Seth Power of Tribly
An exclusive Tech Tribune Q&A with Seth Power (founder and CEO) of Tribly, which was honored in our:
Tell us the origin story of Tribly – what problem were you trying to solve and why?
I’ve worked in the music industry for nearly a decade as a singer/songwriter. During that time, I tried just about every tool imaginable to build, engage, and monetize my fanbase. Over time, I realized I was spreading myself too thin by developing pockets of audiences across multiple platforms without a clear way to identify who my real fans were.
I also noticed the music industry was missing opportunities that other industries had capitalized on, like loyalty ecosystems.
That’s where the idea for Tribly came in. My goal was to help artists build more centralized, dedicated fanbases and to ensure fans feel seen and rewarded for what they already do, whether it’s streaming, buying merch, attending shows, or sharing on social media. Tribly isn’t just about solving problems – it’s about unlocking new opportunities for the entire industry.
What was the biggest hurdle you encountered in your journey?
Well, it turns out that building a software company is really hard. It took me four years to raise the money and develop the product I envisioned. That alone was a huge challenge.
What’s even harder is building something the market actually wants. That took time and a lot of iteration. So the two biggest hurdles were:
- Securing the resources we needed, and
- Using those resources wisely to create a product people actually wanted.
Once you figure out those two things, everything else becomes a lot more manageable.
What does the future hold for Tribly?
Our goal is to become the go-to platform for artists to build, grow, and monetize their fanbases, and the ultimate destination for fans to get the best return on their fandom.
Right now, we’re focused on powering pre-release campaigns that help artists grow their email and SMS lists and drive lifetime pre-saves. This is critical because it lets artists connect with their fans outside of social media algorithms, own their fan relationships and data, and increase their success on major DSPs.
In the future, Tribly will go even further. We’ll track merch purchases, concert attendance, user-generated content, and more, making Tribly the best platform for rewarding super fandom. For artists and their teams, we’ll provide cutting-edge engagement and monetization tools, along with valuable fan data. Ultimately, we want Tribly to be a key player in the behavioral CRM strategy for every major label and artist team.
What are your thoughts on the local tech startup scene in Mississippi?
It’s small but growing rapidly. It’s been incredible to see the new resources being devoted to startups in the state. Mississippi is fortunate to have a dedicated group of people in both the private and public sectors working hard to bring this vision to life.
Personally, I’ve been extremely fortunate to grow my company here at this time. We’ve received so much support, financially and otherwise, in bringing Tribly to market. I’m deeply grateful to the people making this possible, and I look forward to giving back and being a resource for the larger startup ecosystem.
What’s your best advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
If you find yourself obsessing over an idea, explore it. Ask questions. DM people on LinkedIn. Dive into Reddit communities. Use TikTok insights to see what people are searching for. It’s never been easier to be an entrepreneur.
That said, it’s also easy to fall into the trap of thinking you have a groundbreaking idea when you don’t. The lean startup approach is key: identify your root assumption, then validate it. If the pain point isn’t severe enough, move on.
Simplicity is your best friend. Find one thing you can do better than anyone else and build your company around that. Ambiguity is your greatest enemy – people need to understand what you do and why it matters right away.
At the end of the day, much of this boils down to common sense. Don’t overthink it. Find a real problem. Make sure it’s a significant pain point for your industry. Then, work closely with potential customers to create the simplest and most effective solution possible. That’s how you build something people truly want.