For Nicholas Gatten of Impact Audio, Entrepreneurship Has Never Sounded Better 

It may be his full-time job now, but Nick Gatten entered into the music producing business by happenstance. While enjoying his time in Sacramento’s music scene of the late 1990s, Nick made connections with burgeoning hip hop artists who hired him to record their first mixtapes. Seeing the profession as a way to combine his love for making music with his talent for the technical side of production, Nick was inspired to dive back into the Sacramento music scene. In 2024, with assistance from Sacramento Valley SBDC, Nick wrote a business plan and received a loan to launch Impact Audio in Midtown, Sacramento.

At Impact Audio, Nick offers comprehensive recording and mixing services to local artists of all musical genres, with a unique recording system that blends old school analogue features with modern, computer-based touches. He works on a clientele basis, renting studio space and his services to interested artists.   

When researching the equipment and recording space he would need to make his vision a reality, Nick quickly realized that access to capital would be the most significant obstacle. He worked with Sacramento Valley SBDC business advisor to expand on and strengthen his business plan, analyze his finances and write financial projections.   

With the assistance that he received from his Sacramento Valley SBDC business advisor, Brandon Beverly, Nick was successful in obtaining a loan from Main Street Launch for $170,000. With that capital infusion, Nick secured a lease on his studio space, purchased recording equipment, and retrofitted the space to be functional for recording purposes.   

With his studio off the ground, Nick hopes for his space to be a destination where artists from across the region can feel comfortable and inspired. He plans to host monthly “Open Studio” events where artists can mingle and—hopefully—jam for impromptu recording sessions.