Entertainment

For the Beauty of Music – MLife Music Group

Published

5 years ago

September 15, 2020

Music is one of the most powerful forms of expression.

“I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day,” (the opening line to “My Girl” by The Temptations) is all it takes to feel different.

Music is a deeply emotive and transcendent form of art; a Harry Potter cloak of invincibility providing comfort and security. Music is creativity without ceiling, a canvas with no edges. A world without color would be dismal, a world without music would be unbearable.

Music is also a business. It’s a product, made and sold. And as with any commodity, economics will always win. It’s a business with many players; record labels, publishers, managers, agencies, etc. The more companies involved the more potential for the artistry to be lost, for reasons of economy. It’s simply the way of the world.

In deference but not submissive to this fact, a newly formed company out of New York, MLife Music Group, seeks to preserve the beauty of music, and defend its creators. The musician is the vibranium of music, powering it. Without whom, we would be colorless in a world of no songs. Musicians are maestros and magicians, a sect with a divine talent of expression and connection.

“Music’s greatest gift is its highest honor – a salve for souls,” says CEO of MLife, Mike Jean. “It is strength in time of sorrow. I founded MLife in recognition of that.” Comprised of an elite and select team of professionals engineered to provide a panoramic approach to an artist’s career, MLife Music Group is stirring buzz for being different.

“I wanted to put together a group of people, varied in profession and titans of their trade, to best shape an artist in his/her career,” says Mike Jean. “We have world-renown professionals in cinematography, editorial, public relations, production, styling and nightlife. At MLife Music Group our mission is to find and develop talent to the fullest degree.”

With Mike Jean at its helm, MLife includes three-time Grammy award winner Randy Merrill as mastering engineer, phenom Brian Sheil as music producer, Joseph “Zeus” Theus as vice president of operations and Leonardo Desailly Buissereth as vice president of A&R. Also, Vogue and Weinstein Co.’s Jennifer Heyde as director of public relations, marketing and promotions led by Cendy Pierre, preeminent celebrity designer Henry Picado as stylist and famed photographer Marc Baptiste as art director. And Anna Atkinson as MLife coordinator.

MLife works closely with icons of the industry, including 17-time Grammy Award winner Humberto Gatica and Grammy Award winner, illustrious producer Jerry ‘Wonda’ Duplessis, to name two among many.

In a business that has become about chasing the highest following, the most streams, the greatest amount of likes and views, MLife Music Group stands in difference. Says Mike Jean, “We value world-class music. And great music is followed by great numbers.”

Entertainment

Going Public: The Groundbreaking Series Transforming How Americans Invest

Published

4 hours ago

May 16, 2025

Jonathan Grilli

In a media landscape saturated with reality TV and startup showcases, Going Public stands apart, not just as a show but as a movement. Now in its third season, the interactive series invites viewers to do more than just watch entrepreneurs chase success. It gives them the tools and the opportunity to invest in startups in real time, democratizing access to early-stage funding and reshaping how ordinary Americans engage with entrepreneurship and wealth-building.

Launched by Todd M. Goldberg, a former MedTech executive who hit a frustrating wall while preparing his company for a Nasdaq IPO, Going Public was born from a moment of personal disillusionment.

“When I brought a list of interested friends and colleagues to the Chairman of the Board,” Goldberg recalls, “he explained that all the IPO shares were reserved for institutional investors. That was my epiphany. I just knew that was wrong. Regular people should have a chance to invest in IPOs, but it needed to go even further.”

That insight became the foundation for Going Public, a hybrid of entrepreneurial storytelling and financial access that offers retail investors a seat at the table usually reserved for venture capitalists and insiders. The show brings audiences inside the capital-raising journey of startups, often before they go public, and leverages a powerful innovation: its “Click-to-Invest” feature.

“The bottom line with Click-to-Invest is that it’s seamless,” says Goldberg. “Viewers can go from watching the show to literally clicking a button. It feels more like a Shopify or Amazon checkout than a traditional investment process.”

This accessibility is central to the show’s mission: to educate, inspire, and empower everyday people to participate in early-stage investing. Unlike financial news channels that target seasoned traders, Going Public merges entertainment with financial literacy, using real startup stories to highlight the risks, rewards, and realities of entrepreneurship. It’s financial content with emotional stakes, real people, and tangible outcomes.

Season 3 reflects how far the show has come and where it’s going. With more celebrity involvement, including gaming icon Ninja backing the cashew milk startup Nutcase, and a strategic partnership with the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Going Public has widened its reach while deepening its cultural relevance.

“How do you make this mainstream?” Goldberg says. “The concept was The Apprentice meets Shark Tank meets IPO, but with a twist. Viewers aren’t just spectators, they’re stakeholders.”

The show’s selection of featured companies is another defining element. Startups are chosen not just for their growth potential but also for their mission, relatability, and cultural resonance. In Season 3, that includes everything from disruptive wellness brands to tech-enabled platforms, each paired with guidance from top-tier venture capitalists and Silicon Valley mentors.

This season also introduces a livestream finale, a format innovation designed to create a real-time, high-stakes environment where viewers can watch, decide, and invest together. It adds urgency and community to the investing experience, aligning with the show’s values of transparency and participation.

One of the most surprising and meaningful outcomes has been the personal stories from viewers who never imagined themselves as investors. “We’ve heard from teachers, nurses, and even students who said this was their first time investing and they felt confident doing it because the show made it accessible,” Goldberg shares. “It’s not just about money, it’s about empowerment.”

Looking ahead, Goldberg and his team have ambitious plans. They aim to expand the format to new platforms, explore international adaptations, and build out educational tools so viewers not only invest but understand what they’re investing in. The goal isn’t just more participation. It’s smarter participation.

In a world where capital often feels distant, technical, and exclusionary, Going Public brings the financial journey down to earth and into the hands of the people. It’s not just a show. It’s a redefinition of how business stories are told and how wealth can be created and shared.