Uncut "Why Now"

Why is Uncut only possible now?

Photo by Gary Butterfield on Unsplash

As a co-founder of Uncut, I am constantly asked why now? Why is Uncut only possible now? I've always found that question fascinating. This isn't my first startup, and I've learned (sometimes the hard way) that success isn't always about your vision or your ability to execute. Most of the time, success is more about timing (and luck).

Having a strong "why now" certainly gives you a better chance of building a meaningful and sustainable project. In the meantime, your "why now" may reveal itself later. Companies like SpaceX, Airbnb, Pinterest, DoorDash, Instacart, Facebook, and Netflix had little to no "why now." And, of course, you can still fail miserably with a strong "why now."

With Uncut, we want to break down the walls that platforms have built between podcasters and their audiences. That's our mission, our ultimate goal. We position ourselves on the side of the creators/hosts. We are committed to building engagement with podcasts by connecting hosts directly with their listeners. We want them to regain full ownership of their content, their audience, and the business that goes with it.

We believe the time is right for this because of different factors:

1/ The ubiquity of new technologies: Bluetooth!

Bluetooth has been around for more than a decade, but it has become commonplace and has made listening to podcasts easier. It really turned audio into an attractive new interface for content.

2/ Change in people's behavior: Everyone is a creator!

More and more people want to express their ideas. Audio is an exciting format to develop your brand and your media. This trend will accelerate. Today's listeners are tomorrow's podcasters.

3/ Change in people's beliefs: Creators don't trust traditional platforms!

Podcasters are starting to understand that listeners on traditional podcasting platforms are not their fans. They don't own their audience. These are not platforms on which they can build a sustainable business. Hosts need a place to hold their relationships with listeners, where there is no middleman between the audience and them.

These are three factors that I believe make the timing of Uncut perfect, and I'm curious to hear what you think.