“Syntax” is hard to define for some. The dictionary describes it as “a connected or orderly system” or “a harmonious arrangement of parts or elements.”Knowing this, it makes sense that it was many small pieces unfolding and coming together that helped bring Syntax Records to life in 1997. What is now a musical empire started as one dream shared between two brothers who loved music and saw its power to reach the world. 

Timothy J. Trudeau, the CEO of Syntax, is an entrepreneurial force whose creative expertise and leadership skills turned him into a business mogul in his 20s. Whether it’s artist management, grassroots promotion or brand building, he is hands-on. Trudeau doesn’t let anything hold him back from his vision to bring unique entertainment to the masses.

Trudeau was born and raised in the South Bay of San Diego in a family that prized music. At a young age, he showed an aptitude for making music and for making deals, both of which he began doing as soon as he could. Whatever he could get his hands on to make music he would, even to the point of selling his first beat in ninth grade. In his teens, he managed, promoted, and booked artists with national platforms.

When the Internet was growing in the ’90s, Trudeau saw an opportunity to reach a broader audience. He created and organized the first e-mail distribution list of its kind that quickly grew to more than 10,000 members worldwide. He also built websites and wrote for various publications during this time.

Combining his love for music and business came natural to Trudeau, and by the late ’90s, he made a national distribution deal for his band Sackcloth Fashion that launched the little known group to the national stage and allowed the band to retain full ownership of its music – a deal that was unheard of at the time.

Trudeau, along with his family, built a music label imprint from the ground up that eventually became Syntax Records. He signed artists from around the country who went on to become independent super stars. All before the age of 25, Trudeau managed a roster of nationally touring music artists and oversaw promotion, publicity and production.

In 2004 Trudeau decided to leave his day job and work full-time launching the corporation which he heads today. This all-or-nothing approach would later become the backbone necessary to turn his hobby into his career.

Based in San Diego where it all began, Syntax offers services ranging from administering copyrights to exclusive worldwide distribution of more than 40,000 songs to launching a brand from concept to creation. As CEO, Trudeau assembled a special task force of talented and creative individuals to help Syntax’s clients look sleek and relevant while reaching their respective goals.

His experience and passion are evident in not only how he does business, but how he lives his life. Trudeau is a self-made man who takes calculated risks and would rather work to find a solution than be stopped by roadblocks or setbacks. When faced with obstacles, he says he simply will not give up, and that tenacity has lead him to create an empire of organizations that meet the needs of his clientele.

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