From Idea to Market: The Evolution of Flexbeats and its Product Development.
Tags: music, react, graphql, javascript
Published: 2023-08-02 08:22:49


3 years ago (2020), an idea for marketplace to sell and buy beats was born. The name is Flexbeats, which was launched mid 2023 is a platform where music producers are able to sell their beats and music kits. It allows buyers to purchase beats online with different licenses. Visit https://flexbeats.studio to learn more about Flexbeats platform.

## Origin of an idea
The story of Flexbeats began when a friend of mine (music producer) came up with an idea to create an app which he will use to sell his beats. The earliest version of that app can be found [here](https://sozthegovt.netlify.app), it didn't have a name yet, its no longer maintained and has only frontend.

## Evolution of the idea
Over time life took over after finishing college and the idea was no longer in development until after I met new friends who has the same passion I had on software development. We shared couple of ideas that we could execute together and we thought it was a good idea to start a software company. During that time (2021) I mention Flexbeats and how we can make a backend to make it work, Bennett (Backend developer) suggested that instead of making a platform for one producer to sell their beats, We could make a whole marketplace for any producer to sell and buy music products. Thats was when we came up with Flexbeats name and Flexcode Labs name for a company. More on these names we talked about it on our [pilot podcast](https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/flexcode-labs/episodes/Pilot-e27hno5).
We started actively building a web app since that time and we officially launched end of May, 2023.

## Product Development
The first idea focused on a platform where one producer could showcase and sell their beats to interested buyers. In the early stages, the development process lacked a concrete design, and the team immediately jumped into development without a well-defined user interface. Unfortunately, this approach led to challenges and a less than optimal user experience. The beats were manually added to the platform, and the purchasing process was also manual, lacking the necessary innovation and simplicity.

As the team evolved their vision, the second idea emerged, expanding the platform to allow multiple producers to post their beats for sale. Learning from our past experiences, we started with a landing page design and later invested in a better user experience, in 2022. The incorporation of better design practices significantly enhanced the user interface and overall user experience, laying the foundation for the app's growth.

Throughout the development journey of the second idea, We had a dedicated team comprising our music producer, designer, frontend and backend developer, as well as a legal expert. This team collaborated to bring the vision to life. When a new feature was proposed, the team followed a Thorough validation process. We researched the required technologies, ensuring feasibility and legal compliance with the help of our in-house lawyer. This proactive approach ensured that each feature was carefully vetted before the design and development phases.

As the product matured, the team shifted to a more structured development flow, incorporating more tools such as dev-ops to ensure that development workflow is as seamless as possible. These changes allowed us to create a more streamlined and efficient development process, resulting in improved functionality and a seamless user experience. Additionally, we actively engaged with our producer, seeking feedback and testing new features to ensure they met the needs of both producers and buyers.

## Challenges
The journey of developing Flexbeats was not without its fair share of challenges. Initially, during the idea initiation phase, we faced the challenge of juggling post-college responsibilities and other life activities that demanded our time and attention. This made it difficult to fully dedicate ourselves into development.

Even after refining the idea, we had other challenges. Each member of our team has full time job that requires our presence during regular workdays. We had to work on Flexbeats during night times and weekends which also hindered the progress.

Despite all these challenges, we remained committed to our vision and we finally launched the product.

Despite our progress, Flexbeats remains a work in progress, with many exciting features yet to be implemented. The company's dedication to continuous improvement and listening to our community's feedback positions us for further growth and success in the dynamic world of music production and distribution.

So, if you're a music producer looking to showcase your stuff or a beat lover searching for the perfect sound, hop onto [Flexbeats](https://flexbeats.studio/register). Let's rock this musical adventure together! 🎶😊

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