Today we’d like to introduce you to Gerald Olivari.
Hi Gerald, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born and raised on the Eastside of Detroit. After I graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering, I moved to Atlanta to start working. While at U of M, my passion for music began when I helped to start a music organization called Black Vibes and co-hosted a show on the local college radio station, WCBN.
Once I moved to Atlanta, I continued to pursue my broadcasting dreams by co-hosting a radio show on WRFG called The Remix. I also was a reporter for high school and college games on GPB and Fox Sports South. Simultaneously, I worked in my field as a website and mobile app developer. I eventually decided to merge those two passions by starting a mobile app business called BV Mobile Apps with my long-time friend from U of M, Marshall Lyons. Through that business, we’ve been able to provide mobile apps for DJs, Radio Stations, Podcasts, and Artists. I’ve been able to speak at conferences and it’s been fun being able to provide that service to an industry that I love.
Outside of work, I really enjoy running races and traveling. My goal is to run a race in all 50 states. So far, I’ve competed 16 states. The pandemic has slowed down my progress, but I’m looking forward to getting back out there. I’m also a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and I’ve been involved with various charity organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters and Hands on Atlanta.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I’ve learned through these adventures that it’s important to have a mentor. Whether you’re chasing a dream or trying to work your way up in your field, it helps to get advice from someone who has been there already. We’ve made steady progress over the years with our company, but we could have been further along if we would have sought the advice of a seasoned entrepreneur sooner.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about BV Mobile Apps?
BV Mobile Apps specializes in creating mobile apps for DJs, Radio Stations, Podcasts, and Artists. There are a lot of mobile app developers, but since we focus on those industries, we’ve been able to provide features and services that are more useful to our clients. For instance, we allow our clients to not only have their apps on smartphones, but we also provide our clients with apps for Apple Watch, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. We also have a feature that allows DJs and Radio Stations to get paid for song requests made through their app.
Atlanta is the leader in the music industry and it has a strong tech community so having our company here has really helped us to thrive. We are the official mobile app provider for the Fleet DJs, Core DJs, Nerve DJs, and ADJA.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Prior to the Covid-19 crisis, we acquired a majority of our customers from conferences, but we had to refocus our marketing efforts last year. Instead of putting so much emphasis on in-person interaction, we had to find ways to showcase our service through social media. We were also able to use some of that money to re-invest in our company by hiring more developers and designers to create useful features for our clients. Through that experience, we learned that it’s not just about advertising and trying to attract new business. By providing new services for our existing clients, we were also able to grow and stabilize our business.
Pricing:
- Plans start at $19/month.
Contact Info:
- Email: gerald@bvmobileapps.com
- Website: https://www.bvmobileapps.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/bvmobileapps
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/bvmobileapps
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bvmobileapps
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/bvmobileapps
- Other: https://audiomack.com/bvmobileapps
