A Post To Inspire The Next Generation Of Audio Engineer

One of the biggest mistakes people make when starting a business is assuming that failure cannot be an option. In reality, things will go wrong. Some ideas won't work, money will be wasted and you'll make decisions that look very different with hindsight.

Before Audio Animals, I ran two other businesses. Both did reasonably well, but neither became life-changing. What they gave me was experience. I learned what deserved my time, where money could be better spent and which mistakes I didn't want to repeat.

I'd approach starting a business quite differently today because of those experiences. Failure isn't valuable on its own; the value comes from understanding why something went wrong and applying that lesson the next time.

Everyone says you need to work hard to succeed. The more useful question is what that actually means to you.

While building Audio Animals, I was prepared to dedicate an enormous amount of time to it. When other people were relaxing, gaming or going out, I was usually working towards the next goal. That doesn't mean everybody should work sixteen hours a day. There are limits to what is sustainable. But building something exceptional often involves periods of intense commitment.

The difference for me is that I genuinely love the work. Even outside normal studio hours, I naturally gravitate towards audio, equipment, content and ideas for the business.

People sometimes ask when I intend to retire. I often tell them that I retired the day I started Audio Animals. Of course, there are stressful days. But getting to walk into a studio and work with audio every day is a privilege. I've built a career around something I'd probably be doing anyway.

Talent matters, but being good at something isn't always enough if nobody knows you exist. That could mean sharing your knowledge, making videos, publishing articles, meeting people, teaching or documenting what you're learning. You don't need to know everything before you have something useful to say.

Creating content has made an enormous difference to Audio Animals, but it has also changed me personally. Years of making videos and explaining technical subjects have made me far more comfortable communicating.

I'm now invited to speak at schools and universities, and I genuinely enjoy it. More than ten years ago, standing up in front of people would have been one of my worst nightmares. Some confidence comes with age and experience, but a lot of mine came from practice.

Compare an old Audio Animals video with a recent one and you'll see how much repeated communication can change somebody. Consuming content can help you learn; creating gives other people a reason to discover you, understand what you do and remember your name.

I still remember the excitement of getting orders for a business I'd built myself. When somebody you've never met is prepared to pay for a service or product you've created, it changes how you see the opportunity in front of you.

That first order might not transform your finances, but it proves somebody values what you're offering. Then you find another customer, and another. Gradually, momentum builds.

I still get excited when orders arrive at Audio Animals. The business is larger and the numbers have changed, but I haven't lost that feeling. Watching a company develop is almost like watching something grow up: initially everything needs your attention, then systems emerge, the client base expands and the business starts to find its feet.

If your first months are slow, don't panic. Focus on getting the ball moving. Build on the small successes rather than expecting everything to happen at once.

One of the most useful lessons I've learned is to protect your money, particularly in the early stages. Designer clothes, expensive nights out and cars on finance can create the appearance of success without telling you much about somebody's financial position.

I've always been more interested in what I can build than what I can buy to look successful. Every pound spent on appearances is a pound that can't go towards better equipment, improved facilities, advertising, staff, content or a new product. Cash also gives a young business flexibility when difficult months or unexpected opportunities arrive.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying the rewards of hard work when you can comfortably afford them. My view is simply to get the priorities in the right order: build first, then enjoy the results.

Building a career in the audio industry isn't easy, and life will always present circumstances outside your control. But allowing those circumstances to become a permanent explanation for why you cannot move forward won't bring you any closer to your goals.

Put your energy into what you can change. Improve your skills, look after your finances, build your reputation and create opportunities. Be thoughtful about the people around you, too. Ambitious, positive people who genuinely want to see you succeed can make a tremendous difference.

You don't need everybody to understand what you're trying to achieve.

I didn't start Audio Animals with everything figured out. I started with an idea, learned as I went and kept moving. If this article gives somebody who wants a career in music the confidence to take that first step, then it has served its purpose.