My name's Amanda Van West, and instead of pursuing a doctorate (which would make for the most badass villain name, Dr. Van West) I've spent the past four years working at a music tech startup in San Francisco called Applauze.

I came in as an unpaid intern, the company's first hire, and ended up as the most senior woman in the company, singlehandedly running our music discovery app Band of the Day. I like to think that my geeky inner 17 year-old Strokes fangirl would be proud if she could see me now.

It's been an incredible learning experience, peppered with a heavy hand of surreal moments like judging a Battle of the Bands competition in the Bahamas, speaking on a music tech panel in Spain, and having to turn away an angry and very inebriated one-eyed, 3'8"​ rapper at one of our epic SXSW house parties...

Music is ubiquitous in my life, which has fueled my drive to do work that impacts the way people experience music and connect with artists -- be it through content creation, curation, social networking, or events.

If you're also powered by the spirit of rock & roll, innovative uses of technology, or just need someone to be your +1 at gigs and festivals, feel free to get in touch!