Gold Rush Vinyl: The Future of Records

This week I listened to an episode of Innovation Uncovered- a podcast hosted by Kristen Meinzer- that focused on the evolution of the vinyl industry. The episode featured Caren Kelleher, founder of Gold Rush Vinyl.

Kelleher describes her upbringing and love for music; she reminisces about tediously crafting mixtapes before the dawn of the digital era (2:55). Her interest in music led to work at an indie music magazine and at Google as the Head of Music Partnerships (5:10). All the while, she managed indie bands and came across an intriguing discovery; young fans wanted vinyl again (5:30). She decided this would be her avenue for helping musicians make a living (6:10).

As she investigated the processes surrounding vinyl production, Kelleher observed two major issues: excessive turnaround times and waste. In turn, she decided Gold Rush would be based upon improving these weaknesses. To do so, she sought insight from experts in other sectors. This information informed her factory and machinery design (11:50). This unorthodox design is what allows her to produce vinyl at an exceptionally efficient rate.

Kelleher discusses growing up in a family with strong ties to the hospitality industry. In a hotel, space must be budgeted carefully, and it is important to envision greater scheme of things. This background taught her about "capacity planning, and where the revenue needs to come from" (16:10).

Due to the traditionally long turnaround times of vinyl production, small and mid-size artists would often not be able to procure vinyl supply during their height of popularity. With these artists in mind, Kelleher embraces a "boutique" business style (17:15). With her factory design, she can produce orders in about six and a half weeks, while the industry standard is three to six months (13:20). Her business is also built around supplying small and mid-tier orders; these are the orders that indie artists would otherwise struggle to receive.

She also allows for greater customization of the vinyls themselves; she jokes that if an artist wants the copies to look like a "Flamin' Hot Cheeto," the company can oblige. This model has served her well, as no other manufacturers can provide the flexibility that Gold Rush is based on.

Podcast Link:

Patrick Gannon is an intern at Second Floor Music and Van Gelder Studios, who has experience working in nonprofits, agencies and performance production.  He will graduate from William Paterson University in 2022 with a degree in Jazz Performance, and is working towards an MBA which will be earned in 2023.