How To Run An Audio Software Company w/ Gaurav Dayal (BeatSkillz) | Ep 19

In this insightful conversation, Gaurav Dayal, CEO of Beat Skillz and Tone Empire, shares his journey and lessons learned from running audio software companies. Drawing from his unique background as both a musician with a 20-year career and a computer engineer, Gaurav emphasizes that success in the plugin industry requires more than just technical excellence. Customer support emerges as a critical priority, with his company significantly investing in this area during their second year to build trust and handle the inevitable compatibility issues across different DAWs and systems. He stresses that while frameworks like JUCE make cross-platform development easier, real-world deployment brings unexpected challenges that require dedicated support teams.

Gaurav's approach to product development centers on authenticity and finding your unique voice rather than chasing trends. Beat Skillz has carved out a successful niche by focusing exclusively on vintage 70s, 80s, and 90s sounds and workflows, with their synth wave products becoming top sellers in that genre. He advocates for creating products from personal need and passion first, emphasizing that even simple plugins can succeed if they solve real problems in unique ways. His philosophy of "less controls, more sound" reflects his understanding that musicians want tools that help them create quickly rather than endless tweaking options. The key insight: know your audience intimately and build for them specifically rather than trying to serve everyone.

For aspiring developers, Gaurav offers practical advice on building visibility without large marketing budgets. He recommends starting with free channels like KVR forums, Bedroom Producers Blog, and especially Instagram, where demonstrating products through videos can generate significant organic engagement. His experience with Samplex proved particularly instructive: by documenting the development process over a year on social media, he built anticipation and gathered valuable feedback before launch, creating both buzz and a waiting customer base. Perhaps most encouraging, he notes that audio software has remarkable longevity compared to other creative industries. Products that don't initially succeed often find their audience in years two or three as your brand grows, meaning that persistence and passion for the craft can eventually lead to success where none of your efforts go to waste.

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Originally recorded on February 23rd, 2022.