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Entrepreneur Files
Texas Music
UT Connection: Stewart Ramser, BBA 92
Location: Austin
“I did all of my homework, and everything I do is grounded in the numbers,” says Stewart Ramser of his Texas Music magazine launch. “There have been good efforts before that have not been executed well from a business perspective.” Having just published the fourth issue of Texas Music, Ramser says his magazine has made it through the worst part—the debut year. The first magazine dedicated solely to the Texas music scene—artists either from Texas, based here, or recording here—readership has already spread to 47 states and the page count just increased by 24 pages. The company is now self-sufficient and seeking up to $2 million in capital to expand its operations and increase frequency.
Working overseas with Dun & Bradstreet after graduating from UT, Ramser was surprised to find out not only how many people had positive impressions of Texas, but how much Texas music was making its way around the globe. He saw Texas groups in Sweden, Germany, and France—a club called Chesterfield’s in Paris books Texas acts all summer long. A Fort Worth native with a great love of Texas music, he sought it out wherever he was and lamented the fact that there was no one place for him to stay in touch with Texas artists.
“While I was finishing my graduate degree at UCLA, I came up with this idea, and I knew if I could create my perfect job, this would be it,” he says. Seeking advice and buy in every step of the way, Ramser tapped Austin City Limits and the Texas Music Office. He did a lot of research on potential advertisers, studied the demographics, wrote a business plan, started a subscription drive, and talked to dozens of reporters from high profile entertainment magazines. By drawing in freelance writers from such magazines as Rolling Stone, Cosmo, and Spin, Ramser won instant credibility among the musicians being asked for interviews.
But how long can a magazine about the music in just one state survive? “Being a really large state, there are a lot of regions that have unique sounds,” says Pat Cosgrove of Austin City Limits. “Few other states have as rich a wellspring of music to draw on.” Ramser says that in the unlikely event nothing else ever happens, he’s got enough material for several years worth of magazines.
“While it’s true that most music fans tend toward only one genre,” says Casey Monahan of the Texas Music Office in the Office of the Governor, “Texans are a bit less discriminating and more apt to try something if it’s local. Stewart is keying in on that respect that Texans have for their state’s culture and doing his best commercialize those proclivities.”
Texas Music is distributed in major bookstores, including Barnes & Noble, Borders, and SuperStand. For more information, visit www.texasmusiconline.com or call 1-877-35TEXAS.
For information on specific programs at the McCombs School, consult our contacts page. For media information, contact the Communications Director by phone at 512-471-3314 or by email at CommunicationsDirector@mccombs.utexas.edu.
