Simon Pursehouse

What gave you the idea for Sentricmusic?

When Chris (my business partner) and I were managing artists we were frustrated about not bring able to collect our artists’ PRS royaties due to the high subscription costs. That’s when we realised there was a gap in the market.

What were you doing at the time you had the idea?

I was managing the artist ‘Karmen Vega’ and running the gig night ‘Quids In’ and Chris was running ‘Square Promotions’.

What was the first thing you did to try and make the idea happen?

Chris found a couple of private investors who were really interested in the idea. A few business plans and several pints later, Sentric Music was born.

Who helped you, and how?

Chris and I got a lot of help from one of our private investors, Andy. He has a good knowledge of business and he helped teach us the ‘rights and wrongs’ of the private sector industry. The PRS themselves were a big help as they are very pro what we are doing. It’s extremely surprising who will help you if you just call them up and ask! The music industry can be seen as quite intimidating but if you’ve got the confidence to cold-call people and ask for their help then you should be fine.

Has anyone influenced you and if so who?

It may be a bit of a clichéd answer, but my dad has been a huge influence for me. His work ethic is unbelievable and he’s believed in me and supported me in what I do every step along the way. He was hugely influential in my passion for music and I shall be forever in his debt for that.

What obstacles did you encounter along the way?

Educating artists regarding what we actually do! It’s unbelievable the amount of artists who don’t realise that they are owed this money and that by simply clicking a couple of buttons on our website they can get their hands on it with no consequences whatsoever! It baffles me.

When did the idea start looking viable?

The second we thought it up! Seriously though, it was probably when we received our first royalty statement from the PRS. That’s when we realised the model worked and now we just need to sign as many bands as possible!

Future plans for the idea?

To become, quite simply, essential to all unsigned artists within the UK.

How do you encourage enterprise in Liverpool / your company?

We often take on work experience placements, usually university leavers.

Do you attend any networks and how have they helped you?

Mainly music conferences such as In The City, Go North, South By South West, London Calling etc. They are a big help for our business as it’s pretty much our key demographic who attend them.

Have you / your business entered or won any awards if so which ones?

We won an award for innovation in the north west of England and we’re now in the final for the whole of the UK. We’re also looking into various other awards with cash prizes to help the company grow.

Advice to anyone else who wants to make their idea happen?

Accept the fact that it could be one of the biggest risks you take and use that overwhelming feeling to your advantage. The fact of the matter is, a lot of new businesses do fail down to poor preparation so make sure you take advantage of all the information available to you. And look out for government initiatives such as Connexions, they’re there to help! Simple as that.