Fast Track Music can inspire more than masses--it also helped this entrepreneur start a leadership training business.
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Name and age: Robert Van Arlen Smith, 40
Company name and description: Phoenix, Arizona-basedmotivationthroughmusic provides leadership trainingusing music to improve processes and productivity.
Starting point: Founded in 1998 with $350,000 frompersonal savings 2000 sales: $750,000
2001 sales projections: $1 million plus
The story: Smith was moving up the corporate managementladder when he was assigned to lead one of the lowest-ranking salesteams at a legal publishing company. A gospel organist whilegrowing up, Smith decided to experiment with music as amotivational tool, even taking his sales team to a studio to recorda song. "Within a year, we were the top-performing team in thecompany, and we held that position for three years," he says.As he fine-tuned his techniques, Smith realized that of all hismanagement responsibilities, what he enjoyed most was helpingpeople enhance their performance and cope with organizationalchange, and that the need for such assistance was practicallyuniversal. "We were having so much success with that onecompany, why not bring it to the rest of the world?" he says.And motivationthroughmusic was born.
Making music: Smith's approach is simple: Humans findit hard to change, and music-used both metaphorically andexperientially-helps that process. "People are able torelate to musical metaphors," Smith explains. "Themusic-creation process is melody, harmony and rhythm. What is themelody, harmony and rhythm of the organization, and how do we tiethat to the melody, harmony and rhythm of all the individuals inthe organization?"
A different drum: Smith's nontraditional concept isfinding acceptance in the business world. Smith says corporateAmerica is realizing great leaders need to merge left-brainanalytical thinking with right-brain creativity. "With thatcombination, you're going to bring more passion to theprocess," he says. "Passion, creativity, being able tothink on your feet and being able to quickly change direction allneed to be part of the process in order to compete today."
Beyond the introduction: With a solid client base inplace, Smith is making money in other ways, too: by releasing aline of CD audio products that reinforce the concepts he teachesand by composing theme songs for companies. In January 2000, heformed characterthroughmusic, a nonprofit foundation using music tohelp children learn the value of good character.
Jacquelyn Lynn left the corporate world more than 14 yearsago and has been writing about business and management from herhome office in Winter Park, Florida, ever since.
