Mission
 
The Catalyst Group does things differently.  More than a music PR firm, more than an online marketing boutique, more than an events planning company, The Catalyst Group (TCG) is Music Business 2.0: a mash-up of entertainment industry leaders pooling their respective talents, relationships and track records to provide cross-functional insight, strategy and tangible results to artists, companies and brands seeking (re)invention.

Founded in 2007 and based in NYC, TCG demonstrates an unparalleled top-down approach to public relations and marketing.  The full-service boutique offers an attractive suite of services, all fully customized to each client.   TCG staffs each innovative campaign with an unprecedented four publicist, including direct, in-the-trenches involvement from the President. 

A collective boasting more than 100 years of combined experience, TCG’s talented team excels in a myriad of areas, from publicity to A&R and artist development, online marketing to music supervision, event planning to content development, and more.  Because TCG only works with carefully selected artists and businesses the staff can be inspired by passionate about, the firm’s client base is intentionally small. 

Clients ranging from world-famous musicians to online music startups benefit from TCG’s creative, all-hands-on-deck approach to each campaign.  No templates, no silos, no one-size-fits-all strategy – that’s how TCG wins for its clients, everyday.
 

CAPABILITIES Artist Publicity Corporate Public Relations Online Marketing Crisis Communications Branded Entertainment Integrated Marketing & Strategy A&R and Artist Development Music Supervision and Placement Buzz Building Digital Content Development & Distribution Event Planning Non-Profit Consulting and Strategy RECENT CLIENTS   Chris Lighty/Violator Management (50 Cent, LL Cool J, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, Pdiddy) & Brand Asset Group George Stanford The Roots Broadway Calls (Adeline Records) Dwele DJ Armin van Buuren Sonic Youth Q-Tip Giant Step Just Jack Built To Spill ABC Daytime Television The Lovemakers Fuzz.com JamNow.com   Advisory Board:  John Silva, Russell Simmons, Danny Goldberg

Now Buzzing George Stanford - "My Own Worst Enemy" >> download it                                     Rising Down April 29th on Def Jam “Rising Up” Ft. Wale & Chrisette Michele www.okayplayer.com                                     New Album “The Renaissance” Coming Summer 2008 via Universal Motown www.myspace.com/qtip                                       Broadway Calls New album on Adeline/Smallman Records

ABOUT THE CATALYST GROUP

Leyla Turkkan (President) - [email]

Leyla founded The Catalyst Group in January 2007. A respected music and media visionary, Leyla’s integrated marketing expertise includes creating branded entertainment and digital content as well as strategic marketing, brand evolution, media strategy, event planning, public relations and corporate philanthropy.  In her 25 years in the entertainment industry, she has worked closely with artists ranging from David Bowie and The Cure, underground stalwarts Sonic Youth, Built to Spill, and Belle and Sebastian, singer-songwriters such as Jeff Buckley and Bob Dylan, and legendary hip-hop artists from Public Enemy to the Beastie Boys and A Tribe Called Quest, among countless others. 

Leyla has conceived of and advised many of the entertainment industry’s most successful philanthropic endeavors, including co-founding both the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and 360hiphop.com (where she headed up original programming and marketing) with Russell Simmons. She most recently served as Vice President, Music Marketing & Promotions at BET.   Leyla has been involved in the intersection of music, entertainment and politics since 1981 working with Peter Tosh, Black Uhuru and Jimmy Cliff.

Able to move effortlessly through all genres of music, Turkkan founded and ran the groundbreaking Set to Run public relations firm with a 17-member staff and offices in New York and Los Angeles.  Their roster included a unique mix of hip-hop and alternative rock, including A Tribe Called Quest, the Beastie Boys, Ice Cube, LL Cool J, and Public Enemy, indie-rockers The Breeders, New Order, Sonic Youth and Suicidal Tendencies, and superstars David Bowie, Duran Duran, The Cure and the B-52s.

She went on to senior positions with various major label divisions and subsidiaries, including heading up Media Relations at Columbia Records, moving on to Atlantic Records as Executive Vice President and General Manager, where she launched the pioneering an alt-rock label with Danny Goldberg and Craig Kallman.  Her stint as SVP, A&R/Marketing at EMI/The Enclave  which included the stateside signing of Belle and Sebastian and Sloan, followed by the management of Built to Spill, alternative rock critics darlings and a Warner Brothers signature signing, after which she spent 6 years at BET as VP marketing for the network and BET.com.

Catalyzer: Ben-David Fenwick (Vice President, Public Relations) - [email]

Ben-David joined The Catalyst Group in 2007 as VP, Public Relations. His first taste of PR was in Nashville at PLA Media (Townes Van Zandt, Charlie Pride). He soon headed to New York University where he graduated with a Music Business degree.  

Ben-David spent over six years honing the craft of PR at KSA/Covers Media/Press Here.  Home to talent including Sting, Mos Def, The White Stripes, Lenny Kravitz, Bright Eyes, Wynonna Judd and others- he was exposed to several high-profile campaigns across multiple genres.  His experience covers several areas including music (Cheap Trick, Trey Anastasio and many more), events (CMJ Music Marathon, ACLU Freedom Concert), DVD (Cher, The Isley Brothers), non-profit (Richard Gere’s Healing The Divide), corporate (Dharma Moon Records, OM Yoga Center) and independent film.  In 2006, he handled the international press campaign for the Rolling Stones’ historic concert debut in China.  

Ben-David’s background in artist management/development and event production allows him to look at the big picture and make the most of all opportunities.

Catalyzer: Ellen Zoe Golden

With a database of media contacts ranging from business, entertainment, trend, travel, sports, real estate, general interest, Latin, and more, Ellen Zoe is a 25-year-plus veteran of publicity, marketing and music supervision on the international stage. At The Catalyst Group, she does music supervision—song placement/artist performances—for ABC Daytime, and business publicity for Chris Lighty’s Violator Management (home of Sean “Diddy” Combs, 50 Cent, LL Cool J, Three 6 Mafia, Macy Gray, The D.E.Y., and others), and his Brand Asset Group, as well as Maurice Bernstein and the 17-year-old trend inducing marketing company, Giant Step. She also handles a number of properties in Costa Rica (considered by CNBC and the New York Times as the fastest-growing North American high income, baby boomer second home market).

Ellen Zoe’s most recent work has also included Sports Music Marketing for NFL Properties; Major League Baseball; United States Tennis Association.

In addition, her vast career--including a stint starting up the Media Relations department at Universal Records, and her training as a publicist under the wing of the legendary Howard Bloom--has encompassed Public Relations and Media Strategy for the likes of Damon Dash, Nelson George, Russell Simmons’ Hip Hop Action Network, ABC’s “One Life To Live,” Billy Idol, Chumbawamba, Warren G, Live Nation’s Country Getaway Cruise starring Tim McGraw, Bette Midler, The Jackson’s Victory Tour, Kiss, Billy Joel, Deep Forest, Front 242, Roger Waters “The Wall” in Germany, Midnight Oil, Judas Priest Trial Crisis Press.

Catalyzer: Perry Serpa (Director of Public Relations and Online Marketing)

In 2002, veteran flack Perry Serpa left his former outlet of nearly a decade, Nasty Little Man (Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Foo Fighters, Beastie Boys, Spoon).  Opting to run his own small boutique PR agency, Good Coop Pr and collaborate with folks like The Catalyst Group, Perry represents such esteemed clientele as Autechre, All Tomorrow's Parties, American Music Club, Bumbershoot, the Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS), David Poe, Mosquitos, Fun Lovin' Criminals, Gorkys Zygotic Mynci, Paul Weller, Jonathan Richman, Sonic Youth, Ron Sexsmith, Jay Farrar, Erin McKeown, The Divine Comedy, The Get Up Kids, Dispatch, The Starlight Mints, and more.

Catalyzer: Jamie Roberts

Jamie Roberts is the founder of Forest Media Consulting (FMC) with more than 13-years of experience in publicity and artist relations.  Current FMC publicity clients include independent labels Bieler Bros Records and Mercy Records, as well as Solid State Records’ critically acclaimed rockers He Is Legend, and million-selling, all-female rock powerhouse Kittie. Before starting FMC, Roberts oversaw the media and artist relations departments at Roadrunner and Universal Republic Records.  She’s also worked for music PR firms KSA Publicity and MFPR, in addition to indie label The Enclave. She has planned and executed successful campaigns for Nickelback, Slipknot, 3 Doors Down, Nick Lachey, Paulina Rubio and Junkie XL, among many others.  FMC is also engaged in a strategic relationship with Big Machine Media, who represent celebrities, products and multi-genre musicians including Stephen Baldwin, Janice Dickinson, Sandra Bernhardt, Erika Jayne, Sun, Tricky Bizness and more

Catalyzer : Marilyn Lopez - [email]

Marilyn has over 10 year’s experience in publicity and media relations in the music, lifestyle, fashion and entertainment industries. Over eight years at Jive Records included working on campaigns for The Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, R. Kelly, Ciara and Chris Brown. Her success in conjunction with The Catalyst Group includes clients such as Just Jack, Q-tip and Chris Lighty. Marilyn Public Relations represents a variety of musicians, actors, producers, accessories and clothing lines. Her current roster consists of Kevin Federline, Layla El, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Daniel Cage, Trina, Slip-N-Slide Recods (Dirtbag, Trina, Trick Daddy, Rick Ross, Plies), Joe Hound, Erika Rose, Ky-Mani Marley and Bosko Kante.

Catalyzer : Donna Torrence

In 1993, Donna became Director of National Publicity and Media Relations for Gee Street/Island Records before moving on to Arista Records. At Arista, she was responsible for further raising the profiles of such stellar artists as Sean “Puffy” Combs, Whitney Houston, Usher, TLC, Faith Evans, Q-Tip and Run DMC.

Branching out on her own, Donna Torrence created her own PR firm. Mediasavvy, her first clients were The Source magazine and Sean “Puffy” Combs’ Bad Boy Records, Master P and his New No Limit records and films. She has handled all media for the hip hop entrepreneur and his superstar teenage son Lil’ Romeo since 2001.

Donna Torrence also has a strong background in film & Television representation, a sampling of television & film she has publicized are God’s Gift (Urbanworks); Romeo! (Nickelodeon);  America’s Top Model cycle 3 (UPN); Taye Diggs’s “Kevin Hill” (UPN); Marques Houston’s “Cutz” (UPN); Crush on U (First Look/Urbanworks); Uncle P (New Line Home Entertainment); Lockdown (No Limit/Palm Pictures); ‘Bout it (No Limit Films); Undisputed (NewLine); DarkBlue (MGM)

In addition, Donna has an expertise in sports, events and publishing. In sports she represented The ABA Las Vegas Rattlers Basketball team as well events such as NBA;s Allstars 07 “Diddy’s Press Play Lounge” event; NBA Allstar “How the West Was Won” Pre-Game event; “The Source Hip Hop Music Awards” (UPN)

In the world of publishing she has represented Hip Hop weekly; The Source; The Source Sports magazine, Ambermag.com

Catalyzer: Melissa Potter Jr. Publicist [email]

Melissa's broad and challenging resume makes her a one of a kind, Jill of all Trades. With experience in print, music, new media, marketing, management and publicity with companies such as VIBE, Jive Records, Island/Def Jam, Violator Management, and Shore Fire PR, Melissa brings a diverse set of skills to The Catalyst Group's unique roster of "Catalyzers."  

Utilizing her knowledge of all faculties of the ever changing music business, Melissa is able to think outside of the box, giving clients the chance to see how each aspect of the business ties together to create a successful and long lasting career.

 

 Current Clients

• Giant Step

• George Stanford
• Chris Lighty(Publicity)

• Violator Management

50 Cent

Busta Rhymes

NORE

Missy Elliot

LL Cool J

Lil Scrappy

Swizz Beatz

Macy Gray

• Brand Asset Group
• JamNow
• Qtip/The Abstract

 

• Built To Spill

 

• Trigger Happy

 

• The Roots
• DJ Armin van Buuren
• Broadway Calls
• Dwele
• Sonic Youth
• Just Jack
• The Lovemakers
  
  
• Revenge Media

 

• Fuzz Artists

• Grandmaster Flash and Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame Induction
• Luca Luca Fashion Week 2007
• ABC Daytime Television (Music Supervision and Talent Booking)
• “Timebomb,” celebrity-based news show, written and produced by The Catalyst Group