SUCCESS
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When I see the growth/ positivity of [a] decision for the brand, it gives me confidence, and that motivates me to try harder and keep pushing forward
ith almost 1.8 million subscribers to his YouTube channel, Billy started NoCopyrightSounds as a frustrated gamer who liked to post videos of his gaming exploits online. However, the legal limitations of using other artist’s music stopped Billy from posting what he liked, so he created NoCopyrightSounds. WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION TO GET STARTED IN BUSINESS? I’m an avid gamer, and liked to post videos of myself playing games online. I got increasingly frustrated with licensing issues, as I couldn’t use the music I wanted to in my videos, and basically spotted a gap in the market for free, copyrightsafe music for all content
Going with the stream
This month we speak to Billy Woodford, founder of NoCopyrightSounds, a record label that produces copyright-free music for gamers creators. It went from there really. I started the channel in August 2011 and began the label, working with artists in November 2013. WHAT EXACTLY IS YOUR BUSINESS, AND HOW DOES IT HELP PEOPLE? With one and a half million YouTube subscribers, NoCopyrightSounds is a modern version of a record label. Content creators can use our entire catalogue without plagiarism issues, or having to pay royalties. A pretty simple premise, but there has been nothing around to meet the need, and the number of content creators on YouTube and other streaming sites is continuing to boom.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU HAVE FACED, AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THEM? The main challenge for me was being confident enough to leave my stable job, and go all out to pursue my idea and continue its impressive growth. I found it hard to describe what I was doing to my parents, and explain what my brand does, and the potential it had to achieve. I also found it daunting at the start when realising I was on my own; I had no contacts and very little knowledge of the industry. I just knew that I was on to something. Regardless of the initial challenges, I have witnessed many benefits of being a young
entrepreneur, especially the more I get to go out and meet people in the same industry. In certain areas of the business, I need to make a decision on something; when I see the growth/positivity of that decision for the brand, it gives me confidence, and that motivates me to try harder and keep pushing forward. I’m now independent, and much more self-reliant than I ever was before I started up WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANYONE WANTING TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESS? Be passionate and believe in what you are doing. One of the biggest tips I’d give, aside from that, is to make sure that you have a good level of support around you, and don’t be afraid to seek advice from people with more experience. As any young entrepreneur will admit, to grow a business, a mentor always helps. HOW DO YOU EXPECT YOUR BUSINESS TO DEVELOP IN THE FUTURE? I want to carry on with our steady growth, and then take on the world to become one of the major modern music labels and the dominant brand for content creators looking for new – and free – music. Simple! I’m also really interested in events and getting to engage with my audience in the flesh, so watch this space... Contact: www.nocopyrightsounds.co.uk
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