Steve Markwardt is a singer, songwriter, and tech investor. How Markwardt ended up on the Academy of Western Artists (AWA) list of best country musician nominations in 11 categories including best male artist, pure country and best male artist, Western Swing for his very first C&W album, has everything to do with a few Southern principles and his alliance with Blended Sense:
Live hard. Make music about said life. Take chances. Do what you love, and invest in yourself, friends, and family.
As a tech-savvy investor, Steve Markwardt is no stranger to venture capital and private equity investing. He’s already been on the right side of tech investing, beginning with FlashNet and Fixd Repair which sold to ANGI Home Services.
True to his own admission –– he doesn’t invest in anything that doesn’t keep him interested. He’s a true creative with a busy mind and an active soul, eagerly seeking out the next bronco ride he won’t fall off.
As a Ft. Worth native, Markwardt was dabbling in several start-ups when Blended Sense was brought to his attention by friend and business partner, Bryan Chambers, VP of Capital Factory. Markwardt is an LP at Capital Factory, being an investor in the Capital Factory fund.
Markwardt was venturing in music production after his wife purchased him a guitar for a recent birthday, and he’d learned how to accompany his rich, country-heavy timbre on that instrument.
Markwardt’s been singing off and on for decades in multiple genres, but after trading MP3s and producing virtually with award-winning singer/producer Dave Nachmanoff, he decided he might take his music into the rodeo of world-wide exposure.
Listening to songs like “Home Again,” ‘Cowtown USA,” and “Rita Margarita,” you can hear the Texas pride and a star-in-the-making. The album boasts solid musicianship with his cohorts and is not at all over-produced. With solid music under his belt, he reached out to Blended Sense to create a logo, album art, a landing page, and more digital assets to help get the word out.
Since working with Blended Sense, he’s gotten more exposure in all kinds of ways. He’s been loaded with international invites to be on podcasts about music, and even offered a tour proposal from Ireland. Agents are starting to knock on Markwardt’s door, and interest in his music is rising.
Markwardt says, “What better way to do due diligence on a company than become a customer. I was so happy with my experience working with Blended Sense and the final product I received for my musical endeavors, I was ready to invest.”
Markwardt has 3 music videos planned. He can’t wait to see where this trail will take him next, both musically and with his investment in yet another start-up that marries creativity with tech.
It’s the perfect blend for a tech-savvy vocalist ready to take the country music world by storm, and to ride the next wave of digital tech created with the help of creatives like himself.
“I know I must be crazy through and through. . .” Markwardt sings in I Just Couldn’t Quit You. We all know that crazy and brilliant run a fine line, though.
At Blended Sense we’d venture he’s just crazy enough to be brilliant, and we can’t wait to help him ride that bull all the way to the CMA’s in 2021.
