Neil Schwartzman, the CEO of Spinlet, speaks to My Startup World about what it took to build up a platform with 500,000+ registered users
What is Spinlet all about?
Spinlet is a global digital entertainment service focused on meeting the needs of music lovers and music artists. For the user, Spinlet allows them to buy, listen, share, and manage music all within a free user mobile environment. For the artist, Spinlet is a gateway to sharing and showcasing music talent and a secure revenue generator.
How did you arrive on the idea behind Spinlet?
Digital is the future of entertainment. Music fans all over the world are choosing to listen to their music what, when and where they want. The inspiration for Spinlet came from identifying this but also the need for local musicians (wherever they reside), to have an easily accessible, affordable showcase for their talent that can reach more people and from which they can instantly start generating revenue.
Targeting emerging markets such as Africa where online services are developing and growing exponentially also made it easier to roll Spinlet out especially as the African diaspora around the globe enjoy accessing the sound of ‘home’.
How and when was the company started?
Spinlet launched originally in Finland in 2006. In 2011, Nigerian based Verod Capital invested in the company, moved the headquarters to San Francisco and opened an office in Lagos, Nigeria. The first rendition of the app went live in May 2011.
How do you think will Spinlet’s services change the way people look at music and artists?
Because this is all about choice and being mobile, Spinlet allows the fan to take charge of their listening habits. Fans can choose when, how and where they listen and to whom. Artists are also loving Spinlet as it is a credible and guaranteed source of revenue for them as well as being able to reach more people than ever before.
As Spinlet spreads its influence across the globe, musicians are choosing to release their new singles and albums on the platform. Recently, Nigerian Afrobeat legend, Dr. Victor Olaiya at 83 years of age, chose to release the music genre, Afrobeat’s, first ever video onto the digital platform, demonstrating that you are never too old to learn new tricks which was underpinned by the amount of downloads from an existing fan base and a new audience who can experience these amazing sounds for the first time – from anywhere in the world.
In Africa, Spinlet is also having a sustainable multiplier effect on the music industries where it operates. Piracy has been an issue in many parts of the African continent (and let’s face it all around the world) for many years.
But platforms like Spinlet can control this with credible and reputable third party payment portals, ensuring artists are earning from their craft. It also negates the need for artists to have to give their songs and videos away for free to get noticed.
Combined, Spinlet has also had a positive effect on the quality of the music and videos being produced which means that consumers, who have easy access to good entertainment, no longer need cheap and grainy pirated copies.
What is the USP of Spinlet’s s products and services?
Our USPs include having the world largest catalogue of African music; our ability to promote local musicians and then the capability to grow them into international stars.
What is the primary source of revenue for Spinlet?
Our primary source of revenue is from subscriptions to the service.
How do you market your services?
Our number one source of marketing is our fans. Peer to peer recommendation is the best form of spreading the word. We have also developed our ‘spinners’, who are the guys and gals on the ground, who have their ears to the ground in terms of new artists and music which keeps the platform fresh and relevant.
Being that we are a digital company, we also have an online marketing and social media strategy which is supported by our in-country partnerships and a global public relations campaign.
What are the future plans at Spinlet? Do you plan to launch any new service in the coming months?
Spinlet’s goals are to continue providing great music to more people, whether this is with local audiences or shared with the world. We want to be instrumental in sustaining a vibrant commercially successful music industry that benefits all parties – the fan, the artist and the industry.
In the next couple of months or so we will be launching our streaming service.
