Maybe my ongoing experiences will clear up why some people should not start there own record company. I started YBM Entertainment a "indie" record label with a couple of friends. Basically we started the label out of frustration, sending demos to big labels only to never hear from any of them, not knowing anyone in the music business circle that actually had the clout to back up all the B.S that came out of there mouths like "Ya man you guys are awesome and with me we are gonna make some serious money or the I can make you guys famous crap. Besides that the paranoia that comes with getting screwed. I have heard songs on the radio here that i would swear that some other label had used the idea from a song on a demo I sent them and made money off of it. Ya I could probably fight it in court but when you don't have the money to back you for lawyers, proof of copyright, and all that other crap well... why try? Starting your own record label isn't that hard. All you really need to do is go down to the county clerks office pay 20 bux for a DBA and file for a Tax Number and bam! your a record label. But thats the easy part making money and establishing yourself as such is the hard part. I haven't made one red cent since i went to the courthouse and "purchased" my business. Why? Because now I have to wear a million something odd hats. I have to be the C.E.O, the producer, the songwriter, the promoter, the publisher,the manager, the musician, the rapper, the singer, web site moderator, well you get the picture. I also have to do all this a a very limited budget usually it what i have left after paying bills in my apartment and taking care of my wife & son. Although fun the project consumes all of my spare time. I go to work 12 hours a day 7 days a week sleep maybe 4 then get up and put up with no name rappers who can't seem to stay out of jail long enough to ever finish anything there recording. After that i sit down and attempt to mix and master stuff that took entirely too long to finish, then try to come up with a new track for that other guy and do all this while my son begs for me to play him and his Legos and the wife wants her QT as well. Im currently working on finishing a full length album for one of the artists i work with he seems to be the only one with the same ideas and the determination that i have and realize that its all hard work. We have 9 songs recorded and we are shooting for 7 more. I would like to focus more on the production but i've already commited to so many other tasks and with no money to hire help well it's usually all up to me. Starting your own label isn't a bad idea to me though, I love music and I was raised to believe that anything that you didn't have to work hard to get isn't worth having. So if you feel that you could run a label by all means start one if not, find one that supports your music. Hell i'd sign you but I have enough problems as it is.