Navigating the tech landscape has been a fulfilling journey for me. My experience ranges from
roles at renowned gaming giants like Electronic Arts to agile startups like Loop Media. Every product development phase brings its own set of learnings. This process inherently
shapes your preferences for certain tools and services, tailored to the specific tasks you face. By the time you're gearing up for your next platform, you've often established a set of trusted
tech tools. If your product garners attention and scales post-launch, the instinct to seek
discounts from tech providers becomes a focal point. Yet, many startups grapple with negotiations. The common sentiment? Feeling like a small fish
in a vast tech ocean. However, there's a potential game-changer: AWS. Leveraging its vast and
cohesive offerings might just open the door to significant savings in your business, as it did for
ours. Our experience was so transformative that I was compelled to put down these words so
others could get inspired to explore the possibilities at their own firms- especially those
suspecting they need a migration, but unsure of which direction to turn, and what to expect out
of it if it exceeds expectations. Our Initial Tech Stack and The AWS Transition at Loop In the early days of LoopTV®, we integrated technologies we were most familiar with. Let me
share the tech tools we initially used, and the AWS services we transitioned to. It's important to
note that our migration to AWS wasn’t based on the individual superiority of its products, but
rather their cohesive integration: Our most significant move was shifting from Percona MySQL
DB clusters to . The transition helped
us identify issues with our previous setup, thanks to the Performance Insights tools of
AWS. Database Management: Amazon Aurora Serverless Auto-Scaling ACUs Post our database transition, moving our Core API services from was the next logical step. Core API Services: Google Cloud Compute Engine to Amazon EC2 A substantial cost-saving was achieved by transitioning
from Bandwidth & Media Storage: . Akamai to Amazon S3 and Amazon CloudFront Our in-house Mac mini farm was replaced by , streamlining our content intake from various sources like music labels,
TikTok, and World Surf League. Media Encoding: AWS Elemental
MediaConvert We switched from Twilio SendGrid to . Email Services: Amazon Simple Email Service Overall, we successfully migrated over 12 services to AWS, and we remain excited about exploring even more of their offerings. Migration Assistance from AWS Once we decided on AWS, the supportive team from AWS Startups collaborated with us closely.
We had regular weekly meetings, where they provided invaluable support and architectural guidance throughout our migration journey. Such high-level support is something I've only
experienced at larger companies, making it even more appreciated as a startup founder. Effective Negotiation Strategies with AWS A crucial aspect to remember before committing to a company like is understanding their sales dynamics. Here are a few tips to help you negotiate better deals: Amazon The more services you consolidate, the better discounts you're likely to receive. Bundling Works: Negotiating towards the end of a quarter or year can yield better deals, as sales teams are often keen to hit their targets. Timing is Everything: If you have offers from other providers, AWS might be more inclined to match or better them. Competitive Offers: A Tip Before You Commit Look into the AWS Activate program. If eligible, you can apply for up to $100,000 in AWS credits before signing any contract. These credits can be beneficial when you start consolidating services with Amazon. In conclusion, while the tech landscape can be vast and sometimes intimidating for startups, strategic decisions like consolidating services can lead to meaningful savings and support. AWS has been a game-changer for Loop Media, and it might be for your startup, too. - By Liam McCallum, Chief Product Officer, Loop Media, Inc. About Loop Media (“Loop Media”) (NYSE American: LPTV) is a leading digital out of home
(DOOH) TV and digital signage platform optimized for businesses, providing free music video,
news, sports, and entertainment channels through its Loop TV service. Loop Media is the
leading company in the U.S. licensed to stream music videos to businesses through its
proprietary Loop Player. Loop Media, Inc.

How Startups Can Leverage AWS for Better Backend Discounts

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