Bhusvanah
Objectivity of Business: To provide a space (a) for the public to appreciate traditional/ethnic/folk musical heritage (including dance) of the world; (b) for the public to learn traditional/folk musical instruments informally through our audio-visual library; (c) for local musicians and artist to experiment with the instruments in our collection, (d) for musicologists and ethnomusicologists to host workshops and forums; and (e) for the public to be aware of the importance of conserving the musical heritage of the world.
The objective of this business is to educate the public about other ways of experiencing and interpreting music because traditional/World music is often neglected or given an insignificant tribute in music shops.
Our commercial success will be determined when people solely seek our services or products for World/traditional music. Our intrinsic success will be determined when (a) the public begins embracing World music, meaning there will be a radio station or frequency dedicated to World music and World music can be heard in public spaces, and (b) traditional musicians, through our support and dialogue, start sharing their traditions and expertise (making instruments, performing music) and pass on their living intangible (sound) heritage to the next generation of musical heritage guardians.
Nature of Business: This business has more emphasis on services. The space can be described as a gallery or a shop. Many of the items in the shop are not sold but shared as part of the audio-visual-instrument library. Our main services that generate income would include: (a) helping our clients find new/used traditional music recordings and books from around the world, (b) helping our clients find instruments (antique/used/new), (c) helping our clients barter/trade their instruments/recordings, and (d) music tourism: helping our clients embark on a musical quest to specific parts of the world.
Products Offered: Books, journals, audio-visual recordings, musical instruments (simple instruments like bells and chimes to complex instruments like a gamelan ensemble), recording and other musical devices and novelties.
Services Offered: Research for consumer/academic/music tourism purposes. Space rent for bartering or hosting events. An audio-visual library housing a minimum of five hundred books and recordings. A World music instrument library for experimental and rental purposes.
Application of Innovation and/or Technology to be used: At the beginning of the business, innovative technologies will be confined to sound-systems and players and a computer system. We do not wish to invest too much on new technologies available in the market to impress our clients. We will strive to accommodate the basic technological necessities that will enable our clients to appreciate music in the shop or at home. Many of our innovative initiatives will come from the music lab or the experiments at the shop. One example is digitizing traditional instrument sounds.
Target Markets/Market Assessment: Our business will be of great interest and resource to musicologists or ethnomusicologists but we are not limiting our products and services to these selected few. Many of our recordings/instruments will cater to children and adults in terms of form-size, language-used and aesthetics. The musical instruments for sale have a dual property as a music-making tool or as an interior/exterior (e.g. rain drum) decorative art piece. So, our clients can range from interior decorators to collectors and those without a musical background.
Marketing Strategies: Our main marketing strategy is location. We will not invest any money in advertisements. We believe in purely mouth-to-mouth advertising. The next step in marketing will be creating a website.
Development Plans and Milestones: (a) Vanishing Cultures Project: Incorporate and start promoting handicrafts, audio-visual materials associated with cultures that are endangered. A portion of the space in the shop will be dedicated to this project; (b) Servicing and maintenance of traditional musical instruments: with the expertise or training from musicians and craftsmen from around the World, we hope we can service, maintain and conserve traditional instruments in private/national collections. Another aspect of this development is to help modify traditional musical instruments to cater for concerts and different musical styles; (c) Workshops: if we succeed commercially, a large portion of our disposable income will be invested in a music lab equipped with recording facilities and provide workshops and a space for our clients to record music. We will also make efforts to cater for recording technologies that facilitate traditional instruments or music. Also, we will try to include workshops to make musical instruments of various natures and designs; (d) Music and Art: support and provide a platform for the development of architecture and music as well as sound sculptures. Architecture and music will be a movement of putting musical elements into architectural practice. This auditory aspect to architecture deals with the enhancement of experiencing space and also how space enhances the experiencing of sound or music. Sound sculptures are artworks that we would like to invest in for our gallery; (e) Event Organizer: when our reputation grows as a hub for World music, then we will begin inviting traditional musicians to perform or conduct workshops. This is similar to the efforts of WOMAD (World of Music Art & Dance), but instead of hosting a yearly event, we will have various events in collaboration with traditional musicians and dancers throughout the year.
Sustainability of Business: with our specialized field or services and products, as well as our respect for intellectual property laws, we endeavor to make our business as sustainable and enduring as possible. Our sustainable business practice does not just include protecting our capital base but also protecting the World’s natural and human resources. One simple example of doing this is not using plastic bags. Another example would be to use energy efficient light and possibly renewable energy sources to operate the shop but this can be limited to building design and building permits. Ultimately, this business remembers and seeks to remind the public that Nature has been the source of inspiration for many (if not all) of the musical heritage of the world. If our business does not contribute in some way to the protection of nature, then we are not responsible and true to our vision.
