I’m fascinated to watch documentaries on, ‘The Making of an Album’. I’ve seen some on Pink Floyd and Queen, just to name two. Sometimes, we see the artist or entire band sitting at the mixing council, talking about how the song came to be.
It is rare not to talk about the collaboration of the producer, writer(s), performers, and engineers. To see how records come together with the genius of the collaborators working for the goodness of the record.
I started to think about how running a business is like making a record. Just like in the music industry, where a singer, producer, writer, and engineer all work together to create a masterpiece, the same principles apply to running a successful business.
The singer represents the visionary leader of the business. They set the tone and direction for the company, just like a singer sets a song’s melody and vocal style. In many cases, they’ve written the words and music. Their passion and charisma inspire others to follow their lead.
The producer, in this analogy is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the record (think business). They are in the integrator role and bring a load of creativity to the record (think George Martin of Beatles fame). The producer ensures that all elements of a song come together harmoniously. They coordinate with different departments and make sure that everyone is working towards achieving common goals and that the vision of the band and writers is brought to the market.
The writer in this scenario is responsible for crafting compelling messages and narratives that resonate with customers. They create engaging content, such as marketing materials or blog posts, that effectively communicate the brand’s story and values. Just like lyrics bring meaning to a song, well-crafted copy brings meaning to a brand.
Lastly, we have the engineer who ensures that everything technical works seamlessly. In business terms, this could be an IT expert or web developer who maintains systems and keeps technology running smoothly behind the scenes. In many of our small shops, this hat is worn by multiple people, most likely the owner. Similar to an audio engineer who fine-tunes sound levels and balances instruments in a recording studio.
Incredible things can happen when these roles work together cohesively in both music-making and business operations. Collaboration between individuals with different skill sets leads to innovation, creativity, and, ultimately, success.
Running a business shares many similarities with making records – it requires collaboration between individuals with different roles but shared goals. By recognizing these parallels between music-making and entrepreneurship, we can gain valuable insights into how businesses can thrive by leveraging teamwork and harnessing each individual’s unique strengths.
Take this story to your people in your next meeting, you may be surprised by the flow of ideas that will happen. Remind them, that as a team, they are ‘making music.’
