Today, I am featuring an email interview with Ikenna “iKE” Orizu , founder/CEO, Truspot, Nigeria’s Social Music Revolution.

SN: Please tell us about yourself, your background and interests?

iKE: First off, I’ll like to thank you very much for this interview. You’re doing a great job for our community. My name is Ikenna ‘iKE’ Orizu, CEO and Founder of Tru Spot! (www.mytruspot.com) am 22 years old now, undergraduate student. I love everything that’s entertaining and showcases the beauty of being African.

SN: What is the name of your start-up company?

iKE: Tru Spot!

SN: Please tell us about your start-up company?

iKE: Tru Spot! is Africa’s largest Music platform, that lets its users access music from the motherland from wherever they are in the world on almost every device that could access the Internet. It’s also a social network, where friends could see what their friends are listening to, create personalized playlists, listen to live streams, chat and discuss with new people and more.

SN: What is unique about your start-up company?

iKE: Tru Spot! is the first of its kind. It keeps users current with what’s happening in the African Entertainment scene regardless of where you are around the world, the high level of interaction with their favorite artists, DJs and on the site (which is set to advance as well) and special features like embeddable video/song players and so much more.

SN: How many people are currently using your website services (e.g. feed readers, visitors)?

iKE: Over 70,000 people use Tru Spot! and we are still growing rapidly.

SN: What kind of marketing and/or advertising strategy do you use for your website?

iKE: The success of Tru Spot! is due to the consistency of good programming with the live shows, the users who know this is a good thing and share it with friends and family and of course. Every single feature on the site plays a big part in helping market Tru Spot!. LOL, Just the name sells it too. It’s Tru Spot!

SN: What are the main web technologies/tools you use to monitor the performance of your website?

iKE: Google Analytics & Awstats

SN: What is the monetizing/revenue model for your website?

iKE: Tru Spot!’s revenue comes from ad placements and services like our Mobile store where we sell ringtones and wallpapers

SN: Which websites are the main competitors in your market segment/sector?

iKE: Hmmm, I don’t see any site yet as a competition. Tru Spot! is not like any other African music website. The difference is clear which keeps it in a league of its own.

SN: Do you have any latest web application(s) on the web space?

iKE: Definitely, Yes, We just released Pocket by Tru Spot! which allows every windows mobile enable phone to listen to the music on the site with ease and a ton of new ones in the works to be rolled out starting January 2009. Don’t worry you’ll have the first look.

SN: What do you think of new startups and innovation coming out of Nigeria today?

iKE: Love them all, gone are the days when one person owned a website and was too lazy to upgrade its features just because we had no where else to go. Now with more start-ups and innovative website launching, it keeps everyone on their toes. You either do better or give way to the most innovative ones. So it’s a good thing.

SN: What new Nigerian start-ups, in your opinion, should be watched?

iKE: iDoLike (www.idolike.net), a new blogazine that I co-founded with Ms Dolamu Adeyemi-Bajo, which is another unique startup that’s highly needed by the community and is expected to generate a huge buzz in a few months and definitely Sturvs which is the first of its kind as well.

SN: Do you have any thoughts on our Universities and their curriculum in terms of promoting and encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation amongst students?

iKE: Of course! They need to start creating more area concentrated majors on such.

SN: What do you think the Government (both Federal and State) should do to improve the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria?

iKE: As I said start with the colleges by creating more concentrated majors, organize seminars (Which Tru Spot! will begin doing next year), encourage the citizens to use web services rendered by their home web startups. Just like how China does it. Put in more money into the sector, encouraging investors to invest and help them grow.

SN: Do you have any advice for people who want to launch new startups?

iKE: Stay Focused, Be creative, and believe in your product.

SN: Do you have any business advisor/mentor?

iKE: My friends, Family and even members of Tru Spot! Their feedback and opinions are what I work with. Am doing it for them and not for me, so their opinions are the advice I get. Plus not to forget God gave us wisdom and knowledge, which I use a lot.

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