What Managing 130 Million Tracks Teaches You About Building a Music Business

"Anyone who really understands music would never get involved if they knew the end game at the start." Con Raso, CEO of Tuned Global, built a platform managing over 130 million tracks with major label licensing across the globe. His biggest insights have nothing to do with scale -- they're about how you think.

Test Before You Pitch

Con's first proof of concept was streaming music on a BlackBerry. That demo got conservative major labels to share catalogs. Today, he's direct about what he sees from the other side of the table:

Most founders can't clearly explain who their customers are or prove those customers will pay. They fall in love with the idea instead of testing it.

His approach: take your prototype out on the street. He did exactly that with a major rights holder. "We didn't get a wow moment. What do we have to change to get a wow moment?" They adjusted, went back out the next day, and the response was completely different.

"If you want a strong valuation, the more data that backs what you're doing, the stronger your valuation is going to be."

Don't Let Passion Cloud Judgment

Founders who come "music first" tend to build what they love rather than what the market needs. They resist pivoting. They underestimate licensing complexity.

"Don't fall in love with your idea because you may need to pivot. Be very specific about the problem you're trying to solve."

Con also points out a practical gap: many music founders lack fiscal skills. Technical brilliance and industry passion aren't enough without financial discipline.

The Non-Traditional Use Case

Tuned Global didn't succeed by building another streaming app. They provide the entire technology stack for companies that want to offer music -- from telcos in Kazakhstan to children's audiobook platforms in Germany to medical wellness applications.

The biggest opportunities in music tech often come from serving use cases nobody else is thinking about. Not another consumer product. The infrastructure underneath.

Key Takeaways

• Test before you pitch. Real user data beats gut feeling when raising capital.
• Music passion can cloud commercial judgment. Be willing to pivot and validate with evidence.
• The biggest music tech opportunities are in non-traditional use cases, not another streaming app.

*Source: Podcast, Episode 27 -- Con Raso (Tuned Global)*