Meet Grace Hong of Parasol Music

Today we’d like to introduce you to Grace Hong.

Hi Grace, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve taken a winding and circuitous path to where I am today. I started my career in the social sciences, working at a think tank. While I was there, I felt a sense of frustration about academia and the research that was being done and how little of it was translated into effectuating real change in the world. I decided to simultaneously pursue a master’s in international development, which pivoted me into projects consulting for the Government of Liberia and in South Africa.

While I was looking for more permanent roles at multilateral organizations like the UN and at NGOs, I was approached by a hedge fund. I had never wanted to work in the corporate world (or in an office for that matter), so I was skeptical, but I went to the interview and was inspired by the role and the people I met and ultimately ended up joining the firm. That was one of the best decisions I made in my career. From there, I moved into tech and publishing, working for a big conglomerate operating in the healthcare, financial services, tax and accounting, and legal sectors. I started in Corporate Strategy and ultimately became head of strategy for a business unit, head of product development, and then general manager. That was a pretty insane role—I was always on the road, working on building and launching products, turning around and transforming the business, acquiring companies, etc. I was working 100+ hours a week, lost my sense of self, and became deeply unhappy, entrenched in politics and wondering how I could possibly be contributing to the world in a meaningful way.

I ended up leaving both the company and NYC and embarked on a year-long unplanned journey around the world, buying a one-way ticket at a time and without much of a plan. While that sounds exciting, it was terrifying. My mind was not a happy place. It was also a transformative year, and I needed that time to detox and shed the identity I had developed and regain my center. I ended up in LA to take a writing class and ran out of places I wanted to go. A year and 8 AirBNBs/short-term rentals later, I decided that I lived here. I started consulting for a range of companies, including the company I had left a year prior. By dismantling my life, I had to listen to my inner voice which had always been directing me towards my love of music. I started to sing, write songs, and learn music production.

I went through a LONG period of experimentation—a full decade. I started multiple companies, none of which felt like the right thing. They were all good ideas that I didn’t feel particularly passionate about. I spent 6 years as a Senior Advisor at a leading private equity firm. I served on several nonprofit boards in the democracy, music education, and education space. I started to release music as an artist. I devoted time to personal development and healing and developed a deep spiritual practice. I got certified in breathwork and as an executive coach. I started a creative community called Parasol and started hosting mini-festivals and events around mindfulness.

In 2024, I started Parasol Music, an artist-driven label, publisher, and creative sync agency. Everything else fell away. After a decade of searching, I had finally locked in on the thing that I felt passionate enough to go all in on.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t been a smooth road at all. There have been many ups and downs and identity shifts along the way.

Starting a music company in this climate is challenging. There have been successes and losses, and it’s a rollercoaster ride. Nothing is guaranteed, and I also want to do the best job possible for the artists, producers, and composers we represent, but there are so many factors outside of my control.

Through all my identity shifts and through all the changes, I’ve lost friendships, which has been particularly hard. I think we all want a sense of purpose and spending a full decade trying to figure that out, which has been uncomfortable.

Releasing music as an artist stretched me to put myself out there and be vulnerable.

Over the last year or so, I started as an outsider and as a newbie in a new industry where I didn’t have a track record, reputation, or relationships.

And there’s also the obvious stuff like financial stability and all the things that come with startup life and entrepreneurship. I’ve had to get comfortable with uncertainty in a whole new way, and there’s something magical about that too.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Parasol Music?
Parasol Music is an artist-driven label, publisher, and sync agency. What’s unique about us is that we didn’t start as a music company but rather as a creative community, and that ethos of community-building and support is core to our mission. I think of us as a values- and mission-driven company that is about uplifting creatives and operating with a high degree of integrity and excellence. Everything has developed organically. When we started the company, we knew we wanted to represent artists that we felt aligned with our values and create authentic and impactful music. We thought we were going to be more of a label, but our predominant focus is as a sync agency. Our strongest areas are in trailers, video games, and sports. Over the past year, we’ve landed campaigns for Superman, Avengers Doomsday, Frankenstein, Handmaid’s Tale, Valorant, Call of Duty, several game soundtrack spots, The Game Awards, etc. We also had a Billboard #1 World album and have 3 upcoming Super Bowl spots.

We have a catalog focusing on both sync and artist development but also take on a significant amount of custom work for studios and agencies. We partner with all the major labels and publishers on remixes and trailerizations. We’re pretty flexible and are a one-stop shop for all things music.

I’m incredibly proud of how much we’ve accomplished in a very short amount of time and the tight-knit team and roster we’ve developed as well. It has more of a familial feel, and it’s important to me that it stays that way.

In the future, I hope to open a space or multiple spaces that can be a hub and community/wellness space for creatives.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love the creativity and sense of possibility that LA offers (and the weather).

Obviously, hate the traffic and also don’t love the sense of separation that exists in this city. It’s a city of many different bubbles. I feel that relationships here can feel more ephemeral than they do in other places.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.parasolmusic.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parasolmusic.co/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Parasol-Music/61552657022983/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/parasol-music/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ParasolMusicLA