Simon John Armstrong is the visionary co-founder and CEO of Yatts, a groundbreaking marketplace revolutionizing the tattoo industry. By bridging the gap between artists, studios, and clients, Yatts is reimagining how tattoos are discovered, booked, and paid for by streamlining an entire culture through smart, user-first technology. What began as a bold idea is now a fast-growing platform gaining traction at tattoo conventions and within creative communities across the United States.

Currently a senior at Howard University studying Computer Science, Simon is anything but your typical student. He’s a Milken Institute HBCU Strategic Initiative Fellow and an AltFinance Fellow, where he digs deep into the intersection of finance, tech, and entrepreneurship building the toolkit to lead in both boardrooms and creator spaces. Simon’s resume already spans high-stakes finance, with experience in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and credit investing at Oaktree Capital Management’s flagship Global Opportunities group. But this entrepreneur’s interests go beyond the spreadsheet. As a proud member of Howard University Elite Models, Simon channels his passion for culture, creativity, and self-expression, values that also power his intersectional vision for Yatts.

At Blackweek, Simon will pull back the curtain on the real founder journey: from idea to launch, and from pitch to product. He’ll explore how evolving technology can empower artists, elevate culture, and fuel new forms of entrepreneurship all while championing Yatts as a modern platform that’s changing how tattoos are booked. Simon’s thought leadership is revolutionizing the ways in which artistic expression is valued, seen, and appreciated by an inspiring generation that is leading the charge on human-centered consumer experiences in the digital community age.

About Urban One, Inc. 
Urban One, Inc. (urban1.com), together with its subsidiaries, is the largest diversified media company that primarily targets Black Americans and urban consumers in the United States, connecting 2 out of 3 Black consumers, and reaching 93 million unique consumers monthly, respectively. The Company owns TV One, LLC (tvone.tv), a television network serving more than 40 million households, and CLEO TV, its sister network with over 38 million households reached. As of December 31, 2024, the company owns and/or operates 72 independently formatted, revenue producing broadcast stations (including 57 FM or AM stations, 13 HD stations, and the 2 low power television stations we operate), located in 13 of the most populous African American markets in the United States. Through its controlling interest in REACH Media, Inc. (blackamericaweb.com), the Company also operates syndicated programming, including the Rickey Smiley Morning Show, and the DL Hughley Show. In addition to its radio and television broadcast assets, Urban One owns iONE Digital (ionedigital.com), the company’s wholly-owned digital platform serving the African American community through social content, news, information, and entertainment websites, including its Bossip, Cassius, HipHopWired, MadameNoire and NewsOne digital platforms and brands, with over 40 million unique monthly readers and 230 million monthly video views, respectively.

Influence to Impact: Black Culture’s Role on Brand Growth
The Cultural ROI report measures African American impact via influence across various segments of the U.S. population with respect to categories such as music, entertainment, fitness/sports, fashion/beauty, automotive, food, travel, politics, social impact, and culture. This thought-provoking pitch explores the influence of Black culture through the lens of Cultural ROI, discussing what cultural currency means through three key categories: Influence, Impact, and Financial Value.