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Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
Culminating Experience
Reflective Paper:
Mikaela Allen
Global Entertainment and Music Business
Class of 2014
1
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
Summary of the Project
PlayBack represents the ideal music platform for unsigned artists to not only
promote their music to their audience but also make the money they deserve from their
work. To correct the monetary dilemma of artists not receiving their fair share of revenue
from their music, we will be giving our artists 80% of the revenue generated on our
platform. This is a significantly higher percentage than applications like iTunes and Spotify
are currently distributing. In addition to providing these services to unsigned artists, we also
have various perks for fans interested in music discovery. We are providing these users
with an opportunity to not only discover new music from independent artists, but also give
them access to all of the artist's related creative content.
With the consolidation of artist deliverables, PlayBack gives fans the ease of finding
everything they need from independent artists in one place. Our service looks at providing
a curated selection of music from unsigned artists all around the globe to avid listeners
through a unique interface that allows search based on genre but also country of origin of
the content creator. The content featured on the catalogue will be monitored internally,
therefore playing a great role in building a Playback footprint and brand identity. This way,
PlayBack will be able to differentiate itself from its competition by focusing on the quality of
the catalog rather than on its volume. It will be a careful blend of Artist & Repertoire of
unsigned work and music discovery, made available on a digital platform. Through future
partnerships with national radio stations, PlayBack will be able to enhance the most
popular artists’ exposure on a national and international level. The service will be available
to the users and artists either for free or for subscription; thus unlocking additional features.
Subscribing provides the fans with access to exclusive artist related content such as
handwritten lyric sheets or admittance to the songwriting or recording process. We are not
only providing fans with the ability to get all the content in one place, but also providing the
gateway for the fan to be a part of the creative process of an artist. This way, the fan feels
as though they have an integral part in the creation of the music they like and the artists they
2
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
want to support. In addition to the valuables received with the premium service, the user
gets the opportunity to act as somewhat of a ‘pre’ A&R scout for the platform. This means
that they are able to suggest their personal favorite independent artists to be featured in the
PlayBack catalogue.
People appreciate it when they don't have to go through a lot of trouble to get what
they want. With Playback, you take out the effort the fan has to put forth to discover an artist
in every way available. When a fan feels like their time and opinions have been made a
priority, they have a connection with the artist and they will spend the extra time they are left
with maximizing it by discovering the value in the artist and becoming long time and loyal
fans. Our goal with PlayBack is to take the hassle out of music discovery for the fans while
helping unsigned artists make a career out of their music.
Plan of Action
To be fully prepared to compete, a full understanding of our potential competitors
was necessary. This was not only limited to other streaming and downloading sites, but
also to every company dealing with the distribution of media. These ranged anywhere from
Spotify to Ticketmaster. Having a clear consideration of the various strengths and
weaknesses our opponents hold assisted us in the development of our platform. We
focused on the ease of user functionality, accessibility, partnerships, cost structures, along
with key and outsources activities.
Functionality
In order to get a clear representation of what was needed for the platform to function
smoothly and how our clients and users will receive it, it was vital to get a reading of our
target audience. Without listening to the voices of our potential users, the platform has a
higher risk for failure. To collect this information, we conducting a survey with questions
regarding what our users like and don’t like from existing sites and services while also
inquiring what they would like to see in a platform such as ours. With our existing data we
3
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
will received from our independent research, we were be able to formulate questions to get
the necessary data from prospective users.
Competitive Analysis
Through the analysis of our researched data and our target market, we were able to
formulate a basis and foundation of the business.Learning from the successes and
mistakes of our competitors will assisted us in developing our platform in the best way.
Also, through the input of our potential consumers, we can design our platform to not only
have all the elements desired by the fans using the site, but also to make it user friendly.
Layout & Design
After all the necessary research has been conducted, the prototype of the site will
be created. While the site will not be in its final form at the end of this year, it will be able to
demonstrate the basic ideas and amenities that PlayBack will contain. In addition to the
website version of the platform, a mobile application will also be created. We will utilizing
the prototypes as a form of user testing to get an idea of the experience the fans have while
using our platform.
The prototype will also assist us in the marketing of the platform. Giving our users an
opportunity to have a trial with our site and have them assist in the creation of the platform
in some way. This adds to PlayBack’s notion of involving the fans in the creative process of
a project.
Partner Involvement
To ensure that all aspects of the platform were not only functional but also constantly
developing I built PlayBack with my classmate, Jad El Alam. While both of us handled
different characteristics of the platform, we still collaborated on some features together. In
regards to the look, feel, energy, and culture behind the company, Jad and I worked
together to create an environment that resonates with the values and ethics held by
PlayBack.
Once the initial foundation was laid, our other main sector of working together
4
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
stemmed from market research. Investigation and examination of our potential target
market for the platform as well as the creation of survey questions are done together. Jad
and I believed our knowledge of similar and very differentiating groups of people, our
questions regarding pricing, layout, accessibility, additional features allowed us to tailor the
platform to the needs and wants of our customers. Also, because our potential consumers
were be pulled from a variety of areas and backgrounds, we had a greater chance of a
clear and diverse market representation.
Results
With this premise in mind, my culminating experience partner Jad El Alam and I
have created a business plan for our project. While the actual construction of the business
plan was done in my second semester with Jad along with my team related to the
Entrepreneurship and Innovation class, the development of the idea started from day one.
To get a clear understanding of who we will be targeting and what method was the best
way to get their attention, extensive research has been done on how people discover,
share, store, and value music.
We had to consider what experiences were lacking in the current way people
access music. By designing a transparent two way flow of communication between the
artist and the fan, we aim to help maintain a relationship from the beginning of their careers
to when they have more recognition. Selecting unsigned artists allows us to be able to take
away the third party of a record label and allow them to connect directly with their audience.
Since we are not only focusing on people who enjoy music, we also made sure to
note how artists promoted their music in a market that is dominated by mainstream acts.
Taking note of the various methods used by unsigned artists, we wanted to see the pros
and cons of what is currently available and how we could fill the gap. We decided upon the
plan to advertise to advertise to college and unsigned musician communities in order to
get artists interested and create a buzz. We decided it will be most beneficial for our
primary vehicles of promotion to be press, radio, and online/mobile platforms.
5
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
In addition to assessing our market, it was also essential to determine what we will
need to have a functional, diverse, and dedicated team to help PlayBack come to life. Jad
and I have decided to keep the group that we chose to work with on the development of the
platform in our Entrepreneurship and Innovation class. With Jad acting as founder and CFO
and myself as cofounder and CEO, the remaining key shareholders of the company will be
Jeremy Carrion as the Chief Marketing Officer, Jane Kim as the Head of Artist Relations,
and Neda Shahram as Head of Legal Affairs. We believe that this team of people are ones
that are not only hardworking and knowledgeable in their fields, but they also provide
different perspectives of thought. Having a diversified collection of minds working towards
the betterment of the platform, PlayBack will be able to mold itself into a unique brand that
tackles a multitude of issues in the industry.
At the end of the year, I was able to develop a the layout for our website application
and build a prototype for the mobile application. While the website is not functional, it will
act as a physical representation of what the functioning site will look like. The mobile
application, however, is a working application built for iOS build with XCode. This
application will be built upon to create the final product of the mobile application format of
the platform.
Next Steps
While the first draft of our business plan is complete, Jad, myself, and the rest of the
PlayBack team will take a one year hiatus from prepping to fully launch the platform. We
would like to take this time to fully study and research the field of digital platforms as well as
develop a working startup capital amongst ourselves. We have prepared an agenda of
how we plan to launch.
First, we will need to ensure all the necessary resources to get the platform going.
This includes the application and approval of a small business loan and the opening of
accounts. This monetary assistance will provide the stability needed in starting a new
business. Once we can guarantee sources of money, we will use our gained assets to
6
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
finance the trademark of the company, P(l)ayBack.
Next, the full development of the platform will commence. The draft of the prototype
that was previously created will be used as a layout in the creation of the official platform.
Third party website developers will be utilized in this task to take on the necessary coding
and computer science knowledge needed in the development process. We will also need
to hire application developers to assist in making a mobile version of the platform available
through the use of smart phones. In this stage, the testing of the platform will occur as well.
These two aspects will play off each other in the sense that by ensuring the platform
is functional while also containing all the necessary features desired by our potential users.
To make sure we can assure this promise, we will once again be utilizing these future fans
and artists to test the platforms and have their voices be heard. Not only are we pushing the
value of having the users involved in the creative process of a finished process, but we are
also creating awareness of our service and our brand through our target audience. The
establishment of partnerships will follow the testing process. With a finished product to
show potential partners and advertisers, there will be a greater likelihood of support.
Finally, we will implement a sleeping period to take the time needed to develop, test
and complete the platform. Through this process, we will be able to gather the necessary
information to ensure the functionality of the site. After a year’s time, the official launch of
the platform will commence.
Budget
I am in charge of calculating the budget for the software and application
development. Currently, I am taking on the role of website developer. I intend on building a
website that will look and function on a very basic level. The main reasoning behind the site
will be to provide an example of what we want the platform to look like and how we want it
to function.
To guarantee the use of the domain name, I will register the address
“playbacknw.com.uk” through the domain hosting website uk.godaddy.com. To further
7
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
protect the use of our domain name, we will also purchase similar names to ensure the
integrity of our platform. These additional domain names will include the following:
playbacknw.net, playbacknw.info, and playbacknw.org. To cover the expense of the private
domain registration, business registration, and domain ownership protection for three
years approximately £35 will need to be paid each month.
After securing the domain, I will then determine the amount of time and money
needed to develop the website coding as well as the mobile application. As well as figuring
out the budget needed to create the platform, it is also necessary to configure the costs
behind maintaining it. Considering my background in coding, I have a good sense of time
and more realistic results regarding the time of completion and the amount of work needed
to make it look as desired by our team. While a basic website created by me will take
around 30 hours of completion, one created by a professional developer will take around
60 hours of work. That will estimate a cost ranging from $1,500 to $2,000. To cut costs, it
will be beneficial for us to hire a developer to join the team so we could just get the service
taken care of by having them on our payroll rather than having to pay outside people.
Contribution to the Discipline
PlayBack serves as the saving grace for unsigned artists and music lovers as a
whole. As of now, the music industry is based on a superstar economy where the majority
of the focus, time, and money is being put into big, well known artists. No other platform
makes unsigned artists a priority and assists them in getting any recognition for their
music. This is simply because the current industry don’t have the funds to take a chance on
an artist that is just starting out when they can just milk one of the cash cows on their
rosters. We take the difficulty out of promoting the music of these up and coming artists by
pairing them with a fan base that essentially find joy out of supporting artists they believe in
both emotionally and financially.
We allow our music aficionados to get rewarded for doing what they like to do
anyway. With our subscription feature enabling these fans to participate in the selection
8
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
process of who gets displayed on our platform, we are providing an the experience of
choosing the music you like to be available where you want it while in turn expanding the
exposure of these new artists. This feature is not available on any other platform. The get
satisfaction out of feeling as though they had a helping hand in the development of these
artists careers.
In addition to assisting with the promotion of these artists and increasing their fan
bases, we are also making sure that they are receiving a reasonable monetary return for
the sale of their content. While there are other platforms that allow the artist to keep 100%
of their generated revenue, they don’t assist in any promotional or supportive acts for the
artist. PlayBack has a hand in the overall development of these artists while still paying
them what they deserve by giving them 80% of their sales made from our platform.
PlayBack also aids in the long term success of these artists by connecting them with
partners such as the national and college independent radio stations that will increase the
range of their audiences and get their music out there.
PlayBack is putting a focus on the people in the music industry that are actually
working for what they want by making their job easier. There is a significant amount of
undiscovered talent that shouldn’t fall by the wayside just because no one is willing to help
them. Even with the current news of YouTube removing indie artists from their platform, it is
evident that the current industry is only focused on the artists that are dominating the charts
and have the support to charge whatever they want for their content. PlayBack wants to
change the music industry from a popularity contest of who has the most money to throw
around to an enterprise dedicated to the promotion of quality music from hard working
artists no matter their background or financial ability.
Personal Impact
Working on PlayBack for the whole year has confronted me with a variety of
scenarios both expected and unexpected. Everything from internal team conflicts to
conflicting schedules, managing this project has been a whirlwind. Even though some of
9
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
these situations weren’t the best to be in, I had to learn how to work past them and think in
the best interest of the company. Handling people with many ideals as well as being from
different backgrounds of living and study it was a challenge to figure out how to appeal to
everyone’s different working styles while focusing on the goals of PlayBack. Team
management skills were essential in allowing the project to evolve into what it is now.
While there were some discouraging times, I had the ability to take what I had
learned in my classes throughout the year and apply them to PlayBack. Courses like Global
Leadership and Management as well as both of the entrepreneurship classes allowed me
to interpret how teams work together and make certain accommodations as far as delivery
and change management to make sure the project went smoothly. This was one of the
main differences from Berklee Boston and Berklee Valencia, I finally got to see how bold
words in books or case studies were able to apply to a real life working situation.
Working on this project has really given me insight into what I want out of the music
industry as well as what I am willing to give. PlayBack has reassured my faith in the fact that
people still see a value in supporting the art of talented musicians and helping their careers
grow and prosper. I know that this platform will be able to change the lives of people who
just want to make a career out of what they love to do.
10
Student ID: 064843
Culminating Experience
Reflective Paper:
Mikaela Allen
Global Entertainment and Music Business
Class of 2014
1
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
Summary of the Project
PlayBack represents the ideal music platform for unsigned artists to not only
promote their music to their audience but also make the money they deserve from their
work. To correct the monetary dilemma of artists not receiving their fair share of revenue
from their music, we will be giving our artists 80% of the revenue generated on our
platform. This is a significantly higher percentage than applications like iTunes and Spotify
are currently distributing. In addition to providing these services to unsigned artists, we also
have various perks for fans interested in music discovery. We are providing these users
with an opportunity to not only discover new music from independent artists, but also give
them access to all of the artist's related creative content.
With the consolidation of artist deliverables, PlayBack gives fans the ease of finding
everything they need from independent artists in one place. Our service looks at providing
a curated selection of music from unsigned artists all around the globe to avid listeners
through a unique interface that allows search based on genre but also country of origin of
the content creator. The content featured on the catalogue will be monitored internally,
therefore playing a great role in building a Playback footprint and brand identity. This way,
PlayBack will be able to differentiate itself from its competition by focusing on the quality of
the catalog rather than on its volume. It will be a careful blend of Artist & Repertoire of
unsigned work and music discovery, made available on a digital platform. Through future
partnerships with national radio stations, PlayBack will be able to enhance the most
popular artists’ exposure on a national and international level. The service will be available
to the users and artists either for free or for subscription; thus unlocking additional features.
Subscribing provides the fans with access to exclusive artist related content such as
handwritten lyric sheets or admittance to the songwriting or recording process. We are not
only providing fans with the ability to get all the content in one place, but also providing the
gateway for the fan to be a part of the creative process of an artist. This way, the fan feels
as though they have an integral part in the creation of the music they like and the artists they
2
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
want to support. In addition to the valuables received with the premium service, the user
gets the opportunity to act as somewhat of a ‘pre’ A&R scout for the platform. This means
that they are able to suggest their personal favorite independent artists to be featured in the
PlayBack catalogue.
People appreciate it when they don't have to go through a lot of trouble to get what
they want. With Playback, you take out the effort the fan has to put forth to discover an artist
in every way available. When a fan feels like their time and opinions have been made a
priority, they have a connection with the artist and they will spend the extra time they are left
with maximizing it by discovering the value in the artist and becoming long time and loyal
fans. Our goal with PlayBack is to take the hassle out of music discovery for the fans while
helping unsigned artists make a career out of their music.
Plan of Action
To be fully prepared to compete, a full understanding of our potential competitors
was necessary. This was not only limited to other streaming and downloading sites, but
also to every company dealing with the distribution of media. These ranged anywhere from
Spotify to Ticketmaster. Having a clear consideration of the various strengths and
weaknesses our opponents hold assisted us in the development of our platform. We
focused on the ease of user functionality, accessibility, partnerships, cost structures, along
with key and outsources activities.
Functionality
In order to get a clear representation of what was needed for the platform to function
smoothly and how our clients and users will receive it, it was vital to get a reading of our
target audience. Without listening to the voices of our potential users, the platform has a
higher risk for failure. To collect this information, we conducting a survey with questions
regarding what our users like and don’t like from existing sites and services while also
inquiring what they would like to see in a platform such as ours. With our existing data we
3
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
will received from our independent research, we were be able to formulate questions to get
the necessary data from prospective users.
Competitive Analysis
Through the analysis of our researched data and our target market, we were able to
formulate a basis and foundation of the business.Learning from the successes and
mistakes of our competitors will assisted us in developing our platform in the best way.
Also, through the input of our potential consumers, we can design our platform to not only
have all the elements desired by the fans using the site, but also to make it user friendly.
Layout & Design
After all the necessary research has been conducted, the prototype of the site will
be created. While the site will not be in its final form at the end of this year, it will be able to
demonstrate the basic ideas and amenities that PlayBack will contain. In addition to the
website version of the platform, a mobile application will also be created. We will utilizing
the prototypes as a form of user testing to get an idea of the experience the fans have while
using our platform.
The prototype will also assist us in the marketing of the platform. Giving our users an
opportunity to have a trial with our site and have them assist in the creation of the platform
in some way. This adds to PlayBack’s notion of involving the fans in the creative process of
a project.
Partner Involvement
To ensure that all aspects of the platform were not only functional but also constantly
developing I built PlayBack with my classmate, Jad El Alam. While both of us handled
different characteristics of the platform, we still collaborated on some features together. In
regards to the look, feel, energy, and culture behind the company, Jad and I worked
together to create an environment that resonates with the values and ethics held by
PlayBack.
Once the initial foundation was laid, our other main sector of working together
4
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
stemmed from market research. Investigation and examination of our potential target
market for the platform as well as the creation of survey questions are done together. Jad
and I believed our knowledge of similar and very differentiating groups of people, our
questions regarding pricing, layout, accessibility, additional features allowed us to tailor the
platform to the needs and wants of our customers. Also, because our potential consumers
were be pulled from a variety of areas and backgrounds, we had a greater chance of a
clear and diverse market representation.
Results
With this premise in mind, my culminating experience partner Jad El Alam and I
have created a business plan for our project. While the actual construction of the business
plan was done in my second semester with Jad along with my team related to the
Entrepreneurship and Innovation class, the development of the idea started from day one.
To get a clear understanding of who we will be targeting and what method was the best
way to get their attention, extensive research has been done on how people discover,
share, store, and value music.
We had to consider what experiences were lacking in the current way people
access music. By designing a transparent two way flow of communication between the
artist and the fan, we aim to help maintain a relationship from the beginning of their careers
to when they have more recognition. Selecting unsigned artists allows us to be able to take
away the third party of a record label and allow them to connect directly with their audience.
Since we are not only focusing on people who enjoy music, we also made sure to
note how artists promoted their music in a market that is dominated by mainstream acts.
Taking note of the various methods used by unsigned artists, we wanted to see the pros
and cons of what is currently available and how we could fill the gap. We decided upon the
plan to advertise to advertise to college and unsigned musician communities in order to
get artists interested and create a buzz. We decided it will be most beneficial for our
primary vehicles of promotion to be press, radio, and online/mobile platforms.
5
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
In addition to assessing our market, it was also essential to determine what we will
need to have a functional, diverse, and dedicated team to help PlayBack come to life. Jad
and I have decided to keep the group that we chose to work with on the development of the
platform in our Entrepreneurship and Innovation class. With Jad acting as founder and CFO
and myself as cofounder and CEO, the remaining key shareholders of the company will be
Jeremy Carrion as the Chief Marketing Officer, Jane Kim as the Head of Artist Relations,
and Neda Shahram as Head of Legal Affairs. We believe that this team of people are ones
that are not only hardworking and knowledgeable in their fields, but they also provide
different perspectives of thought. Having a diversified collection of minds working towards
the betterment of the platform, PlayBack will be able to mold itself into a unique brand that
tackles a multitude of issues in the industry.
At the end of the year, I was able to develop a the layout for our website application
and build a prototype for the mobile application. While the website is not functional, it will
act as a physical representation of what the functioning site will look like. The mobile
application, however, is a working application built for iOS build with XCode. This
application will be built upon to create the final product of the mobile application format of
the platform.
Next Steps
While the first draft of our business plan is complete, Jad, myself, and the rest of the
PlayBack team will take a one year hiatus from prepping to fully launch the platform. We
would like to take this time to fully study and research the field of digital platforms as well as
develop a working startup capital amongst ourselves. We have prepared an agenda of
how we plan to launch.
First, we will need to ensure all the necessary resources to get the platform going.
This includes the application and approval of a small business loan and the opening of
accounts. This monetary assistance will provide the stability needed in starting a new
business. Once we can guarantee sources of money, we will use our gained assets to
6
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
finance the trademark of the company, P(l)ayBack.
Next, the full development of the platform will commence. The draft of the prototype
that was previously created will be used as a layout in the creation of the official platform.
Third party website developers will be utilized in this task to take on the necessary coding
and computer science knowledge needed in the development process. We will also need
to hire application developers to assist in making a mobile version of the platform available
through the use of smart phones. In this stage, the testing of the platform will occur as well.
These two aspects will play off each other in the sense that by ensuring the platform
is functional while also containing all the necessary features desired by our potential users.
To make sure we can assure this promise, we will once again be utilizing these future fans
and artists to test the platforms and have their voices be heard. Not only are we pushing the
value of having the users involved in the creative process of a finished process, but we are
also creating awareness of our service and our brand through our target audience. The
establishment of partnerships will follow the testing process. With a finished product to
show potential partners and advertisers, there will be a greater likelihood of support.
Finally, we will implement a sleeping period to take the time needed to develop, test
and complete the platform. Through this process, we will be able to gather the necessary
information to ensure the functionality of the site. After a year’s time, the official launch of
the platform will commence.
Budget
I am in charge of calculating the budget for the software and application
development. Currently, I am taking on the role of website developer. I intend on building a
website that will look and function on a very basic level. The main reasoning behind the site
will be to provide an example of what we want the platform to look like and how we want it
to function.
To guarantee the use of the domain name, I will register the address
“playbacknw.com.uk” through the domain hosting website uk.godaddy.com. To further
7
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
protect the use of our domain name, we will also purchase similar names to ensure the
integrity of our platform. These additional domain names will include the following:
playbacknw.net, playbacknw.info, and playbacknw.org. To cover the expense of the private
domain registration, business registration, and domain ownership protection for three
years approximately £35 will need to be paid each month.
After securing the domain, I will then determine the amount of time and money
needed to develop the website coding as well as the mobile application. As well as figuring
out the budget needed to create the platform, it is also necessary to configure the costs
behind maintaining it. Considering my background in coding, I have a good sense of time
and more realistic results regarding the time of completion and the amount of work needed
to make it look as desired by our team. While a basic website created by me will take
around 30 hours of completion, one created by a professional developer will take around
60 hours of work. That will estimate a cost ranging from $1,500 to $2,000. To cut costs, it
will be beneficial for us to hire a developer to join the team so we could just get the service
taken care of by having them on our payroll rather than having to pay outside people.
Contribution to the Discipline
PlayBack serves as the saving grace for unsigned artists and music lovers as a
whole. As of now, the music industry is based on a superstar economy where the majority
of the focus, time, and money is being put into big, well known artists. No other platform
makes unsigned artists a priority and assists them in getting any recognition for their
music. This is simply because the current industry don’t have the funds to take a chance on
an artist that is just starting out when they can just milk one of the cash cows on their
rosters. We take the difficulty out of promoting the music of these up and coming artists by
pairing them with a fan base that essentially find joy out of supporting artists they believe in
both emotionally and financially.
We allow our music aficionados to get rewarded for doing what they like to do
anyway. With our subscription feature enabling these fans to participate in the selection
8
Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
process of who gets displayed on our platform, we are providing an the experience of
choosing the music you like to be available where you want it while in turn expanding the
exposure of these new artists. This feature is not available on any other platform. The get
satisfaction out of feeling as though they had a helping hand in the development of these
artists careers.
In addition to assisting with the promotion of these artists and increasing their fan
bases, we are also making sure that they are receiving a reasonable monetary return for
the sale of their content. While there are other platforms that allow the artist to keep 100%
of their generated revenue, they don’t assist in any promotional or supportive acts for the
artist. PlayBack has a hand in the overall development of these artists while still paying
them what they deserve by giving them 80% of their sales made from our platform.
PlayBack also aids in the long term success of these artists by connecting them with
partners such as the national and college independent radio stations that will increase the
range of their audiences and get their music out there.
PlayBack is putting a focus on the people in the music industry that are actually
working for what they want by making their job easier. There is a significant amount of
undiscovered talent that shouldn’t fall by the wayside just because no one is willing to help
them. Even with the current news of YouTube removing indie artists from their platform, it is
evident that the current industry is only focused on the artists that are dominating the charts
and have the support to charge whatever they want for their content. PlayBack wants to
change the music industry from a popularity contest of who has the most money to throw
around to an enterprise dedicated to the promotion of quality music from hard working
artists no matter their background or financial ability.
Personal Impact
Working on PlayBack for the whole year has confronted me with a variety of
scenarios both expected and unexpected. Everything from internal team conflicts to
conflicting schedules, managing this project has been a whirlwind. Even though some of
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Mikaela Allen
Student ID: 064843
these situations weren’t the best to be in, I had to learn how to work past them and think in
the best interest of the company. Handling people with many ideals as well as being from
different backgrounds of living and study it was a challenge to figure out how to appeal to
everyone’s different working styles while focusing on the goals of PlayBack. Team
management skills were essential in allowing the project to evolve into what it is now.
While there were some discouraging times, I had the ability to take what I had
learned in my classes throughout the year and apply them to PlayBack. Courses like Global
Leadership and Management as well as both of the entrepreneurship classes allowed me
to interpret how teams work together and make certain accommodations as far as delivery
and change management to make sure the project went smoothly. This was one of the
main differences from Berklee Boston and Berklee Valencia, I finally got to see how bold
words in books or case studies were able to apply to a real life working situation.
Working on this project has really given me insight into what I want out of the music
industry as well as what I am willing to give. PlayBack has reassured my faith in the fact that
people still see a value in supporting the art of talented musicians and helping their careers
grow and prosper. I know that this platform will be able to change the lives of people who
just want to make a career out of what they love to do.
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