My name is William Lindsay and I graduated with a Music Industry Pre-Law Concentration in June of 2014. I tour regularly with my band W. C. Lindsay. I am the founder and CEO of Skeletix, an app that will hopefully change the way you think about concert tickets and live music. I am also the COO of Feedback Loop, a boutique music subscription service, and I am the creative director and co-founder of Long Count Artist Management.
How does your experience within the Music Industry Program at Drexel compare to your actual experience now that you are out in the field?
I haven’t worked for any traditional music industry companies, so for the most part my experience has been quite different. However, I have found that Entrepreneurship has proven to be the most valuable class I’ve taken by far. It has equipped me for things I’ve dealt with in several of my business endeavors, and what I learned in the classroom translates well into the professional environment.
Have you had any "AHA" moments that you would like to share, either during your Drexel days or post-graduation?
I am a big believer in the DIY aesthetic. You can always rely on yourself, and the unfortunate truth is that you can very rarely rely on anyone else. At some point during senior year I realized that I was surrounded by a small group of people I could trust to get things done, and who didn’t wait around for anyone to take action. That was a crucial moment. I now greatly appreciate the professors who preach DIY because I truly believe it’s the only way to find any kind of success today.
Can you talk about ways in which Drexel's co-op program helped you to determine your career and professional goals? Where did you co-op and what was your experience like?
For my first co-op I worked as assistant media director for a summer camp in southern Ohio. I decided I was not interested in starting at the bottom floor of a big company, and after a co-op at Red Bull fell through, I decided to hone my technical and leadership skills working as a camp counselor. Although this did not help me to make music industry connections, I did develop a number of professional skills which will ultimately make me a better hire for any industry. For my second co-op I took a job at Feedback Loop, an emerging boutique music subscription service founded by Drexel alum Justin Chapman. It was incredible working so closely with the top management of a company. I got to learn how startups work and what it means to be an entrepreneur- both incredibly valuable lessons. Justin hired me at the end of my co-op cycle, and I still work there today. In my opinion, a co-op should better you, not just your resume. The trick is finding one that does both.
How would you describe your growth as both a student, and as an active member of the music industry, from your start as a freshman to the current day?
It’s hard to outline my actual growth, but I can tell you that what I’m doing today is not what I expected to be doing when I started at Drexel. When I came to college I believed in the major label structure and thought I wanted a job at a big name industry entity. Today that couldn’t be further from the truth. I believe in small business, entrepreneurship, DIY, having a good time while working, and treating the people who support your business like they actually matter. I am definitely not the major label type anymore!
What are your plans for the future? What do you hope to accomplish in the next five years?
My business partner Lucy Stone and I just received an initial round of prize funding and a year of office space in the Baiada Incubator Competition at Drexel. We will be using this next year to build our ticketing app and bring it to market.
My band, W. C. Lindsay, was listed as an “Artist to Watch in 2014” by both The Huffington Post and AP Magazine, and I am fully committed to touring and recording.
What I want to accomplish in the next five years is simple. I’d like to change the way people think about and buy concert tickets, I’d like to keep playing live music, I’d like to stay on the run, I’d like to eat chips and guac, and I’d like to get my whole family all access passes to Lollapalooza. That last one’s been a goal of mine since I was a freshman in high school!
Were there any particular classes or professors that helped you to decide on your career path, or which you would recommend to future MIP students?
Take Entrepreneurship, take it very seriously, work hard on the assignments and submit them to every competition the school has to offer. You never know when the school will inspire a good idea, give you thousands of dollars to help manifest your concept, and leave you free to graduate into self-employment. Seriously, it happens.
Any last words or take-always you'd like to shout out to our prospective students and their parents about our program and your experience?
Go to more house shows, always let touring bands sleep on your floor, always be nice, and say yes to every weird opportunity.