About this episode
How do you go from chasing a career in music to leading a publicly listed company?
In this episode of From Garage to Growth, Josh Simons, founder of Vampr and CEO of Vinyl Group, shares the remarkable journey that took him from fronting a rock band to building the world’s largest professional networking platform for musicians and ultimately becoming the CEO of the company that acquired it.
Josh opens up about the realities of building a startup, navigating multiple funding rounds, scaling a global platform, and making one of the biggest decisions a founder can face: selling the company they built.
From Musician to Founder
Before becoming a tech entrepreneur, Josh was pursuing a career as a musician. His own frustrations with finding collaborators inspired him to build Vampr—a platform designed to help musicians connect, collaborate, and create opportunities anywhere in the world.
What started as a personal problem has grown into a global community connecting millions of musicians.
Why Community Beats Talent
One of Josh’s strongest beliefs is that community is more valuable than talent alone.
He explains why successful products are built around people rather than features, how founders can cultivate loyal communities, and why understanding your users is one of the biggest competitive advantages any startup can have.
Selling Your Startup
Many founders dream of an acquisition, but few talk about what happens afterwards.
Josh shares the thinking behind selling Vampr to Vinyl Group, the emotional challenges of handing over the company he founded, and how that journey ultimately led to him becoming CEO of the acquiring company.
He also reflects on the differences between running a startup and leading a publicly listed business.
The Future of Music and AI
Artificial intelligence is transforming the music industry, and Josh believes we’re only at the beginning.
He discusses how AI is changing the way artists write, record, and produce music, why he sees AI as a creative collaborator rather than a replacement, and what musicians need to do to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.
Advice for Founders
Drawing on years of experience as both a founder and public company CEO, Josh shares practical lessons on building resilient businesses, making difficult decisions, and staying focused on creating long-term value.
Whether you’re building a startup, working in the music industry, or interested in how technology is reshaping creative industries, this conversation offers valuable insights from someone who has successfully navigated both worlds.
About the Guest
Josh Simons is the CEO of Vinyl Group and the founder of Vampr, the world’s largest professional networking platform for musicians. He has led multiple funding rounds, scaled an international technology company, overseen a successful acquisition, and transitioned from startup founder to public company CEO.
Connect with Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonsjosh/
Learn more about Vinyl Group: https://vinyl.group/