Beer & Smokes, humble beginnings

Just got the expiration, will not renew notice from GoDaddy for SAVORTHESOUND.COM.

So I got to thinking about the humble beginnings of my business, dug deep into my email, and found the thread below.  That exchange resulted in a meeting with Eric Fridrich on April 12th, 2009 at Neptune Coffee House in Greenwood (Seattle).  We fleshed out the beginnings of Taste the Music on a yellow legal pad and purchased SavorTheSound.com.

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From: Nathan Wright Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:28:40 -0700

To: mellowcentric

Subject: Re: West Seattle gig

Eric, Sorry I couldn’t make the show … prior commitment. I had an Alki Advisory Board last night … I don’t think you made it (they pushed more “outdoor/beach bands” … you know, steel drums, rockish stuff, etc … however, due to the art-based nature of your Admiral gig, I think you will be a shoe-in for playing the Art Fair, as they will booking that based off of the runners-up for the Music in Park gigs. Do you have any marketing/promotional materials for that Admiral gig??? If so, send it over and I’ll do what I can to make it happen.

Also, I think we should meet up and talk about enhancing your marketing a bit better. I won’t be asking for any monetary compensation, as I’m trying to break back into marketing and promotions (haven’t done it since college) and could use it as a ‘portfolio project’ so I could establish some local credibility. Of course, I won’t turn away free beers and smokes 😉 My kids are with Grandma all next week, so Tues, Wed, and Thurs evenings are all possibilities.

– Nate –
206.271.6575 M

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On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 12:26 AM, mellowcentric wrote:

Nate, This is a real gift. I need this in fact. I will give you everything I have and what ever else that you feel you need, I will put the money and time to put it together asap. Thank you and blessings, Eric

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

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HISTORY

Eric met with me weekly on the porch of my apartment in West Seattle, and brought a half rack of PBR and a yellow pack of American Spirit that we would split while putting together the rest of the biz plan and marketing materials.

I got laid off on the morning of June 18th from a headhunting job that I hated, and met with foodie Zach Lyons that same day for lunch in Ballard to dive 100% into the Savor the Sound project.  Thankfully, he punched a bunch of well-needed holes in our ‘master plan’ and sent Eric and I back to the drawing board.

I promoted, and hustled, and booked, and designed and wrote my way into a non-existent paycheck.  

I picked up construction jobs with my Dad every other weekend to supplement my unemployment checks.

In October of 2009, Mohamed Lahlou, my old boss from A-1 Best Computer (and the man who gave me my first paid marketing gig running a bus board campaign for LaptopFIX.com) called me asking for a hand with a Grand Opening event.  I said yes initially because I *really* needed the money.  I called up Johnny B, a copywriter/filmmaker I met during TheFilmSchool the previous year because I knew I needed help canvassing the thousands of fliers we made.

2-months later after a massively successful Grand Opening, I received a letter in the mail from the Washington State Dept of Revenue offering up an extension to my unemployment. 

I threw it away and haven’t looked back since.

TIMELINE

April 2009
Savor the Sound founded.

October 2009
That’s Wright Marketing “side project” started

June 2010
That’s Wright Marketing & Savor the Sound shared it’s first office in the attic of Seattle Film Institute 

October 2010
Converted That’s Wright Marketing into a “real business” Small Biz Triage, with Rich Thompson

December 2010 – Submitted paperwork to the Washington Secretary of State making Savor the Sound a non-profit for youth music education, appointed Eric Fridrich as Executive Director, and Nathan Wright as President of the Board.