Guitar Center Podcast Turns a Profit

Strategic Business Proposal
For
For:
Guitar Center
https://guitarcenter.com/
Prepared On:
June 5, 2022
Prepared By:
Edward Tangel
Seth Gue’
Shane Mancuso
Sandra Sipathoum
Talissa Rodriguez-Ramos
Carlos Parris
Instructor Name:
Steph “Pinky” Gordon

Strategic Business Proposal 2
Introduction
Executive Summary
To the Board of Directors,
After a tough year through the pandemic, Guitar Center is ready to turn a profit and start earning
again through podcasting. Guitar Center will make its debut in the podcasting industry by
introducing a podcasting series for all new products, services, and amenities. By targeting our
main instrument-sales audience and staying on budget, we will be able to turn a profit within the
first year of implementing this podcast. Patreon memberships and tickets to live podcasting
recordings will be available for purchase at no cost to us. There are only a few operational and
employment additions/changes, as well as some others, that will be covered throughout this
proposal.

1: Organizational Challenge & Solution
Organizational Challenges
The organizational challenge that Guitar Center has been facing is bankruptcy and the current
debt that has been accrued over the years. This doesn’t mean the company is shutting down
which is a total misconception. “The voluntary filing was part of a process that will strengthen
our company and allow us to serve our customers even better for the long term” (Hissong, S
2020). With this restructuring it allows room for new financial and promotional opportunities, and
with that can come new hurdles for the company as well. The coronavirus pandemic has hit a lot
of nonessential retailers very hard, and for Guitar Center “the purchase of musical instruments
is highly discretionary” (Bloomberg News 2020).
Proposed Solution
With bankruptcy and the current debt, a podcast is a great solution. According to Forbes,
podcasts are on the rise. “In 2020, an estimated 100 million people listened to a podcast each
month and it’s expected to rise to 125 million in 2022” (Ibeh, 2021). Guitar Center’s podcast will
discuss everything from the people that work within the company to how/where our products are
made, with customer inputs on service and products. While there are other music podcasts,
there are no podcasts that are specifically tailed to the unique mission Guitar Center has and
are willing to break down their business in chapters or episodes.
In the beginning, there will be a lot of advertising for the podcast. Selecting 2 days of the week
to post podcasts, gives enough time to develop and edit a well-cut podcast that contains music
and enough research to ensure that no false information is being put out into the world. The
episodes should last anywhere from 20-30 minutes. Most of our youth today have a short
attention span. Therefore 20-30 minutes is more than enough time to relay our information
without having to rush or worry about dragging out some of the important information that can
be seen as boring. Truthfully there is no one fits all rule here (Godoy, 2021) and the length of an
episode should depend on the amount of information that is wished to be relayed.
The topics of our podcast will be the determining factor of what products are endorsed and even
the development of our relationship with our customers. Each episode will focus on one topic to
be able to answer questions and stay within the time limit before it starts to feel like it's dragging
on. Using a mockup schedule (see Appendix 1) for each podcast we can easily plan out our
episode to ensure that nothing is repeated too often to feel repetitive to our listeners.
See Appendix 1 for Visual Mock-Up

2: Environmental Scan
Internal Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths: Guitar Center is a well-known brand amongst music creators. We pride ourselves on
being a brand that helps up and coming artists through our music programs. We also offer one
of the largest musical instrument markets in stores and online. Not only does Guitar Center
have a diverse selection of instruments, but they also offer competitive deals year-round to help
with retaining customers/sales. Guitar Center is the highest followed musical instrument retail
store, only Fender, an instrument manufacturer, has more followers in the music instrument
industry (Craft Co, n.d.). These strengths can be used as topics in our podcast to let customers,
new or old, learn more about their favorite music brand.
Weaknesses: One area that Guitar Center lacks is a social media presence. Partnering with
music brands and influencers could be one of the most effective marketing strategies for our
current target market. Our brand is a retail chain, so creating memories online or in the store
should be at the forefront of our identity. Guitar Center averages a 3.2 out of 5-star rating for
their employees compared to competitor brands who are 3.8 out of 5-star or higher (Craft Co,
n.d.).
Target Market
Our target market would consist of men and women, above the age of 24. According to the
Fender Play App, 45% of those that started learning how to play guitar were female. This is an
increase due to the history of guitar playing being dominated by men. Also, 70% of new
registrations are in the 45+ age group and 20% are under 24 years of age.
Also noted is that 46% of guitar sales in 2020 and 2021 have been from the Asia-Pacific region,
followed then by North America, South America, Europe, Middle East and Africa (Poole, 2022).
Psychographics would include aspiring musicians that have recently started spending more time
with instruments due to the pandemic. Individuals who feel comfortable starting new hobbies
and taking lessons online. Also, the young students who have grown up in the digital age and
want to pursue online lessons. Behaviorally, our target market will be targeting those that are
fans of podcasts and music, have subscriptions, and downloaded apps such as Fender Play
App. Our best marketing practices would be digitally and on social media platforms.
External Business Climate
Political and Regulatory
Podcast creators have seen trouble arise from Fair Use Laws. “Despite trying to avoid copyright
issues, it happens regardless. I’ve found the fair use laws to be difficult to navigate” (Dunbar,
2021). There are loopholes that people go through to avoid these same issues. It might be
difficult for a strictly music podcast to overcome it. Even snippets as short as 30 seconds can

interfere with podcasts. It is unfavorable to include music without knowing the effects of
Copyright Infringement and what that can bring to any podcast.
Economic
“Besides being able to create a genuine relationship with your listeners, podcasts are a very
cost-effective form of marketing” (Kareh, 2017). There is the ability to connect to an audience
that can appreciate the products provided. This audience can bring in new sales for any brand,
so there are ways to make money in this type of media.
Social and Cultural
More and more customers are getting their share of media consumption in different forms. This
business proposal is favorable to those who consume audio media. “As a result, new podcast
formats and platforms have emerged, offering podcasters and listeners unique techniques for
interaction” (Spotti, 2021). With the growth of listeners, it will only keep increasing overtime. The
effects of this are beneficial towards every company or influencer.
Technological
Podcasts are the next big thing. The advances made in technology range from phone use to
media consumption. “People prefer audio content over video content because they can listen to
podcasts and other audio content while doing exercise and house chores” (Guliyani, 2021).
Being able to use technology in everyday life has become the norm. Podcasts have become a
constant form of media people use. The number of listeners has grown over the years. There
are also many different streaming services that come about listening to podcasts. The concept
of podcasts are a new use of technology that keeps evolving.
Competitors- Edward
The High Gain Podcast
Our closest competitor to our project idea would be the High Gain Podcast as they talk about
specific instruments throughout history and the sounds they make (About, n.d.). Their episodes
cover specific instruments, such as the 1955 Fender Precision bass and the famous Gibson
Flying V (YouTube, The High Gain, 2022). This podcast offers listeners an opportunity to get to
know an instrument that they may be interested in buying from people who have been playing
guitar for over 40 years. They know about the sound and can offer unbiased advice about the
specific instrument they are talking about. They do not, however, offer any information on newer
products, instrument specs, and never-before seen equipment use.
DIY Musician Podcast
An indirect competitor of our project idea would be the DIY Musician Podcast. This podcast
covers topics to help any emerging or underground artists take hold of and advance their music
careers (Trakin, 2021). Kevin Breuner and Chris Robley host the 180+ episode podcast series
that covers relevant topics, while having knowledgeable guests (YouTube, DIY Musician
Podcast, 2017). This podcast is an indirect competitor because it covers topics relevant to the
music industry; however, it does not talk about instruments. It is also not running anymore, so
we would just be indirectly competing with their existing fanbase on YouTube and other
streaming sites.

Music Business Podcast
Another indirect competitor to our project idea would be the Music Business Podcast. The Music
Business Podcast is hosted by industry professionals, offering advice, news, trends, tactics, and
insights to anyone interested (Music Business Podcast, 2022). They offer promotions and “VIP”
treatments through their Patreon, so fans can feel closer and have an opportunity to get their
name or question featured on the podcast (Music Business Podcast is creating an industry
blueprint from the most innovative minds in music, 2022). They cover relevant, up-to-date topics
in the industry; however, they still do not talk much about new products, equipment, or
instruments coming to the world of music.
See Appendix 3 for a display of competitor information visually.

3: Strategy Implementation:
Operations
Organizational Structure
To implement this project, the senior level executives will be responsible for overseeing the
national brand and its subsidiaries (Guitar Center, n.d.). In terms of this proposal, they will be
responsible for giving the green light and funding. Other than that, they will oversee the Project
Manager, Producer, and Engineer. Chief HR Officer, Anne Buchanan, will be responsible for
appointing or hiring these staff as well as the two hosts of the podcast.
Staffing Needs
Staff Average salary per year
Host $75,000 (Podcast hosts…, 2022)
Host $75,000 (Podcast hosts…, 2022)
Producer $60,000 (Podcast producer…, 2022)
Audio Engineer $60,000 ($40k-$108K…, 2022)
Additional Operational Needs
The equipment we will be using will be a part of Guitar Center’s collection of usable/rentable
equipment, so there will be no cost associated with the equipment used to produce the podcast.
We will be utilizing XSplit as a live recording software for our live-recorded events. It will cost
about $60 per year if we go with the “Broadcaster Premium” plan. This allows multistreaming,
unlimited scenes, the ability to remove their watermark, and VIP support (XSplit, n.d.). The only
other cost associated with the operations of this project would be the cost of whatever product is
being featured on that podcast episode. However, the cost will be unknown until the planning of
the next podcast episode due to the variety of products sold at a music instrument/product
retailer.

Operational Expenses
Year 1
Expense Item Number Needed Cost Research Support and Citation
Podcast Host 2 $150,000 (Podcast hosts…, 2022)
Audio engineer 1 $60,000 ($40k-$108K…, 2022)
Producer 1 $60,000 (Podcast producer…, 2022)
XSplit 1 $60 (XSplit, n.d.)
Year 2
Year 3

Marketing
Promotion Strategy
Promotional Category 1: Online
Online advertising is paid media and includes internet marketing. For our specific proposal, we
will be utilizing an ad on Pandora, paid media (Facebook, Instagram, & YouTube), and web
properties, such as our website and established social media platforms.
Campaign Tactic 1: Audio Ad on Pandora, paid online advertisement
This will be a 15 second ad that viewers are unable to skip on the Pandora app.The audio ad
will provide time, place, featured guest and how to live stream the event. This ad is called an
“Audio Everywhere Ad”. It will be audio only, no video, and will run 10 times a day for 2 weeks
prior to the event. Users who are 25-34 make up 28%, followed by 55+ making up 22% of
Pandora listeners. Age group 34-44 make up 21%. It costs approximately $12 per ad, and
because we would run 10 a day, it would cost about $120 per day throughout the 2 weeks the
ad is online (Gotter, A. 2022).
Campaign Tactic 2: Paid Media
Facebook, Instagram and Youtube ads that are paid messages by Guitar Center that will be
targeted to audiences. Our ad will have our logo on the left and 2 sentences on the right with
our website under it. Gear Up to GIG, Everything you need to get out and play. The second
sentence will plug our event. We will run this ad 2 weeks before the event. (14 days)
Campaign Tactic 3: Web Properties
Utilizing our website, blog and social media platforms for a social media campaign for each
event. Postings of the host, highlights and how to stream the event. Different postings daily on
facebook and blog, will post 5 twitter posts daily and 3 instagram posts daily. We will run this
campaign 2 weeks before the event.
Promotional Category 2: Public Relations
Public relations refers to the art and science of managing relationships and communicating with
the public. There are many tactics that are possible to include; however we will be offering free
VIP-like experiences and free meet & greets, i.e. the hosts will be hanging out after to converse
with fans.

Campaign Tactic 1: Free VIP experiences
Guitar Center wants customers and fans of the podcast to feel appreciated. At each live event,
the first 20 people to show up to the set will receive a free VIP experience to view the staging,
production and filming of the podcast, as well as meet the podcast hosts.
Campaign Tactic 2: Meet and Greets
Meet and Greets with Guitar Center’s podcast hosts and production team will help build a
personal connection with the audience. These experiences will differ from the VIP experiences,
as the meet and greets are open to everyone at the live events who want to meet and chat with
members of the show after the event is over.
Promotional Category 3: Advertising
Advertising covers most things; however, it specifically covers paid promotions: traditional or
online. We will be utilizing a banner featuring a QR code with a direct link to the podcast. We will
also be utilizing traditional radio ads during morning rush hour to spread the word to as many
people as possible.
Campaign Tactic 1: QR Codes
Utilizing QR codes will benefit the podcast as all retail locations will be able to display this QR
code to customers which could convert into more listeners. The QR code will be a direct link to
the podcast where they can choose their favorite platform to listen on. Guitar Center will display
this QR code on a vinyl banner in the windows at all retail stores. The cost associated with
these banners is $39.65/unit at 294 locations across the US, in total the cost for displaying the
QR code is $11,657.10.
Campaign Tactic 2: Traditional Radio Ads
Radio ads are one of the most specific ways to reach your target audience. Many variables play
into ROI, such as the radio station, time slot, and ad frequency. Guitar Center is looking to run
an ad on radio during Morning Rush Hour up to 3 times. This will be a 30-second advertisement
to run in multiple cities (up to 10) across the US at $115/radio ad. The total costs for this ad will
be around $3,450/day. Because this is so expensive we will only plan to run this one day per
week.

Marketing Expenses
Year 1
Expense
Item
Frequency, Size, Etc. Cost Research
Support and
Citation
Audio Ad-
Pandora
15 second audio ad, 10
times daily for 2 weeks
prior to event
$12 p/ad
$120 p/day= $1,680 for 2
weeks
(Gotter, A.
2020)
Paid media Facebook + Instagram
Youtube
$5 p/day for clicks, likes,
or views = $70 for 2
weeks = $140 for both
platforms
$10 p/day=$140 for 2
weeks
(WebMX)
Web
Properties
Website, blog, social
media channels-
mentions, shares,
reposts, retweets
Earned audience- no
charges except $40
monthly fee to manage
website
QR
Banners
One-Time, 294 units, 2.5
x 6 ft size
$39.65/unit x 294
(locations) = $11,657.10
(Vistaprint,
n.d.)
Radio Ads 30 second time slot, 3
times/day, 10 cities
$3,450/day (Haskell, L.
2021)
Year 2
Expense
Item
Support and
Citation
Audio Ad-
Pandora
prior to event
$12 p/ad
$120 p/day=$1,680 for 2
weeks
(Gotter, A.
2020)

Paid
media
Facebook + Instagram
Youtube
$5 p/day for clicks, likes, or
views = $70 for 2 weeks =
$140 for both platforms
$10 p/day=$140 for 2
weeks
(WebMX)
Web
Properties
media channels-
mentions, shares,
reposts, retweets
Earned audience- no
charges except $40
website
2021)
Year 3
Expense
Item
Support and
Citation
Audio Ad-
Pandora
prior to event
$12 p/ad
$120 p/day=$1,680 for 2
weeks
(Gotter, A.
2020)
Paid
media
Facebook + Instagram
Youtube
$5 p/day for clicks, likes, or
views = $70 for 2 weeks =
$140 for both platforms
$10 p/day=$140 for 2
weeks
(WebMX)
Web
Properties
media channels-
mentions, shares,
reposts, retweets
Earned audience- no
charges except $40
website
2021)

Legal
Risks & Liabilities
There are not many general risks when running a podcast; however, it is always a good idea to
go over general safety concerns or hazards, such as voltage and working with live sound
equipment. Wearing eye protection, ear protection, gloves (when loading and unloading), and
close-toed shoes, can be vital in the safety and comfortability of the job. It is also important to
disconnect or turn off power before connecting any high power or feeder cables. Lifting with
your legs is also an important piece of advice when lifting anything heavy (Leeman, 2013). We
will always make sure to have a first aid kit on hand, and we will make sure the fire exits are not
being blocked in case of any emergency. We will purchase our first aid kit from My Medic, and it
will be a one-time cost of around $100 (Myfak, n.d.).
Regulations
Along with safety concerns, there are some legal concerns as well. It is always a good idea to
be aware of music and art laws, as well as the laws involved in the usage of that usage art or
music. Ownership rights will be important to establish in Guitar Center’s name. For any guests
or vendors, they will have to sign an agreement with the people working with the podcast not
employed by Guitar Center, such as guest musicians or hosts (Simplecast, 2019). Because
Guitar Center is an established company, they will not need to worry about establishing a new
LLC for the podcast; however, they will have to provide the podcast revenue and other tax
information as soon as the podcast starts generating any sort of revenue.
Contracts
For this specific podcast, there are a few contracts and agreements needed, so everyone is
paid and treated fairly. The Podcast Collaboration Agreement covers everything from partner’s
ownership to revenue splits and more. A sponsorship agreement will be needed for any
sponsors of the podcast. This is going to be one way we make money, by having sponsors, so
the sponsorship agreement will be important. The podcast host agreement will include all terms
and conditions for the hosts. A podcast guest release will be needed if there are any guest hosts
or celebrity guest stars. This document will include compensation of the guest star/host (if any).
An editor and audio engineer agreement will be needed for the audio engineer. A marketing
agreement will be needed for any marketing agent or agency. In our case, we will be utilizing
Guitar Center’s marketing team, so this will not be an expense other than the contract itself. The
final license that may be needed will be for any audio clips used during production or editing: an
audio clip license (Creators Legal, n.d.). Thankfully, there are companies, such as Creators
Legal, that offer a “Professional Podcast Package” that includes the necessary contracts and
agreements. This comes for the low price of $39; if the package were to be purchased

separately, the total would come out to $95 (Creators Legal, n.d.). To save money, it would be
vital to the company to purchase the package, even if some of the contracts included will not be
used. It is also never a bad idea to have them around just in case.
Insurance
Podcast insurance will be one that is needed to be added to Guitar Center’s list of insurance
costs. Podcast insurance will protect the podcast in case of copyright infringement, inaccuracy
of information on the podcast, and/or the podcast is classed as defamation with awarded
damages. In other words, it covers if the podcast is being accused of copyright, action is being
taken against the podcast around misinformation and misrepresentation, and any concern about
privacy risks. The specific insurance that covers these areas is called errors & omissions (E&O)
insurance. At La Playa, they are a company dedicated to specialist insurance regarding digital
and media. They are there for 24/7 help with independent, expert advice (La Playa, 2022).
Although we would need a quote and exact numbers, the average price of E&O insurance is
around $65 per month, or $780 per year (Insureon, n.d.).
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property (IP) may not be something that is always associated with podcasting;
however, there are a few aspects of a podcast that can be trademarked. Domain names,
podcast names, individual episode titles, and even live-streaming events can be trademarked as
IP. Copyright protection can be added to cover any episode titles, live streams, or “jingles”
associated with the podcast (intro jingle of each podcast). Once the creative work is “tangible”, it
is considered to be copyrighted; however, it may be wise to register the popular episodes for
extra protection. There is one trade secret that is important to note in the podcast industry, and
that is email lists. Creating and keeping a list of emails can be very helpful in times of need and
are highly valuable to the brand (The Michelson Institute for Intellectual Property, 2021). In
general, once the work is tangible it is covered under copyright protection, so there is no cost
associated with that. Registering a trademark cost around $49 from an online source called
TrademarkPlus; that does not include a government fee that would be added when paying
(TrademarkPlus, n.d.). Thankfully, Guitar Center already has an established website and
domain name, so they can just add this to their website somewhere easily accessible and
noticeable.

Legal Expenses
Year 1
Expense Item Frequency or
Quantity
Cost Research
Support and
Citation
First aid kit 1 $129.95 (on sale for
$97.46)
(Myfak, n.d.)
Podcast insurance Monthly $65/month
$780/year
(Insureon,
n.d.)
“Professional Podcast
Package”
(contracts/agreements)
single-use $39 ($95 if
purchased
separately; $19 per
contract)
(Creators
Legal, n.d.)
Year 2
Quantity
Cost Research Support and
Citation
Podcast
insurance
Monthly $65/month
$780/year
(Insureon, n.d.)
Year 3
Quantity
Cost Research Support and
Citation
Podcast
insurance
Monthly $65/month
$780/year
(Insureon, n.d.)

Sales Projections
Tickets
Tickets to a live podcast recording is the service that is being sold.
Unit Volume Explanation
Our total expenses for the year add up to $270,060. With a unit volume of 10,000 being sold
annually, this would be $27.00 per unit. 270,060/10,000= $27.00. The unit volume is set to
accommodate the yearly expenses of the podcast crew.
Unit Price Explanation
Our annual total expenses to implement podcast recordings is $270,060. Our goal would be to
sell 10,000 tickets per podcast at the unit cost of $32.27. We would also charge a service fee to
make a profit on each ticket sold. A 19.5% profit on each ticket sold for $27.00. The tickets
would sell for $32.27 and Guitar Center would make a profit of $52,590 for $10,000 tickets
sold.on each podcast. Moment House has been live-streaming podcast recordings, called
“Moments,” since March 2021. This company has sold 140,000 tickets over the course of the
56 that it has hosted since then. These streams are averaging payouts as high as
$500,000. Creators keep all gross revenue. Moment House makes money from a 10% percent
service fee on the customer. These huge payouts come from a combination of tickets,
merchandise and meet and greets. (Bracci, A. 2022) This is comparable to the idea that Guitar
Center is presenting. Selling tickets to our live-streaming podcast recordings, offer meet and
greets and performances.
Unit Cost Explanation
There is no unit cost because tickets will be for purchase online.
Patreon
The Patreon for Guitar Center would be one-tier. This membership would include exclusive
behind the scenes content from the podcast and a branded Guitar Center sticker. At the end of
every episode, subscribers will be able to access the content from that specific episode.
Unit Volume Explanation
In the first year for Guitar Center, there would be around 50,000 Patreon members. The process
will be to gain more followers in the following years. The volume of each unit would increase in

150,000-unit increments. There are more than 1 million followers on Guitar Center's Instagram
and YouTube (Guitar Center, n.d.). And Guitar Center's capability to meet this many members
on Patreon is due to the high numbers shown on the other social media sites.
Unit Price Explanation
When subscribing to Guitar Centers' Patreon, the price would be $10 for every unit since the
average price to subscribe to other Patreons is $5 (Campbell, 2018). After filing for bankruptcy
in 2020 and finding a new surge of business in 2021 (Paul 2021). Due to the nature of the
membership, this price point works in favor of bringing a steady income. It also ensures that the
members get exclusive goods in exchange.The Pro Plan from Patreon has an 8% cut, but it is
the most reasonable to choose this plan as it includes all that is helpful for this podcast on
Patreon (Patreon, 2022).
Unit Cost Explanation
There is no unit cost for this because it does not cost anything to open a Patreon account.
See Appendix 5 for Sales Projections.

Income Statement
Assuming everything goes as planned, we will be making money every year, with increasing
profits. In year one, we are expecting to make approximately $206K. In year two, we are
expecting to make approximately $2million. In year three, we are expecting to make
approximately $3.75million. Fortunately, nothing will be hindering profit, as we are trying to
make this a solid revenue stream for the company overall. With the recent file for bankruptcy,
the implementation of a costless Patreon will only turn profit. Our biggest expense will be
marketing the podcast for the first three years; however, by keeping other prices down, we are
able to expand the marketing budget, so we are sure to turn a profit.
See Appendix 7 for a visualized mock income statement.

Project Timeline
Pre-Launch
Pre-Launch includes everything from obtaining all the legal obligations to actually creating and
posting the first podcast. With a start date of August 1, 2022, we are able to assume that the
pre-launch process will take roughly 6 months. Thus, meaning the first episode of the podcast
will air on February 1, 2023.
Month 1 is the first significant milestone. It will consist of completing all legal obligations
including contracts, insurances, and any other legal finances that should be attended to before
anything is recorded or released to the public. This month will also consist of creating content
plans for at least 3 episodes excluding the actual launch episode.
Month 2 will consist of hiring the appropriate number of staff. This will consist of 2 hosts, an
audio engineer, and a producer. At the same time, this month will be used to find any guests for
the podcast for the next few episodes.
Months 3 and 4 are the second significant milestone. It will consist of purchasing all of the
necessary podcast equipment. This includes microphones, any furniture for the room in which
the podcast will be recorded, and any equipment needed for editing. This month will also include
rough recordings of the first few episodes of the podcast as well as a small trailer to use when
advertising the podcast online.
Months 5 and 6 will consist of marketing, final editing, and advertising techniques. During this
time, social media accounts will be made specifically for the podcast using Guitar Centers
already established themes and colors. Final editing will be done to the Intro episode as well as
three more episodes to have them ready in advance.
Year 1
The first significant milestone that will take place during Year 1 is updating all the legal
obligations. By keeping up to date with all our licenses, there is no worry about any of them
expiring while podcast episodes are being made. The second significant milestone will be
completing all of the episode planning within the first 2 months of the year. By having a rough
draft of the topics that are wished to be talked about, the process of finding guests can begin
and tailoring the guests to specific topics and episodes.
Year 2 & 3
While the beginning of Years 2 & 3 will be like Year 1, the first significant milestone will be
updating all equipment and social media pages. Having updated equipment will allow for
recording to run smoothly without having to worry about any old equipment malfunctioning. The
second significant milestone will be creating a new kind of buzz around the podcast. After
already been around for a year, there will be more that needs to go into keeping up with trends
to allow for the podcast to stay relevant and entertaining to the listeners.
See Appendix 8 for Project Timeline.

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Appendices
Appendix 1: Idea Mock-Up

The two images above are mockups of the podcast cover and schedule. The second image
provides all the data that is needed to successfully create the podcast. This includes the hosts
and any guests, the date that has been selected for recording the podcast, the date the podcast
will be posted, and most important, a bullet point list of the different sections within the episode.

Appendix 2: Target Market
Michael Smith, a 35-year-old teacher from Pittsburgh, history of music lessons in his youth.
Michael is a music lover and spends time on his laptop and social media platform, Tiktok.
Michael does listen to podcasts and enjoys streaming live performances.
Michael became more involved in social media platforms during the pandemic, started watching
dad TikTok videos and thinks he could learn to play guitar online. Michael downloaded the
Fender Play App.

Appendix 3: Competitive Analysis
Guitar Center DIY
Musician
Podcast
Music
Business
Podcast
The High
Gain
Podcast
Direct or Indirect
Competition
X
Indirect Indirect Direct
Competitive
Product/Service
Music instrument
podcast
Musician
podcast
Music
industry
podcast
Music
instrument
podcast
Featured
products/service
s
Variety of new
instruments/equipmen
t
Tips & tricks
on gaining
traction in
the industry,
gains
advice/talks
with industry
professional
s
(2021)
Industry
professional
s speaking
on relevant
topics
(2022)
Famous
guitars &
historic
instrument
s
(2022)
YouTube
subscribers
1.03M (2022) 3.74K
(2022)
2.54K
(2022)
207 (2022)

Perks Seeing & learning
about unreleased
products; gaining a
knowledgeable edge
on competitors
(2022)
Industry
specific
news/tips
from leading
industry
professional
s
(2021)
As a
Patreon
subscriber:
Discord
access
Networking
opportunities
Weekly
newsletter
Ask
questions
that will be
answered on
the show
Monthly VIP
happy hour
Zoom call
with hosts
(2022)
As a
Patreon
subscriber:
Exclusive
Discord
access
Exclusive
sticker
Exclusive
“bonus
content”
(2022)

Appendix 4: Marketing Sample

Appendix 5: Sales Projections

Appendix 6: Expense Budget

Appendix 7: Income Statement
Either insert screen captures of your Income Statement tab of your financial workbook or PDF
both documents and combine files accordingly.

Appendix 8: Project Timeline-Talissa
The images below show the projected timeline of Guitar Center’s podcast. Image 1 is a brief
display of the headlining tasks and when they should be done for Pre-Launch. Image 2 is a
detailed schedule of the subtasks and the days that they should be completed by for Pre-
Launch.

Guitar Center Podcast Turns a Profit

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