How a Founder Built a Celebrity Matchmaking Engine from Hustle and Live Events

The word “entrepreneur” typically describes someone who launches a business. However, it is most accurately used for individuals who create companies that are hard to categorize. Bettie Levy clearly falls into this second group.

A seasoned professional in the music industry and the creator ofBCL Entertainment, Levy takes on various roles, including event producer, brand strategist, and CEO. Her work ranges from corporate events with top-tier talent to high-level brand collaborations between major companies and cultural figures.

In a nutshell, she’s a celebrity matchmaker — but not for romantic relationships. If a company needs Ludacris in a JIF advertisement, Busta Rhymes at a product launch, or New Kids On The Block at a private event, Levy is the person to contact. Now, she’s prepared to tell her story with the intention of encouraging others to pursue their own unique and non-traditional routes.

A dedicated Boston University graduate, Levy always felt confident she would eventually launch her own business. However, like many students, she didn’t have all the specifics sorted out. What she did understand was her passion for music and live performances.

That enthusiasm drove her to seek an internship at Sony Music while in college, which helped clarify her future direction.

It combined all of my passions,” Levy states. “And it was crucial to gain that corporate experience.

Levy kept expanding her experience within the music industry, beginning her career at Columbia Records after college, then moving to Epic Records. When Sony Music’s CEO Don Lerner left to start IMO Entertainment, Levy was invited to join the new company.

I moved from the large building at 550 Madison to a loft in the Village,” she remembers. “I was beginning to understand the startup scene.

At the International Mathematical Olympiad, Levy was responsible for creating new business opportunities for the company.

“She mentioned that it gave her the freedom to explore new opportunities,” she says. That sense of freedom led to non-stop phone calls and emails in pursuit of the next collaboration. “I was contacting companies I believed would be ideal partners in this new area of production and labels,” explains Levy. This experience highlighted a lesson that would influence her career: with determination and effective communication, anything can be achieved.

The timing was crucial. Levy was arriving as the voicemail ended, and email and text messages became the primary methods of business communication. Clearly and persuasively.expressing her idea through writingbecame one of the most essential abilities contributing to her achievements.

Building a foundation

Having worked for both a well-known company and a rapidly expanding startup, Levy possessed the necessary skills to achieve her long-standing dream of launching her own business. However, she approached the process with care and thoughtfulness.

I didn’t wish to launch a business and immediately send out email campaigns advertising myself and my company,” she states. “I aimed to establish connections and gradually expand my client list. I had a strong feeling that eventually I would reach a stage where I could discuss it, but I had significant work ahead of me.

From the start, Levy was awareauthenticityand a personal approach would form the basis of her business.

I recall someone asking me, ‘Where is your 50-person team and your office on Madison?’ ” she says. “Sixteen years later, that’s still not the case.

Currently, BCLE is present in almost every part of the entertainment industry, collaborating with actors, artists, athletes, and all those in between.

We adopt a highly involved method when identifying the suitable talent for our client’s needs,” Levy explains. “Whether it’s for an event or a collaboration, the procedure remains consistent.

Due to her experience at Sony, and in my opinion, Levy joined the ship with established celebrity connections — but BCLE was not an immediate success.

We began with smaller initiatives, leveraging established connections, and expanded from there,” she states. “It wasn’t as if we were securing major performances for huge sums right from the start.

Delivering at scale

Today, BCLE functions on two main areas: collaborations and gatherings. In terms of partnerships, Levy has been involved in creating agreements like musician Darius Rucker’s multi-league clothing line with Fanatics.

The line began as a partnership between Darius, Fanatics, and the NFL involving all 32 teams,” Levy explains. “Over time, it has grown beyond the NFL to include all 30 MLB teams and the NCAA. We recently introduced the NHL in Fall 2025, and we plan to continue expanding. Stay tuned for more thrilling updates in 2026.

That aspect of the company is based inrelationship-buildingand a thorough comprehension of the requirements. Events, while aimed at a comparable objective, present a completely different range of challenges.

It ranges from securing the venue to managing logistics, set design, and decorations,” Levy explains. “You need to consider the message you want to communicate. For instance, if it’s a fundraising event, how do you encourage people to contribute?

For Levy, achieving success in events relies on collaboration and a strong focus on details.

You can’t skip anything,” she says. “Missing one detail can lead to a disastrous chain reaction.” Behind every carefully planned gala, branded photoshoot, or charitable event is a hard work that most people don’t witness. “There’s this idea that it’s just one big celebration,” she continues. “That’s because I truly enjoy what I do and the business I’ve created. The truth is, I’m taking calls at three or four in the morning and might only get an hour or two of sleep.

Levy’s influence extends well beyond the events she organizes. She is actively engaged in issues that are important to her, collaborating with groups like Room to Read, the Dolphins Cancer Challenge, and the Pace Women’s Justice Center.

“At my heart, I enjoy bringing joy to others,” she states. Whether it’s revamping a project with minimal time to prepare or guiding a long-term production from the initial idea to the final performance, her work is always motivated by one unchanging factor: the pleasure it provides. “I love being on location and witnessing everything come together — seeing the happiness it creates,” she says.

Regardless of whether it’s corporate, private, or charitable, each event holds significance. For Levy, delivering exceptional results—while also making a positive impact—continues to be the objective.