Well hey hey! Normally, I don’t write many of these blogs, normally because i’m too busy doing the youtube’s and the breadboarding (aka circuit design). Plus, Jason and Alex are way more interesting than I am.
However.
In January a combination of things happened to me, and us as a company. One of those being that our company became recognized by probably the worlds best business guru, Gary Vaynerchuk. I know, I know, you don’t care about business, you care about tone, right? Of course, we all do! Regardless, I wanted to take a minute and write a piece that we can reference back to every time we get business questions (and to be honest, we get A LOT of questions about how we do our marketing). As you read the following paragraphs, please understand that I’m coming at this from a place of love, and a place of wanting to help you if you are starting a business, trying to run your guitar/amp/pedal/whatever business, or just feeling like things overall are feeling impossible… like it’s impossible to get ahead, and improve whatever it is that you’re going through right now. I also want to point out first and foremost: The business isn’t just me, it’s Jason, Alex, Jake, Cathy, Jeff, Jerry, Amanda (of course), Travis, Max, and just about everyone that’s ever worked for us.
That being said, I bring you: “Why good things never come easy.”
Don’t let anyone ever tell you “it can’t be done”, or that something is impossible. In 2005 or so, I started writing a few books to help guitar players learn how to modify their guitar pedals. It was intended to be a book that would simplify electronics and bring it to a bigger audience than just Engineering nerds (no offense nerds :p ). A little later I started building pedals and eventually quit my work as a remodeling subcontractor to focus full time on all things guitar tone related. So many people tried to discourage me, even some that were close to me…. but I kept going.
Around 2010 or so I learned of a guy named Gary Vaynerchuk, and bought a book called “Crush it!”. His book excited me so much that I drove all of my employees, friends, and family nuts with his ideas and business principles, and insisted that we follow his lead. I think I’ve bought that book (and his newer ones) about 50 times and sent it to various people over the past years in hopes it would help them actually.
Fast forward to 2016… I found out that one of our customers knew Gary himself after I posted something about loving GaryVee’s videos, who invited me up to their office, which lead to a chance to meet Gary (AND be in one of his videos)…
…which lead to Gary asking if I’d like to be part of his next book. That book is available today, and to all of my entrepreneurial friends: You’ve got to check it out – it’s fantastic! Here it is… Oh, and make sure you check out page 48
However, that’s not why I’m writing this. I’m saddened, humbled, and overall more than anything… grateful.
I’m saddened that people still don’t believe in themselves. That they talk theirselves out of trying, out of taking a risk, the negative self talk defeats them before they even TRY to start anything. Even talking to people at other companies at NAMM, I’m astonished. When they ask how we do what we do, I have no problems telling them. The most common response: “Wow, that seems like a lot of work!”
Are you kidding me?! Seriously? If you own a business and you aren’t going to give it 1000% you’re going to get beat. Your competition, at some point in time, will take your lunch money and shove you down in the dirt (metaphorically of course). This applies to musicians, and writers, and creatives of all types. It applies to high school seniors who are wondering what to do with their life. It applies to those in college who feel stuck, or are doing what “Mom and Dad said I should do” yet have no passion for that area in which they (or more correctly their parents) have chosen.
Success is simple: BUST YOUR ASS AND BE PATIENT. That’s all it takes. Work harder than everyone else, like your life depends on it. Do everything possible to improve your situation. Are you having money problems? Do something about it. Throw out the TV, and sleep less. Learn new skills. Are you upset because your coworker makes more money than you? Do something about it. Change. Change. Change! You can’t have change in your life without changing yourself. But remember – life is a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t expect some magical way to “Get rich/find love/become successful with these 3 easy steps!”
I’m completely humbled and grateful for our customers and friends who believe in us. We exist purely to make your world a little better. Granted, we aren’t curing diseases here, but it’s incredibly satisfying to meet those who have just a little bit more joy in their life because they are coming home after a long day’s work and playing on that new piece of guitar gear that makes them happy. Or, they write a song and send it out to the world and that song affects other people. Grateful isn’t a strong enough word. Just please understand that all of the youtube videos I do, all of the podcasts, all of the facebook, instagram, twitter, and snapchat posts that my team and I put out – they are for you. They are for your enjoyment, entertainment, and/or education. You’ll notice we don’t “sell, sell, sell” on 99% of our posts. We don’t look at our business that way. We believe we are in the people business, not the guitar pedal business. I go to bed thinking how can I make your life better with what I have to work with and I wake up with the same thought. For now that looks like guitar pedals, but who knows – maybe it’s amps, or guitars, or VR instruments, or something entirely different in the future.
To all those that have helped us get here, and to those who work for me, have worked for me in the past, and/or put up with me, I’m indebted to you.