Joshua Gruss has been the CEO and chairman of Round Hill Music since January 2011. He is based in New York City, with his offices located along 400 Madison Avenue. He is an entrepreneur and a celebrated financial expert and investor.

Academic and Early Career Journey

After completing his high school education at Taft High School, Joshua Gruss joined Trinity College in Hartford for a B.A degree course with a specialty in modern languages. After graduating in 1996, he was hired by Atlantic Records as an assistant in international product development a year later. He quit the job one year into it and decided to join a local band called Rubikon. During that period, he worked briefly in different music companies that included Sony Music and Clear Channel’s Live Music Division. However, his heart was in the financial sector and in 1999, he quit the band to take up a job offer as a financial analyst with Bear Stearns and Co., an investment banking firm based in New York.

Working as a financial analyst drew Joshua closer to the world of finance. Even though he wasn’t trained in the discipline, his passion kept him going against all the odds. In 2002, he left Bear Stearns and Co. for a job at U.S Coast Guard. His two main roles in this job were to serve as a petty officer and later as a boarding officer. The firm operated within the greater New York City area. Joshua Gruss left the company in 2008 after a successful 6-year career.

While still at U.S Coast Guard, Joshua Gruss joined Gruss & Co. as a partner. The private investment firm was based in New York City, giving Gruss a chance to sharpen his financial skills and management prowess at the highest level. He continued playing that role even after quitting U.S Coast Guard. His love for finance led him to pursue an M.B.A. degree at Columbia University Business School in 2008 and got his degree in 2010. Gruss also holds an M.B.A. degree from London Business School. The two post-graduate degrees gave him bragging rights in the finance, investment, and banking sectors. He worked at Gruss & Co. until January 2011 when he quitted investment banking altogether to rejoin the music industry.

See also  How to Prepare for Your First Public Relations Job

Joshua Gruss’ Music Career

Quitting the finance industry presented Joshua Gruss with a perfect opportunity of delving deeper into music, his childhood dream industry. He carried with him investment instincts from the investment world, instincts that helped him to identify a gap in the music industry and found Round Hill Music, a music publishing firm. Gruss’ first landmark achievement in the industry was to lead Round Hill Music into the acquisition of “Land of 1000 Dances”, a 1966 hit by Chris Kenner and “All of Me” by Marks & Simons. Gruss estimates that Land of 1000 Dances earns the company an annual revenue of not less than 200 thousand dollars. In 2002, he led the firm in yet another milestone by acquiring “I Saw Her Standing There,” “I Want To Be Your Man,” “From Me To You,” and “She Loves You.” The hits have been big success stories for Gruss and Round Hill Music. Some of the firm’s top clients include Charlie Midnight, Fierce Bad Rabbit, Arif Mardin, Arthouse Entertainment, Rubikon, and Spacehog among others.

In an interview conducted in August this year, Joshua Gruss hinted that Round Hill Music would be creating a private equity investment platform through which hitmakers will be investing in music royalties. The CEO will be bringing his experience in finance and investment to leverage on the unexploited potential. He also hinted at the possibility of Round Hill Music going public in the future, although he was reluctant to disclose when. As of now, his eyes are fixed on getting investors satisfied with the dividends they get at the firm.

See also  PR Strategies to Navigate the Complex World of Financial Relations 

 

Read more from Ronn Torossian:

Ronn Torossian on Forbes
Ronn Torossian on Medium
Ronn Torossian on LinkedIn
5WPR, Public Relations Insights & PR Firm
Ronn Torossian on Business Insider

SHARE
Previous articleRivera Apologizes for “Tawdry” Memoir
Next articleNassar Sentenced to 60 Years
Ronn Torossian is the Founder & Chairman of 5W Public Relations, one of the largest independently owned PR firms in the United States. Since founding 5WPR in 2003, he has led the company's growth and vision, with the agency earning accolades including being named a Top 50 Global PR Agency by PRovoke Media, a top three NYC PR agency by O'Dwyers, one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces and being awarded multiple American Business Awards, including a Stevie Award for PR Agency of the Year. With over 25 years of experience crafting and executing powerful narratives, Torossian is one of America's most prolific and well-respected public relations executives. Throughout his career he has advised leading and high-growth businesses, organizations, leaders and boards across corporate, technology and consumer industries. Torossian is known as one of the country's foremost experts on crisis communications. He has lectured on crisis PR at Harvard Business School, appears regularly in the media and has authored two editions of his book, "For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations," which is an industry best-seller. Torossian's strategic, resourceful approach has been recognized with numerous awards including being named the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, the American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year, twice over, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist, a Top Crisis Communications Professional by Business Insider, Metropolitan Magazine's Most Influential New Yorker, and a recipient of Crain's New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Outside of 5W, Torossian serves as a business advisor to and investor in multiple early stage businesses across the media, B2B and B2C landscape. Torossian is the proud father of two daughters. He is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and a board member of multiple not for profit organizations.