Leadership, Board & Advisors

Built by
Operators.

Music Habitat is built by people who have lived inside the independent music ecosystem — as artists, venue operators, engineers who know what real infrastructure looks like at scale, and market developers building relationships before the product ships.

9+Team members
4+Cities
1Mission
Brandon Beard — Founder & CEO
Brandon Beard
Founder & CEO

Brandon built Music Habitat from a personal conviction rooted in watching his father — a traveling musician with real talent — navigate a music industry with no infrastructure built for him. That experience drives every decision Music Habitat makes: 90% back to artists, tools that create ownership instead of dependency, and a platform that treats independent musicians as the professionals they are. Based in Kalispell, Montana. Louisiana roots.

Michael Matthews — Chief Strategy Officer
Michael Matthews
Chief Strategy Officer

Michael brings deep strategic vision to Music Habitat's platform and market positioning. Working directly with the development team, he translates the company's mission into product architecture and go-to-market strategy. Michael was instrumental in crafting the original StageBid™ executive vision and continues to shape how the platform serves every side of the live music ecosystem.

Bruce White — Chief Technology Officer
Bruce White
Chief Technology Officer

Bruce brings enterprise-scale engineering experience to Music Habitat's platform. With a background building high-throughput systems at major technology companies, he architects a platform designed to handle national scale from day one. Bruce leads platform engineering, AI infrastructure, and the Ticketing API Routing Technology™ that powers the marketplace layer.

Kim Russell — Director of Market Development
Kim Russell
Director of Market Development

Kim is Music Habitat's boots-on-the-ground market lead in New Orleans — building venue relationships, filming Habitat Sessions venue spotlights, and preparing the launch market before the platform ships. Her deep roots in the New Orleans music community and proven track record in market development make her the key to Music Habitat's September 2026 launch.

Jessica Kaun — Chief Marketing Officer
Jessica Kaun
Chief Marketing Officer

Jessica shapes the visual identity, editorial voice, and creative strategy of Music Habitat and The Habitat Sessions. From the look of each episode to the short-form content built for social discovery, her work defines how the brand is experienced across every platform. She brings a background in post-production, creative direction, and brand strategy to every frame.

Rafid — UI/UX Design Lead
Rafid
UI/UX Design Lead

Rafid leads the product design and user experience of the Music Habitat platform — ensuring every touchpoint, from artist onboarding to fan discovery, feels as premium and intentional as the brand. His work bridges the gap between the platform's technical architecture and the human experience of using it every day.

Sess45 — Artist Relations & Cultural Partnerships
Sess45
Artist Relations & Cultural Partnerships

Sess45 is the cultural heartbeat of Music Habitat's New Orleans operations. As an independent artist and owner of Nuthin But Fire Record Store, he brings deep community roots and real credibility to every artist relationship the platform builds. He connects the Music Habitat ecosystem to the artists, organizations, and institutions shaping independent music culture.

Ben Herrera — Board Member
Ben Herrera
Board Member

Ben brings real-world venue operations and investor relations experience to Music Habitat's board. As a venue owner himself, he uniquely bridges the gap between investor expectations and the operator realities the platform is built to solve — ensuring board decisions are grounded in how live music actually works on the ground.

Brian Smith — Strategic Advisor & Board Member
Brian Smith
Strategic Advisor & Board Member

Brian supports Music Habitat's growth, partnerships, and long-term market expansion as both a strategic advisor and board member. He brings deep experience in business development, organizational strategy, and governance — helping Music Habitat think through the decisions that compound over time.

Shelly Clark — Board Member
Shelly Clark
Board Member

Shelly Clark is a strategic advisor and board member helping guide Music Habitat's growth, partnerships, and long-term mission to support independent artists, venues, and music communities. She brings a focus on community alignment, principled leadership, and the organizational clarity required to build something that lasts.

Why This Team Wins

Not Observers.
Operators.

Music Habitat is not built by technologists who discovered music. It's built by people who have lived inside the independent music ecosystem — as artists, venue operators, engineers who know what scale looks like, and market developers building relationships before the product ships.

"Every person on this team understands why giving artists the majority of what they earn isn't a feature. It's the foundation."

Partner With Us
🎯
Market before product

Kim Russell is in New Orleans building venue relationships before the platform ships. The market is being cultivated, not cold-called at launch.

⚙️
Engineering with real scale experience

Bruce White brings enterprise-grade engineering — the platform is architected to go from New Orleans to a national infrastructure layer.

📡
Go-to-market is already running

The Habitat Sessions launches Summer 2026. Community, artist trust, and venue relationships are being built months before the platform opens.

❤️
Founders who mean it

Brandon's father chased a music breakthrough his whole life without the infrastructure to catch it. That personal mission is the origin of everything Music Habitat builds.

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This With Us?

We're always looking for builders, operators, and creatives who believe in what we're doing.

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