Providing operational intelligence for modern music companies

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After nearly a decade in financial services, Max left Wall Street for music and went on to build businesses spanning festivals, a record label, artist management, marketing, and music technology. Today, his work gives him a unique view into how music companies actually operate, and where better systems, data, automation, and Al can create a competitive advantage.

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  • Al Won't Fix Your Broken Music Company

Why Al adoption starts with understanding your data, workflows and decision-making-not buying another tool.

  • Why Music Companies Keep Rebuilding the Same Broken Systems

What Max has learned from seeing operational problems repeat across labels, publishers and other music

  • The Operating System Behind a Modern Record Label

What actually happens behind the scenes to coordinate releases, artists, marketing, data, budgets and teams at scale.

  • What I'm Learning From the People Rebuilding the Music Business

Patterns Max is seeing across founders and operators working on Al, royalties, streaming, artist development, data and new music-business models.

Reviews

Trusted across the music industry

300
Alter
Trusted
Spinnin Records
Tommy Boy
ADA
Nice Life
Rhino
Chrysalis
Too Lost
ATG Group
Resiovoir
Q Prime
Blue Raincoat Music
Big Machine Label Group
MNRK Music Group
300
Alter
Trusted
Spinnin Records
Tommy Boy
ADA
Nice Life
Rhino
Chrysalis
Too Lost
ATG Group
Resiovoir
Q Prime
Blue Raincoat Music
Big Machine Label Group
MNRK Music Group
Big Loud
Epitaph
Jacobs Law Group
Sparta
Hype
Futures
Melatone
UTA
Warner
Warner Records
Big Loud
Epitaph
Jacobs Law Group
Sparta
Hype
Futures
Melatone
UTA
Warner
Warner Records
Atlantic
Spirit Music
Parlophone

See Max as a Host

Should every song be mixed for spatial audio? Brad Smalling weighs in
Podcast

Should every song be mixed for spatial audio? Brad Smalling weighs in

In this episode of Sound Systems Podcast, Max Bernstein speaks with Brad Smalling, Chief Executive Officer at Immersify Audio also, Atmos Mixing & Recording and Mastering Engineer at Evergroove Studio

Rod Yancy says bootleg recordings are the antidote to the AI music epidemic
Podcast

Rod Yancy says bootleg recordings are the antidote to the AI music epidemic

In this episode of Sound Systems Podcast, Max Bernstein speaks with Rod Yancy, Founder of Bootleg, a platform helping musicians capture, package, and sell authentic live concert recordings directly to

Jack Bradley: Why Brands Stopped Breaking New Artists in 2026
Podcast

Jack Bradley: Why Brands Stopped Breaking New Artists in 2026

In this episode of Sound Systems Podcast, Max Bernstein speaks with Jack Bradley, Chief Creative Officer and Owner at Hifi Project Inc., an audio agency specializing in music licensing.

Chris Herche is building a community of record labels
Podcast

Chris Herche is building a community of record labels

In this episode of Sound Systems Podcast, Max Bernstein speaks with Chris Herche, a SVP of Music, Operations and Marketing at Create Music Group.

Sound Systems 16: The Non-Technical Music Tech Founder with Mickey Shiloh
Podcast

Sound Systems 16: The Non-Technical Music Tech Founder with Mickey Shiloh

Episode Overview In this episode, Max Bernstein sits down with Michaela (Mickey) Shiloh a songwriter, entrepreneur, and founder of HRDRV, to unpack her journey from Grammy-winning songwriter to non-te

Ep 15: How Indie Artists Are Gaming Spotify Without Getting Banned with Dorian Perron
Podcast

Ep 15: How Indie Artists Are Gaming Spotify Without Getting Banned with Dorian Perron

In this episode, Max Bernstein sits down with Dorian Perron, Co-founder of Groover, to break down how artists actually grow on Spotify today through playlists, algorithms, and data-driven strategies.

Ep. 14: Is Rock Music Back? with Ashlyn Bruni
Podcast

Ep. 14: Is Rock Music Back? with Ashlyn Bruni

In this episode, Max Bernstein sits down with Ashlyn Bruni, A&R Coordinator at Hopeless Records, to break down the resurgence of rock music and what it takes for artists to succeed in today's landscape.

[LIVESTREAM] Sound Systems Podcast 13: The Future of Music Software w/ Matt Urmy
Podcast

[LIVESTREAM] Sound Systems Podcast 13: The Future of Music Software w/ Matt Urmy

Thanks for joining our exclusive live broadcast. Feel free to share your questions and interact with other participants in the chat.

Ep.12 Stop Chasing Virality with Mark Roberge
Podcast

Ep.12 Stop Chasing Virality with Mark Roberge

In this episode, host Max Bernstein sits down with Mark Roberge, a musician, founder of FanFlowy, to break down the systems-driven approach behind building a sustainable music career in today’s industry. He is also the co-founder of Make Our Music and serves as CEO of Bamrock Entertainment and Prospect Hill Entertainment.

Ep.11 Preventing Music Industry Burnout with Marni Wandner
Podcast

Ep.11 Preventing Music Industry Burnout with Marni Wandner

In this episode, host Max Bernstein sits down with Marni Wandner, founder of Future Present, to explore how leadership, burnout prevention, and human-centered systems can reshape the way the music industry works.

Ep.10 Your Lost Music Royalties with Jamie Hart
Podcast

Ep.10 Your Lost Music Royalties with Jamie Hart

In this episode, host Max Bernstein sits down with Jamie Dee Hart founder of Hart & Songs, a music rights management expert who helps artists, writers, and management teams clean up registrations and collect the royalties they’re owed. Jamie breaks down the real-world consequences of skipping “boring admin” from unclaimed royalties that can expire after a limited retroactive window to situations where someone else claims your work in YouTube Content ID.

Ep.09 The One Person Record Company with Alex Ciccimarro
Podcast

Ep.09 The One Person Record Company with Alex Ciccimarro

In this episode, host Max Bernstein welcomes Alexander Ciccimarro, Vice President of Marketing at RCA Records, to talk about the evolution of music marketing, artist branding, and the operational systems powering today’s record labels. From orchestrating viral blog-era moments to championing AI-driven label workflows, Alexander unpacks how he navigated a career from mixtape culture to music executive leadership.

Ep.08 How The GRAMMYS Work with Dr. Chelsey Green
Podcast

Ep.08 How The GRAMMYS Work with Dr. Chelsey Green

Dr. Chelsey Green is a genre-crossing violinist, educator, and now Chair of the Board of Trustees at the Recording Academy. Known for her work as a classical and contemporary musician, Dr. Chelsey shares how a spontaneous open-mic performance led her down a transformative path, from performing with a touring R&B band to shaping the future of the music industry.

Ep.07 Airtable or Notion with Alessandro Viola
Podcast

Ep.07 Airtable or Notion with Alessandro Viola

In this episode, host Max Bernstein talks with Alessandro Viola, a classically trained percussionist turned low-code systems architect at Warner Classics. Alessandro shares his unique journey from growing up immersed in classical music to building internal software systems that are transforming the way classical record labels operate.

Ep.05 The digital marketing gatekeeper with Charlie Buffin
Podcast

Ep.05 The digital marketing gatekeeper with Charlie Buffin

In this episode, Max Bernstein sits down with Charlie Buffin, founder of Spark Media, for a conversation that spans the explosive rise of influencer marketing, the business of digital creators, and launching an animated YouTube IP with global impact. Charlie shares his journey from a college entrepreneur managing teenage creators during the Musical.ly era to becoming a multi-platform creator agency leader and children’s content executive. He discusses how Spark Media supports brands and creators alike with end-to-end campaign services, why creator autonomy is non-negotiable, and how his Nigeria-based animation team helped build OmoBerry, a kids' edutainment YouTube channel that just crossed a billion views.

Ep.06 AI vs Human Creativity with Jack Guppy
Podcast

Ep.06 AI vs Human Creativity with Jack Guppy

In this episode, host Max Bernstein talks to Jack Guppy, a former musician turned data analyst at Spinnin' Records. Jack’s journey from producing music in his bedroom to working with one of the most recognized dance labels in the world is both fascinating and insightful. Jack shares how his early passion for computer science and music production eventually led him to discover a career in data analytics.

Ep.04 Why music sucks with Benjamin Groff
Podcast

Ep.04 Why music sucks with Benjamin Groff

In this episode, Max Bernstein sits down with Benjamin Groff, a music publishing veteran with over 30 years of experience and owner of BRILL BUILDING MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, to discuss his journey through the music industry, the changing landscape of music publishing, and how aspiring artists and songwriters can make their mark. Benjamin shares insights from his time at major companies such as BMG, EMI, and Kobalt, where he helped shape the modern music publishing landscape.

Sound Systems 03: I Started a live event membership group in 2020 with Matthew Hoffman
Podcast

Sound Systems 03: I Started a live event membership group in 2020 with Matthew Hoffman

In this episode, Max Bernstein talks to Matthew Hoffman, Founder of Trusted Advisor, a membership group connecting professionals in music, entertainment, and sports.

Ep.03 I Started a live event membership group in 2020 with Matthew Hoffman
Podcast

Ep.03 I Started a live event membership group in 2020 with Matthew Hoffman

In this episode, Max Bernstein talks to Matthew Hoffman, Founder of Trusted Advisor, a membership group connecting professionals in music, entertainment, and sports. Matthew discusses the evolution of his business, which started in 2020 amid the pandemic, and how he’s built a thriving community of advisors who work closely with high-profile entertainment clients. He shares his journey from architecture to entrepreneurship, and how Trusted Advisor focuses on creating valuable relationships in a low-pressure, resource-driven environment.

Sound Systems 02: Artist development is a decades long project with Bradley Haering
Podcast

Sound Systems 02: Artist development is a decades long project with Bradley Haering

In this episode, host Max Bernstein interviews Bradley Haering, former President of Nice Life Recording Company. Bradley shares his journey from shoe store employee to label exec.

Ep. 01 No such thing as a passive catalog with Ryan Hamilton
Podcast

Ep. 01 No such thing as a passive catalog with Ryan Hamilton

Episode 1 of The Sounds Systems podcast is with Ryan Hamilton, Founder of Catalog Management Services, who discusses his transition to working for himself in the dynamic world of music tech and catalog optimization. With nearly 20 years in the music business, from A&R and Live Nation to publishing, Ryan offers an insider's perspective on managing client acquisition and creative work, the value proposition of working in the music tech community, and the intricacies of music licensing for digital platforms. He unpacks his job description, which involves digital strategy and ensuring rightsholders (publishers and labels) get top-notch royalties and fair deals.

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