starting an indie label.

[ethos]

can anyone give me a rough estimate of the cost of starting a small label?
for instance, how much does it cost to copywrite a name and logo?

[RickW]

I believe it's not as easy as you think. If you want to actually start a company, you're best bet is to get a lawyer to give you proper info. I also think what you need is a trademark, not a copyright. Two different things entirely. You'll have to perform a search (via lawyer) to make sure NO ONE already owns the name or something close enough to give you future trouble. You could probably do a quick search on the internet, but it most likely won't be thorough enough to cover your bases. You'll probably have to get a DBA from your town hall. Now, I'm just saying this regarding the fact that you said label...as in other people being on it. If it's just for your own release and you don't plan on national distribution, maybe you could take your chances. But I say, try the legal way if you're serious. It may cost you a bit, but it'll last you a lifetime.

I'm sure others here have more experience, and probably better advice than I, so don't take this as gospel. It's only my opinion.

[grn]

you should just start creating, releasing, and promoting CDs, don't worry so much about it being proper until it gets bigger - and you can't copyright a name, you can trademark it though, but there's no point... or a logo, just have an actual business first

[sjaguar13]

Originally Posted by grn

you should just start creating, releasing, and promoting CDs, don't worry so much about it being proper until it gets bigger - and you can't copyright a name, you can trademark it though, but there's no point... or a logo, just have an actual business first

I agree. Just start doing it. I have a business name registered, but I only did it to get a business license. Registering the name was $25 and the license was $50 (I think, or it was the other way around. I know one was $25 and the other $50). I did that after recording and stuff for well over 2 years. The ONLY reason I ever considered getting the paper work done was so I could start buying some things I needed at wholesale cost, mainly blank CDs and cases. Other than that, it didn't really add any benefit.

[wang191]

I dont know a whole lot about this but i'll give a quick reasponse as to why i'm responding.

I took a class last semester on music business law and I am invovled in my school's new record label (just being started up).

You will need to form the company and get it LLC'd (leagal reasons) and then trademark the name and logo (you dont really need to do that because once you start using that name and logo technically you own the rights, however, the actual trademark makes it easy to prove when you started using it becuase you have legal paperwork to show it.

Then just start getting bands and stuff but dont forget the contracts for what you are offering them and what they have to give you. This isnt always an easy task if they have a manager or someone watching out for their interests too.

I dont know if i can tell you how much we had to start the label but it was a pretty penny. Granted we did buy things for our project that you may not see as necessary.

good luck

[FALKEN]

there is a website for the us trademark office where you can search to see if a name has been trademarked already...don't know the site off-hand. you can also file for corporate status with the us gov't...

[ethos]

thanks for the help. its given me some things to think about.

[treymonfauntre]

the whole point of indie is to not concern yourself with something ridiculous like name copywriting

[FALKEN]

who died and proclaimed you master of the indie universe? indie is about taking personal control.

[junplugged]

I think you can upgrade your sole proprietorship to another form if you want to start it cheap and fast. you can use WestLaw to search names and also the perf. rights. orgs. for name search, I think you need to belong to both as a pub. ascap/bmi, they search their name db when you apply and leave room for other name choices.

[demensia]

I'm interested in doing something like this as well.. maybe not a label but a business... I registerd a tax id.. but thats as far as I've got.. I'd like to have all my music related stuff handled like a business... Why not? I book my gigs professionally, in my day planner, and I follow up and set tasks and goals.. I spend tons of money on gas, and blank cds, and guitar strings... I take in some money for gigs... Sounds like a business to me... I'm just overwhelmed with it all.. the taxes and lawyers... I don't know how to proceed.. What kind of lawyer? How much will that cost me (or my business)? Is it worth it, will I lose money on my tax returns? What do I do with the tax id now that I own it?

[junplugged]

I don't think a lawyer is needed for a simple sole proprietorship. you get a biz box or use your own address, a dba with a name and an address, a biz bank checking account with the dba, keep records of in and out, have income, subtract expenses, you'll probably be at a loss, but maybe not so you either pay taxes or get a refund.

It's better than the IRS deciding that you're a successful musician and making up records that you didn't keep and basing you're income from a model of a successful musician and making you pay $200,000 in back taxes and fines, I heard that it's happened.

[earthboundrec]

A trademark cost roughtly $350.00. Not worth the $$ unless you're doing some major business. Trademarks are public domain and you can find who has what trademarked via the gov't. Just google "trademark register" with .gov domains, it shouldn't be hard to find.

I've just recently gone into business with my studio and I'm finding that the business aspects take care of themselves, that music is what matters... Once every few weeks you gotta make sure your website is still working (in my case, check to see if the guy you're paying a case of beer to has uploaded it yet) and give a call to whoever you're advertising with and tell them to keep running the ad. Get some business cards, go around town and hand them out at jams, open mics, to street musicians, if a band has a descent followng, offer to record them for free, just b/c there's a chance they might get big and you could reap some benefits from that.

If you're serious about becoming self employed, quit your job and find a descent paying part time job with a set schedule. I've just done this and now the amount of time I spend with audio and with musicians has gone up substantially... I'm not making quite as much as I was working full time, but at the current pace I should be soon. One other thing, get rid of your TV, I used to just beach out and watch tv instead of working on music, now, the TV is in the bedroom and I watch only about a half an hour a day when I'm going to bed. That's my 2 cents on starting up a small business.

[earthboundrec]

Originally Posted by ethos

can anyone give me a rough estimate of the cost of starting a small label?
for instance, how much does it cost to copywrite a name and logo?

Hey, just noticed your in Madison.. Cool, you play in any bands in town?

[ethos]

no. im a bedroom musician at the moment.
what about you?
what area do you live in?

[grn]

I think you should not worry about business until you get big enough to where people will want to work for you. Then get a good lawyer.

[Kryptik]

Cost varies from state to state, but a couple of months ago I registered a trade name with the NH Secretary of State for $80, and opened up a DBA the day after. Trade Marks and Trade Names in the US are generally earned. You have to keep using them in public view in your area in order to secure rights to the name and mark. It is generally a good idea to make sure that nobody already has the name you picked, at least in your area. When you register, the state will most likely run a search to make sure the name is not taken. Sometimes there is a fee for that though.