp for the followspot.
Networking is Everything
It’s no surprise that networking in theatre is vital, but June framed it bluntly. When people are looking to hire, they’re not pulling resumes off the internet—they’re asking around. Knowing the right people, and maintaining those relationships, can be the difference between landing your next job or being left in the dark (pun intended).
June’s been in the game long enough to know that even the best resumes are just pieces of paper. What really counts are the people behind the work, and that’s why she values the connections she’s built over the years. It’s also how she keeps her finger on the pulse of going rates—because let’s face it, rates are hush hugh because everyone has their own agendas when negotiating.
LDI Is Just Around the Corner—and We Have a Promo Code!
For those of you feeling the FOMO after hearing about the Artistic Finance live episode coming up at LDI, fear not! You can use our promo code ARTISTICFINANCE for a free expo hall pass. I’d love to see you there for our discussion with Erica D Hayes and Amy D Lux talking financial independence for creatives.
The conversation with June reminded me what a challenging job followspot operators have, and how good some of them are. So just a quick shoutout to Max Marquez, the best followspot supervisor I’ve ever worked with—someone please let him know he’s a legend!
Final Thoughts
Sitting down with June was a masterclass in both stagecraft and financial wisdom. Her advice? Simple, actionable, and perfect for the unpredictable world of live events. Whether it’s saving 10% (or 15%!), automating your finances, or accepting that the stock market is a bit of a gamble, June has learned the ropes and is generously sharing the wealth.
If you’re as inspired by June’s approach as I am, take a page from her playbook: diversify your income, automate your savings, and keep your eyes on the prize, just like she does with that spotlight.
To watch the full interview, visit artisticfinance.com/166bonus.