Letter from the
Founder + CEO
Jean-Que M. Dar, Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Reinventing the business of
ENTERTAINMENT NEWORKING
Dear valued users, team members, and fellow shareholders,
Thank you. Every success and milestone we achieved up to Fall 2020 is a reflection of your trust. Your trust has led to record advancements in virtually every key area of measurement we sought to undertake:
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Live Product Demo & MVP: Advanced our pre-seed stage and financing round
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30 Elite Industry Testimonials: Enhanced our industry standing and credibility
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Launch of VOA Live Season 1: Solidified our corporate mission as the vision for our future
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Launch of Artiste Pro Institute: Elevated our commitment to helping creatives
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U.S. Government Liaison: Advanced our DRM long-term goals to track rights
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Waitlist & BETA List: Secured our first set of users
As we prepare for an on-schedule launch in the Los Angeles market, we couldn't be more proud, grateful, and humbled by your dedication and support. It goes without saying that these are extraordinary times. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by COVID-19, and we are enormously grateful to our first responders and medical professionals who are risking their lives each day to keep us safe. They are the true heroes of this crisis, and their intrepid actions are an inspiration. In the midst of 2020’s uncertainty, we also salute the creatives who strive each day to create compelling and meaningful content to give viewers information, entertainment, and hope.
ARTISTE PRO is an Industry Game-Changer
We are committed to building a company that treats all constituencies—our users, stockholders, employees, vendors and partners, regulators, and the global entertainment community—with honor and respect. The entertainment industry has been plagued with systemic issues such as inadequate deal transparency, unequal pay, and lack of access to diverse execs, talents, and crew. It is hard to be creative and network in entertainment. It takes a lot of work, patience, determination, and perseverance to succeed.
We are doing something no other company has done by building a network that will change the lives of everyone who works in entertainment by making the task to be creative and scale professionally less daunting and more rewarding.
Today, entertainment professionals use between six and eight platforms to network, advertise services, and search for work. This does not include non-industry-related popular outlets like Instagram, Facebook, Craigslist, and LinkedIn.
None allows professionals to manage their networks or careers. We've changed that.
Entertainment professionals need access to each other. ARTISTE PRO™ provides this access by enabling professionals to connect across all industry sectors anywhere in the world. The strength of our platform is direct access to people and information in one place
THE ENTERTAINMENT WORKFORCE LANDSCAPE
We are the new game-changer in town located in the heart of the world's entertainment capital. Therefore, it is our responsibility to ensure each user has a seamless, efficient, and productive experience. It's not just our reputation on the line but that of thousands of professionals and independent contractors who depend on ARTISTE PRO™ to make a living in the arts. This includes niche-specific users who depend on our services, such as talented infants, adolescent entertainers, people of color, pets, and animals. Because of us, our users no longer feel they are out of reach, out of touch, or out of mind.
ARTISTE PRO™ connects the entertainment industry.
Viral Respected Independent Community
With our new ACCESS FEED implemented alongside other premium features, we anticipate users will:
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check ARTISTE PRO™ at least four times per day,
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make five new connections per week,
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invite their entire production teams, projects, and colleagues, and
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receive the latest updates within their network and subscription communities such as new deals, connections, productions, distributions, premiers, sales, partnerships, and more.
The estimated viral nature of our platform combined with its ease of us will place ARTISTE PRO™ at the forefront of the daily technology for professionals who work in entertainment. Therefore, in all that we do, a user's feedback serves as our guiding principle to advance the platform.
Servicing the ever-changing, more Digital World of Entertainment
In March, COVID-19 unveiled the power of digital content consumption while placing a severe halt on the production of content. In 2019, subscription video on demand was projected to increase the annual $2.1 trillion industry by 1.5%, according to PwC Entertainment Outlook, September 30, 2020. Owing to COVID-19, this projection has now doubled to 3.1%.
Moreover, in response to the insurgence of racial and gender tensions worldwide, new rules have been set for on-screen diversity and behind-the-screen inclusivity to enhance the industrial workforce. The S&P Global Market Intelligence notes that consumers want stories that reflect society, and these new rules will help achieve this end. With the high demand to meet consumer needs alongside diversity regulations, studios and productions are back in business. Virtually every media sector is up in volume, experiencing compressed production cycles. This has drastically increased the need to rapidly and efficiently assemble production teams, agencies, distribution, and marketing teams.
Today, an organized network that provides access, credibility, and discoverability to the diverse 107 million entertainment workforce does not exist. ARTISTE PRO™ meets these exact needs as the professional network solution so companies and content creators can comply with the new regulations with ease and efficiency.
The Future of ARTISTE PRO™
The culture of our company is imbued with a strong desire to serve humanity. We believe creatives are storytellers who bear the responsibility to pass along the truths of today to tomorrow's generations. We service their truths by providing a platform to tell their stories free from compromise. The opportunity is to serve millions of storytellers around the world and help them connect.
Today, we are in the best position to capture the growing market without competitors and build an affordable solution. Our quality product is backed with good service, offers transparent and low prices, and leverages our scale to operate efficiently and profitably.
As we transition into 2021 and strive to pursue this growth, we operate with several clear priorities:
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Building industry and subscriber trust by making every decision "Through A User’s Eyes."
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Optimizing our earnings power while continuing to invest in our users, entertainment community, and partnerships
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Investing in the business for the long haul focusing on growth, infrastructure, and risk management.
ARTISTE PRO™ has reached a point where we should invest in supporting the growth we are achieving now and "clear the path" for the growth we will experience over the next decade and beyond.
I close where I started—with a sincere thank you. Thank you to our impeccable team, valued users, and thank you to our long-term believers. Your trust and confidence in ARTISTE PRO™ have helped us build a remarkable company. Our future has never been brighter!
For the Voice of the Artist,
Jean-Que M. Dar
November 11, 2020