MEET THE FOUNDERS
Venue Online Services by Onto It Media
Founder of three successful and continually operating startups across the media, music and hospitality industries, attracting and managing over $6 million in government investment and $600k in commercial revenue for platforms he’s managed.
Chris also performs over 50 gigs a year across dozens of venues under various musical monikers (Christo Jones, Strict Land), keeping his feet firmly in the hospitality and live music industries while developing VOS to get people off the couch and into their local venue.
CO-FOUNDER VENUE ONLINE SERVICES (VOS)
The world’s first all-in-one website and digital marketing manager made for venues, with over $100k grant funding support from the City of Sydney Council and Jobs for NSW Program. VOS has been quietly but extensively R&D’ed across a selection of diverse NSW venues over five years, and is now ready for wider release.
The City of Sydney Council Strategist, Lex Davidson:
"Onto It Media has a proven track record of delivering digital innovations for the benefit of the hospitality and music sectors. A financial sponsorship was unanimously endorsed and funded by Councillors to help get their new VOS platform to Sydney venues.”
The Family Hotel Maitland Co-Owner, Dan O'Leary:
"The VOS team are delightful to work with, are taking on our ideas and continually improving VOS. They are tenacious in their mission to make marketing easier for us so we can improve our business. It’s inspiring!"
FOUNDER OF THE REVITALISED AMRAP (2008–2018)
Appointed by then Arts Minister, Peter Garrett (Midnight Oil), Chris managed more than $5 million in government funding to lead the transformation of Amrap into a national digital music distribution and radio promotion platform for new Australian music.
Chris hired Ben Briedis as Chief Software Engineer, and together they designed and delivered innovative digital platforms that within five years had been used by more than 200 record labels, 300 radio stations, 3,000 broadcasters and 6,000 signed and independent artists, contributing to a 7% increase in Australian music airplay across the community radio sector.
Extract from Australian Government commissioned review of Amrap:
“Chris Johnson is an astute and forward-looking manager, and has operated a culture of continuous innovation with highly motivated and capable staff. Amrap has been exemplary in nearly all areas in terms of policy focus, outcomes and value for money. Amrap’s profile and reputation across all stakeholders is very high – they get things done and deliver results.” -
TASMANIAN YOUNG ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR
Career Achievement award winner, Presented by the Tasmanian Government.
Premier of Tasmania, The Hon, Lara Giddings:
“I have always been impressed with Chris' enthusiasm, vision and ability to see a project through. Perhaps most of all, I have been impressed with the professional approach and high standards he has applied to his work…My only hope is that one day he will return to Tasmania and once again share his vision with our community."
FOUNDING MANAGER OF EDGE RADIO HOBART
Appointed by the committee of management as the sole employee, was required to develop station strategy, operational processes, and a revenue base to sustain the station. His pioneering work supported hundreds of volunteer radio program makers, grew a strong brand, loyal local audience, secured a solid financial base over $400k pa from over 70 business sponsors, grew a paid staff team of five, and attracted numerous awards including Australian community radio station of the year and the Hobart City Council's Volunteer Recognition Award for Best Practice.
Lord Mayor of Hobart Rob Valentine:
“Chris displays a high level of enthusiasm and a "can-do" attitude. He pays good attention to detail and is obviously keen to achieve a good outcome. Over the years Chris has been able to form many business partnerships with small to large enterprises.”
Ben has a rare talent for developing incredibly complex software that is surprisingly intuitive and user-friendly.
Over two decades, Ben has worked for large corporates, government organisations, and small start ups. Ben worked extensively as a Product Developer including creating software for DNA sequence analysis at Nucleics (C, C++, Octave, R, Linux, Mac), and software to assist IT managers in monitoring service level agreements (SLAs) and products at Compuware and Proxima Technology.
For 9 years, Ben worked for Chris as Amrap's Chief Software Developer, creating a range of core services for community radio. These included the AirIt music catalogue, Amrap Pages plugin for radio station websites, Radio Website Services and Amrap's Radio Replay, an on-demand radio system. Chris and Ben then became Co-Directors of Onto It Media to develop Venue Online Services.
Ben brings an innovative and common-sense approach to software and technical solutions, with a passion for live music and great hospitality venues.