August 21, 2024 – Rockin’ the Kremlin David Junk and Fastest Growing Media Buyer Josy Amann

School for Startups Radio

David Junk – First CEO of Universal Music and Author of Rockin’ the Kremlin: My Incredible True Story of Gangsters, Oligarchs, and Pop Stars in Putin’s Russia

The biggest challenge for us at Universal was that the Russian mafia
controlled 90% of the music business in Russia. They produced millions
of counterfeit compact discs and DVD’s and the money they would
make from selling counterfeits would fund terrorism.

David Junk was one of the first idealistic young Americans to move to Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union, to live, work and build a cultural bridge between former superpower enemies. He eventually became the first CEO of Universal Music, based in Moscow. For a decade, he promoted international artists in Russia, including such huge names as Elton John, U2, Sting, and Bon Jovi. He introduced hip-hop music to Russian youth. David also discovered and signed multiple Russian artists to Universal, including t.A.T.u, who would become the biggest-selling Russian act in music industry history. David also did some things that no other music executive in the United States has ever done. Music piracy in Russia was rampant, and the market for cheap, counterfeit compact discs was so pervasive that it threatened the legitimate Russian music industry’s ability to gain a foothold. So on behalf of Universal’s stable of artists and the Russian music industry, he participated in law enforcement raids of pirate factories and testified in court against the criminal gangs who operated them. David has been extensively interviewed about this subject on television, radio, and print and wrote an editorial about it that appeared in the Wall Street Journal. He also wrote about it for the American Chamber of Commerce and submitted written testimony to the US Congress on the topic of piracy and intellectual property rights in Russia. David is an authority on this topic because of his deep understanding of Russia. He lived and worked there for fifteen years, and raised a family in Moscow. In addition to starting the record label in Moscow, David opened the first showroom in Russia for the iconic American brand Gibson Guitars. David has extensive knowledge of Russian-Ukrainian relations, having opened the first Universal Music office in Kyiv and having developed music reality shows for Ukrainian TV.
Josy Amann – Co founder and Managing Partner of Media Matters Worldwide

We have not seen the same inflation in media prices that you see in the
grocery store. We do not feel like we are managing higher costs, and I
think costs in general have come down. Costs for a TV spot had to come
down with the diversification of the audience and viewership. Prices have
come down over time but stabilized.

Josy Amann is a savvy strategist and inspirational leader who has spent over 20 years as a trusted advisor to established global marketers and dynamic challenger brands. With co-founding partner Taji Zaminasil, Josy leads Media Matters Worldwide (MMWW), one of the fastest-growing independent media agencies in the U.S. Josy and Taji’s philosophy is that a holistic view of media helps clients bridge the gap between traditional and digital media, supporting the story with analytics. With a 90% employee retention rate, MMWW works with some of the largest companies in the B2B and B2C landscape, such as Alteryx, Chime, Hitachi, Mountain Hardwear, Poly, Proactiv, SAP, Shipt, and Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. Designed as an agile agency ready to take on clients’ most complex challenges, Josy and Taji founded the company in 2005 to be “office free.” Free of tough commutes and long agency hours, the experienced team brings their independent spirit and limitless curiosity to every client engagement. Before founding MMWW, Josy began her career at the large holding company agencies (McCann, Lowe, Y&R, Carat), working on large brands like Sun Microsystems, Oral-B, Eddie Bauer, Turning Leaf Wines, and Microsoft.