Meet Brian

 

We were lucky to catch up with Brian recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Brian, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

I grew up with resilience baked into the DNA of my experience. Raised by a single mom on welfare, first in Springfield and then in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I learned early how to adapt, hustle, and keep moving forward — long before “fake it till you make it” was a catchphrase. Cambridge gave me a more fertile ground to grow: a multicultural, intellectually rich community where I was surrounded by other kids from blue collar USA like me, but also by peers from all over the world — some born into opportunity, others like me, chasing it.

Music was always in my blood — from my father’s side — and eventually, there was no choice but to follow that calling. But make no mistake: making money through music is a fight. It’s a business of peaks and valleys. You’re always either in the middle of a breakthrough or weathering a drought. You have to believe in your work at a foundational level — because if you don’t, you’ll fold.

I’ve learned to surround myself with people who are better at things than I am, and from that, resilience becomes a kind of osmosis. Playing competitive sports helped too. Whether it was on the track, on the futbol/calcio/soccer field, or trading fours in a jazz band, I learned to never back down. That mindset carried me through Wesleyan University, where I realized I could actually build a life making music for media. I started at one of the top jingle houses in the world — unpaid intern — and fought my way up to pitching and selling music to top brands. That experience taught me what it really means to earn your place at the table.

Since 2009, I’ve been operating independently — running BtOVEN MUSIC — and every year brings new lessons in grit and growth. I owe a debt to the people who’ve helped me along the way. And to the haters? You played your part too. God bless every single one of you.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m at my best when I’m creating meaningful work with people I admire — whether that’s my beautiful family or my creative collaborators. For me, it’s all part of the same community, and that community means everything.

Since going independent in 2009 and launching my own studio in Manhattan, my focus has been unwavering: build a business that sustains both my personal life and my artistic ambitions. I started as a musician, but over time I’ve grown into a role that allows me to initiate full-scale campaigns, original series, films, cartoons — not just contributing music, but acting as the creative catalyst behind it all.

What’s most empowering is leading from a place where music and sound aren’t treated as afterthoughts. Too often, they’re shoehorned in at the end of the process. As the founder, I now get to put music at the center of the conversation — creatively and financially — from day one. And as the landscape keeps evolving, so has my role: from pure composer to full-spectrum content creator.

Turns out, video didn’t kill the radio star — it just gave him a bigger stage. 🌟

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

For folks, early in their journey: know who you can trust, and who you can’t; know your strengths + weaknesses and how to strategize around both; and always how to communicate creatively and clearly. The three qualities, skills, and areas of knowledge that were most impactful on my journey: believing in myself, community, and a nonstop commitment to self improvement.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

100%. At BtOVEN MUSIC, we’re always looking to collaborate with people who are passionate about making culture, not just content.

On one hand, we partner with brands, agencies, studios, and networks looking for world-class music and sound strategy that doesn’t just fill a spot—it elevates the story.

If you’re building a campaign, film, podcast, series, game, or immersive experience, we bring more than music — we bring a mindset that blends award-winning artistry with commercial instincts. From original scores to sonic identities, we make noise that moves people.

On the other side, we’re always looking to collaborate with exceptional composers, producers, vocalists, sound designers, and genre-benders who share our obsession with craft and originality. If you seek collaboration with a creative camp where the bar is always set to “best” shout us out.

The best way to connect is through our website www.btovenmusic.com or reach out directly to our studio via socials. Whether you’re a brand with a bold brief or a creative looking to join forces, we’re here to build unforgettable, award-winning work together.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Becky Yee (Headshot)

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