The pandemic has overshadowed life as we know it. The overwhelming impact caused by the lockdown drove everyone - people and industries - into a stage of almost hopelessness. Out of all affected, musicians and the entertainment industry have suffered the most.

As an attempt to bring music back to its former shine, Mary Key Huse, Steve Caldwell, and Robert Meitus invented a platform that puts musical events closer to everyone’s home. Mandolin is a live-streaming video platform where musicians stream live concerts for eager fans to enjoy and look forward to. It also gives artists the chance to reconnect to their die-hard fans and invite them on a virtual musical rollercoaster ride that looks, feels, and sounds just like the real deal!

Never miss out on a live concert or performance again - read how Mandolin made some much-needed noise and brought the world back on its feet and dancing!

The Life of Mary

Mary Key Huse had always been the life of the party. Ever since childhood, her favorite hobby was to pretend her hairbrush was a microphone and perform for others. Mary had a huge admiration for live performances, since her parents would continuously bring her to rock concerts, and oftentimes, very close to the stage. Mary grew up with two brothers and would constantly tag along with them to musical venues. From her brothers, Mary learned how to stay competitive, fight for what she wants and be a leading lady in a world oversaturated with men.

During her high school years, Mary would work in one of the first internet cafes. She largely enjoyed the impact of global digitalization and the fact it could bring music closer to its fans. Even though she was a hardcore music fanatic at heart, thanks to her job, Mary would, later on, pursue a degree in technology from the DePauw University, where she studied from 1998 to 2002 and earned a BA in Computer Science and Economics.

Business aside, Mary also loved how music and technology were intertwined.

The ability to play, stream and download music to any device was a brand new revolution Mary thrived on. For her, there was no bigger high than to experience live music, even if it meant watching it online. Mary had always been the one to impress her peers and leave them in awe of her musicality and affinity for technology.

Mary Meets Steve

Much like Mary, Steve Caldwell had also dedicated his entire life to music and technology. In elementary school, Steve would master website creation and design.

He loved seeing how his ideas could be transcended and expanded onto the big screen. In an effort to merge technology and music, two of Steve’s greatest loves, he would spend some time working as a professional DJ.

This was a form of therapy for Steve who found music to be soothing, inspiring, and motivating for him. Although he acquired a lot of business skills during his DJing days, Steve still lacked the self-confidence to try and create a project of his own. In 2004, Steve enrolled at the Mississippi State University and in 2011 earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and Broadcasting.

Steve might have collected the necessary skills to make it in business but even so, he spent most of his life working in the software development sector. That was until he stumbled upon Mary Huse, another grand music performance fan bearing a refined business idea.

Three Feels Just Right

Robert Meitus had always had a good ear for music. From an early age, Robert would blast music on his CD player and try his hand at playing various instruments. His versatile interests would lead Robert to score a degree in law from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, which would further fuel his idea for his own establishment. Aside from his law degree, Robert also earned a Master’s degree in International Affairs from Colombia as well as a B.A. in Political Science from Wabash College.

Robert also loved performing live and had been a part of the music industry for over two decades. His adoration for music continued on as he married a noted singer-songwriter, Carrie Newcomer.

Unfortunately, as the pandemic shut down all live musical venues, Robert Meitus contemplated creating a better live streaming experience for music, where audiences and artists can genuinely interact.

Luckily, both Mary and Steve had been thinking the exact same thing. Once the three creators crossed paths, the ideas kept on pouring, and the concept of Mandolin was set in place.

Who is Singing Out There?

In 2020, the music world was put on hold as the pandemic took over. With the vast closing of all live musical venues, fans were unable to keep in touch with their favorite performers. Mary, Robert, and Steve knew this as they were music fans themselves, and decided to do something to change it. Their initial concept was to create the kind of platform that would marry technology and music and allow global fans to keep up with the latest performances by their favorite bands and artists.

The hush-hush period of the pandemic finally ended in late 2020 when Mandolin finally arrived on the market.

Mandolin represents a new innovative way in which fans can reconnect with their favorite musicians through live-streaming on the web. Mary, Steven, and Robert gave rise to the idea of Mandolin out of Robert’s law office where they had been tirelessly working to develop a platform favored by both musicians and their fans.

Because of his interests in music, Robert Meitus served as a counsel for artists that wanted to use Mandolin. On the other hand, Mary became the company’s seasoned technology executive and Steve Caldwell took upon the tech entrepreneurship role. Due to the delicate situation within the industry, fans found Mandolin to be the most suitable alternative for watching live performances and never missing a beat of quality music played live!

At first, Mandolin played a single live show per month. Once the platform gained popularity, it expanded its offering to three shows a week. The Mandolin team noticed the growing interest in their platform and it led them to conclude several partnership deals with names like City Winery and Ryman Auditorium. The platform also hosts festivals like the multi-artist #IVoted 2020, The Tibet House Benefit, and several one-off performances by Lucinda Williams, Billy Strings, Brett Young, and others.

Company Profile

Mandolin’s headquarters are located in downtown Indianapolis. What began with three people trying to conceptualize a brand new software program for live music has led Mandolin to recruit over 50 employees in less than a year.

In October 2020, Mandolin raised a total of $5 million, all acquired over a single funding round. Mandolin is also supported by HighAlpha, a B2B company aiding growing businesses. Although still considered a startup, Mandolin has big plans for the future. Pandemic or not, Mandolin will continue providing the best musical events and shows on its platform, thus enabling every viewer to virtually attend their favorite show!

The business trio, Steve, Mary, and Robert, note they find inspiration among each other, and that they all make indispensable parts of the Mandolin story. By combining their passions, energy, and expertise in the fields of business, tech, and music, they managed to bring explosive experiences to local and global audiences and ultimately brought Mandolin to a new level of quality, unseen in its competitors.

The Mandolin trio has brilliantly revamped one of the most transformative industries today - music. More than that, it ultimately created unique musical experiences for concert lovers worldwide, one that spectacularly brings quality music back on the stage!