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The term “entrepreneur” generally refers to anyone who starts a business. But it applies best to those building businesses that are difficult to neatly define. Bettie Levy fits squarely into the latter category.
A music industry veteran and the founder of BCL EntertainmentLevy wears many hats, from event producer to brand strategist to CEO. Her work spans corporate events featuring top talent to high-level brand partnerships between major corporations and cultural icons.
Basically, she’s a celebrity matchmaker, but not for dating. If a brand wants Ludacris in a JIF campaign, Busta Rhymes at a launch party or New Kids On The Block at a private party, Levy is your woman. Now she’s ready to share her story in hopes of inspiring others to follow their own unconventional paths.
A proud alum of Boston University, Levy always believed she would one day start her own business. But like most students, she didn’t understand every detail. What she did know was that she loved music and live events.
That passion led her to intern at Sony Music during her studies, which helped her chart her path.
“It brought all my interests together,” says Levy. “And it was very important to have that business experience.”
Continuing to build her resume in the music industry, Levy began her career at Columbia Records after graduating, followed by Epic Records. When Sony Music CEO Don Lenner left the company to launch IMO Entertainment, Levy was asked to join.
“I went from the big building at 550 Madison to a loft in the Village,” she recalls. “I now learned about the startup world.”
At IMO, Levy was tasked with generating new business for the company.
“It gave me the freedom to try new things,” she says. That freedom translated into relentless phone calls and emails looking for the next partnership. “I reached out to companies that I thought would be great to work with in this new production and label space,” Levy explains. The process reinforced a lesson that would shape her career: anything is possible with perseverance – and strong communication.
The timing was important. Levy arrived as voicemail faded and email and text messaging became the dominant forms of business communication. Conveying her point of view clearly and convincingly in writing became one of the most critical skills behind her success.
Image credits: BCL Entertainment
Building a foundation
After working at both an established company and a fast-growing startup, Levy had the resources to pursue her longtime goal: starting her own business. But she was deliberate about the process.
“I didn’t want to start a business and immediately start sending out emails to promote myself and my business,” she says. “I wanted to build relationships and build the customer base from the ground up. I knew deep down that I would eventually expand to the point where I would be ready to talk about it, but I had a lot of work to do first.”
From the start, Levy knew that authenticity and a personal touch would be the foundation of her business.
“I remember someone asking me, ‘Where are your 50-person employees and your office in Madison?’” she recalls. “Sixteen years later, that is still not the atmosphere.”
Today, BCLE is active in almost every corner of the entertainment industry, working with actors, artists, athletes and everyone in between.
“We take a very hands-on approach to finding the right talent for what the client is looking for,” Levy explains. “Whether it’s an event or a partnership, the process is the same.”
Thanks to her time at Sony and IMO, Levy entered entrepreneurship with pre-existing celebrity relationships, but BCLE was far from an overnight success.
“We started with smaller projects, built on existing relationships and grew from there,” she says. “It’s not like we booked huge acts for astronomical amounts on the first day.”
Delivering at scale
Today, BCLE is active on two fronts: partnerships and events. On the collaboration side, Levy has helped create deals such as musician Darius Rucker’s multi-league clothing line with Fanatics.
“The line started as a partnership between Darius, Fanatics and the NFL from all 32 teams,” says Levy. “Over the years, it has expanded from the NFL to all 30 MLB teams and to the NCAA. We just launched NHL in the fall of 2025, and we will continue to grow. Look for more exciting news in 2026.”
That side of the business is rooted in relationship building and a deep understanding of the mission. Events, although aimed at a similar goal, have completely different demands.
“It involves everything from location acquisition to logistics, set production and decor,” Levy explains. “You have to think about the message you’re trying to convey. For example, if it’s a fundraising event, how do you motivate people to donate?”
For Levy, success at events comes down to teamwork and an obsession with detail.
“You can’t leave anything out,” she says. “One missed element can cause a catastrophic domino effect.” Behind every carefully designed gala, branded shoot or charity initiative lies a grind that most people never see. “There is a perception that it is one big party,” she adds. “That perception is because I absolutely love what I do and have built. The reality is that I answer my phone at three or four in the morning and maybe sleep for an hour or two.”
Levy’s impact extends far beyond the events she produces. She is deeply involved in causes important to her, working with organizations such as Room to Read, the Dolphins Cancer Challenge and the Pace Women’s Justice Center.
“At my core, I love making people happy,” she says. Whether she completes a project with barely any turnaround time or supervises a months-long production from the first brainstorm to the curtain: the work is driven by one constant: the joy it brings. “I love being on site and seeing how everything comes together – seeing the happiness it brings,” she says.
Business, private or charitable, every event is important. And for Levy, doing the job well – and doing it well – remains the goal.