Divvy Music Isn’t for Sale

Why We're Crowdfunding Again

A few weeks ago, I was offered the kind of deal some startup founders dream about. Easy money, a full buyout (because investors sign contracts before I meet them, so they can't steal ideas and plans I pitch) and a clean slate. The catch? I’d have to walk away from Divvy and the mission and everything it was meant to be, with no guarantee it would ever happen at all with it's new owners.

So I said no.

Not because I don’t need the money. Believe me, I do. But because Divvy isn’t for sale and was never meant to be. What we’re building doesn’t belong to venture capital, and the angel investors just aren't biting this early on.

In the end, Divvy Music can and should belong to indie artists. To the fans. To the people who’ve been told—over and over—that there’s no room for them in the industry unless they play by someone else’s rules. Divvy Music, as a social enterprise, is designed not only to have "room" for indies, but to cater to them and to reinvest revenue directly into the music scenes and nonprofits where they live.

Why We’re Back, Louder Than Ever

The truth is, Divvy and the idea of ethical music streaming doesn’t fit the typical startup mold. And we’ve stopped trying to. There is no denying there is money to be made in music streaming, the hitch is how that money is distributed. It is time to get serious about alternatives to Spotify.

Over the past year, we’ve done everything we could to move this forward; through meetings, mentorships, accelerator programs and competitions, and community support. Some highlights:

• We made it to the semi-finals of Pepperdine University’s Most Fundable Companies list, based on our in depth business plan, not just the glossy pitch.

• Multiple promising investor conversations. Some turned into mentorships, and I learned something from each and every one. Most ended with a version of: “This is a great idea, you should do it! But it doesn’t fit our template" or "it's too soon for us."

• I turned down that full buyout, that would have erased me as the founder.

• I returned to the workforce (out of necessity) after spending more than a year fully devoted to Divvy through the startup accelerator and multiple business programs and classes.

• And in the midst of all that, a loved one was diagnosed with ALS and my immediate family has been turned upside down.

  
  

Still, the answer remains: No, I will not give up. I will not water this down for investor comfort.

Yes, I still believe in this more than ever. And I believe we’ll get there by building with the people this is for, not by handing it over to people it’s not.

Supporting Independent Musicians Through Community Funding

That’s why we’re reactivating our crowdfunding campaign, not just to raise funds, but to raise awareness about sustainable ways to support indie music. To build a foundation that can’t be bought.

This time, we’re leading with stories.

🎧 Streams of Thought is our new blog series rooted in honest conversations with working musicians, producers, and indie-label insiders. So far, we’ve shared reflections from and Telegeph Hill Records co founder, musician and event producer Matt Fernicola (Fern) and singer-songwriter and touring musician Bryan Hansen, and up next is drummer, touring musician, and songwriter Joshua Van Ness on what it feels like to be the backbone of a band or entity that is lost in the background noise of an industry designed to slight them. Look for that post next week!

These stories are the emotional and cultural foundation for everything Divvy will become. They’re not marketing. They’re real. And if you're wondering why Divvy Music matters—or why now—start there.

📣 Read the first few posts. Share them if they resonate. And if you have a story of your own, reach out.

What Makes Divvy Music Different from Other Streaming Platforms

I still believe in crowdfunding. Even more than that, I believe in community funding. Visit the donation page on Spotfund to learn more about the business model, and read on to learn what will happen next when we raise the money.

Once the platform is built, we’ll move into equity crowdfunding, where fans and artists can invest directly and own a piece of what they help shape, ideally for as little as $100. The future of Divvy won’t be shaped by corporations or investors chasing the highest returns. It’ll be shaped by me, and by the indie artists, innovators, and allies building this alongside me.

Yes, we’ll make money. We have to. But we’ll decide together how much is enough, and how much we can reinvest in the communities we care about. Artists get paid, listeners get an premium streaming experience and access to music the other guys bury and we’re free to give the rest away as we see fit.

This isn’t about building something to sell. It’s about building something to share.

But we can’t legally sell equity until the app is live.

So today, we start again with donations to make that happen.

Your support helps us:

• Executive the build of the app (with plans we have already created thanks to previous donations.)

• Secure licensing

• Keep Divvy artist-first, independent, and mission-driven

  
  

Every dollar gets us closer to a beta test—and keeps us free to refine the model we believe in to serve indies. One where:

Artists don’t just get paid through streams. They gain access to sustainable revenue long after a listener hits.

If you’ve ever said the music industry needs a reset, this is your chance to be part of one.

Let’s build it together. Starting in Asbury Park—and growing into every scene that’s ever been overlooked.

With gratitude,

Melissa

Founder, Divvy Music

P.S. Follow us on social (@Divvy.Music) not just to stay connected, but to show the world this is bigger than one app or one founder. This is a movement—and there’s strength in numbers.

If you’ve ever said the music industry needs a reset, this is your chance to be part of one.