Entrepreneur's new business allows artists to self promote

Jack Simon, founder of Brister Street Music Festival and Brister Street Productions has launched a new business, EPKpage.

His startup was born from a simple philosophy: Build something people need.

The site allows artists and musicians to create their own electronic press kits (EPK) and is the first EPK platform to allow users to export their EPKs to .pdf files with a single click. Users can make their own EPKs in under five minutes and update and manage anywhere with a smartphone or tablet. 

"After working with many artists, I realized that most of them struggled to create a simple electronic press kit," said Simon. "I decided to create an easier way, to empower them to create and manage their own EPK. In today’s world, many independent musicians and entertainers make a living full time from their craft. The goal of EPKpage is to help artists look professional online so that they can get booked." 

With music sales declining and artists earning a large portion of their revenue from live shows, EPKpage offers a simple EPK solution that artists can use to showcase their talent to potential bookers, venues, promoters, and anyone who wants to hire them to perform.

According to Simon, "What separates us from the competition is that we have no ads or distracting links, it takes less than five minutes to set up, it's user friendly on mobile devices, you can download your EPK to a .pdf with one click, and with our PRO+ account you can manage multiple EPKs under a single account. This saves a ton of time and headache for artists, while providing them with a tool to take their careers to the next level."

Simon explains that as a start-up, the most important success they've achieved thus far is getting EPKpage out there and having the idea validated by the market. In the next year Simon foresees growth, partnerships, and more value added to the service.

The company consists of Simon and CTO Brian Wentzloff, who is a co-founder of another local tech startup, Musistic.

Simon has leaned on local entrepreneurial resources as he launched his business, and continues to stay engaged with the startup community. "In college I utilized the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at The University of Memphis. The guidance of the Center’s Director, Kelly Penwell, was very helpful to me and many other local entrepreneurs starting out. I also love to attend the EPIcenter events because they always bring so many bright minds together to discuss interesting topics. StartCo. is also a helpful resource, with information and events to connect with other entrepreneurs in the city."