FROM THE TOP DARIUS SEABAUGH I ACT ENTERTAINMENT INTERVIEWED BY KATIE KAILUS
HOW DO YOU START YOUR DAY? I typically start my day early, between 7 and 8 a.m. I’m not much for breakfast, so I usually grab a quick bite, a glass of juice and then take a quick glance at any emails that have come in overnight. I’ll offer a quick acknowl- edgement of them and answer any I can on the spot. Then, I get into my daily meeting schedule, which can range anywhere from individual meetings with my market- ing team members to overall company reviews and future strategic planning meetings with the wider leadership team. COOL, LET’S START OFF WITH SOMETHING FUN: WHAT’S THE LAST SONG OR BAND YOU STREAMED? I have a wide range of musical tastes from ’80s hair band rock to country music of all generations to classic rock, old school funk, island vibes, classic Christmas and maybe even some show tunes from time to time. I can ap- preciate all different talents as long as it’s arranged and performed well. The last band I streamed was Van Halen’s “Live Without a Net” show in New Haven, Connecticut, from 1986. THAT’S QUITE THE RANGE. AS ACT’S CURRENT SVP OF MARKETING, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MANAGEMENT STYLE? I’d say it’s best described as collaborative and empow- ering, with a strong emphasis on trust, clear direction and accountability. Having spent nearly four decades with the same com- pany, I’ve learned that the best results come when you hire talented people who are passionate about the industry and give them the strategic framework and resources that they need, and then get out of their way so they can excel. I set ambitious but realistic goals, make sure everyone understands the “why” behind what we’re doing — espe- cially how it supports our dealer partners and end-users. I’m very hands-on when it comes to mentoring and re- moving roadblocks, but I avoid micromanaging. I believe in regular check-ins, open feedback (both ways) and cel- ebrating wins as a team. At the end of the day, marketing in our industry is about creativity and relationships, so I work hard to foster an environment where people feel safe taking smart risks, sharing ideas and growing profession- ally. The longevity of our team speaks to that approach. Many of us have been together for 20, 30 and even 35- plus years. That continuity is one of our biggest strengths. CAN YOU SHARE WITH READERS A LITTLE BIT ON
YOUR BACKGROUND AND HOW YOU FOUND YOURSELF AT ACT ENTERTAINMENT? My path to ACT Entertainment really started back in 1986. Fresh out of Southeast Missouri State University, with degrees in engineering physics and calculus, I was on the path for a career in engineering. While music has always been an integral part of my life, post-college was when it became more of a focus for me. While taking some time to find myself and my path, I formed a band with some friends, and we started playing gigs on the weekends. I also took a job at a local retail music store in sales, giving a few guitar lessons and purchasing the accessories for the store. One of those accessory lines was Rapco Cables. I developed a good relationship with my Rapco rep, and he suggested I’d be a good fit in the sales team at Rapco. So, I joined that team, and the rest is history. Those early days were all about hands-on work with brands that were already legends in the MI world — build- ing connections with retailers, musicians and touring pros who relied on our gear every night. I performed many tasks over the years but always in sales and marketing. We’ve gone through numerous acquisitions, buying other brands and companies, as well as selling the company through various equity investment groups over the years. As the company grew and evolved, expanding our port- folio and eventually forming ACT Entertainment in 2021 by bringing together Rapco’s audio heritage with ACT’s cutting-edge lighting and production technologies, I’ve been fortunate to grow right alongside it. Today, as senior vice president of marketing, I lead global efforts across all our brands, but my roots are still firmly in that pro-audio and MI foundation. It’s been an amazing 39-year ride. What keeps me here is the same thing that drew me in initially: the pas- sion of this industry and the real impact our products have on creators and performers. SOUNDS LIKE YOU’VE HAD A GREAT CAREER TRAJECTORY. IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, ACT HAS ACQUIRED BIG NAMES LIKE RAPCOHORIZON AND ULTIMATE SUPPORT. WHAT DOES ACT LOOK FOR WHEN ACQUIRING A NEW BRAND? That’s a great question. Joining ACT and RapcoHorizon together is where it all began as it was the first transforma - tion of the original ACT Lighting entering the sound and interconnects markets. Ultimate Support joined the family in 2022. Since then, we’ve welcomed others, like tvONE [with Green Hippo] in late 2023 and Ambersphere Solu-
34 I MUSIC INC. I FEBRUARY/MARCH 2026
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