“Let's make it happen.”
The message went out on New Year's Eve. I wrote that I had room around work to give the music-store project real time and could start when the rest of the group was ready.
The idea had reappeared at the end of November through somebody I worked with in the early Beatport days. He wanted to build a digital store around high-quality music, component stems, and uses beyond DJs. Labels, production tools, licensing, remixes, and people making music at home could all be part of the market.
I was ready to work with somebody from the old crew again.
We had been young and inexperienced when we first worked together. Several years later, we had not worked closely enough to know exactly what the other had learned.
I wrote down what I thought I could bring. Scaling was the first thing. At Beatport, growth had pushed past systems that were not designed for it. I had spent three years working through that problem.
Process was second. We both liked collaborative, lightweight ways of working and had little interest in paperwork that existed only to look organized.
The third piece was specific to music. He understood the content, formats, labels, customers, and commercial side. I knew how to ingest, store, and distribute large media libraries.
The last line was simpler: I love businesses. I love helping one grow. He already knew that.
The project was still a possibility, not a company. The proposed team had people with music, label, web, and infrastructure experience. We did not have a finished plan or launch date.
Internet service finally came online in one apartment at the end of December. My collaborator said he was ready to work after the weekend.
I answered from my iPhone before lunch.
Here was to 2010.