We at Startupbiz have covered many Zimbabwean entrepreneur profiles, startups and businesses. The thrust is to create brand awareness for enterprises you might not be aware of. It is also to inspire you by sharing with you real-life examples of startups or business ventures you might be contemplating starting as well. In all the time we have never done one in the area of musical instruments and supplies. Our feature today is a notable Zimbabwean enterprise that majors in that area. This is a musical instrument retails shop called Musik Bay. I recently had a chat with the owner of the business and this is what he had to say about Musik Bay.
Who Is Musik Bay?
Musik Bay is a musical instruments retail shop, situated in the Westgate Complex in Harare.
When Was Music Bay Was Launched?
The musical retail shop opened its doors to the public in June 2010. Musik Bay is managed by Kimpton Tanki. He has over 10 years of experience in the industry. Upon realizing the need for a music shop in an upmarket set-up, Musik Bay came to be. Moving away from the congestion of the central business district (CBD), Musik Bay is a shop that offers top quality products and caters for people who do not want the unnecessary hassles of parking and risk all sorts of problems in the CBD.
Services Offered By Musik Bay
They carry a comprehensive range of all types of musical instruments. This spans from recorders for school kids to public address (PA) systems for touring artists, and more. Their clients have leaned more towards high-end guitars and cordless microphones e.g. Shure microphones and Tarkamine guitars. Their product range also includes a wide array of accessories related to the musical instruments they sell.
Musik Bay’s Target Market
Churches and schools constitute a big part of their market audience. Over the years they have leveraged web pages and listings on various e-based sites. This has significantly helped in reaching more clients virtually.
The Team Behind Musik Bay
At the shop front, they have two qualified musicologists, armed with qualifications from top universities in the land. They attend to daily walk-in clients. The manager of the shop is an experienced marketer with over 20 years of experience. The manager is also a widely known consultant and sound engineer. They are responsible for several solutions given a long list of individuals, artists and the corporate community that they serve.
Challenges Being Faced
The issue of the pandemic has affected businesses the world over. Musik Bay has not been spared as in some ways the business has been shaken. The entertainment industry was placed on hold for so many months due to lockdown restrictions. It being their niche meant that business was significantly grounded. However, with the relaxation of lockdown regulations, the business is experiencing a gradual recovery in sales.
Word Of Mouth Contributing Immensely To Musik Bay’s Growth
Musik Bay is a solution-based and customer-oriented company. Given such approaches, Musik Bay has received a lot of word of mouth referrals. A satisfied customer is a good marketing tool. (In fact, I usually underscore the importance of stimulating word of mouth marketing for your startup or business. On average, a satisfied customer tells at least 12 people about their brand experience. Musik Bay has grasped this concept quite well). People can still visit their sites, better still; they go to their shop and experience the world of top-notch musical instruments. In that way, they will be able to testify to others about the sterling products and services in-store. (Lockdown regulations are always observed).
Business Or Investment Partnerships
Being a specialized industry and capital intensive business, Musik Bay has not yet seen a need for partnerships. It is however possible that in the future, there will be room for investors and willing partners to join the company.
Musik Bay is more than just a shop, it is an experience. You can call or visit them to learn more about the company. Their shop is located at MK24, Westgate Complex in Harare. You can call or WhatsApp on their hotline +263 772 925 146. Alternatively, you call on their landline 0242-336006. You can also visit their Facebook page. They have a website but currently, it is under maintenance.
