Music and Innovation ’s three founders, Lindani Ntsibande, Mpumelelo Mtetwa and Sipho Zondo – have turned their passion for music into a great business serving some of South Africa’s leading brands. GoDaddy speaks to Lindani to learn more about how these young musos are thriving in a different sort of ‘gig economy’.
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GoDaddy: Tell us about your business
A: We specialise in creating original musical compositions for brands to connect with their consumers in a relevant and memorable way. From the copy to the music, we create the signature sounds for marketing and advertising campaigns.
GoDaddy: What first got you interested in or excited about this line of work?
A: We have always had a passion for creating music. I’d say we are musicians, first and foremost, before we are business people or entrepreneurs. We saw an opportunity to do what we love by addressing a niche market.
GoDaddy: What first steps did you take to launch the business?
A: We started out by speaking to the relevant people in the industry who we thought could benefit from the service we wanted to offer – specifically companies and brands running marketing campaigns. We approached them to discuss how we could provide them with original music that helps them tell their brand stories.
GoDaddy: What sets you apart from other businesses in your market?
A: Music & Innovation focuses on a niche industry. There are a lot of musicians out there, but not many who specialise in communicating brand stories or integrating music with marketing. This separates us from most other people. We also offer a unique ability to interpret a brand’s brief and translate it into a musical composition that connects with the consumer.
GoDaddy: What were some specific obstacles you faced in your first year?
A: We face a range of barriers and challenges, but perhaps the biggest one is building a larger and more diversified client base.
GoDaddy: What steps did you take to overcome them?
A: We are working hard to build more relationships and higher visibility in the industry to get more clients. We want people to know who we are and what we represent.
GoDaddy: Thinking about the business you’ve built, what makes you the proudest?
A: I am proud of the extensive portfolio of good work we have created. It was an amazing feeling to hear our music on the radio and television for the first time.
GoDaddy: What are some of the best things about working for yourself?
A: It’s the freedom of being able to do want I want to do. As a creative, the freedom to create comes with so many possibilities. There are no lines or borders to constrain what we do – the possibilities are infinite.
GoDaddy: What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned since starting your business?
A: Building relationships is important and is the key to the success of any business. But I have also needed to learn to do many of the things I wouldn’t usually enjoy – the stuff that keeps the business running as a formal entity. It’s about balancing that with our passion for the music.
GoDaddy: Where do you see your business in 5 years?
A: In the next five years, I want us to dominate our niche of the industry. We will have taken things to the next level. We’ll be working closely with marketers from leading brands to integrate music in their campaigns, helping them to tell their brand stories in memorable ways and create exceptional experiences for their customers.
GoDaddy: Why did you decide to set up a website for your business?
A: We wanted to take our brand visibility to new heights. A website is a place for us to introduce ourselves to people and show them the talent behind the music. We want people to connect with us and know who we are beyond the work.
GoDaddy: Can you tell us about what it was like using GoDaddy Websites + Marketing?
A: Using GoDaddy Websites + Marketing was really simple. I am not that much of a technological person, so I wasn’t sure about it at first. But it was really straightforward and easy to use the Website Builder and I really enjoyed it.
GoDaddy: Why did you choose GoDaddy to put your business online?
A: A colleague in the industry recommended the GoDaddy platform as an easy Do-It-Yourself platform that would do amazing things for our brand visibility and credibility.
Image Courtesy: Supplied