Welcome to DS Digital, Dan Steiny’s digital media business development consulting company. With over two decades of experience building and implementing strategic growth partnerships, I specialize in creating strategic content and data alliances for AI platforms, consumer electronics, SaaS, and media sectors.
NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FIRSTS
Drawing from a proven track record of negotiating over a hundred content acquisition, distribution, and technology licenses, I’ve supported numerous startups and Fortune 500 companies in pioneering content-focused products and services.
✅ SoundHound.AI: Led content and data partnerships for SoundHound.AI, a trailblazer in the AI audio space (IPO during tenure).
✅ JBL & Google/YouTube Music: Orchestrated a multi-million global co-marketing partnership between JBL Smart Speakers and Google/YouTube Music, a first-of-kind for Harman International.
✅ Sony VAIO: Managed software partnerships and integration for Sony’s groundbreaking VAIO, the company’s first-ever consumer computer.
✅ Liquid Audio: Directed product management & business development for Liquid Audio, the first online platform legally selling digital music (IPO during tenure).
✅ MediaNet: Directed strategic partnership management for MediaNet, the first major label-owned digital music streaming company.
✅ Live365: Drove business development with Live365, a pioneer in pure-play streaming radio.
✅ PBS Home Video: Managed content partnerships with PBS Home Video under Pacific Arts, overseeing PBS’s first entry into the retail market (Pacific Arts was founded by Michael Nesmith of The Monkees fame).
NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FIRSTS
Drawing from a proven track record of negotiating over a hundred content acquisition, distribution, and technology licenses, I’ve supported numerous startups and Fortune 500 companies in pioneering content-focused products and services.
✅ SoundHound.AI: Led content and data partnerships for SoundHound.AI, a trailblazer in the AI audio space (IPO during tenure).
✅ JBL & Google/YouTube Music: Orchestrated a multi-million global co-marketing partnership between JBL Smart Speakers and Google/YouTube Music, a first-of-kind for Harman International.
✅ Sony VAIO: Managed software partnerships and integration for Sony’s groundbreaking VAIO, the company’s first-ever consumer computer.
✅ Liquid Audio: Directed product management & business development for Liquid Audio, the first online platform legally selling digital music (IPO during tenure).
✅ MediaNet: Directed strategic partnership management for MediaNet, the first major label-owned digital music streaming company.
✅ Live365: Drove business development with Live365, a pioneer in pure-play streaming radio.
✅ PBS Home Video: Managed content partnerships with PBS Home Video under Pacific Arts, overseeing PBS’s first entry into the retail market (Pacific Arts was founded by Michael Nesmith of The Monkees fame).
SERVICES
✅ AI/LLM Expansion: I help AI companies build data partnerships, understand revenue opportunities from these engagements, and execute successful licensing and launch strategies.
✅ Content Reach: I collaborate with content creators and aggregators to expand their market reach.
✅ Business Development Support: I use data-driven methods and market analyses to support all phases of building growth partnerships, from value proposition and negotiation to ongoing partner management.
✅ Product Development: I advise consumer electronics and SaaS companies on content-focused product development and content integration execution.
✅ Business Model Definition: I assist companies in defining business models and value propositions to expand strategic partnerships.
INDUSTRY & DOMAIN EXPERIENCE
✅ Streaming Content: Audio, Music, Entertainment, Media, OTT, Publishing.
✅ Artificial Intelligence (AI): Virtual Assistants, Generative AI, LLM, Speech Recognition, Machine Learning.
✅ SaaS: Content Services & Applications, Data Platforms.
✅ Consumer Electronics: Connected Car/Automotive, Mobile & IoT.
✅ Content Creator: Songwriter, Screenwriter, and Performing Musician
Content Acquisition expertise spans collaborations with diverse entities, including news organizations, publishers, streaming music providers, radio stations, data providers, online video/film/TV platforms, audiobook distributors, podcasts, gaming companies, mobile app developers, and software providers. I’ve applied this skill set at industry giants like Sony, HP, Motorola, and Harman International (a Samsung company), as well as at pioneering AI startups such as SoundHound.AI and Native Voice.AI, and at video distributor Pacific Arts/PBS Home Video.
Content Distribution experience includes partnering with manufacturers of PCs/notebooks, IoT, mobile devices, consumer electronics, and the connected car. I’ve done this work for Harman International, MediaNet Digital, Live365, and Liquid Audio.
From a strategic standpoint, I excel in defining and refining partnership business models, building compelling value propositions, and leveraging my extensive personal connections in the AI, digital media, data, SaaS, and consumer electronics industries to identify expansion opportunities. On a tactical level, my track record includes contributing to product development, program and project management, license negotiations, integrating partnerships (SDK/API), co-marketing initiatives, and overseeing day-to-day partnership operations.
Whether you’re an AI platform navigating data licensing, a hardware or SaaS leader seeking content for product development, or a content creator/aggregator aiming for broader distribution, let’s connect. Together, we can explore collaborative opportunities that drive innovation and transformative change in the dynamic worlds of technology and media.
