Initial was founded in 1992 in a Dunkin' Donuts in suburban Detroit by three high school friends, Dennis Hepinstall, Carolyn Smith and Andy Rich.

Dennis would stick around for another few years while Andy attended the Haworth College of Business at Western Michigan University.

The April 1998 issue of Playboy magazine declared Initial one of the country's ten hottest record labels.

The May 1998 issue of Alternative Press magazine named Initial as one of "Ten independent labels that have helped to change not only the way hardcore sounds, but the way it does business."

Longtime Initial Records label chief Andy Rich now resides in Las Vegas where he is the Director of Poker Operations at Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino.