James McAulay: From Cambridge Music Scene to Building Encore, the UK’s Airbnb for Musicians
James McAulay, a 24-year-old musician and entrepreneur, is the co-founder and CEO of Encore, the UK’s largest platform for booking live musicians. He describes it as an “Airbnb for live musicians.” Here, he shares his journey, challenges, and how Encore is changing the way musicians are booked for events.
Who are you and what is your business?
I’m James McAulay, a musician and entrepreneur. I’m the co-founder and CEO of Encore, which is the UK’s largest platform for booking live musicians. Whether you need a string quartet, a mariachi band, or even an Elvis impersonator, Encore makes it easy for customers to find and book musicians for their events.
How did you come up with the idea for Encore?
While I was studying at Cambridge University, I was heavily involved in the music scene. I saw how much hassle it was to pull together musicians for concerts and private events, and I kept thinking, “Wouldn’t it be great if there was a directory where you could find musicians quickly and easily?” After I graduated, I realized this idea could help people all around the world—not just in my small Cambridge student bubble.
What was crucial in getting Encore off the ground?
I was scouted by an accelerator called Entrepreneur First (EF) while studying Computer Science at university, and honestly, I don’t think Encore would exist without their support. Through EF, I met my co-founder. Even though we were both studying Computer Science at Cambridge, we hadn’t met before—despite how sociable computer scientists are, apparently!
EF gave us a small stipend that helped us survive in London for six months. Without that financial support, I would’ve had to get a full-time job, and that would have put my dream of building Encore on hold.
What makes Encore different from traditional agencies?
There are three key factors that set us apart from traditional agencies:
- Encore Pay
We’ve developed a revolutionary payment system called Encore Pay. Customers pay upfront before the event, and we automatically pay the musicians within 24 hours after the performance. This ensures that both the customers’ money and the musicians’ earnings are safe. Plus, musicians don’t have to waste time creating invoices or chasing payments, which can be a headache even with some reputable agencies. - Direct Communication Between Musicians and Customers
Unlike traditional agencies, we encourage direct communication between customers and musicians. We believe that passing information through a middleman is inefficient and can lead to miscommunication. By eliminating the middleman, we make the booking process much smoother for everyone. - The Largest Network of Musicians in the UK
Encore boasts the largest network of musicians in the UK. Whether you’re looking for a classical string quartet or a lively mariachi band, we’ve got it all. This large network ensures that our customers always have a variety of options to choose from, and they never have to settle for the only act available. It also means we can respond to requests quickly—usually within 30 minutes, even on weekends or late at night. In London, our average response time is around 10 minutes.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when launching Encore?
The biggest challenge was finding our first customers, especially with a limited marketing budget. As musicians, we had no trouble signing up talented musicians from across the UK, but as newcomers to the music industry, we didn’t have an extensive network of event bookers. Fortunately, we’ve now grown to work with thousands of customers each month.
What’s your biggest achievement so far?
We’ve had many accomplishments, like winning awards at European startup competitions and raising investment rounds, but what I’m most proud of is how much we’ve paid out to musicians. Reaching £1,000,000 paid to musicians was a major milestone for us, and I’m excited to hit the £10,000,000 mark in the future.
What marketing strategies have you used to grow Encore?
For us, viral marketing and word-of-mouth worked wonders. The musician community is tightly connected, so musicians were naturally spreading the word about Encore. We also created an explainer video that helped us attract musicians beyond our existing networks. After the video launched, we saw a period of rapid growth, and Encore really took off.
FAQs
Q1: What exactly is Encore?
Encore is a platform that allows customers to book live musicians for events. Whether you need a classical string quartet, a jazz band, or a solo performer, Encore makes it easy to find and hire musicians for your event.
Q2: How does Encore Pay work?
With Encore Pay, customers pay for the performance upfront, and musicians receive their payment within 24 hours after the event. This ensures both customer and musician funds are secure and simplifies the process for everyone.
Q3: How does Encore differ from traditional agencies?
Unlike traditional agencies, Encore allows for direct communication between customers and musicians, eliminates the need for a middleman, and boasts the largest network of musicians in the UK, ensuring quick responses and a wide selection of talent.
Q4: How did Encore grow in its early days?
Encore’s growth was fueled by viral marketing, word-of-mouth within the musician community, and a well-crafted explainer video that attracted more musicians to the platform.
Q5: What’s the biggest achievement of Encore so far?
The biggest achievement for Encore has been reaching £1,000,000 paid to musicians. This milestone represents the impact Encore has had on the music industry, ensuring musicians are paid fairly and quickly for their performances.
Conclusion
Encore has proven to be a game-changer for the live music booking industry. With its innovative payment platform, direct communication between customers and musicians, and the UK’s largest network of musicians, Encore is making booking live music easier, faster, and more reliable. By cutting out the middleman and focusing on efficiency, James McAulay and his team have created a platform that benefits both musicians and customers. With plans to keep growing, Encore is on track to become the go-to destination for booking live musicians in the UK and beyond.