Podium – Platform for Artists

George Michaels, John Lennon, Bob Marley, these singing maestros won’t have amounted to as the legends they are known to be today, if they wouldn’t have been nurtured through the right stepping stones and at the correct time of their lives.

Podium’s concrete belief is that “Every Artist deserves an audience”. And on this very foundation has it build its robust web application podiumgigs.com. Podium connects artists with suitable gigs. You can open your very own podium for free and can select just the artist you need which matches your requirements. Artists apply for the gig you have created through your Podium account and you can pay him a day after the gig.

About

Podium is a Netherlands based startup that looks to connect a Booker with an Artist. The equation is always right in front of us, there are people who possess spectacular talents and there are people who would love to watch these artists perform. Linking these two symbiotic entities is what Podium does. Podium feels that it is a sin, if the talent of an artist goes unnoticed. For every significant event there’ll be a respectable amount of audience. The challenge is gearing up the right set of artists. Also, the organizer of the event or the gig has a clear idea of what exactly is he looking for in the artist he desires. If the wishes of the artist coincide with that of an organizer then they need to be connected through a mechanism which is offered by Podium.

For an artist with little or no experience and who has a limited network, using Podium is a must. The artist can apply for the gigs he finds fit for him/her. Podium builds or expands their network by providing them with consistent breakthroughs. An artist grows from his/her first performance to becoming an actual professional. Artists who could never have met are linked to one another through Podium. And in the end, Podium can be seen as a strong attempt to make Live Music more accessible.

Features

Straightforward Listing

The booker or the organizer creates an account and lists everything pertaining to his/her event. Event description, the genres you expect, the budget and every other thing you expect are all listed down.

Up to Date Artist Network

Podium ensures that the network of their artists remains up to date. The Artists have to sign up with Podium and can choose to apply for the events they are comfortable with. Registration of the artists with a booker does not come with a commitment that they must perform for you.

Connecting with the Right Artist 

Podium implicates a suitable set of filters that make your search more precise and crisp. You can save the profiles of certain artists for your future reference. Eventually when you narrow down to a particular artist you can send him a final confirmation.

Coordinating Discussions

Discussions can be managed between the booker and the artist. A booker can specify his/her special requirements to the artist if there are any.  Also missing details can be caught upon by the artist, by holding discussions with the booker.

The Show

Once a match is found the booker is all set for organizing his/her event. The artist now has a stage and an audience which he/she can leave entirely mesmerized with their skills.

Cost Effective

Finding a gig entirely on your own is a hard nut to crack and costs a lot of dough. Registering yourself with Podium is free of cost. Once your gig is over only a 3% administrative cost is charged from you.

Team Composition

Team Podium has versatility ingrained in each of its team members. Each team member complements the other very effectively. Team podium shares an equal enthusiasm for Music and Technology, and hence aims to integrate both into a sound platform.  The executive team of Podium comprises of –

Mike Wiendels

Mike Wiendels is the CXO of Podium. He manages the design, growth and PR aspects of Podium.  He himself is Singer/Songwriter and loves Indie Rock.

Youssef Elkhayami

Youssef Elkhayami is the CTO of Podium. Elkhayami manages development and strategy based aspects of Podium. He loves jamming his drums and loves jazz music.

Bass Kempen

Bass Kempen is the COO of Podium. He deals with the financial, legal and business development aspects of Podium. He is an ardent admirer of vintage disco, rock and deep house music.

Modus Operandi

All you have to do to operate Podium is to sign up with it and create an account. You have to describe everything about your gig and lay out a budget for it. An artist can upload his demo videos for the reference of bookers. And the artist can very well sign up for various performances. If the specifications of an artist and a booker match then they are all set and linked together. A discussion is held between them where any missing details are caught upon and the final proceedings are decided. The booker has to pay the artist a day after the gig and Podium charges a 3% administrative fee upon the same transaction.

Podium offers a highly user friendly setup which can be handled the way a booker/artist wants. Podium is solving a much larger problem of making live music more available to an audience.

Competitors 

There are many firms trying to provide a service similar to what Podium provides its customers with. Podium faces stiff competition from the same. A few companies which provide a service similar to that of podium are –

• Gigmasters
• Alivenetwork
• Booklive
• Lastminutemusicians
• Functioncentral
• Bestliveentertainment

Key Takeaway

Ambitious startups like Podium are setting a stage for artists and providing them with opportunities which were earlier sporadically present or nonexistent for them. The hard work of team Podium seems to be paying off real well and their network of artists is very well knit, which can easily be exploited by the bookers. This is a win-win situation for both the artist and the booker.

We at StartupWhale, wish team Podium all the very best for all their exciting future endeavors.