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GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — Ryan Grow is the consummate music fan.
Since the fourth grade, he has played music in various bands. The Vermont native enjoys going to shows, especially summer music festivals. And, after relocating to Glenwood Springs from Denver this year, he now plays drums with local band 42.
The software engineer is taking his love of music a step further by growing a new Internet business venture, the live-music promotional Web site www.mountainshows.com. The site lists dates, times, bands and venues for shows and festivals in Colorado's Rocky Mountains.
"It's just a lot of fun, and I'm really optimistic about its success," Grow said.
Grow estimates he's spent a few hundred hours developing the site. He's working with friend Bryan Phillips, a search engine optimization consultant, to design and execute the search engine design marketing. He credits girlfriend Jean Allard for coming up with the idea, contributing to the site's design, and serving as MountainShow LLC's business analyst.
"Jean and I were at the Summer of Jazz music series in Glenwood and she said she wished there was one Web site where someone could go and find shows in Colorado," Grow said.
Since the fourth grade, he has played music in various bands. The Vermont native enjoys going to shows, especially summer music festivals. And, after relocating to Glenwood Springs from Denver this year, he now plays drums with local band 42.
The software engineer is taking his love of music a step further by growing a new Internet business venture, the live-music promotional Web site www.mountainshows.com. The site lists dates, times, bands and venues for shows and festivals in Colorado's Rocky Mountains.
"It's just a lot of fun, and I'm really optimistic about its success," Grow said.
Grow estimates he's spent a few hundred hours developing the site. He's working with friend Bryan Phillips, a search engine optimization consultant, to design and execute the search engine design marketing. He credits girlfriend Jean Allard for coming up with the idea, contributing to the site's design, and serving as MountainShow LLC's business analyst.
"Jean and I were at the Summer of Jazz music series in Glenwood and she said she wished there was one Web site where someone could go and find shows in Colorado," Grow said.
With Allard's thought in his mind, Grow went to work on the computer. The site went live in June, but Grow said it has taken several months to generate traffic and interest from local radio and music managers. He said it's finally starting to catch on in popularity.
"There's a lot of work to get a Web-based business off the ground, especially with no traffic," he said. "We're really working on search optimization and hoping bands and venues will set up accounts and go on and add their events."
Belly Up in Aspen is one venue that has shown considerable interest in working with Grow to promote the club's shows, Grow said. Also, KSNO Radio may be announcing live music events on the air generated from mountainshows.com.
"This really shows that KSNO has a great commitment to supporting the local live music scene in the Roaring Fork Valley, and MountainShows is very excited to work with them as a sponsor," Grow said. "This also demonstrates the value MountainShows has for the local live music community."
For now, the Web site is self-funded. But Grow would like to see sponsors such as summer music festivals, such as Mountain Fair and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, come on board.
"Everyone in the business has been really receptive," he said. "As time goes on, and as I work with additional sponsors, I'll add features to improve it. I'm looking for more funding though, maybe by working with iTunes. The possibilities are endless."
"There's a lot of work to get a Web-based business off the ground, especially with no traffic," he said. "We're really working on search optimization and hoping bands and venues will set up accounts and go on and add their events."
Belly Up in Aspen is one venue that has shown considerable interest in working with Grow to promote the club's shows, Grow said. Also, KSNO Radio may be announcing live music events on the air generated from mountainshows.com.
"This really shows that KSNO has a great commitment to supporting the local live music scene in the Roaring Fork Valley, and MountainShows is very excited to work with them as a sponsor," Grow said. "This also demonstrates the value MountainShows has for the local live music community."
For now, the Web site is self-funded. But Grow would like to see sponsors such as summer music festivals, such as Mountain Fair and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, come on board.
"Everyone in the business has been really receptive," he said. "As time goes on, and as I work with additional sponsors, I'll add features to improve it. I'm looking for more funding though, maybe by working with iTunes. The possibilities are endless."
Virtual music
• On the Web: www.mountainshows.com
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Grow sees tremendous growth potential in the project.
"If you build something that fills a void and it's good, ultimately it will be successful," he said. "I'm pretty confident it will work out one way or the other."
Contact April Clark: 945-8515, ext. 16601
aclark@postindependent.com
"If you build something that fills a void and it's good, ultimately it will be successful," he said. "I'm pretty confident it will work out one way or the other."
Contact April Clark: 945-8515, ext. 16601
aclark@postindependent.com
Post Independent, Glenwood Springs Colorado CO
