To Start New Studio Or Not? That IS The Question

[u b k]

look, there's so much solid advice and warnings in here i couldn't possibly add to it, which is fine because i have no idea why you want to do this.

so i'll take a slightly different tack: if you live, breathe, eat, sh!t, and dream music, anyone's music, and the recording of it, then this is probably something you need to do regardless of how successful it may or may not be. we're men, after all, and when a man knows his mission he'd do well to sell his last pint of blood to live it or else everything else in his life, no matter how beautiful, will ring a little hollow.

if your passion is in fact your own music, then a studio is probably just a misguided backdoor approach to dancing around your dreams without facing them full on. throw the floorplans in the trash immediately and get your focus back where it belongs: on your own music, not everyone else's. work a regular job to pay the bills, and give all your creative mojo to your muse.

if you are simply looking to start up a business, and profit is the primary motive, and recording is an avocation which seems as good a pursuit as any other, then you would do well to have some sort of unique edge or specialty which makes you untouchable in that regard, so that you can carve a niche all your own and be king of the hill. a small hill, but king nonetheless.

if you're gonna do it, read _the purple cow_ first. trust me.


gregoire
del
ubk
.

[Sqye]

looks like you're making the right decision by backing off.

btw - there's no one on this f8cking forum who is potentially better equipped
to run the numbers than you are, with your scholastic accounting background.

run the numbers, and you'll see - the only reason that the average musician
in the US makes as HIGH an income in the US as $10k (i'm being a BIT facetious here),
is because the folks on the other side of the average from all your grungy ass musician friends just happen to be
Elton John, J-Lo and Madonna, etc.
obviously, if this WEREN'T the case, the average income for musicians would be FAR lower (than 10k).

i'm only repeating what everyone else has already said here.

if you love music, no one can stop you from doing it.

however, if you really want to make it a BUSINESS, do your ACCOUNTING homework,
and then ask yourself simple questions like:

how many successful musicians do i know who support their families,
send their kids to college, own homes and other real estate,
are successful and happy in their lives, and proud of their accomplishments,
and are excellent role models for me that i can go to for advice when things
get rough, etc.?

and,

how many people in OTHER professions (like accounting, for example)
do i know who support their families,
send their kids to college, own homes and other real estate,
are successful and happy in their lives, and proud of their accomplishments,
and are excellent role models for me that i can go to for advice when things
get rough, etc.?

do the math, and you'll answer your own f&cking question.

if you can find at least a few successful role models among your friends,
who you can go to for support and advice, then at least you'll have SOME evidence
to offer you a bit of confidence in the possibility of getting a real music-based business off the ground,
in today's marketplace.


good luck.

[jetglo]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

listen. me and my father bought two MG Midgets in the last 2 years. those cars, even in great shape, don't do much more than rolling out of the garage. these cars came stock with a fire extinguisher, by the way.

absolute garbage british cars. but they look SO FANTASTIC.

i would never wish someone's studio to be compared with an MG Midget.

Whether you like MG's is not the point.

My post was meant to illustrate a point that sometimes someone might get caught up in the idea of a studio on the good days but fail to truly see that there are going to be lean times. If someone is so financially overstretched just to open the doors, I should hope they truly have the passion and ability to wait out those periods. Some people do this easily, but most cannot. Some people regret what sits in their garage, some don't. I for one don't. I have made alot of hard sacrifices to make my studio a reality but I have no regrets. And I sincerely hope that the original poster will neither look back with regret that he did not try it, and that if he does that he does not regret it.

[kats]

Im not really sure what your question is.....

I meant to say that as bad as everyone here is saying the studio business is, it's no different in other industries. I have my fingers in alot of different pies, and I can tell you unequivically that competition is deadly anywhere that the possiblity of profit exists.

Excellence in business is always rewarded. Just don't forget that being an excellent business person has nothing to do with engineering.

[w2w]

I would agree with that.......Im just showing the other side of it,so he REALLY understands what he is getting into,playing devils advocate......it is so crazy these days & unless you have a leg up on something different or better,your just another fish in a pond......and again....lots of big established rooms are hurting,really think about what your going for.......I still believe,and others here also agree,to finance any good size debt is crazy.......and again,if you REALLY want it,you'll find a way.....just have something to fall back on......

[not_so_new]

Originally Posted by kats

I meant to say that as bad as everyone here is saying the studio business is, it's no different in other industries. I have my fingers in alot of different pies, and I can tell you unequivically that competition is deadly anywhere that the possiblity of profit exists.

Excellence in business is always rewarded. Just don't forget that being an excellent business person has nothing to do with engineering.

Look owning a studio is a business like anything else.... if you know how to run a business then you can make a go of it, it not then you can make a big mess.

There are plenty of negative folks coming out of the woodwork when the idea of opening a studio comes up on these forums. Anyone who thinks that opening any business is easy and that just studios are hard is seeing the world with their eyes. Do you think opening a coffee shop is easy? Plenty of them fail every year but there are some that actually do succeed. Of the ones that make it 99 times out of 100 it is because the owner is a good business person. That is the key, are you a good business person? If so you can make any business work.

And another thing..... I am just getting ready to open my doors to the public after a few years out of the industry as a "pro". I work in a very cushy 9 - 5 gig as a systems engineer, I make great money, I have job security, my bills are paid, we have a great house...... and I freak'n HATE my job.

Yes when I open my doors I might just end up recording some pretty horrendous "My Space" acts for $30 an hour but I don't care what any of the negative people around here say... I would rather make $30 an hour recording something.. anything (because I love recording things) than make my usual $100 per hour for IT consulting. Even if I do it part time it is a win for me to record while not working so much at a job I hate.

Do what you love to do don't do what makes you money, money is not happiness. If you do what you really love you will find a way to get by.

I am also in a little different situation than other folks. I already have the gear I just need the room and my room is going to cost me around $70 pre month. My start up capital is much lower than others I guess. That and I already have a pretty big former client list and I have a ton of experience, none of this this is new to me. These factors might play into how successful you will be, for me it is a pretty easy decision.

Make up a good business plan (a accurate business plan not a wishful one) and explore what you need to sacrifice to make it happen. If you can make the sacrifices (there will be some) and you have a good business plan that you stick to you can do it.

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by not_so_new

Look owning a studio is a business like anything else.... if you know how to run a business then you can make a go of it, it not then you can make a big mess.

There are plenty of negative folks coming out of the woodwork when the idea of opening a studio comes up on these forums. Anyone who thinks that opening any business is easy and that just studios are hard is seeing the world with their eyes. Do you think opening a coffee shop is easy? Plenty of them fail every year but there are some that actually do succeed. Of the ones that make it 99 times out of 100 it is because the owner is a good business person. That is the key, are you a good business person? If so you can make any business work.

And another thing..... I am just getting ready to open my doors to the public after a few years out of the industry as a "pro". I work in a very cushy 9 - 5 gig as a systems engineer, I make great money, I have job security, my bills are paid, we have a great house...... and I freak'n HATE my job.

Yes when I open my doors I might just end up recording some pretty horrendous "My Space" acts for $30 an hour but I don't care what any of the negative people around here say... I would rather make $30 an hour recording something.. anything (because I love recording things) than make my usual $100 per hour for IT consulting. Even if I do it part time it is a win for me to record while not working so much at a job I hate.

Do what you love to do don't do what makes you money, money is not happiness. If you do what you really love you will find a way to get by.

I am also in a little different situation than other folks. I already have the gear I just need the room and my room is going to cost me around $70 pre month. My start up capital is much lower than others I guess. That and I already have a pretty big former client list and I have a ton of experience, none of this this is new to me. These factors might play into how successful you will be, for me it is a pretty easy decision.

Make up a good business plan (a accurate business plan not a wishful one) and explore what you need to sacrifice to make it happen. If you can make the sacrifices (there will be some) and you have a good business plan that you stick to you can do it.

I think you raise some good points but the studio business has changed drastically over the last ten years.

The gear has not retained it's value in the recording process.

How much money I make in this business has no ties to how much gear I have.

In fact, I could sell it all tomorrow and still make almost as much as I make now.

My clients are not paying me for my gear.

So IMHO, the only reason to open a recording studio (for music) is because you are currently booked solid (working at other studios) and have figured out that if you build a studio (for as cheap as humanly possible) you can save some of that studio money in the long run.

Unfortunately, the typical studio owner mentality does not work this way and you either get caught up in the "If I build it they will come theory" or the "I always wanted to tell people I own a recording studio".

I hope this is of some help.

Good Luck.

[kats]

So IMHO, the only reason to open a recording studio (for music) is because you are currently booked solid (working at other studios) and have figured out that if you build a studio (for as cheap as humanly possible) you can save some of that studio money in the long run.

Or you have a creative business sense and have found an angle to make ALOT of money that others haven't.

[seaneldon]

Originally Posted by jetglo

Whether you like MG's is not the point.

My post was meant to illustrate a point that sometimes someone might get caught up in the idea of a studio on the good days but fail to truly see that there are going to be lean times. If someone is so financially overstretched just to open the doors, I should hope they truly have the passion and ability to wait out those periods. Some people do this easily, but most cannot. Some people regret what sits in their garage, some don't. I for one don't. I have made alot of hard sacrifices to make my studio a reality but I have no regrets. And I sincerely hope that the original poster will neither look back with regret that he did not try it, and that if he does that he does not regret it.

i love MGs. i don't know why. i'm just glad they come with the fire extinguisher. i guess what i'm trying to say is that anyone who is just starting to open a studio for business purposes should have a proverbial fire extinguisher just in case.

[jetglo]

Agreed!
I do know a surprising number of people who followed their bliss and their bliss bit them in the arse. But most of them look back with a smile at the education in life, people they met, risks they took. It's enrichment of the one life we have. But yeah it sure is nice to have that fire extinguisher.

[Kenny Gioia]

Originally Posted by kats

Or you have a creative business sense and have found an angle to make ALOT of money that others haven't.

Do tell …