Vision & Purpose!

Jimi Asked the Right Question: ‘Are You Experienced?’

Before we delve into Jimi Hendrix, let’s start with our own question.

As business entrepreneurs, has there ever been a better time than now to ask ourselves, “What is the vision and purpose of our business?” Over the years, your original vision has most likely morphed and matured. Undoubtedly, you have enjoyed many successes and faced multiple setbacks. So, as owners and stewards, we are always making changes and tweaks to our business models because the business landscape is always changing. Most of our retail business models are entrenched in some form of retail, and some of our businesses may be focused on services such as education, instrument repair, rentals, performance, et cetera. It is safe to say that they are likely a blend of all the above. No matter the model, we need to stay fresh and relevant, and we must continually review our vision and remember our purpose.

So, when was the last time you truly reviewed your vision and purpose?

In many cases, business owners open their shops, play it safe, and stay with their original vision. They follow the old mentality of, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” However, the pace of technology and the fast-paced creativity of today’s youth aren’t kind to that philosophy. That approach will come back to haunt you.

Successful leaders know that vision must mature though the years or you run the risk of becoming a dinosaur. Just like your cell phone, your “business vision” needs regular updates. Vision is the idea of the “what and how” in a business model. We are well-served to stop and think, “Maybe there is room to introduce some fresh thinking.”

Purpose, on the other hand, is akin to a mission statement. Your purpose is based in core principles. It’s not a spreadsheet; it’s a values system. Purpose is the “why,” both in business and life. That is something we shouldn’t take for granted. After all, reviewing our original purpose takes courage. If, for any reason, we find ourselves adrift, we either correct course or suffer the loss of integrity. That’s a heavy price to pay. Many times, purpose gets hijacked by quotas and sales reports, or (worse yet) by an inflexible corporate culture. When that happens, you can say goodbye to creative ideas. Why, you ask? because “original” and “creative ideas” have no data to support them. You are projecting success of an idea based on an intuition. You are driven by purpose, not data. Big business says that’s too risky, and if you base success solely on numbers, that may be right. However, if you base success on purpose, that model may compete with your principles. Personally, I can’t think of any business model post-2020 that wouldn’t benefit from a refreshed sense of purpose.

This is where Jimi comes in with his important question, “Are you experienced?”

Throughout 2020 I heard statements reflecting the idea that the world of traditional education will never be the same. “Virtual” has changed everything, and to some degree that’s true. Perhaps that’s a good thing. I am very thankful that clients could embrace a video-based approach to studying music. That one detail probably saved large portions of the music industry. But if you believe for a second there is no hangover effect from the “virtual lesson model,” you will overlook the next important opportunity we have in front of us: the rekindling of appreciation for a musical experience! Yes, It’s true – metaphorically, it’s 1967 all over again.

The number-one question I am asked when people inquire about music lessons is, “Are the lessons in-person?” This doesn’t occur just some of the time; it is every time! Think about the schools and what the music students just went through, or should I say, what they didn’t go through. Students want an experience now more than ever because they were robbed of that experience last year. Musicians want to interact in-person with other musicians. Musicians want to hear the other musicians when they play, and with no time lag, or frozen screens. They want to feel the vibrations of all the instruments, and they want conversations. People want to laugh together without canceling out the other person. People want to enjoy the subtleties of an in-person conversation.

We all know some form of virtual music interactions will remain. Who can argue that YouTube is king? Zoom and Google Duo are here to stay, and there will be scads of others; we should be very excited about that. Let’s not forget that vinyl has a new respect as well, and restaurants and home cooking remain more exciting than Hello Fresh. Hendrix was on to something when he asked, “Are You Experienced?”

How does this tie into Vision and Purpose?

Vision is the guide to where we can go. Purpose is the reason we should go. The music business has been stuck in a quasi-rut for a long time; we have gotten a touch lazy. We have been lulled into a false sense of security that the bottom line is automatic – the old “click and ship” mentality. In front of us is a new chance to refresh our purpose, a chance to tweak our vision. If you do this, you will be able to answer, “Yes!” the next time Jimi asks you, “Are You Experienced?”

Menzie Pittman is the owner and director of education at Contemporary Music Center in Virginia (CMC). Following a performance and teaching career spanning more than 32 years, he founded CMC in 1989 and continues to perform, teach, and oversee daily operations. He has 50 years of musical experience as a drummer and drum instructor. Menzie is a frequent speaker at NAMM’s Idea Center, and a freelance writer for MMR’s “Small Business Matters”.