The YouGrow Academy

Entertainment lawyer

Bjorn Schipper is the co-founder of Plus One Legal and a dedicated entertainment lawyer specializing in intellectual property law. Nicknamed "the nightlife lawyer", he has advised the creative and nightlife sectors since 2001, representing artists including Martin Garrix, festivals, events, clubs, labels, and publishers on negotiations, deals, IP strategy, and litigation. A strong connector within the scene, he co-founded The Nightlife Clerks, an informal network of professionals committed to supporting nightlife culture. Bjorn also serves in several governance roles, including the Supervisory Board of the Night Mayor Amsterdam Foundation and the Board of the Dutch Association of Music Venues and Festivals (VNPF). Alongside his legal practice, he shares his expertise as a speaker, moderator, and lecturer on entertainment and intellectual property law.

Music Entrepreneur

Josh Brust is a music entrepreneur, label founder, and producer. He began his career as an independent musician and later worked as an audio engineer at Red Bull Studios Amsterdam, where he led recording and production sessions for various international artists. In 2019, he co-founded Actuation Group, a creative group and record label supporting independent artists and helping them build sustainable careers. Later, he co-founded YouGrow Promo to help artists grow organically and sustainably, as well as IndieMasive, a music distribution platform providing tools and services for independent artists and labels. Josh’s leadership and vision have earned him international recognition, including a place on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Starting his career in production and audio engineering, his focus is now on artist development and strengthening the music community. 

DJ & Producer

DJ and producer Gustaf Björnberg, better known as Amero, has steadily risen through the ranks of the dance music scene over the past five years. His releases on labels like Spinnin' Records and collaborations with artists such as Tungevaag, KVSH, and CLMD, alongside remixes for acts like Snoop Dogg, highlight the evolution of this talented young artist.

With over 100 million streams on Spotify to date, Amero’s music continues to connect with listeners around the world. With several exciting singles and projects on the way, Amero is constantly pushing himself to evolve his sound.

Driven by a passion for both creating and performing, he remains committed to innovation and improvement, with the goal of bringing joy and inspiration to his growing global audience.

Branding specialist

Helo Houviez is an artist and branding specialist working at the intersection of visual identity, storytelling, and music strategy. Known for helping artists uncover who they are, and how to communicate it, Helo translates artistic intention into clear narratives, visuals, and sonic cohesion that audiences recognize instantly.

They have developed branding systems and content strategies for artists including Rebecca Perricone (LaBek), Ava Valianti, Sandrøse, and in collaboration with Ga’ailes, supporting creators at pivotal moments in their career development. As both an active artist and consultant, Helo brings a uniquely grounded perspective rooted in real-world workflows, creative constraints, and practical results.

With experience at Universal Music France and inside the Berklee College of Music ecosystem, Helo combines creative direction with a strategic understanding of how artists grow across platforms. Their method integrates emotional insight, identity mapping, and platform-specific storytelling to build brands that are coherent, scalable, and true to the artist.

Alongside their creative work, Helo teaches artists how to articulate their value, map their artistic universe, and reveal the identity already present in their work, ensuring their branding becomes not just aesthetic, but deeply meaningful and unmistakably theirs.

Music entrepreneur

Jeroen Dekker is a music producer, label founder, and entrepreneur. He began his career as a producer under the name JRND and soon experienced both the excitement of releasing music and the frustration of limited label support, while also navigating scams from promotion companies. Determined to create better solutions, he co-founded Actuation Group, which now encompasses several ventures known for offering supportive and artist-friendly deal structures. Within four years, his projects amassed over 1.5 billion streams and earned four platinum records. Building on this momentum, he co-founded YouGrow Promo and IndieMassive, two companies dedicated to organic artist growth and transparent, artist-centered music distribution. Jeroen’s leadership has been recognized internationally, including being included on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. While managing multiple companies, he also raises two children, balancing a thriving career with a fulfilling personal life.

Music marketing expert

Derek Moss is a music marketing specialist with more than seven years of professional experience in the industry. His work spans artist promotion, Meta advertising, playlist pitching, creative direction, and strategy. At YouGrow he leads Spotify and Meta advertising campaigns for artists ranging from rising newcomers to established names including Nicky Romero and Swedish House Mafia. His campaigns have helped completely unknown artists grow from zero listeners to millions of streams.
Beyond marketing, Derek is an active creator. Under his DJ alias DMoss he has released music on Actuation, performed across New York City, and headlined multiple sold out events. He is also an experienced guitarist and bassist with performances at iconic NYC venues including Mercury Lounge, The Bitter End, Arlene’s Grocery, and Pianos. His background as a performer and producer gives him a practical understanding of what artists need to grow and how audiences actually behave.
Derek now brings this combined knowledge of marketing, creativity, and real world artist development to help musicians build sustainable careers and achieve measurable results.