Laura Simpson is the CEO and co-founder (along with artist Dan Mangan) of Side Door. Side Door’s mission is to create shows anytime, anywhere, first with in-person shows and now online. Their platform marketplace is built to connect artists with hosts of spaces to create shows. They make booking, ticketing and payments easy, fair and transparent, without any upfront costs to the user.

Laura has spent much of her life serving the needs of artists and promoting live performance. She spent time working mostly behind the scenes at music non-profits, festivals and as a funding program officer. She has hosted house concerts (aka The Syrup Factory) since 2011. She believes experiencing amazing live art in intimate community settings leads to stronger human connection, greater empathy and improved mental health.