Starting a Record Label

Interview with Family Records Founder Wesley Verhoeve

Entrepreneurs and established business people are finding huge advantages in having a career coach. Meet Wesley Verhoeve, founder of Family Records.

We had the opportunity to ask Wesley Verhoeve the story behind his independent record company

Tell me about your current business. What are you doing exactly?

Family Records is an independent record company that is part of Liberated Matter, its parent which in itself organizes concerts in NYC including the long-running weekly concert series Cross-Pollination. We started the company over 2 years ago and we're located in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Did you have experience in the music industry?

Previously I've worked at Universal Music, Columbia Records and 1.5 year previous to starting Family Records a partner and I started Liberated Matter.

Who are your main competitors? How do you compete against them?

We don't really look at other record companies as competition but as potential partners in strategic ways. There's plenty of room for everyone.

Is there anything you wish you had done differently?

I would've concentrated on some of the boring official paperwork stuff right off the bat, rather than wait. It has to be done anyway.

What have you done that has been very effective in helping to grow the business?

We're all about organizing the community and working with others in our field, from radio stations to record stores to other labels and promoters. The sum of our parts is great. And having amazing music to promote helps as well.

What advice would you give to somebody else who wanted to start a similar business?

Start with one artist that you truly love and slowly expand keeping a continuous eye on your mission.

Wesley, thank you for sharing your insights with other entrepreneurs.

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