FROM THE TOP JACK O’DONNELL I INMUSIC BRANDS
AMAZING. SWITCHING GEARS A LITTLE, ARE YOU A MUSICIAN YOURSELF? I’m not a musician, and though that can work against me from time to time, I’m one fascinated by the capa- bilities and the language that our musicians speak. I can translate their unspoken wants into engineering innova- tions. I bring to the table a different way of thinking, which I think contributes to our success. DEFINITELY. WHAT’S THE LAST SONG OR BAND YOU STREAMED?
field. Each one of my brands is unique and special in its own way. Each brand requires special technology, spe- cial industrial design, unique construction and design. All these elements delight and fascinate me, and I honestly could do it 24/7. SOUNDS LIKE IT KEEPS YOUR DAY INTERESTING. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MANAGEMENT STYLE?
My most important skill in manage- ment is my ability to listen. The in- Music team is filled with passionate, bright members that all have strong opinions about their work, and music in general. My strength, in addition to listening, is to turn this into proper business structure so that as a com- pany we’re capable of thriving, while understanding the needs and wants of our customers. YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF STEPPING INTO CHAOS AND CREATING ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS. WHAT’S YOUR PROCESS WHEN STEPPING INTO A COMPLEX CHALLENGE OR ACQUISITION? I have to say, without being repeti-
“I’M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR
I’m a huge fan of Lucinda Williams’ music. I also enjoy listening to The Band and Pink Floyd. This certainly dates me quite a bit, but I’m not a kid anymore, so I have to be honest. The musicians, producers and performers who use our instruments are a diverse crowd, so I’m constantly exposed to a wide range of evolving music ev- ery day. This exposure gives me new ideas, so I try to stay informed about the latest trends in the music scene. But my personal musical tastes tend to align more with the earlier groups that I mentioned. LUCINDA WILLIAMS IS ALSO
COMPANIES THAT CAN STRENGTHEN OUR REACH WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, WHICH ALLOWS US TO BUILD OUR R&D.”
ONE OF MY FAVORITES. WHERE DO YOU HOPE TO SEE INMUSIC BRANDS GO IN THE NEXT FIVE- TO-10 YEARS? My vision is to collaborate with our traditional com- petitors. Our most recent and successful collaboration was with Native Instruments. Now, I want to form more partnerships, not necessarily through acquisitions, but through collaboration. This will bring more musicians into the industry and as a result help the industry con- tinue to grow. As a colleague recently said to me, oth - er music instrument brands are not competitors. Video games, social media and YouTube are our most direct competitors. These are where new players and musi- cians might spend their time and money. As an industry, we need to be more welcoming if we want to attract more people to our group. IF YOU WEREN’T WORKING IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’D BE DOING FOR WORK? If music tech had never crossed my path, I’d almost cer- tainly be involved in some sort of restoration projects, in the building industry or automobile industry with classic cars. Projects that allow me to introduce a little of myself and my preferences really appeal to me. MI
tive, I listen. When you listen to smart people, patterns emerge — both in how they think and where they see prob- lems. You then get to apply what you have been successful with in past acquisitions and discipline your new team to follow this successful path. Chaos quickly turns into team- work. And the most talented people quickly flourish. IS THERE ANYTHING EXCITING COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE FOR INMUSIC? Right now, we’re at a major turning point in both our hardware and software. As a result, we’ll be delivering groundbreaking products starting this fall. Our products will be many times more capable than anything we’ve de- livered in the past, and we believe that musicians of the world will readily embrace our new technology. We’re really excited! WHAT CONTINUES TO DRIVE YOU AFTER SO MANY YEARS IN MI? IS THERE A PARTICULAR MOMENT OR PROJECT THAT REMINDS YOU WHY YOU DO THIS? That moment happens every day, and it reminds me why I do this and why I love it. We deliver a vast number of products with new technology in each, so I don’t go through a day without being enlightened or excited.
32 I MUSIC INC. I SEPTEMBER 2025
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