I opened my commercial recording studio (Jackpot! Recording) in 1997, after years of simultaneously having a busy home studio while working day jobs to pay the rent. Making this leap to a full-time recording engineer/studio owner was terrifying. I remember thinking I was making a big mistake; what if nobody booked the place? How would I find time to work on the recently started Tape Op Magazine?
My home studio was run as a part-time, small business. I basically used money from these sessions in my basement to pay for new recording equipment, and, in the meantime, I didn't turn a profit. But I'd been getting busier over the years and it felt like now was the time to move it out of my home and into a commercial space.
I'd partnered up with songwriter Elliott Smith, once we both realized we had the same studio space plans in motion. Having a partner also gave me some leeway on having to buy as much new gear, as well as freeing me up a bit from covering the entire rent and filling the calendar by myself. We found a space to lease, built a wall and sound treatments, and moved our gear in. I had taken out a small loan from my grandfather and maxed out several credit cards. When we had an opening party, a friend brought over a mutual acquaintance. Our conversation went something like this:
Her: "You are so lucky! You are so lucky! You are so lucky!"
Me: "Uh, okay."