Los Gatos Weekly Times
December 15, 2004

By Grant Shellen

Whitney makes it possible for others to give the gift of music

Tired of giving gifts that were rarely appreciated or even remembered, Los Gatos businessman and musician Scott Whitney came up with an idea.

Four years ago, Whitney recorded a CD of instrumental guitar music, signed the packaging and gave it to clients and friends that holiday season.

Seeking to get a little more exposure for his music, he also asked the motorcycle riders group to which he belonged if they would be interested in purchasing some. In exchange, he would put the group's logo on the packaging so that they could be used as promotional gifts. His girlfriend (who is now his wife) convinced a friend of hers to do the same for her real estate business.

He sold 630 CDs, and picked up additional customers the next three years, selling 5,400 copies in 2001 and 15,500 in 2002. With the help of his wife, he created and signed every single disc at home. Last year, his wife returned to a full-time job, and Whitney still managed to sell—and autograph—13,000 copies.

"I kind of ran out of runway," he said. "I could keep selling, but I just didn't have all the time to do the work."

So Whitney decided to make the CD business his full-time job. He launched TimbreWorx Music Nov. 1, a proper business version of the homemade gifts he's been creating the last four years.

Customers can order through the company's website, choosing from a selection of 29 different instrumental discs. Some of them are themed, including holiday, romance and relaxation recordings. The packaging can be customized on the front, inside and back covers, as well as on the CD itself.

Whitney said the customization creates a positive association between the music and the company that's name is on it.

"We can have our client deliver a gift that people actually call them back and thank them for," he said. "And it has a retentive lifespan of a decade."

Where many promotional items such as pens and paperweights are viewed as insignificant, the CDs can overcome that perception.

"It demonstrates creativity on their part and effort," he said.

In a month of business, TimbreWorx has received orders for about 10,000 discs, some from such notable clients as Hewlett Packard and Veritas. Unlike many other customized promotional items, though, the discs can be ordered in small quantities. Customers can purchase as few as 30 for $8.01 each, with price breaks at higher quantities.

The product would be nothing without the music, obviously, so Whitney handpicked the artists whose work appears on the albums. He selected several independent musicians whose work he admired, including saxophonist Mark Maxwell, a Los Gatos resident.

"I'll go to the Hedley Club in San Jose and listen to somebody and they'll be great, and I'll ask, 'How are your CD sales,' " he said. "About 90 percent of the time, the answer is the same: sales are great. They'll say, 'We've sold 200 CDs.'"

Though he's no longer burning the discs himself (or signing them), Whitney is still quite involved in the business. He walks customers through the website and the buying process through instant-message software and on the phone.

Which probably beats writer's cramp from signing 15,500 CDs.