27 Replies to “October 9”

  1. I have never heard of this company and I am extremely happy that this reading has brought to my attention such a source of gear and music tech info. I did more research on the company and was able to find a quick summary from the first hand source of thier CEO, Chuck Surack, at Sweetwater GearFest 2017;

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3hsC4MV0hU

    where he just summarizes how he started the company and briefs over some of the company values and accomplishments they have grown into. While this was great to watch, however extremely biased because it is not from the view point of employee. In my opinion, a truly great company treats their employees with extreme care, and although many sources point to that being the case for Sweetwater too.

    I was able to find a blog post from Joe Gilder, who according to his post, was a “Sales Engineer at Sweetwater Sound [for the last three years].” He goes into detail about the different service that makes Sweetwater and the relationship they have with their customer different, and how he felt about his experience as a whole there,even providing pros and cons. It is definitely an interesting read that gives you first-hand inside view of the experience both for the customer and for the sales rep behind the screen, and specifically stating why the autonomy they have at Sweetwater gives them the edge in the market when it comes to the consumer and customer service.

    http://www.homestudiocorner.com/sweetwater-sound-an-insiders-review/

    I highly recommend viewing both links as well as visiting the Sweetwater website, where you can view their catalog and see what the rave is all about.

  2. Like Raul, I had never heard of Sweetwater before reading this article, and I’m glad I have been introduced to it. The idea for the company is so interesting, and it seems to be doing very very well. One thing I took away from the reading was that they seem to treat their employees very well, which I think is important in any company. The reading also seemed like a bit of a sales pitch to get readers interested in working for the company, so it may have been presenting the company in a bit of a biased light. I found an article detailing plans for an expansion of the company that will create a lot of jobs in Indiana.
    https://www.wane.com/news/local-news/sweetwater-plans-74m-expansion-to-add-1-000-jobs/1492703420

  3. This is a great company! As a musician, I have used Sweetwater a handful of times. I always get amazing customer service and great products. Their gear is a bit expensive for college students but it is professional quality. They don’t lie about their customer service!

    I found an article talking about the benefits Sweetwater employees receive from the company. This article mainly talks about the employees who work for the distribution center.

    Check it out:
    http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local-news/2018/09/17/sweetwater-sound-to-add-130-jobs/

  4. Guitar center seems to be have been, and still is, in a tough place for the most part. They are looking into an optimistic future, however. Maybe that was for the sake of calming the shareholders of the company rather than exciting the public. They are around $1B in debt after all.

    Future of Guitar Center: https://www.forbes.com/sites/pamdanziger/2018/06/09/guitar-center-plans-for-the-next-50-years/#375c7b586218

    Guitar Center bought out:
    https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/this-day-in-buyout-history-deluged-by-debt-guitar-center-turns-to-ares

    1. I never knew they were in this much debt. That’s pretty wild. Considering the way the music industry is going here in America, I bet Guitar Center would do a whole lot better in and overseas market, such as China, since they are still much in love with the physical aspect of music.
      I like what Gayla said about Sweetwater being a “one-stop shop” in the music industry. They seem like a great company who truly cares about their employees, which causes great relationships with the people, their customers. Hopefully they will continue to profit and do well in this competitive market.

      I found the Guitar Center fact interesting and so I did a bit more research on it. Below is a link which explains exactly what happened with the popular music store.

      https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2018/04/17/guitar-center-bankruptcy/

  5. I remember looking a Sweetwater catalogs as a little girl with my dad. He loved to order audio equipment from them because her knew he was going to receive the best service. Hearing this was really beneficial because, you normally hear the music industry get a bad rap for how awful they are to their employees. I liked the thought process of showing good customer service to your employees so they show good customer service to customers. I was super happy to learn that Sweetwater looks to be expanding soon. Check out the attached article to see how.
    http://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local-news/2018/10/08/sweetwater-sound-buys-aunt-millies-bakery-in-downtown-fort-wayne/

  6. This article was very informative and very well produced. I have purchased gear from Sweetwater, so I am familiar with the company from a customer perspective. However, this is the first time I got a look at the company from the inside and I was impressed. I paid particular attention to the business model that Mr. Surack adopted, and his philosophy concerning how to treat customers and employees when doing business. It is the way I have done business and I’m glad to see some companies still doing it that way. I was also impressed with the level of training the company invests in their staff. This is another key to the company’s success. Finally, I enjoyed hearing Mr. Surack tell how he got started selling pot holders those many years ago. That story brought back memories of my own from years gone by.
    I have included and article that talks about ways to develop family culture in your company.
    https://gothamculture.com/2016/06/22/7-steps-building-family-culture-your-company/

  7. As a gigging musician, I was already somewhat familiar with Sweetwater. I have purchased a few items from their site and have found that their customer service is second to none. They go out of their way to make sure that the gear you purchase is right for you. Reading the backstory of this company was very interesting. I really enjoyed reading why Chuck Surack decided to start the company, and feel that many of his initial feelings towards music/pro audio dealers are still legitimate. There aren’t many retailers that give you as good of a shopping experience as Sweetwater.

    My favorite part of reading this was seeing how many resources they have in order to better educate not only their employees but also their customers. Just reading through the glossary shows that it can be a huge resource to all musicians whether they are looking to buy from Sweetwater or not. As others before me have said, Sweetwater is a true bright spot in the music industry today.

    Here is an example of one of the many great resources that can be found on Sweetwater.com
    https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/tips-song-arrangement-studio/

  8. I have been a fan of Sweetwater since I bought my first Audio Interface from them in 2012. Their customer service is superb compared to any other music gear companies I’ve ever dealt with. I did some “Youtubing” and found two videos that highlight the integrity and well intent Sweetwater has when it comes to their customers getting the best quality of service.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUp5m-ugjlI
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk9R-aHpY8c

  9. While I had never heard of sweetwater prior to reading this article, and I do not have any experience with them as a customer, I did find that reading about their past and their goals had me very impressed. Based on what I’ve read about their customer service and their employee goals, they seem like a company centered around creating satisfaction. As a potential customer, I feel like I would trust them for the best customer relations, and what I read about the training and education process for employees only reinforces that idea. While searching for customer reviews of Sweetwater, I came across this article that ranks multiple online guitar stores and compares different aspects of each store (Ex. Free Shipping, Price Protection, Financing, etc.). The ranks are also formulated based on customer reviews and factors such as: stock, quality control, shipping and returns

    For more info, check out the link below:
    http://www.cheapguitarguide.com/best-online-guitar-stores.html

  10. I agree with everyone that haven’t heard of Sweetwater. Something that stood out to me was that they have there own recoding studio and I also went to their YouTube and found many videos they also do interviews. I like the idea of Sweetwater I feel like it’s a big one stop shop for the music industry. I believe what they have is what they work for and as a employee they make some good money because of the sales.

    I found a video going into depth on how to record their YouTube hold many useful videos that made me realize how big sweetwaters Is and how much it all has to offer https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlczpwSXEOyatBLoJPWeG2U8OUFx9AFC0

  11. Prior to the reading, I was unfamiliar with Sweeterwater. I am still unfamiliar with music businesses that sell equipment since I do not purchase equipment. However, after thoroughly reading their backstory, their website and listening to their interviews, I am impressed. This is a type A company that I would love to work for. If I were to start my own business of any sort, I would like to look at Sweetwater as an example and follow their core values.

    Attached is a site that compares Sweetwater with their top competitors.
    https://www.owler.com/company/sweetwater

  12. I never heard of SweetWater previous to this article but I’m glad I now am aware of the company. Reading this article and watching the videos really shows how important it is to be determined and to persevere. I was very impressed in the fact that CEO, Chuck Surack, started his company in the 70s in a VW van. Now, it’s a huge company with a large reach. I was also impressed at the fact of how versatile the company is; they don’t just sell music equipment but they also have a recording studio on site for artists to record their music. This emphasizes the culture of the company and the love/passion for music.

    The following article details how to build a versatile company and the importance of embracing change: https://www.noobpreneur.com/2010/07/19/how-to-build-a-versatile-business/amp/

  13. I think Sweetwater company is awesome! I love the fact that they are marketing and looking for dedicated employees through this website. I feel like i would enjoy working here, they have recording studios and theatre performance. They had over 280 applicants and only hired 28 people, that says a lot about their values and standards of the company. They have so many resources to better the environment and understanding of their employees and customers, and the training process is very specific to fit the needs and values of the company. I think Sweetwater, even though many of us haven’t heard of it, I believe it is on it’s way up in the industry for sure!

    Here is their official website to get more information on their company https://www.sweetwater.com/

  14. Sweetwater has been my go to place for years for any music related product i need. I’ve also used their YouTube channel as an tool for learning different aspect and techniques for making music, but this whole time I’ve been fairly unfamiliar with their business model and they inner workings of their operation. From my experience customer acquisition, service, and appreciation has always seemed like a staple in their operation and after doing some reading, it seems as if that’s one of their biggest strength that give them a competitive advantage. This article i found goes over some of the numbers such as gross profit and growth, and explains how Sweetwater’s business model is giving Sam Ash and Guitar Center competition that might possibly put them out of business in the near future.
    https://www.imrcorp.com/innovative-marketing-blog/music-retailers-learn-sweetwater-inbound

  15. Sweetwater is a staple in music. As a musician it’s seemingly the backbone of the consumer and instrument distribution. The company itself seems to accept change rather well, which happens frequently in business. External factors may also impact their sales to smaller and large retail outlets, such as the potential bankruptcy of Gibson guitars. A large and iconic instrument maker that goes bankrupt is a shift in the consumer taste.

    I found this article for more info:

    https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2018/09/10/gibson-guitar-bankruptcy-ending/

  16. I’ve been a customer of Sweetwater for YEARS. I absolutely love everything about their store, and it’s because they run a fantastic business. Why go into a guitar center and talk to someone who barely knows nothing about what they’re trying to sell when you can go online, find everything you need, and have a knowledgeable person email you after every order you get. And the amount of sales they have shows I’m not the only one who thinks this way. I looked up their page on the Better Business Bureau and this is what I found.

    https://www.bbb.org/us/in/fort-wayne/profile/music-instrument-store/sweetwater-0352-5895

  17. I feel that one of the biggest reasons Sweetwater has been so successful as an overall company, is how much time they take for their employees. Not only do they do extensive training and recruitment for their new-hires, but they also take extensive care of them. The fact that they provide so many amenities to make their work environment “more pleasant” proves that the Sweetwater company isn’t just committed to providing quality equipment and instruments to their customers but also takes the time to provide quality care to their employees. With how much they require from each employee, they truly give back to them, and as long as they keep providing the care for their customers and employees, they will continue to grow and gain more success. They are already regarded as one of the fastest growing and most successful music retailers in the country.
    For a more in-depth look at the Sweetwater story check out:
    https://www.sweetwater.com/about/press-releases/00104

  18. After reading this article, I am surprised this is my first time hearing about something like this. I was not aware of these companies and the money they produced, which to say the least is a lot especially the role of a sales engineer who sells about “$7,000,000 a year”. As someone who seeks to be in the music business this is very intriguing due to the fact that I have experience in the sales area and I am studying music marketing, so this for me is very eye opening and broadens my options. Although it is interesting that they say when working at Sweetwater you train for the job longer than you are on the job which is pretty intimating to say the least. This was a very informative article and I am glad I am now aware of this company. Here you can learn more about Sweatwater and what they do https://www.sweetwater.com/about/

  19. I was not very familiar with Sweetwater prior to reading this article. It is crazy to put into perspective how the music industry operates and how vital the equipment creation and distribution is. Sweetwater has a lot of great values as a company, and seems to treat and train employees well. This is a business that has put a lot into creating the establishment that they have become. Sweetwater has built up its’ consumers and sales grew from $136 million to $500 million from 2009 to 2016.

    Here is an article that looks more in to Sweetwater and their success.
    http://msretailer.com/sweet-look-inside-sweetwater/

  20. This company seems to be a more convenient and more realizable company. Reading through this article has really opened my eyes to more companies rather than just guitar center. Because when people think about buying from guitar center and other big corporations like Sam Ash, they may not know that they aren’t really helping to fund anything. But this company helps young adults like myself to find job opportunities other than just a sales associate. Getting involve in this community is made easier with the help of this company. Here are some good reviews about this company:
    https://www.sweetwater.com/forums/showthread.php?30353-Customer-service

  21. While browsing the Sweetwater website, I found that having a specialized “university” that offered technical and applicable training in their service field was very innovative and would benefit the company over its extended life. Sweetwater is not the first or only company to offer this type of training, and plenty of other companies have reaped the benefits of this strategy. But because the music industry is snowballing into a primary technology advised industry, the necessity to learn about the physical and electronic aspects of the software and recording equipment sold is ever increasing.

    To see more benefits of extensive staff training, click here:
    http://www.skills.sa.gov.au/for-employers-business/training-your-staff/benefits-of-training-your-staff

  22. Like many other people, I had never heard of Sweetwater and their contributions to the music technology/gear field but the work the are doing seems like a great opportunity for music professionals and consumers alike. I found it interesting that their average community stores sell around $ 800,000 a year while most guitar centers, a long existing company, only sells about $200,000 more than that on average a year. Other interesting thing about Sweetwater is the amenities they provide their employees with and the attention they pay to customer satisfaction and creating a continuous cycle of customer, company interaction.

    For my link i provided an article detailing why music technology is important and why it a vital part of making the music industry be successful.

    Link:http://beautifullymusic.com/music/index.php?q=importance-of-music-technology

  23. Before reading the article and clicking on a few of the video’s listed I had no Idea a music store of this caliber ever existed. Let alone knowing that sales staff at Sweetwater can make $95,000 or more a year, it’s truly an incredible establishment!

    After looking through the link listed I clicked on a video presentation that showed Jeff McDonald, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Sweetwater talking about some different things he considers when hiring new employees. Jeff explains the high demand of applications he handles on a weekly bases (140 weekly, 10 usually hired). He also talks about his work outside of Sweetwater, playing professionally, not knowing how to read music, flunking music fundamentals and still becoming the Senior Vice President of Human Resources at one of if not, the largest music store in the world. Jeff, in my opinion, serves as an inspiration to many young struggling Music Marketing students and young performers.

    Here is an Article on the Sales side of the Music Industry.
    https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2018/08/07/citigroup-music-industry-sales/

  24. I’ve actually been acquitted with this company previously when looking at products online, i didn’t follow through with a purchase but they sure liked to call me until i explicitly said no. It’s really interesting how much more money 1 employee can pull in compared to a domestic music store (probably like guitar center). With the employees here we’re talking “buku money” especially for the small amount time that it takes to train before one of the employees can pick up the phone.

    Here is another company I find to be similar (but perhaps not as successful):
    https://www.musiciansfriend.com/?source=3WWRWXGT&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhbzxj_D53QIVAqxpCh3oHwR5EAAYASAAEgJw-vD_BwE&kwid=13302329401x7142620580x143913860

  26. I found the training aspect of Sweetwater really interesting because in most areas of the music industry historically it’s seemed that you have to have some prior knowledge from somewhere to even start off. That’s really the most intimidating part of trying to get into the music industry, trying to land a job, especially if you’re particular about the area. I was curious what were the other less challenging gateways into the music industry.

    Here’s a blog on their top 5 roles to start off and grow in the music industry.

    https://www.workinentertainment.com/blog/five-entry-level-music-jobs-with-huge-growth-potential/

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