Every musician’s dream is to be recognized in some manner, whether locally or globally. “There are many jobs that go into creating a musical release. The tasks required to create music that breaks the listeners’ standards is often overwhelming, but it’s necessary for success,” explained Josh Hoffman-Peterson, founder of FastTrack.

Many perspectives go into creating a release, from songwriting to recording to mixing to artwork to distribution. This can be extremely stressful for any artist, especially those without a team to cover all of these different areas.

Josh and his close friends have released music. “There’s a common disappointment among artists when putting their music out there and the music doesn’t gain as much popularity as you’d hope,” stated Hoffman-Peterson. Having a Music Technology degree, he has seen this continuous cycle throughout his life.

During an entrepreneurship class led by Harlee Sorkin, the team was tasked with forming an idea for a startup. “I was thinking about what I have some knowledge in and what problems I see around me,” Hoffman-Peterson said. Helping artists, many of whom are friends, came to mind and he was passionate about the prospect of creating a new solution. 

From the class and talking to artists, the team found two critical areas artists needed assistance with: gaining outside perspective via feedback on their music and addressing the issue of the number of separate jobs required for a musical release.

FastTrack is a community-based marketplace where musicians can gain valuable feedback from industry experts, as well as professional services at each step of the release process. The platform also allows for collaboration among the music community to aid an artist’s music release.

The team recognizes feedback is a crucial part of the platform. Understanding how to deliver that feedback is a challenge facing the team. Part of the solution FastTrack is working towards gives constructive feedback to inspire the artists. The team is driven to help others pursue their passion as a career. “Your music deserves to be heard,” stated Hoffman-Peterson. 

What I wish I knew before starting the company

When choosing an idea for a startup, “identify which ideas really resonate with you and which ideas have true value to the world,” Hoffman-Peterson advised.

When starting a business, the individual should be open to new ideas. The new idea may be better and the team should learn how to adapt. “Taking advantage of new opportunities and staying on course with the mission is vital when starting,” Hoffman-Peterson said.

[qsm quiz=10]