# Eric Sheinkop

> Eric Sheinkop is an Atlanta-based entrepreneur, author and CEO who has spent his career building marketplaces around overlooked expertise. He co-founded Music Dealers in 2008 to connect independent musicians with global brands, helped secure Coca-Cola as an investor and worldwide partner, and left the company at the end of 2014. He later co-founded The Desire Company with Judith Levey Sheinkop, shifting the same access-driven idea from music licensing to expert-led product video for brands and retailers.

- **Role:** Co-founder and CEO at The Desire Company
- **Organizations:** The Desire Company, Music Dealers, Bandit Productions, Techstars
- **Education:** University of Wisconsin-Madison
- **Known for:** Named to Billboard's 30 Under 30 list in 2011., Named to Crain's Chicago Business Tech 50 in 2012., Received a University of Wisconsin-Madison Entrepreneurial Achievement Award in 2013.

## Career timeline

- **Age 16** — At 16, formed the artist-management and record-label venture Bandit Productions.
- **2006** — Rapped on a McDonald’s commercial after a booked artist missed the recording session; the resulting royalties helped reveal the opportunity in music licensing.
- **2008** — Co-founded Music Dealers, a platform connecting independent musicians with commercial licensing opportunities.
- **2011** — Music Dealers entered a worldwide partnership with Coca-Cola, which took a minority stake; Billboard named Sheinkop to its 30 Under 30 list.
- **2013** — Co-authored Hit Brands and received a University of Wisconsin-Madison Entrepreneurial Achievement Award.
- **2014** — Carried the Olympic torch in connection with the Sochi Winter Games and left Music Dealers at the end of the year after selling control.
- **2016** — Published Return of the Hustle: The Art of Marketing with Music.
- **2018** — Publicly launched DesireList, the business that later became The Desire Company.
- **2024** — The Desire Company announced the close of a Series B led by Cleveland Avenue, a $97 million valuation and the Retail RMEDI 360 platform.
- **2025** — Hosted Tap Into An Expert, a podcast about retail media, e-commerce and omnichannel marketing.

## Achievements

- Named to Billboard's 30 Under 30 list in 2011.
- Named to Crain's Chicago Business Tech 50 in 2012.
- Received a University of Wisconsin-Madison Entrepreneurial Achievement Award in 2013.
- Selected as a torchbearer connected with the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics after nomination by Coca-Cola.
- Co-authored Hit Brands and authored Return of the Hustle, both published by Palgrave Macmillan.
- Built Music Dealers into a licensing network representing roughly 20,000 independent musicians and serving global brand clients.
- Led The Desire Company through a Series B that the company said valued it at $97 million in 2024.

## Latest updates

- **2026-08** — Published a LinkedIn article titled The Retail Trust Path: Four Moments That Earn a Shopper’s Trust.
- **2026-07** — Delivered a keynote and judged startups at the Chicago Media and Entertainment Tech Summit.
- **2025-07** — Appeared on Beyond the Shelf to discuss expert-led product content, retail distribution and consumer trust.
- **2025-01** — Announced and began hosting the Tap Into An Expert podcast.
- **2024-06** — The Desire Company announced its Series B close, a $97 million valuation and the launch of Retail RMEDI 360.

## Links

- Website: https://thedesirecompany.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericsheinkop
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/thedesireco
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thedesirecompany
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericsheinkop
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedesirecompany/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thedesirecompany

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/eric-sheinkop
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-27