Next in Media spoke with George Karalexis, Co-Founder & CEO of TEN2 Media and his partner and COO Donna Budica, about the company's focus on helping artists think - and make money - like digital creators.

💡Takeaways:

• 🎵 Bridging the Gap: TEN2 Media assists artists, especially musicians, in maximizing their YouTube presence, moving beyond simply hosting music videos.
• 📱 YouTube's Evolution: The platform has become a multi-format "super app" (Shorts, long-form, live, etc.), offering significant monetization opportunities that were previously underserviced in music.
• 🤝 Unique Expertise: TEN2 Media's strength lies in its founders' combined experience in music, business, and YouTube, allowing them to understand artists' needs deeply.
• 💰 Monetization & IP Protection: They utilize advanced tools and YouTube's systems (like Content ID) to track fan-created content (UGC), protect intellectual property, and optimize revenue for artists.
• 📈 Significant Revenue Growth: Their strategies have led to substantial revenue increases (up to 5-7x) for clients ranging from independent artists building careers to major legacy acts.
• 👑 YouTube vs. Other Platforms: While platforms like TikTok drive virality and Instagram excels at aesthetics, YouTube provides a more robust environment for building an authentic brand, community, and diverse income streams.
• 🎬 Shorts are Key: Engaging with short-form video is now essential for discovery and reaching new audiences, complementing the deeper engagement and higher revenue potential of long-form content.
• 🤯 Modern Music Challenge: While it's easier than ever for independent artists to distribute music, the overwhelming content volume makes standing out and achieving discovery without a unique point of view and smart platform strategy extremely difficult.

🎙 Guests: George Karalexis & Donna Budica
🎤 Host: Mike Shields
📺 Sponsor: VuePlanner
🎬 Producer: FEL Creative