Some of the youngest most successful people in America inherited their wealth, like Lukas Walton, grandson of Walmart founder Sam Walton. Others earned their billions starting tech or social media companies, including Snap cofounders Evan Spiegel and Bobby Murphy as well as Facebook’s Dustin Moskovitz and Mark Zuckerberg, who is the world’s richest person under age 40. What does it take to get here? There are many different roads that lead to the billionaire’s club, but it takes a true grinder to make it in the “Music Industry”. Let’s take a look at some “New York Tough” entrepreneurs under 40 in the music industry. Who is your pick for the next Billionaires club?
Enes Kolenovic – Age 35
The Chainsmokers Management/ Disruptormgmt
Chainsmokers Manager Enes Kolenovic often referred to as “The Chainsmokers’ Swiss Army Knife” wears many hats and has played a big part in the meteoric rise of the number one DJ duo in the world. What is the key to Kolenovic’s success? On his Instagram, he has the Hashtag: #BangOutA100emails, which perhaps is a clue to his work ethic. Kolenovic and Disruptor Management have a roster of successful talent that are gearing up for a big 2021 including “Lost Kings” and “Young Bombs”.
Tracy Gardner – Age 38
Head of label licensing and partnerships, TikTok
As the end of 2020 marked the close of a historical year for TikTok, behind the scenes Tracy Gardner played an important role in its success. After almost a decade at Warner Music Group overseeing licensing, business development, and digital strategy, Gardner joined TikTok in 2019 to work the opposite side. Gardner cuts deals with record labels so that the users can play music in their posts. “It’s exciting to see how quickly the platform adapts,” says Gardner, who also helped artists like Jason Derulo and Megan Thee Stallion pivot to livestreaming on TikTok with its #HappyAtHome series in March 2020. Gardner received her education from Brooklyn Law School and New York University.
Amanda Butler – 34
Global head of music marketing, Spotify
When not overseeing the promotion of flagship playlists like RapCaviar and ¡Viva Latino!, Butler and her team are delivering 50-plus experiential activations for over 40,000 consumers annually. In 2020, Butler led a group of 50 employees to launch Phenomenal Black Music, a series on Spotify’s Black History Is Now hub featuring playlists, merchandise and more in one of Spotify’s biggest campaigns to date. Butler has over a decade of experience developing worldwide go-to-market strategies across a range of industries such as tech, consumer electronics, CPG and for lifestyle brands such as Beats by Dr. Dre, Apple, Red Bull and Microsoft. Butler is a proud Brooklyn native that has earned a Bachelor of Sciences from Hampton University, an M.B.A. from Emory University, Goizueta Business School and is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Jared Overeem – 37
CEO – Overdrive NYC Inc.
Jared Overeem, most recently featured as one of the “TOP 5 MUSIC MANAGERS OF THE PANDEMIC”, is a Queens, N.Y. native that has turned his Management Company and Label into one of the most successful “Start Up” companies in the Electronic Dance Music industry. After Overdrive’s release of LODATO’s Multiple week #1 Dance Radio and Billboard hit “Home,” He managed to lock his second #1 Dance Radio Record with LODATO – “GOOD,” which resulted in a major deal at Spinnin Records/Warner. Overeem also released a 2020 record with Hollywood socialite Paris Hilton on his Overdrive label, where all proceeds are being donated to the Code Silence charity. With the lockdown halting live shows, he switched his artist Vinny Vibes focus to hosting a brand-new weekly radio show every Friday called “Good Vibes” on the Pitbull’s Globalization (Sirius XM). In the later months of 2020, he signed a record deal for 18-year-old Brandon Greenstein’s The BreakBomb Project with Universal Music Group. Overeem also locked in muti track record deals for platinum vocalist Vassy with Robbins Ent. and then again with ONEDUO.
Kristina Grossmann – 34
Vice President A&R at Republic Records
Kristina Grossmann started hustling in the music industry at a very young age eventually grinding her way to because the VP A&R at Republic Records. In 2010 she was named one of the music industry’s “30 Under 30 Power Players” by Billboard Magazine. Over the years she has worked with a wide variety of artists such as Phantogram, Jessie J, Marian Hill, Seven Lions, Hudson Thames, Tiesto, Mayer Hawthorne, Crystal Castles and AFI. Grossmann has played a key role in the re-launch of the Republic imprint Casablanca Records and the development of the American seasons 1 and 2 of The Voice; as well as soundtracks for The Hunger Games and Fifty Shades of Grey.
