On this ongoing sequence, we’re sharing recommendation, suggestions and insights from actual entrepreneurs who’re on the market doing enterprise battle each day. (Solutions have been edited and condensed for readability.)
Martin Seidl is the CEO of Austrian Audio, the maker of high-end headphones and mics for musicians, content material creators, and on a regular basis individuals who need no matter monitor they’re bumping on Spotify to sound as superior as attainable. Right here, he explains the expansion of the corporate and the way being a musician himself has helped steer innovation to ship precisely what prospects need.
Picture Credit score: Austrian Audio
Inform us the Austrian Audio origin story.
I might begin with Adam and Eve, however I will hold it brief. Austrian Audio was based in 2017 by a crew of fantastic audio engineers who every had a long time within the business — that is why I at all times seek advice from Austrian Audio as the primary startup firm with greater than 400 years of expertise in what we do. I’ve 35 years plus of expertise, and began out on a quest to win “fortune and fame.” I used to be attempting to grow to be a really well-known, singer, songwriter and musician. I did that for 20 years, and after that, I made a decision, okay, it is time to do one thing critical now!
So that you have been your individual buyer for about 20 years. What did that educate you?
It taught me what prospects are in search of. And that is the place we get to what’s completely different about Austrian Audio from the big 400-kilogram gorillas within the business. There’s a very lengthy custom in professional audio. Analog is the massive phrase. Digital, for a protracted time period, was equated with being a toy factor — not the actual stuff. We bridge that hole between. Our gear works for conventional producers and the younger up-and-comers who’re doing their music in the lounge or within the bed room, which is the place 80 % of music is recorded today. We carry this contemporary workflow into this very conventional expertise.
How has response been?
Response is normally a two-step course of with new prospects. First, they are saying, “I’ve by no means heard of you.” Then they fight the product and go into post-production and that is after they perceive the distinction. Now we have carried out a plug-in on your recording system the place after you are executed recording, you possibly can change the path that the microphone was listening. You may make it an Omni (listening in all instructions), you can also make it a cardioid (focused) — you possibly can change the sound of the room lengthy after the occasion is over. “Wow!” is the very, very frequent suggestions we get when folks stumble into that. They by no means knew it was attainable and marvel why did not anyone consider that earlier?
What has been your best means of selling?
Phrase of mouth. Having merchandise on the market that created this wow impact, and these well-known sound engineers are passing them alongside to their colleagues and saying, ‘It is advisable to strive that.’ I used to be in Austria’s largest venue not way back, an open-air stadium that seats greater than 50,000 folks. AC/DC was onstage and I noticed our mics on the guitar amps. And I do know that the sound engineer of the Rolling Stones really helpful it to the sound engineer of Muse, and now Muse is utilizing Austrian audio far and wide. If you have a look at bands of this caliber, value isn’t an element. They simply need what’s the finest. They will decide and select no matter they need. So in the event that they select my product, they select it as a result of it does precisely what they need. I am actually honored and completely admit that with this musician’s soul that can at all times stay in my chest, I have a look at the stage and see our stuff and suppose, ‘Oh, I ought to stand up there, too!’
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Is there may be any distinction between “Artist Martin” and “Enterprise Martin” by way of decision-making and main an organization?
Positive, it is fairly easy. There may be the Artist Martin who facilitates brainstorming classes throughout all departments and disciplines inside Austrian Audio. He pushes fairly exhausting to get the product vary prolonged and fairly cool options rolled out in each single product, it doesn’t matter what goal buyer it’s created for. Then – typically fortunately – there may be Enterprise Martin getting into the stage. He brings some boring rational and slightly systematic decision-making into the method. Enterprise Martin (along with the administration crew) is the fact test and goal teams, product combine and inside sources.
Do you suppose a CEO must be passionate in regards to the merchandise to succeed?
They at all times say a great salesperson wants to have the ability to promote something. I would not agree. I feel particularly within the professional audio business, in case you are not in love with these merchandise, then you do not know you are not striving to enhance each day. Should you love music, you wish to hearken to music and also you wish to make higher recordings. About 50 % of our staff do one thing exterior of the corporate with creating music. So sure, that is necessary.
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