Daniel Oakley is a music and marketing executive whose two-decade career spans some of the most influential names in entertainment, technology, and branding. Raised outside Nashville, his journey began under the mentorship of Prince’s original guitarist, Dez Dickerson, and quickly accelerated through roles at Warner Bros. Records, Sony Music, and Beats Music—where he was recruited by Jimmy Iovine, Dr. Dre, and Trent Reznor to lead partnerships ahead of its $3B acquisition by Apple. As part of the Apple Music launch team, Daniel oversaw global culture marketing and helped bring Beats 1 Radio to 112 countries. At Spotify, he spearheaded experiential campaigns—including the Grammy’s Best New Artist showcase—and launched Co.Lab, a creator education platform reaching artists worldwide. Always at the cutting edge of arts and marketing, Daniel’s work has systematically approached the work of impact of iconic artists such as P!nk, Britney Spears and Miguel, with an innovative approaches for the digital era. 

Daniel is the founder of BTFL.life, a partnerships consultancy and high-performance coaching practice that supports creators, entrepreneurs, and executives in aligning purpose with personal and professional growth. Through BTFL, he’s negotiated talent and brand deals for names like Leon Bridges, Cage The Elephant, Rose McGowan, and the All-In Podcast, while producing immersive experiences at events like Bonnaroo. He himself has a background in high-level corporate environments, and therefore has a personal and functional approach to his coaching practice, creating foundational reinvigoration and expansion within clients personal and professional life approach. 

Prior to founding BTFL, Daniel held senior roles at Route, where he helped scale the company to a $1.25B valuation, and United Talent Agency, where he brokered brand partnerships for clients like Disney/FX’s The Bear and Coca-Cola. With a proven track record across startups, global brands, and culture-shaping platforms, Daniel continues to build at the intersection of creativity and commerce—now also serving as co-founder of indie label Parallel Vision, committed to fair artist representation and next-generation talent development. 

Daniel believes high achievers hold the key to success both internal and external, and looks to expand the creative mind intrinsic to both areas of life through BTFL