Media exec Andy Schuon, who co-founded Revolt Media & TV with Sean “Diddy” Combs, has made an equity investment in and joined the board of directors of Business Rockstars, a multi-platform network that showcases entrepreneurs.
The move is the first in a number of multiplatform ventures Schuon plans to work with in 2015.
The exec informed the Revolt staff earlier this fall that he planned to leave his day-to-day role as 2014 wrapped. He says now that the Revolt exec team is in place, including Keith Clinkscales as CEO and Val Boreland as programming chief, music label deals are secured and distribution and programming milestones have been met, he is looking to shift his focus to building new channels on new platforms.
As co-founder and an investor in Revolt he will continue to advise the company; he will not be replaced as president. Revolt declined to comment.
At Business Rockstars, Schuon joins longtime collaborator Steve Lehman, chairman of Business Rockstars, and co-founder and president Ken Rutkowski, who hosts flagship daily radio and TV program Business Rockstars.
The company positions itself as the content platform for entrepreneurs across mobile, social and broadcast that brings together some of the world's biggest and most accomplished CEOs as well as successful small business owners and entrepreneurs. The live, two-hour daily show hosted by Rutkowski is distributed on more than 70 radio stations, along with streaming video and social media. The Business Rockstars Minute can be seen on Yahoo! Small Business on demand.
“Andy and I have a long history of success together, so his joining our board is a homecoming of sorts,” Lehman said in a statement. “With Andy on our Board of Directors, our already rapidly growing entrepreneurial media, mobile and social platform will be kicked into overdrive. Andy is a world class visionary when it comes to building networks, so we look forward to his contributions as we amplify the culture around entrepreneurial content and programming.”
Schuon’s background in media includes runs as program director at KROQ-FM Los Angeles, exec VP at MTV, MTV2 and VH1, CEO of Sony/Universal online music subscription service Pressplay (now Napster) and exec VP-GM of Warner Bros. Records as well as executive roles at Live Nation/Ticketmaster and Infinity Broadcasting (now CBS Radio).
He says he’s passionate about applying his experience to building new businesses in this era of opportunity and transition in media: “The time is now,” Schuon told B&C. “I will be very focused on acquiring, partnering, and creating brands for alternative or non-traditional distribution in 2015.”
