Dan Strauss
23+ years in media, product, operations, and AI at enterprise scale. The content platform architect behind Tribune Publishing, Billboard, and LAKANA - now applying that experience to the automotive content infrastructure gap.
23+
Years in Media & Product
Enterprise-scale operations75+
Team at Billboard/THR
Full P&L ownership2
Companies Acquired
LAKANA → Nexstar, Shopflick → POPSUGARCPO
Tribune Publishing
LA Times, Chicago TribuneThe person who's built content platforms at this scale before
Dan Strauss has spent his career at the intersection of content, product, and technology - at organizations where getting it wrong means millions of readers see nothing. From The New York Times to Hollywood Reporter/Billboard to Tribune Publishing to LAKANA, he's built and scaled the content management infrastructure that powers some of the largest publishing operations in the country.
At Prometheus Global Media, Dan ran the digital division for Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter with a team of 75+ and full P&L ownership. This is where he and David Gruhin first crossed paths - David was building branded content platforms on the engineering side while Dan was running the business. That working relationship, forged in the trenches of entertainment media, became the foundation for their later collaboration at Hrizn.
At Tribune Publishing, Dan oversaw product strategy for the LA Times, Chicago Tribune, and the rest of the Tribune portfolio - managing the content platforms that served millions of daily readers. At LAKANA, he built the SaaS CMS that powered local television websites across the country, a platform that was acquired by Nexstar. Both roles required solving the exact problem Hrizn now addresses for dealerships: how do you build a content system that's reliable, scalable, and usable by non-technical teams?
Dan also co-founded Shopflick, a social commerce platform that was acquired by POPSUGAR - demonstrating an ability to build products from zero to acquisition. His most recent role before Hrizn was leading The Arena Group's Generative AI program, giving him direct experience with both the power and the limitations of AI in content production.
Built and scaled CMS platforms at Tribune Publishing and LAKANA that served millions of users. Hrizn's Content OS architecture reflects that enterprise publishing DNA.
Managed 75+ person teams and full P&L at Billboard/THR. Understands how to build products that non-technical content teams actually use.
Led GenAI programs at The Arena Group. Brings firsthand understanding of where AI helps and where human oversight is essential - the foundation of Hrizn's Human + AI approach.
Two successful acquisitions (LAKANA → Nexstar, Shopflick → POPSUGAR). Knows how to build products that reach exit velocity.
From The New York Times to automotive content infrastructure
Producer
Began his career in digital media at The New York Times, where he developed the editorial technology and production discipline that would define his career in content platforms.
GM Digital
Led the digital division at two of entertainment's most storied brands with full P&L ownership and a team of 75+. Oversaw the digital transformation of Hollywood Reporter and Billboard, building the content management and distribution infrastructure that powered millions of monthly readers. This is where Dan and David Gruhin first crossed paths.
COO / CDO
Served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Digital Officer at TheWrap, Sharon Waxman's entertainment news operation. Managed operations, technology, and digital strategy for one of Hollywood's influential digital-first publications.
Chief Product Officer
CPO at one of America's largest newspaper groups, overseeing product strategy for the LA Times, Chicago Tribune, and the broader Tribune portfolio. Led the digital product organization through a period of significant industry transformation, building content management systems and audience engagement platforms at national scale.
Chief Product Officer
CPO at LAKANA, a SaaS content management system for local television broadcasting. Built and scaled the content platform that powered local news websites and apps across the country. LAKANA was acquired by Nexstar, the largest local television station owner in the United States. This experience - building a CMS that content teams actually use at scale - directly translates to Hrizn's "Content Operating System" architecture.
GenAI Program Manager
Led the Generative AI program at The Arena Group, exploring how AI could augment content creation, distribution, and audience engagement. This role provided firsthand experience with the capabilities and limitations of generative AI in content production - knowledge that directly informs Hrizn's Human + AI approach.
Co-Founder & COO
Reunited with David Gruhin and Matt Copley as Co-Founder & COO, bringing enterprise-scale content platform experience to the automotive vertical. Dan's experience building and scaling content management systems at Tribune and LAKANA directly translates to the Content Operating System architecture that makes Hrizn different from every other tool in the market.
Connect with Dan
Talk content platforms, product strategy, or the intersection of AI and publishing.
Meet the rest of the team
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