SPEAKER_01 0:15

Welcome to the Sterling Business Podcast. Today we're going to do something a little bit different. I keep being asked by different people about my businesses here in Stirling. So today we've got Mark Wallace who's going to interview me and ask me specifically all things studio King Street. So Mark, how are you?

From Meeting Room To Recording Space

SPEAKER_00 0:37

I'm alright. Thanks for inviting me along to this lovely studio. What what gave you an idea? Come on, Neil. You don't you've you've come up to Scotland. What made you think I'm coming to Scotland and I'm going to open up a podcast studio, a professional podcast studio, might I say?

SPEAKER_01 0:51

The honest answer was that initially the plan was to use this particular space as another meeting room within the building to complement our workspace business. And I thought, well, why why not try something a little bit different? Podcasting is becoming significant. There's about 15 and a half million people across the UK listening to podcasts on a daily basis. And I thought, you know what? There's nothing like this in the uh in the heart of uh the Fourth Valley or Central Scotland in general, so uh why don't we uh have a bit of a punt and and basically cr uh build a professional recording studio here?

SPEAKER_00 1:33

It's looking great. I mean it's the first time I've been in. So obviously you're an expert at podcasts, that's why you did it. You knew your stuff. Not really.

Soundproofing And The Johnson Media Partnership

SPEAKER_01 1:40

Yeah, I listen I listened to a few. Uh I'm one of those 15 and a half million listeners. Uh but now I I think it was kind of more about uh obviously you know, for that many kind of uh listeners out there, there must be a lot of people creating content uh you know for people to listen to. So I thought about you know, maybe kind of tapping into that side of the market uh for the creation of of podcasts. But what started to become very apparent was that uh podcasting was just one use case that could be uh uh you know leveraged from from from within the recording studio. Uh we have uh you know people looking to record audiobooks, that you know, that's a big growth area. Or people who are looking to record uh video content or audio content for online purposes, you know, for training and things like that. So there's lots of different uses for the studio, uh not just podcasting, but podcasting tends to be the one that uh most people are wanting to use it for.

SPEAKER_00 2:36

It seems to be growing legs and arms, doesn't it? I mean, like you start with the original podcast studio, now you're doing audiobooks and I mean the equipment. I'm looking around and you guys might not be able to see this, but we've got cameras and we've got technicians, and I mean how much does I mean, the expense of this? It was it expensive to set up?

SPEAKER_01 2:53

So what we did is um yeah, from a costling perspective, when we were developing the building, we thought, you know, why don't we start with the end in mind and we've got the opportunity to build it properly from the outset. So we created compl uh you know proper soundproofing, you know, between the you know, the walls of the different kind of rooms within the building and uh and between the kind of you know, the the ceilings and the kind of floors, if you like. So the soundproofing, you know, i it it wasn't inexpensive, uh, but we've done properly. So, you know, you get the right acoustics and you get the right uh environment to effectively record your podcasts within. Um in terms of the technology and the equipment, uh we uh we work in collaboration, uh we're in a joint venture with Johnson Media, uh, who already have the equipment, uh professional audio and and video recording equipment. Um so we've got the best of both worlds. We've got the best environment to record podcasts in, and we've got the best technology and uh ultimately the best people with the Johnston Media guys to uh help us record and edit those uh podcast as when they're being created.

SPEAKER_00 4:03

When required. That's fantastic. You've obviously met it's Ian at Johnston Media, isn't it? Ian and Ian Johnson. Yeah, he's business partner. Business partner, yeah. He does a lot of stuff I know down down south and he's got some famous contacts. So how did you manage to persuade him to get involved with you?

SPEAKER_01 4:18

I think he didn't fall in love with me at all. You can ask him that when you see him, but it was Moy fell in love with the studio. He thought my equipment would be great in there and we could do some fantastic recording work together.

Why Stirling Makes Sense

SPEAKER_00 4:28

Yeah, it sounds sounds absolutely fine. What a great idea, because I don't think there's another podcast studio in in Sterling, is there? Or is there?

SPEAKER_01 4:35

I think uh there are other podcast studios out there uh you know professionally built and and you know uh built with the end in mind. Uh I don't think so. Uh I think the nearest uh you know professional recording studios you've got, notwithstanding music recording studios and what have you, uh, are probably in Edinburgh and Glasgow. So we're very central. So we're in a great location for um Aberdeen, Inverness, you know, accessible by train, for example. Um pretty much every everybody has to kind of come through Stirling to get to either Edinburgh or Glasgow from the north, uh because we are the kind of gateway to the Highlands, if you like. Um so yeah, I think we're pretty unique. And uh, you know, if uh if we're successful, we'll uh develop more within the within the central region.

DIY Sessions To Fully Managed Packages

SPEAKER_00 5:21

And how how's it going? Do you mind me asking? Are you are you starting to get because it's quite a new venture, you're starting to get more interest? We are.

SPEAKER_01 5:27

Um we we started out with a fairly basic product offer. Uh so we did we called it the DIY offer. So if you wanted to come and uh do an audio recording or a a video record, audio plus video with a single camera, um the technology uh you know was pretty easy to put together to uh provide that type of service. Uh we still offer that. So those people who are more than happy to take the recordings away with them to uh do their own editing if they want to edit those podcasts before putting them onto their uh you know chosen channels, uh whether that be YouTube, Spotify, um that's still an option. But what we've done working in collaboration with uh with Ian the Johnson Media is build more of a uh broader product offering. So we can um we can add more cameras from different angles, uh we can professionally record uh you know the session uh along with uh editing um which happens during and and post-podcast. That's all done by Ian and his team. Uh uh Ian and his daughter Karen uh predominantly that uh do that uh from Johnson Media. Uh but we can also provide um a broader offering as well, should the client request it, like we could add uh a social media package. So we could create social media content, we could create reels from the video content uh that's been recorded. And uh, you know, we could go as far as kind of helping with branding and putting theme music and things like that over the top. So we can now offer a full managed service from super nuts from a DIY, you know, doing a simple DIY all the way up to a fully managed recording and everything in the middle.

SPEAKER_00 7:13

Do you know that's fantastic? So basically, me, I've got no technical knowledge. In fact, I was speaking to a member of your family, they were sorting out my Instagram this morning, weren't they? So that must be great because when people come to you, they don't have technical knowledge. So you'll do the whole package and literally brand help them with their brand progressment via the podcasts and repeat business. I guess the idea is when they do one podcast, they get the bug, are you getting repeat customers already?

The Podcast That Builds The Brand

SPEAKER_01 7:39

We are, yeah. So again, there was two parts to what we did to to uh launch the studio. One was broaden out the product offering, which we've just been talking about. So we have uh you know different um you know different different uh kind of product offerings from the kind of low end of the scale to the to the to the the more complex requirements. Uh but what we also did was we started this podcast, the Sterling Business Podcast, together with uh with Johnson Media. And the whole idea of this podcast um is twofold really. Firstly, is to provide a brand for Studio King Street. So, you know, it's a business podcast, the Sterling Business Podcast. So we're we're you know, we're we're adding a brand to the studio. So people, you know, all of these uh, you know, all of these podcasts are recorded here in the studio. Um but it also gives local businesses, entrepreneurs, uh, academia, um, and uh students, if they want to come in, uh, a platform to come and and and talk about their businesses. Yeah. Uh so we've had a whole range of guests on the podcast, uh, you know, from professors at the university to the council's business gateway teams to the business improvement district, but then entrepreneurs who started their businesses here in Stirling. So it's a great platform to give businesses a voice. Um and they have they just have to come up to King Street and uh sit down where you're sat now and get an interview by yours truly.

SPEAKER_00 9:06

That's what I was going to ask you. So how King Street, I know we are, because it's the middle of Sterling, you can't miss it, it's five minutes from the radio station, there's cafes all over, so they can have a whole day out here. So when someone wants to come and use your services, how would they start? What's that initial step?

SPEAKER_01 9:20

So, first uh point of call is to go to the website, uh www.studio kingstreet.com. And on there they can see what the offerings are, what we can provide, and um they can they can uh create a booking uh through the kind of calendar on the website to uh effectively come and uh you know come and book with us now. Uh anything more complex than a DIY podcast, which we charge on an hourly rate, we have a different rate for an audio podcast and a video podcast. Uh we'd encourage them to call our house manager Laura uh on the uh you know on the King Street number, uh which is also advertised on the on the website, and she'll basically find a scheduled slot that will work. And depending on how complex that recording needs to be, we'll tie, you know, tie that up with uh our colleagues at Johnston Media and we'll uh we'll just get it booked in.

SPEAKER_00 10:12

It's quite simple, really. It sounds sounds great. The other thing I'm thinking, I'm just thinking off the cuff here, they come and do the podcast, they've obviously got uh an intention to let themselves get known out there. So can they use that podcast to sort of extend their media presence? Can they go forward?

Podcasting As A Marketing Channel

Building Podcasts Around Supply Chains

SPEAKER_01 10:28

Yes, so podcasting, what we're finding is just another uh social media channel ultimately. Uh it's becoming more popular because more people are engaging uh with with their audience through podcasting, uh, as opposed to just continue to rely on the on the classic channels like Instagram and TikTok. Um it's becoming more professionalized. So uh you know lots of people do podcasts. They might try and record and create those on their on their iPhones uh or their Android devices. But what we're trying to kind of advocate is that you you should be, if you if you're serious about using this as a business vehicle, you should professionalize that by using a proper recording studio like what we've got here, and um, you know, kind of doing it properly. Now, one other thing that we are doing, we talked about the product offer, the expansion of that. We talked about um the the branding around the Sterling Business Podcast, but we're also looking um at putting different struct uh different commercial packages together for businesses that might want to start their own podcast and extend that to their ecosystem or their supply chains or value chains within their uh particular communities. So um, I don't know, we had uh, for example, a uh local supplier of uh manufacturer supplier of fudge. So, you know, they're keen to you know start a uh podcast around their particular brand and you know bring their supply chain and their customers and and suppliers in to be interviewed by them. So you know, you can as you can see the kind of uh the opportunity just grows and grows as a result of you know them talking to their ecosystem and maybe their I don't know, their sugar provider or their milk provider might want to um you know start their start their own podcast and you know that kind of ecosystem just expands as a result.

Pricing And How Recording Works

SPEAKER_00 12:21

So you can come here, you don't have to have any idea about how to switch things on. It's all done for you in the package, is that right?

SPEAKER_01 12:26

Yeah, even even the DIY package is straightforward. So as long as we know you're coming along, you're booked in, uh you you you've kind of scheduled. Um if you choose to do an audio only podcast, for example, um we uh we chose 35 pounds an hour for that. Uh audio plus one video camera is 60 pounds an hour. Um you come in, you take a seat, um, the equipment's all kind of ready to go, and it's uh literally pressing two buttons, and you just need to start having a conversation like this. The recording gets um recorded in several places, including the cloud. So we can send a copy of the link after the uh you know after the recording to the guest or the or the user, I should say. Um but then if you want something a bit more in-depth that works in exactly the same way, you turn up, you know, there might be multiple cameras in the room. Um we have some kind of staff uh from Ian's team to help support that. And um again, works in the same way. Uh this the difference being we'll edit the uh you know the content and we we can send that file um to you to upload onto whatever channels that you you're looking to upload it onto. If that's another step where you want us to kind of get involved and help, we can talk about um we can talk about that side of things as well.

SPEAKER_00 13:45

Very, very flexible. And you know the cost it's the cost of a haircut. You know, these days, I paid£25 the other day for a haircut, eh, and I want no comments, by the way. So it's very flexible stuff. So you've been robbed. I have been robbed. So how you've kept it very competitive. If you've done that you've done that with a a conscience, I say, because you want to grow the community. So you have kept it very competitive. So I mean someone can come here and for the less than£100, they can literally get the company out there, can't they?

SPEAKER_01 14:11

Exactly. That's really the whole ob the whole objective behind it.

Lounge, Parking, Accommodation And Local Perks

SPEAKER_00 14:15

Oh well thank thanks for inviting me along. Is there anything else you think that I may have not asked you and that you'd like to speak about before we would go off and get a coffee and our cream cakes?

SPEAKER_01 14:23

Uh the un the only um other thing I would add is uh location-wise, we are right in the heart of Stirling, so number 45 King Street. So we're about two minutes' walk from the train station for those that are looking to uh get get to you by train. We do have on-site parking as well, uh our own uh car parking at the rear uh of the building. So we're accessible by car uh very easily as well. And the op the offering that you get when you come here, uh we we do have a business lounge within our sister business working flexi spaces. So if you want to come and have a nice coffee, um if you hear recording for several hours, for example, you can go and chill out in our business lounge and and and relax and then get ready for your next recording. Um so we are pretty flexible in terms of how we uh you know how we do things here. Yeah. I've got one other point actually. Um we do have um some clients, predominantly business clients, that might want to record over several days. We do have accommodation here in uh in the same building. We uh we have an apart hotel with 15 bedrooms, so we've got the ability to uh provide accommodation, overnight accommodation, and we've actually put some packages together for podcasting and uh you know uh an overnight stay as well. So all of that's possible.

SPEAKER_00 15:44

That's absolutely fantastic because Stirling is like the the heartland, you know, it's the gateway to the highlands, and as you mentioned, everybody comes through Stirling. You know, you're in a great spot because they can come, as you mentioned, the package, stop overnight, bring people up from other areas, do a little bit of a tour, you know, have uh uh up to the castle and see things, and and basically you've got restaurants downstairs underneath the hotel as well, haven't you? I've noticed quite a few um restaurants and you do you do sort of recommend a a couple as well, do you? Is there any particular one you'd recommend?

SPEAKER_01 16:11

Well, we we um we work with all the local businesses. Uh we don't have a bar and we don't have a restaurant on site here in number 45. Um so we get a lot of goodwill from all of the local cafes, coffee shops, restaurants, bars. Um and uh depending on where you're looking to go, you'll even get a discount on some of these uh just by being associated with brilliant uh Studio King Street.

SPEAKER_00 16:32

So well this studio is absolutely amazing. I I popped into when you first started. The equipment's fantastic. It's great having Eve Ian in the background there pressing all the right buttons. Um it looks great, and I recommend anybody, and this is from someone who's knows nothing about equipment and and and media. I'm absolutely hopeless. I recommend um this this this this facility, it's absolutely brilliant. There is coffee, and there's you just get it's so easy to get to, isn't it? I mean, car park. I mean, that's amazing in the middle of Sterling, actually having a car park.

SPEAKER_01 17:03

So thanks for uh asking me about my business and you know uh coming in today, Mark. So really appreciate it.

SPEAKER_00 17:09

I wish you all the best, and I I know it's gonna be great, fantastic. And yeah, thank you. Take care. Okay, thank you.