Sound Union has built the first, private membership-based play space for avid amateur musicians and music lovers.

The network of
“Four Seasons” music play spaces

Sound Union is redefining what it means to be a musician in America.

We've created the first premium membership club for the 40 million avid amateur musicians who prioritize music in their lives—accomplished professionals with the means and passion to invest in their craft, but nowhere exceptional to pursue it.

Our model combines the exclusivity and hospitality of private clubs with world-class creative infrastructure. In our 10,000 sq ft Redwood City facility, members rehearse, record, learn, and connect in an environment designed for serious musicians who happen to have great day jobs.

We're proving the model works. Then we'll scale it nationwide.

Video: Sound Union Opening Event, November 2023.

The Opportunity:
We're raising a second round including $1M to scale a proven model and reach profitability by Q4 2026.

Forty million avid amateur musicians in the U.S. face the same problem: nowhere exceptional to pursue their craft. They have the means, the passion, and the commitment—but no access to professional-grade space, equipment, or a community of peers at their level.

Sound Union solves this with the first premium membership club designed exclusively for serious musicians. Our 10,000 sq ft Redwood City facility combines world-class studios, performance space, and social environments with the hospitality and exclusivity of a private club.

As of Q4, 2025, Sound Union has raised $2.3M from friends and family and Lifetime memberships. With that money, we have established our studios and built a growing community of over 125 members. But we need to reach 275 to be profitable, and we project a capacity for 400 members.

Early traction proves demand:

  • 95.5% annual retention rate (Sep 2023–Sep 2025)—outperforming most premium membership clubs

  • 51% membership growth in the first nine months of 2025

  • More than 140 members, primarily white-collar professionals aged 25–75

    This round funds targeted marketing, operational scale, and a clear path to cash-flow positive within 18 months.

Minimum investment: $150,000

Meet the Founders

Two men sitting outdoors with a metal wall background, smiling at the camera, one wearing glasses and a tan jacket, the other in a black sweater. Sound Union logo in the top right corner.

John Avilla (L)
Agency and in-house brand leader, venture-funded entrepreneur, and avid amateur musician for 35 years.

Tom Zazueta (R)
Career technologist, executive management at startups, agencies, and in-house brands.

John Avilla, CEO – Marketing, sales, and operations leader with 35+ years building customer-centric brands. John's lifelong passion for music began at age 8, singing in his family band and learning the power of music to create connection. He's channeled that experience into Sound Union's obsessive focus on member experience and community.

Tom Zazueta, President – Brand and marketing strategist with deep expertise in customer experience and campaign execution. John and Tom have partnered for 18+ years, building multi-million dollar campaigns for Fortune 500 clients including Cisco and Charles Schwab.

Why we're the right team:

  • 18-year partnership with proven ability to scale customer experiences for enterprise brands

  • Track record building campaigns for Cisco, Charles Schwab, and other Fortune 500 companies

  • Operational excellence: 95.5% annual retention rate proves product-market fit and member satisfaction

  • Deep understanding of our target demographic (accomplished professionals who prioritize music)

  • Clear path to profitability with existing infrastructure and disciplined growth strategy

Trends Driving Our Opportunity

  • Three women are sitting on stools at the front of a room, speaking and laughing during a panel discussion, with an audience of women listening attentively.

    The Rise of Private Clubs

    Member’s clubs targeting niche interests and professional groups are taking hold, post pandemic. WSJ

  • A man in a gray blazer and sunglasses looking at his phone on an airport tarmac, with a small private jet and other passengers boarding in the background.

    The Experience Economy

    American consumers are consistently voting with their wallets to buy experiences rather than products. McKinsey & Co.

  • Modern café reception area with white and copper-colored counter, four white bar stools, overhead large illuminated sign that says "Welcome to Work. Life Solve", coffee machine, glass jars, and open shelving with cups and supplies, in an industrial-style space with exposed ductwork and a colorful wall mural.

    Hybrid Work

    The fastest-growing workplace isn’t the home or the office, but some third place - a coffee shop, hotel lobby, or increasingly, a private club. Forbes

Membership.

  • We have a growing comunity of members generating $25.6K MRR* (excluding private event and guest revenue)

  • Membership grew 51% in the first nine months of 2025

  • There are an estimated 24,000 prosumer adult musicians in high-income households within a 30-minute drive of our downtown Redwood City, CA, location.

  • Our private play space can comfortably serve 400 musician members

  • Monthly musician and cowork memberships begin at $350/month

  • With an estimated 12% churn, LTV is $35,000 per member - our actual churn is 4.5% for 2025

    *As of 11/1/2026

Our Plans.

Icon Annual Membership: $350 per month with a one-year commitment.

Headliner Month-to-Month: $400 per month for flexible access.

Traction & milestones.
We’ve proven the model. Now we’re ready to scale.

  • Interior of a music venue or lounge with blue and purple lighting, showing an empty seating area, stage, and a visible drum set.

    Capital Raised

    $2.375M from angel investors (most are musicians who believe in the vision)

    $190K in Lifetime Memberships sold

  • A group of six people sitting on sofas and chairs around a coffee table with food and drinks, having a casual gathering or party in a living room. Posters are hanging on the black wall behind them.

    Product-Market Fit

    95.5% annual retention rate (Sep 2024–Sep 2025)

    51% membership growth in first nine months of 2025

    Monthly studio bookings increased 3.5X year-over-year (191 sessions in September 2025)

    More than 140 members: white-collar professionals aged 25–75, including Grammy nominees and professional producers.

  • A group of people performing music in a recording studio, including a woman smiling at the camera holding a can, and a man singing into a microphone.

    Operational Infrastructure In Place

    10,000 sq ft premium facility in high-traffic Redwood City location

    Three state-of-the-art studios, plus performance space, podcast suite, and co-working areas

    Within 30 minutes of 24,000 musician households

    Six weekly curated music sessions driving consistent engagement

    25% of members actively use co-working space (additional revenue potential)

  • Live Band Karaoke participants and band members.

    Next Milestones (Funded By This Round)

    Achieve cash-flow positive by Q2 2027

    Scale member acquisition through targeted marketing and corporate partnerships

    Expand event revenue

    Validate replication model for future locations

Financial Overview

Use of Funds 2021-2025 ($2.3M)

Pie chart showing distribution of a total amount of $2.3 million across categories: 56% capital equipment, 15% wages, 18% operations/rent, 6% building improvements, and 5% cash reserve. The chart is titled with the categories and description.

For more information or to receive a detailed prospectus, please email us directly.

john@soundunion.com tom@soundunion.com