The early days of the internet were a wild, uncharted frontier, and Ben Katz was right in the middle of it. As a technology entrepreneur, sales expert, and digital music collector, Ben has spent decades helping businesses navigate internet infrastructure, domain names, and sales automation.
In a recent conversation with Mike Mann, Ben shared his journey through internet business, sales strategies, and his passion for rare music collecting.
How Ben & Mike Met: The Internet Interstate Days
Ben and Mike first met over 25 years ago, when Ben joined Internet Interstate, an early ISP (Internet Service Provider) founded by Mike.
📡 Key Business Moments: ✅ Hired to launch a new in-building Ethernet product.
✅ Became head of sales after Mike noticed his natural networking skills.
✅ Helped scale Internet Interstate before it was acquired by Verio.
✅ Played a key role in integrating 37 acquired companies into Verio’s operations.
🔹 “I didn’t start in sales, but after running into five people I knew in the Metro, Mike looked at me and said, ‘You’re in the wrong job—you’re my new sales guy.’” – Ben Katz
The $6 Billion Telecom Deal with NTT
One of the most fascinating stories from Ben’s time at Verio involved hosting top executives from NTT (Nippon Telegraph & Telephone), Japan’s largest telecom company.
📞 The NTT Visit:
✔️ Ben hosted 15 Japanese executives who barely spoke English.
✔️ He was given 30 pages of talking points on what he could and couldn’t say.
✔️ The meeting was completely silent—until he showed them their website loading in real-time.
✔️ The executives jumped up and clapped, amazed at the speed of their site loading from Verio’s servers.
✔️ A year later, NTT acquired Verio for $6 billion in cash—a deal Ben and Mike may have unknowingly helped facilitate.
🔹 “I had no idea we were meeting with the exploratory committee for NTT’s acquisition. Looking back, we probably helped set the stage for the deal.” – Ben Katz
How Ben Uses Tech for Sales & Lead Generation
After years in tech and telecom, Ben shifted into sales automation and business development. He now runs Rousium, a software company specializing in browser monitoring and enterprise IT solutions.
🖥 Sales & Marketing Tools Ben Uses: ✔️ LinkedIn Automation – Connecting with high-value leads.
✔️ Lead Feeder – Tracking who visits his website.
✔️ Seamless.AI – Gathering verified contact data.
✔️ Pipedrive CRM – Managing the sales pipeline visually.
🔹 “We used to rely on cold calls and emails. Now, with LinkedIn automation and tools like Lead Feeder, we’re converting leads at 10x the industry average.” – Ben Katz
Ben’s Digital Music Collection: 900,000 Songs & Counting
Beyond business, Ben has spent decades collecting and digitizing rare music, amassing a collection of over 900,000 songs.
🎵 How Ben Built His Collection: ✔️ Started collecting vinyl and CDs in the 80s and 90s.
✔️ Digitized over 15,000 vinyl albums & 22,000 CDs.
✔️ Spent a decade ripping high-quality digital tracks.
✔️ Uses Roon, a best-in-class media server for organizing music.
🔹 “I’ve been obsessed with music since I was 10. I’d wake up early on Sundays to listen to Casey Kasem’s Top 40 and map out the charts.” – Ben Katz
Mike & Ben’s Shared Passion for Rock & Alternative Music
Ben and Mike have massive music collections, often trading rare and unreleased tracks.
🎸 Favorite Artists & Bands: ✔️ Led Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix – Classic rock legends.
✔️ Nirvana, Soundgarden, Screaming Trees – 90s grunge icons.
✔️ Foo Fighters – Dave Grohl’s evolution from drummer to frontman.
🔹 “Dave Grohl went from being Nirvana’s drummer to the frontman of the biggest rock band today. Foo Fighters are the keepers of rock now.” – Ben Katz
Live Domain Name Training with Mike Mann
The session wrapped up with Mike Mann’s live domain appraisal, where he evaluated domains submitted by viewers.
💡 Key Takeaways on Domain Investing: ✔️ Premium .com domains hold long-term value.
✔️ Short, brandable names are highly desirable.
✔️ Understanding brand potential can increase domain sales.
Final Thoughts: Business, Music, & Digital Innovation
Ben Katz’s journey through early internet companies, sales automation, and digital music collecting highlights the power of adaptability and expertise in multiple fields.
🔹 For entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and music lovers:
✔️ Leverage technology for business growth.
✔️ Invest in digital assets like domains and branding.
✔️ Explore new ways to integrate passion with business.
