Show Notes
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After a proposed $500,000 deal fell apart, Steve Rifkind found an unexpected opportunity with New Edition. On Going Public with Ross Mandell, the Loud Records founder shares the setbacks, relationships, and music marketing instincts that shaped his career in the music business.
From his family’s Spring Records to managing New Edition, Steve explains how he built connections through college campuses, radio stations, record stores, and street marketing. He recalls promoting Fatback Band’s “I Found Lovin’” and discusses why listening to your audience matters. The conversation also touches on Loud Records and Wu-Tang Clan, with practical lessons in branding, word-of-mouth marketing, and recognizing talent.
For entrepreneurs, independent artists, and business owners, this episode explores recovering from failed deals, building valuable relationships, and trusting your judgment. Steve also shares his perspective on artists building independently in today’s music industry. Subscribe to Going Public with Ross Mandell for more conversations about entrepreneurship, investing, and building a business.
About Ross Mandell: Ross Mandell is a former Wall Street professional, entrepreneur, author, and capital formation expert. On Going Public with Ross Mandell, Ross interviews athletes, entrepreneurs, investors, doctors, creators, and high performers about success, failure, reinvention, money, health, business, and what it takes to rebuild after adversity.
This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.
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⏱️ Chapters 00:00 Steve Rifkind Interview With Ross Mandell 04:53 Spring Records & Steve Rifkind’s Music Industry Roots 09:09 Surviving a Heart Attack at 51 15:06 Growing Up With Dyslexia & Facing School Bullies 18:25 Breaking Into the Music Industry at 18 22:58 Street Marketing: Building a Music Industry Network 25:37 Promoting Records in New York’s Nightclubs 28:48 Finding Hit Songs Through Audience Feedback 30:20 Fatback Band’s “I Found Lovin’” & Radio Promotion 32:53 A Rap Cartoon & a $500K Music Deal 35:33 Why Steve Rifkind’s $500K Deal Fell Apart 37:03 How Steve Rifkind Began Managing New Edition 41:45 Loud Records, Wu-Tang Clan & Fat Joe 45:18 Independent Artists: Building Without a Record Label 46:39 Discovering Music Talent & Understanding Your Audience
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More from Going Public With Ross Mandell
Join Ross’s Patreon Community for exclusive content and LIVE events https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheRealRossMandell?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator
Join Ross’s Patreon Community for exclusive content and LIVE events https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheRealRossMandell?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator
Join Ross’s Patreon Community for exclusive content and LIVE events https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheRealRossMandell?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator
Join Ross’s Patreon Community for exclusive content and LIVE events https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheRealRossMandell?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator
Join Ross’s Patreon Community for exclusive content and LIVE events https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheRealRossMandell?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator What does NVIDIA’s $235 billion stock buyback authorization reveal about its future? In this episode of Going Public with Ross Mandell, Ross breaks down NVIDIA stock, Jensen Huang’s strategy, and why he views the expanded share repurchase program as a powerful bullish signal. Explore how the company’s AI business could support both continued growth and substantial returns of capital to shareholders. Learn how stock buybacks can affect earnings per share, share count, and shareholder value. Ross examines NVIDIA’s free cash flow, stock-based compensation, valuation, and the AI infrastructure spending driving demand for its chips. He also explains why earnings growth matters when evaluating NVDA stock and compares NVIDIA’s approach with Apple’s buyback history. From NVIDIA’s beginnings at Denny’s to its expansion into robotics, networking, and automotive technology, this episode explores the company’s evolution and the challenges ahead. Ross addresses concerns about AI spending and semiconductor boom-and-bust cycles while explaining why NVIDIA remains his biggest stock position. Subscribe to Going Public for more stock market analysis, AI stocks, and investing insights with Ross Mandell. About Ross Mandell: Ross Mandell is a former Wall Street professional, entrepreneur, author, and capital formation expert. On Going Public with Ross Mandell, Ross interviews athletes, entrepreneurs, investors, doctors, creators, and high performers about success, failure, reinvention, money, health, business, and what it takes to rebuild after adversity. This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. 🔗 Links & Resources 📌 Book A Call With Ross https://buy.stripe.com/9B64gydlh4dJfhXecP5Vu08 📲 Follow Ross Mandell on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rossmandell/ ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 NVIDIA Stock: The $235 Billion Buyback Story 01:05 NVIDIA’s Origins: Jensen Huang and the AI Revolution 02:16 NVIDIA’s $235 Billion Stock Buyback Plan 02:54 How Stock Buybacks Affect Earnings per Share 04:23 NVIDIA Free Cash Flow and AI Infrastructure Demand 05:25 NVIDIA Buyback Math: Share Count and Stock Dilution 06:17 What NVIDIA’s Buyback Signals About Its Future 07:02 NVIDIA Stock Valuation: Earnings Growth and P/E Ratio 07:54 NVIDIA vs. Apple: Buybacks and Shareholder Returns 08:56 NVIDIA Stock Risks: AI Spending and Chip Cycles 09:55 Why Ross Mandell Is Bullish on NVIDIA Stock