Careers?

TylerDurdenPSSC · #1 01-01-2012, 07:16 PM

Not as a professional musician, or working at Guitar Center, but working directly FOR Ampeg, Fender, Dunlop, DR, etc...

Anyone here work on the inside?

i_got_a_mohawk · #2 01-01-2012, 07:40 PM

There are a few members on here that work for the big companies.

Ampeg, QSC and Genz Benz to name a few of the regular ones.

**jmattbassplaya** · #3 01-01-2012, 08:13 PM

Check under people's names. Most guys working for those companies have their company and title(s) listed.

TylerDurdenPSSC · #4 01-01-2012, 08:33 PM

I know we have a few reps here, was just curious about other members.

fdeck · #5 01-01-2012, 09:14 PM

Are you thinking of working in the music gear biz?

TylerDurdenPSSC · #6 01-01-2012, 11:29 PM

Actually, I am... Lol.

pedroims · #7 01-02-2012, 05:42 AM

I have a friend that works for Fender, he get great employees discounts, great parties and free tickets too.

BIG97BEN · #8 01-02-2012, 08:11 AM

I'm actually interested in the very same thing. Due to some injuries I can't keep doing what I was doing, and have some business to business sales and retail experience. hope you don't mind me piggy backing onto your thread for info

TylerDurdenPSSC · #9 01-02-2012, 08:19 AM

Not at all man, piggyback away!

I actually have years of store front retail racked up, and am realising I hate it. I was much happier as a rep working directly for the company, rather than a schmuck trying to sell a gizmo for a store who carries that company's product. (And more handsomely compensated as well!)

I was just thinking "Man I'd love to be able to support my family, afford my toys, and love my job again!" Then it hit me, like ton of bricks. Lol.

runmikeyrun · #10 01-02-2012, 02:46 PM

I went to auto mechanic school because I loved working on cars in my free time. Unfortunately, when I started a career as a mechanic I started to hate working on cars/bikes because I did it all day and then I never wanted to work on my own stuff. Moral is, sometimes you shouldn't do for work what you like as a hobby because you may not enjoy the hobby if it feels like work.

MJ5150 · #11 01-02-2012, 02:49 PM

That's the same as working with your friends. I hired my best buddy one time to work for me. We would get so tired of each other during the week that we never hung out on the weekends anymore.

-Mike

BIG97BEN · #12 01-02-2012, 03:06 PM

I agree to a point, which is why I decided not to major in music and make it my job. But being a sales rep for a company doing business to business sales or selling merchandise at a store is different than playing music. I would love to have a sales job where I was selling something I could get excited about.

MJ5150 · #13 01-02-2012, 03:10 PM

Good point. Believing in your product and being excited about it yourself will get you more sales than being a great salesman with tons of head knowledge about the product.

-Mike

Texan · #14 01-02-2012, 03:17 PM

I worked for GC for a number of years before I had kids. I loved dealing with and educating people about the gear. I had more repeat customers and referrals because I took the time to listen to my customers and help them with what they needed. I would steer someone to this amp or that amp just because of a higher profit margin. I'm in the oil industry now and while the money is good, I'm really not too happy. I would love to be a rep for a company, bit I have no more contacts and no idea where to start.

TylerDurdenPSSC · #15 01-02-2012, 05:13 PM

I actually graduated Wyotech, I'm an out of work HD mechanic... That's what I truly love doing.

TylerDurdenPSSC · #16 01-02-2012, 05:16 PM

Texan, that why I started this thread, I too have no idea where to begin. Companies don't have a "Careers" link on their sites!

I always wanted to work for GC, but I don't see myself being able to support a family on a non-management salary there... Also again, that's store front retail... What I'm trying to run away from! Lol.

BIG97BEN · #17 01-02-2012, 05:51 PM

I was led to believe that at Sam Ash there is some sort of commission involved which could make it worth still working in front store retail, but I would rather work in the business side of it as a rep making what I would hope would be much larger commissions.

Texan · #18 01-02-2012, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TylerDurdenPSSC

Texan, that why I started this thread, I too have no idea where to begin. Companies don't have a "Careers" link on their sites!

I always wanted to work for GC, but I don't see myself being able to support a family on a non-management salary there... Also again, that's store front retail... What I'm trying to run away from! Lol.

I made a good living at GC but worked 6-7 days per week at least 10 hrs per day. You had to hustle to to be a big dog. I always faded, every month, meaning I got a comission check and they were always nice. But I barely had time to play and maintain a girlfriend. Most of the guys with a wife and kids did not last long. This was back in the day when Marty and Larry owned the company. It's totally different now. When I left GC I tried to start my own store and fell short by a small margin of cash, I had the vendors ready to go because I dealt with the on a regular basis at GC. Now I'm lost.

TylerDurdenPSSC · #19 01-02-2012, 07:29 PM

On another comment I forgot to touch on...

Being excited for what you sell; I just can't seem to work myself up at the national hardware/lumber chain I work for. Exterior doors, 2x4's, and plumbing/electrical doesn't get my juices flowing.

I often find myself looking at our 1/2" Birch thinking "fEarful" or about that custom home-built tube amp I've been wanting to build for a few years now. (Same gives for our tool sales, lol.)

But that's for personal use, not for selling to others... Same feeling I would get as a customer.

I want to get excited talking about my company's products, and amps, guitars, and accessories does it for me, easily.

An ex of mine once said I get far to excited reading this site (and others.) And don't get me started on how I act walking into a Sam Ash or GC. Face lights up like a Christmas tree I've been told, haha.

Stu L. · #20 01-02-2012, 07:31 PM

Look into marketing groups if you want to rep for some companies. When I had my store (closed in '06) if I wanted Marshall, Korg, Monster Cable, Community Loudspeakers or a number of others I called a firm in Austin who marketed for them. It was the same for other companies too.