Meet Dexter Bensman of Innovo Music Management

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dexter Bensman.

Hi Dexter, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve always had a love for music but I didn’t find out that it was a passion of mine until the end of my last semester in college. After graduating from The University of Dayton in 2015, I immediately began searching and applying for any music industry-related job in Nashville. During this time I was living in my hometown of Anna, Ohio, where I worked in construction while continuing my job search. Unfortunately, my lack of experience and knowledge about the competitiveness of the industry meant that I didn’t receive any responses to my job applications.

After living at home for about eight months, I decided to shift my job search and eventually landed a sales job in Chicago. So I packed up and moved into the heart of Wrigleyville and lived there for three years. I remained in the sales space during my time in Chicago, but my passion for the music industry never wavered. I spent a lot of time reaching out to music companies in the greater Chicago area, but unfortunately, I didn’t have any luck. While I loved Chicago and it will always hold a special place in my heart, I knew that it was time to make the move to Nashville.

To move to Nashville, I took another sales job and officially moved into my apartment in January 2019. I continued to work in sales until I was laid off in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it allowed me to shift my focus entirely towards pursuing my dream of working in the music industry. I used all of my sales tactics to reach out to every music company I could find in the Nashville area. Although I received a few responses, I still found it challenging to secure a job due to my lack of experience and the highly competitive nature of the music industry in Nashville.

With that being said, I decided to take matters into my own hands and create my own music-related venture to gain recognition within the industry. I developed a brand and launched a popular Spotify playlist called “KnoMusicRow,” which showcases emerging country artists to watch out for. In addition to that, I created an Instagram page to support local artists in any way I could. At the time it was small but it was a start and something I was passionate about.

After being unemployed during the covid pandemic for about seven months, finally, my persistence paid off. I emailed Innovo through their project management inquiries email and received a response months later for a Project Manager role available. After going through the interview process, I was officially hired at Innovo Management as a Project Manager in September of 2020. After about six months in the role, I was promoted to Project Director. Then after another 6 months or so I was promoted to VP of Marketing where I oversee the entire Project Management / Label Services division. I have been at Innovo for over 2.5 years now, I have two other employees on my team and our eyes are on growth and innovation!

“KnoMusicRow” is still a side project for me, but it has grown into its own venture over the past 2.5 years. In addition to supporting and promoting local artists, I have also been using this platform to share valuable tips on artist development, music marketing, and the music industry that I have learned throughout my career. I am just getting started, but you can already find useful music industry tips by following “KnoMusicRow” on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In short, no, my journey into the music industry was not a smooth road. I faced a lot of challenges due to my lack of knowledge, experience, and connections in an industry that is highly competitive and constantly evolving.

I worked in construction and had multiple sales jobs over a period of five years while searching for a job in the music industry. Hounding and probably annoying every music company in the greater Chicago and Nashville area. Despite facing many challenges, including struggling to secure an opportunity to interview for a role in the music industry, I never gave up on my dream. Finally, Sam and Ian, the founders of Innovo, gave me a chance and believed in me, which I am forever grateful for.

Although it was a long and difficult road, I persevered, and everything eventually paid off. I am now in the music industry, doing a job that I love, and I’m here to stay!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
As the VP of the Marketing division, I lead a team that specializes in creating and executing custom digital marketing campaigns for musicians worldwide. We collaborate closely with artists and their teams to promote their projects, expand their audience reach, and ultimately help them achieve their growth goals in areas that align with their vision. Our approach is tailored to each individual artist, ensuring that our strategies align with their unique style and goals.

Offering personalized assistance to artists in a range of areas, including artist development, project management, marketing, and promotion. Our team assists with all aspects of a release, from digital distribution and pre-release strategy to post-release promotion.

As experts in music marketing, we specialize in crafting effective social media content strategies for artists. We use best practices for DSPs and leverage Spotify ads and playlist pitching to maximize exposure for our artists. Additionally, we provide expertise in YouTube Ads and YouTube playlisting, helping artists optimize their reach on the platform, as well as Facebook and Instagram ads to drive fan engagement and grow their profiles.

As Innovo’s other division focuses on influencer management and brand marketing, we have immersed ourselves in the TikTok space from the beginning and consider ourselves experts in that space. We offer a wide range of comprehensive TikTok services, including targeted ad campaigns and growth strategies. Our team provides consulting services, custom content calendars, custom filters, as well as influencer collaboration campaigns to help artists increase their presence on the platform. With our expertise in all these areas, we help our clients build a strong and engaged following on TikTok.

Also, with the increasing use of short-form videos on social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Facebook/Instagram reels, our team recognizes the impact it has on the music industry. That’s why we also offer short-form content creation services. Our team ideates, directs, films, and edits engaging and relevant content for artists tailored to their brand and music, which they can post across all relevant social media channels. Helping artists effectively engage with their audience and build their presence on these platforms.

Our goal is to assist musicians with as much or as little help as they need to roll their music out successfully. Whether we are just a piece of the puzzle or the entire puzzle, the Innovo team works to ensure that all artists exceed their goals and create a release that everyone is happy with. Hit Innovo up for your next project and we’ll come up with a custom plan tailored to your goals!

Looking back, I’m most proud of continuing to pursue my dream of working in the music industry despite facing initial challenges due to my lack of knowledge and experience. Rather than giving up, I took initiative and created my own brand and platform called “KnoMusicRow”, which opened doors for me in the industry. Today, 2.5 years later, I am running a Marketing and Label Services division at a notable agency, Innovo, in Music City Nashville, TN!

I am also proud of pushing myself outside of my comfort zone and embracing new challenges. Historically, I have not been one to post frequently on social media or appear on camera. However, I have continued to develop my brand “KnoMusicRow” and have begun creating and posting short-form videos where I share valuable tips and best practices that I have gained over the years focused on artist development and music marketing. I aim to provide support to any artist pursuing a career as a musician and share my knowledge whenever possible. Check out “KnoMusicRow” on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube for useful music industry tips!

Contact Info:

• Website: innovomanagement.com