Breaking: A London entrepreneur who started as a touring indie drummer has become a consequential figure in music‑tech, steering a company aimed at ensuring artists are paid fairly for plays in public spaces.
Ryan Edwards, now 40, founded Audoo in 2018 after a personal encounter with the royalties system highlighted gaps in how public performances are tracked and paid. The company has since built an Audoo Audio Meter that plugs into commercial venues to monitor what music is played and to share that data with royalty‑collection bodies.
Edwards’ journey is a portrait of deliberate pivots.After leaving his band in 2008 to pursue other work, he spent years in retail, startups and later rose to a senior position at Visa Europe. His career pivoted again in 2016 when he joined a fintech startup in sales, driven by the belief that the idea was worth pursuing despite risks. He than launched Audoo to address a system he says was in need of modernization.
How Audoo Works
Table of Contents
- 1. How Audoo Works
- 2. Milestones That Shaped the Journey
- 3. Leadership Mindset: Resetting Goals, Staying Open to Change
- 4. Portrait of a Career Pivoter
- 5. Evergreen Takeaways for Readers
- 6. What This Means for the Music Industry
- 7. Engage With the Story
- 8. Exposure to electronic health record (EHR) systems.
- 9. 5 Career Shifts, 3 Industries – How I Leveraged Transferable Skills for Continuous Growth
Audoo’s core device identifies music played within venues such as stores and bars and transmits usage data to royalty organizations. The goal is to create obvious, auditable streams of data that help musicians receive fair compensation for public performances. Edwards notes that the initial prototype—developed on a kitchen table using a Raspberry Pi—demonstrated the concept, even if the early code now lives only in memory.
Audoo’s leadership and product development gained notable attention. In 2020, Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA publicly endorsed the technology, signaling a shift in how the music industry could view royalties. through industry word of mouth, support from other industry figures followed, including prominent names such as Elton John.
Milestones That Shaped the Journey
| Year | Milestone | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Left a touring indie band to pursue other work | Launched Edwards’ non‑band career and set the stage for later pivots |
| 2012 | Redundancy at a prior role | Prompted a shift toward new opportunities and product ideas |
| 2013 | Joined Visa Europe as a senior manager | Gained corporate experience and leadership insight |
| 2016 | Moved to a fintech startup in sales | Validated the value of cross‑sector mobility and aspiring ideas |
| 2018 | Founded Audoo | Launched a music‑tech venture aimed at modernizing royalty payments |
| 2020 | ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus invests in Audoo | Credibility boost and public validation of the concept |
| through the 2020s | Investments from industry figures including Elton John | Expanded credibility and potential scale |
| Present | Leading Audoo with a mindset of continual reinvention | Emphasizes adaptability and ongoing learning |
Leadership Mindset: Resetting Goals, Staying Open to Change
Edwards describes a deliberate approach to personal and professional growth: reset goals every few years, remain adaptable, and stay focused on learning. He emphasizes the value of hard work and the willingness to take calculated risks when opportunities align with a compelling mission.
Portrait of a Career Pivoter
his path—from the drum kit to retail floors, from corporate roles to startup leadership—highlights how the willingness to explore new opportunities can yield long‑term rewards. Edwards credits a pragmatic work ethic and persistence for helping him navigate a shifting career landscape while pursuing a vision to reform how royalties flow back to artists.
Evergreen Takeaways for Readers
- Careers rarely follow a straight line. Stay open to new opportunities as they arise.
- Keep the core mission in view, but be prepared to pivot strategies to reach it.
- Networking and proactive outreach can catalyze the discovery of new paths and partnerships.
What This Means for the Music Industry
Audoo’s model exemplifies a broader push toward transparent data in royalty payments,a topic of ongoing relevance across the music business. As more venues adopt digital reporting, artists and rights holders stand to gain clearer visibility into how plays translate to revenue. For further context on music royalties and digital reporting,see authoritative resources from institutions like the World Intellectual Property Organization and major media outlets covering industry trends.
World Intellectual Property Organization — Copyright and royalties • BBC — How streaming pays artists
Engage With the Story
What unconventional career move have you considered or undertaken that reshaped your professional outlook?
Which industry do you believe is ripe for disruption through data transparency similar to music royalties?
Share your thoughts in the comments or join the discussion on our social channels.
Exposure to electronic health record (EHR) systems.
5 Career Shifts, 3 Industries – How I Leveraged Transferable Skills for Continuous Growth
1. Mapping the Career Journey
| # | Industry | Role | Duration | Core Skills Gained | Reason for Transition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Healthcare | medical Laboratory Technician | 3 years | Analytical testing, regulatory compliance, teamwork | Desire for more client‑facing work |
| 2 | Healthcare | Clinical Data Analyst | 2 years | Data visualization, statistical software (R, SAS), HIPAA knowledge | Interest in data‑driven decision making |
| 3 | Technology | Business Intelligence (BI) Developer | 3 years | SQL, Tableau, ETL pipelines, agile methodology | Want to build end‑to‑end reporting solutions |
| 4 | Technology | Product Manager (SaaS) | 2 years | Roadmapping, stakeholder alignment, MVP testing | Move from technical execution to strategic leadership |
| 5 | education | Corporate Learning Designer | 2 years (ongoing) | Instructional design, LMS administration, adult learning theory | Apply product mindset to learning experiences |
2. Core Principles Behind Prosperous Career Changes
- Identify Overlapping Competencies
- Every role added a new layer of expertise while reinforcing existing abilities (e.g., data analysis → BI → product analytics).
- Use a competency matrix to visualize skill intersections before applying for the next position.
- Leverage Continuous Learning
- Enroll in micro‑credential programs (coursera, edX) aligned wiht the target industry.
- Example: Completed the Google data Analytics Professional Certificate before moving into BI, boosting credibility with a recognized credential.
- Build a Personal Brand that Speaks Across Sectors
- Publish case studies on LinkedIn highlighting measurable outcomes (e.g., reduced lab turnaround time by 15 % through process automation).
- Maintain a portfolio site (archyde.com) with project snapshots, GitHub repos, and testimonials from three distinct industry supervisors.
3. Practical Tips for each Transition
- Healthcare → Tech
- Skill Bridge: Translate “regulatory compliance” to “data security standards (HIPAA → GDPR)”.
- Action Item: Volunteer for a hospital IT project to gain exposure to electronic health record (EHR) systems.
- Tech Specialist → Product Management
- Skill Bridge: Convert “SQL query optimization” into “customer insights extraction”.
- Action Item: Join a cross‑functional sprint as a “product owner” for a small feature; document the impact on delivery velocity.
- tech → Education
- Skill Bridge: Apply “agile sprint planning” to “instructional design cycles”.
- Action Item: Design a short e‑learning module using Articulate Rise; collect learner feedback and iterate.
4. Benefits of a Multi‑Industry Career Path
- Broader Network: Connections across healthcare,tech,and education provide diverse mentorship opportunities.
- Higher Marketability: Employers value “cross‑functional viewpoint” and “adaptive problem‑solving”.
- Resilience to Economic shifts: Ability to pivot when a sector experiences downturn (e.g., COVID‑19 impact on elective procedures).
5. Real‑World Example: From Lab Tech to SaaS Product Manager
- Challenge: Limited exposure to software development cycles.
- Solution: Completed a 6‑month “Full‑Stack Development” bootcamp, then took an internal transfer to the company’s analytics team.
- Result: Delivered a dashboard that cut client onboarding time by 20 %, leading to promotion to product manager within 18 months.
6. Step‑by‑Step Blueprint for Aspiring Career Changers
- Self‑Audit: List current skills, achievements, and gaps.
- Industry research: Use BLS data (U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025) to identify growth sectors and required certifications.
- Targeted Upskilling: Choose one credential per transition (e.g., PMP for product roles).
- Strategic Networking: Attend at least two industry meetups per quarter; request informational interviews.
- Tailored Application materials:
- Resume: Highlight transferable achievements with quantifiable metrics.
- Cover Letter: Speak directly to the hiring manager’s pain points, referencing relevant industry challenges.
- Interview Prep: Practice STAR stories that illustrate skill transfer across industries.
7. Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
| Pitfall | Impact | Prevention Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Over‑emphasizing niche jargon | Recruiters may see you as “too specialized” | Focus on worldwide outcomes (e.g., cost reduction, efficiency gains) |
| Ignoring cultural fit | High turnover risk | Research company values; align your narrative with their mission |
| Skipping certifications | Credibility gap | Pursue industry‑recognized badges before applying |
| underestimating soft skills | Missed leadership opportunities | Showcase communication, adaptability, and stakeholder management in every application |
8. Metrics to Track Your Career Transition Success
- Time‑to‑Promotion: Average months from entry to next level (target < 24 months).
- Skill Acquisition Rate: Number of new certifications per year (goal: ≥ 2).
- Network Expansion: New connections in target industry per month (aim for 10 %).
- Salary Growth: Year‑over‑year percentage increase (benchmark ≥ 8 % across transitions).
9. Tools & Resources for Ongoing Development
- Learning Platforms: Coursera,Udacity,LinkedIn Learning (search “career transition” courses).
- Project Management: Asana, Trello (track skill‑building tasks).
- Portfolio Hosting: WordPress (archyde.com), GitHub Pages (showcase technical projects).
- Salary Benchmarking: Glassdoor, Payscale (monitor industry salary trends).
10. Final Checklist Before Launching Your Next Career Move
- Updated resume with industry‑specific keywords (e.g., “data governance”, “product roadmap”).
- LinkedIn headline reflecting current role and future target (“Product Manager | Data‑Driven Innovator”).
- Portfolio site live with at least three case studies from distinct industries.
- Completed certification aligned with the next industry (e.g., Certified Scrum Product Owner).
- Scheduled informational interviews with professionals in the desired field.
Keywords naturally embedded: career change, career transition, multi‑industry experience, transferable skills, skill bridge, professional certification, product manager, data analyst, learning designer, corporate learning, agile methodology, data visualization, instructional design, career pivot, job market resilience.
