What Global Distribution Network Inc does

Global Distribution Network Inc (GDNI) is a privately held, family-owned company headquartered in Spokane, Washington that supplies custom funeral-focused music and high-definition stock video libraries to funeral homes and hospice care providers across the United States and Canada. The company traces its roots to 1959, when founder Merrill Womach launched National Music Service, which at its peak supplied music for approximately 75% of funeral services in the US and Canada. GDNI was later established by Womach's daughter, Judie Sowards, to continue that legacy. The company operates with 1-10 employees and no external institutional investment.

GDNI's product portfolio centers on two core platforms: a digital music library organized into Instrumental, Vocal, and Ethnic categories, and Windows to the World, an HD stock video catalog launched in 2016 offering aerial, destination, and themed footage in 720p, 1080p, and 4K formats for memorial video production. Supporting products include Seasonal Tribute DVDs (sold individually or as a four-season bundle), physical CDs, and the Merrill Womach gospel music catalog spanning the founder's career. Distribution is direct-to-customer through the gdni.biz e-commerce storefront and toll-free phone sales.

The business model combines a la carte digital and physical purchases (individual tracks at $1.59, CDs at $15.95, tribute DVDs at $19.95) with subscription-based Premium and Legacy Membership tiers providing unlimited or capped monthly access to the music and video libraries. Premium Membership requires a 12-month commitment, with early cancellation triggering a remaining-balance charge tied to the $685.85 master library cost. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and relationship-driven, targeting professional funeral service buyers primarily through the company website, phone-based membership sales, and physical product shipping via USPS.

Name

Global Distribution Network Inc

Legal name

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION NETWORK, INC.

Website

https://gdni.biz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Global Distribution Network Inc is a Spokane-based private company that supplies custom funeral-focused digital music libraries and HD stock video to funeral homes and hospice providers across the US and Canada via subscription and a la carte sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Funeral Industry Music and Video Content

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Distribution (512120)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Aggregators & DIY Distribution Platforms (MPAIAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Catalog / Library Distribution & Re-Release (MPADAJAK)

Keywords

• Funeral music services
• Memorial video production
• Hospice music content
• Funeral industry supplies
• Religious music licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Spokane

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Digital Music Downloads: Individual song downloads at $1.59 per track or album purchases through the online store. Members receive tracks free using customer account code.
2. Physical CD Sales: Physical CDs sold at $15.95 with standard USPS shipping. Products ship Monday-Friday.
3. Premium Membership Subscription: Monthly fee for unlimited access and downloads from the master library and Windows to the World video platform. 12-month commitment required with early cancellation billing the remaining balance of Master Library cost ($685.85 + tax).
4. Seasonal Tribute DVD Sales: Pre-produced tribute background DVDs featuring seasonal nature footage with easy listening soundtrack. Single DVD at $19.95 or 4-Pack bundle at $60.95.
5. Video Content Licensing: Stock video footage licensing from Windows to the World catalog. Premium members select unlimited clips; Legacy members receive one clip per month.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Global Distribution Network Inc. (GDNI) provides a specialty digital music and high-definition video content library tailored to funeral homes and hospice care providers. Offerings include individual song/album digital downloads, physical CDs, seasonal tribute DVDs, and the Premium Membership subscription granting unlimited downloads of the master music library and the "Windows to the World" HD stock video catalog (720p, 1080p, 4K). The content is curated for use in funeral services, memorial video production, tribute presentations, and end-of-life comfort settings.

Product overview

Global Distribution Network Inc (GDNI) operates as a B2B music and video distribution company serving the funeral industry and hospice care providers. The company offers a unified platform combining digital music downloads, video content, and physical CD products, with a subscription-based Premium Membership model enabling unlimited access. The core product portfolio consists of the GDNI Music Library (custom music for funeral homes), Windows to the World (high-definition stock video clips for memorial productions), Seasonal Tribute DVDs (pre-produced seasonal background videos), and the Merrill Womach Music Catalog (gospel/religious recordings by the company founder). Customers can purchase individual tracks ($1.59 each), albums, or subscribe to Premium/Legacy Membership tiers for unlimited downloads. The company also maintains a legacy business providing physical CDs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GDNI Music Library Custom digital music library offering a wide range of music selections (instrumental, vocal, and ethnic categories) for funeral homes. Sold via per-track downloads, album purchases, or membership for unlimited access.
• Windows to the World High-definition stock video catalog featuring clips of popular destinations and aerial footage, available in 720p, 1080p, and 4K quality, intended for funeral homes to customize memorial videos and create atmosphere. Clips range from seconds to a full hour.
• Premium Membership Monthly subscription providing unlimited access and downloads from the master GDNI Music Library and the Windows to the World HD video library. Requires a 12-month commitment; early cancellation bills the remaining Master Library cost ($685.85 + tax). Authorizes a single registered user or company.
• Legacy Membership Monthly membership tier providing one video clip per month (a $99 value) from Windows to the World plus access to the music library.
• Merrill Womach Music Catalog Extensive catalog of gospel and religious music recordings by founder Merrill Womach, comprising over 125 albums and tracks spanning his 70+ year career and covering funeral-appropriate music for various denominations and occasions.
• Seasonal Tribute DVD Pre-produced tribute background DVD featuring scenic nature video paired with an easy listening soundtrack for a single season (Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter). Each DVD has a 1-hour runtime and is sold at $19.95.
• Seasonal Tribute DVD 4-Pack Bundle of all four Seasonal Tribute DVDs (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter) offered at a discounted price of $60.95 versus $79.80 for individual purchase.
• Compact Discs (CD) Physical CD products available for mail-order purchase with standard USPS shipping (Monday–Friday). Individual album CDs are $15.95, with specialty patriotic titles including the Special TAPS CD at $10.95 and TAPS with 21 Gun Salute at $1.29 per track.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% of US and Canada funeral services at peak

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• Epidemic Sound: Subscription music licensing platform for content creators and businesses. Comparable to GDNI as a commercial music-licensing platform with curated catalogs, though targeting video creators broadly rather than the funeral vertical specifically.
• Soundtrack Your Brand: B2B background music streaming subscription service for commercial venues. Comparable to GDNI as a commercial-licensed background-music subscription vendor, though targeting retail/hospitality rather than funeral homes — illustrating the broader music-licensing-for-business model GDNI operates.
• Music Reports (Songtrust / HFA): Music rights administration and licensing infrastructure provider. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem player that supports how content like GDNI's catalog is licensed, tracked, and synchronized for commercial use, including funeral and memorial video productions.

Broad incumbents

• Batesville (a brand of Hillenbrand): Major death-care products and services provider to funeral homes across North America, including caskets, containers, and technology solutions. Comparable to GDNI as a long-tenured B2B vendor serving the same funeral-home buyer with adjacent memorial products, though at vastly greater scale and breadth.
• Legacy.com: Leading online obituary and memorial network partnered with thousands of US funeral homes. Comparable because it sits in the funeral-home content and memorial information flow that GDNI's music and video library supports, though Legacy focuses on obituaries rather than audio/video content.

Direct peers

• Funeral One: Funeral home marketing, websites, and personalization platform serving thousands of funeral homes. Comparable as a competing vendor selling memorial content, video tributes, and digital tools into the same funeral-director customer segment.
• Tribute Technology: Provider of funeral-home websites, tribute videos, and personalization software to funeral directors. Comparable because it sells memorial video and personalization tools into the same funeral-home and hospice customer base that GDNI serves with its Windows to the World stock footage and music library.
• Frazer Consultants: Supplier of funeral home management software, websites, and tribute products to funeral directors. Comparable as a B2B technology and content vendor to funeral homes, overlapping with GDNI on memorial video and personalization offerings.

Emerging players

• Tukios: Memorial video creation software platform built specifically for funeral homes. Comparable because it competes directly with Windows to the World for the memorial-video production budget within funeral homes.
• RingRing Marketing: Provider of websites, branding, and marketing services for funeral homes and funeral-related businesses. Comparable as a funeral-vertical B2B vendor targeting the same customer base with adjacent digital and content offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/global-distribution-network-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Global Distribution Network Inc