In a world where the music industry often clings to its old ways, Ethan Monkhouse, the President and COO of NAVIRO, has changed the game.
NAVIRO is an innovative analytics platform, powered by artificial intelligence, designed to enhance fan engagement for musicians and foster financial sustainability. A marketing aficionado with an eye for what’s broken, Ethan is on a mission to bring some much-needed transparency to the music industry.
Let’s take a closer look at his story together.
How NAVIRO Was Born
Ethan’s initial goal wasn’t to revolutionize the music industry. As a marketer, he saw small businesses struggling to break the code of online advertising. This got his wheels turning.
“The idea for NAVIRO came from my last company in the marketing field,” he says. “I noticed the significant hurdles they faced when it came to advertising online.” It was this experience that sparked the idea for NAVIRO—a platform designed to cut through the noise and provide artists with alternative revenue streams. No more guesswork, only smart, tech-driven solutions.
Fighting Against the Old Guard
Of course, breaking into a pretty established industry wasn’t going to be easy. Since the music industry tends to stick to what it knows, Ethan had a hard time trying to get his foot in the door.
“One of the toughest challenges was entering an industry that’s traditionally very resistant to change,” Ethan admits. However, he wasn’t about to back down. By painting a clear picture of how new technologies could transform an industry, Ethan was able to attract the right people.
“The music industry has long relied on outdated methods, so convincing stakeholders to embrace new technologies was a major hurdle. It took persistent effort and a clear demonstration of the long-term benefits our solutions provide to get them on board,” Ethan shares.
Milestones Along the Way
Alongside the challenges overcome, Ethan has also achieved some pretty sweet victories.
In 2022, Ethan graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a degree in computer science and business. His proudest achievement was paying for university all on his own, without taking on student loans. This kind of hustle laid the foundation for his business success.
“Professionally, I’ve helped clients generate eight-figure revenues and set new performance marketing benchmarks. Introducing strategic, data-driven marketing into the music industry has been particularly rewarding, as it significantly improved how marketing is approached in this sector,” Ethan explains.
It was like bringing a high-powered flashlight to a dark, dusty attic—the results speak for themselves.
What’s Next for NAVIRO?
So, what’s next on the horizon?
There’s no slowing down for NAVIRO anytime soon. With the next version of their software on the way, Ethan’s plans are big for pushing the envelope even more.
“We plan to expand NAVIRO’s impact within the music industry and build out the next version of our software,” Ethan shares. The goal is simple: keep making waves, keep challenging the status quo, and help artists and industry pros get the most out of what technology has to offer.
The Best Advice for New Entrepreneurs
For anyone new to the world of entrepreneurship, Ethan’s got some straight-up advice: “Everyone will have an opinion about your business, and many of them will be wrong. It’s easy to take advice, but it’s impossible to take everyone’s advice.”
Then he adds, “Learn to filter and digest the advice you receive, then apply your own judgment before making decisions. In our journey, we often tried to follow everyone’s advice, thinking they were more experienced. But when you’re building something new, no one is more experienced.”
In a nutshell, you should listen to what other people have to say, but keep your instincts in check. When you’re creating something that’s never seen before, there’s no blueprint—it’s all up to you, your vision, and your way of doing things.
Wrapping It Up
Ethan Monkhouse is determined to shake things up in an industry that’s long overdue for some fresh thinking. NAVIRO shows that the music industry is not just capable of keeping up with the times but actually leading them.
Ethan’s story is proof that no matter how big the challenge is, if you have a vision, the guts to pursue it, and the smarts to navigate the bumps along the way, you can make a real impact.
