How can I start my own record label?

How to start your own label. First thing girst is completing school and learning how to manage a business. Your first step would be to get all of your business affairs in order first before anything.
- Come up with a name for your label
- Trademark label name/ logo
- Get a tax id
- Join a Music Society as a publisher under company name. ( ASCAP, BMI, SOCAN ETC) you can only be with 1.
- set up with Neilsen BDS to BDS your music/ or your artist music.

• set up a copyright account to copyright your work


• find a company that you can digital distribution thru until your able to do physical distro.


• Once you have completed a good bit of the things on this list go and purchase the "Indie Bible"

It may seem slightly difficult but don't give up, continue to strive forward and have faith.
If you have any further questions feel free to hit me anytime. God Bless

Hi. I hear many different things in your question - entrepreneurship, being a musician, starting a label, sound editing. Wow! Which one excites you the most? Which one are you most talented in? Being an "entrepreneur" is all the rage these days - as if anyone can do it. I think it takes a certain kind of person - I believe it is a gift, even. Hard work is essential, yes. But there are so many other skills and character traits needed. Don't go by what you see on "Shark Tank!" I am not discouraging you, I just think you need to know if you are wired that way. I say it with respect because you have a rough road ahead of you, starting your own business. Some people just have a knack, the personality to it - the drive and ambition that lets nothing stop them no matter what. If that is you, you can make it. As for starting a record label, READ READ READ! Read up on what it takes, how it works, how you would do it, as there are a lot of business-y things and you don't want to waste money hiring a lawyer to set things up for you that you can do for yourself, if you are educated about it. With the internet, your resources are unlimited. Sound editing is a whole different ballgame. You must be very technically inclined - have a mind for detail. Usually the record label owner is not also the sound editor. Again, you have a lot you seem to want to do. But I still believe that focusing on one area at a time is best so you become really good, skilled, and educated at it - whatever it is. Find a recording studio and see if you can intern there and "shadow" the sound editor. See if that's what you really want. There are also tons of small business owners that meet together - if you meet with them, you can learn the reality of owning your own business. Do you know about meetup.com? That might be a good place to start. I wish you all the best!