five questions with GoghNow founder Chance Smith

The people who are building, leading, imagining and creating within our walls will never cease to amaze us. That goes for our #hyggefam member Chance Smith, one half of the startup GoghNow.

Chance has been working on his company GoghNow for a few years now with the goal of making it easier to request live music anywhere. He and his partner Ajalon Elliott have created a mobile app that allows any user to request a live musician(s) to their location or space based off availability at the tap of a button. Those looking to book live music can search for these artists based on their location, the dates they need and other criteria.

The pair officially launched the iOS app this month ???? and even though Chance and Ajalon are crushing it, it’s been a lot of learning and growing along the way. We caught up with Chance to get the scoop on the journey, their app and what music we should be listening to.

Tell us a bit about GoghNow. How did you get the idea? When did y’all launch? 

It came from a personal need initially. I wanted to get live music without jumping through a bunch of hurdles such as not knowing how to get int ouch with artists quickly, waiting to possibly hear back days or weeks later, negotiating, etc. I wanted some live music that was convenient and affordable to my location.

After some early research we saw this was an issue for not only individuals like myself but also businesses and other establishments. Also, through research we saw there was a huge disparity in how the wealth was distributed among artists as well as a fundamental misunderstanding of how to turn their talent of playing music into a passionate career. Lastly, after the unexpected twist that Covid put on everyone’s life, there was a need for human connection. We feel that easy access to live music can do this and much more.

What are the biggest things you’ve learned about being a startup founder through this venture? 

• The importance of having people advocate for you and your business
• Approach everyday as a blank canvas because you get to create what you want. All it takes is hard work
• Expect constant change

How has coworking helped you with your venture? 

It has been safe space for me that has allowed ideas to flow. I look forward to building stronger connections and relationships while coworking here.

Obviously you’re a big music guy – what’s your favorite genre? Favorite artist? A playlist you’ve been really jamming to lately? 

I have really enjoy a more soul/electronic/ R&B vibe and recently. I have been DJ-ing in my free time to stay creative and playing a lot of music from these genres. My favorite artist changes every couple of days due to the rate at which I consume new music. I probably couldn’t narrow it down to a top 25. I have been curating multiple playlists for a while via Spotify under the title “GoghNow Sessions.” I have about 15 different playlists.

(Wanna jam to them? Click here.)

How long have you lived in Charlotte? What’s your favorite thing about the city? 

I have lived in Charlotte for 9 years. My favorite thing about the city is how easy and quick it is to explore different neighborhoods. It only takes 20-30 minutes to go from one side of town to the other.