First published on the opinion page of the Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Indiana on December 1, 2025

 

1. You’ve spent time in both publishing and now Sweetwater. What’s a leadership lesson that held up in both places, despite how different those worlds look on the surface? 

Mike Clem is the current CEO at Sweetwater, and he frequently talks about being an organization with heart. That extends internally with our employees, obviously with our customers as well as with our vendors. Being a company with heart means maintaining a people first approach to everything we do. That is the same approach I took while running media companies. John Dille and Brad Williams from Federated Media are two individuals that made a huge impact on me when I was in the newspaper business. “We Build Community” was the tagline for the newspaper in Elkhart, Indiana, which is a phrase I still love and is reflective of the approach I took. The very best part of running a media company is the ability to help build the community you are serving and doing so with heart. That is the same approach on display at Sweetwater. You can see the impact Sweetwater makes on our local community, as well as in musical communities all around the country. And that all originates from the concept of being a company with heart. 

2. Sweetwater is Disneyland for musicians. What’s one thing about working there that would genuinely surprise folks on the outside? 

Locally, Sweetwater is known as a cool place to visit. And that is totally true even for me. I never want to take for granted this amazing place where I get to go work. But I don’t think people in Northeast Indiana realize how elite Sweetwater’s customer service is. The organization was recently recognized as having the best customer service in the music retail business and the eighth-best customer service overall in all categories according to Newsweek. Sweetwater ranks ahead of some of the most respected organizations, known for exceptional customer service, like Disney, Nordstrom, the Four Seasons, and more. Taking care of the customer, with big acts and small, is a part of the foundation that Chuck Surack built Sweetwater on. And it remains a part of the day-to-day culture. I couldn’t be prouder to be a small part of this amazing organization.  

3. You’ve led creative teams for a long time. What’s the habit or routine you rely on to keep people motivated without pushing them into burnout? 

Saying please and thank you and showing gratitude towards co-workers has always been at the core of who I strive to be. For the past few months, I’ve taken it a step further and have been sending out weekly emails to individuals expressing my appreciation for them and their work. I’ve been astonished by the responses I’ve received. Some of the responses have been deeply emotional, with individuals expressing how much the notes meant to them. The reactions I’m seeing reinforce the need to recognize people for the work they’re doing, express the difference they are making within the organization, and tell them how much you appreciate them. I also find recognizing the hard work individuals are putting in to be very rewarding on a personal level. I also believe it helps coax the very best out of the individual. Hanging signs around the office to encourage teamwork and camaraderie or giving out awards are nice things to do, but it is very superficial. Backing that sentiment with action and a personal touch, showing genuine appreciation and respect is what truly brings out the best in people.  

4. As industries have evolved, what’s an unexpectedly useful skill you’ve acquired you’ve picked up along the way? 

Turns out I’ve been a project manager long before I realized it was a skill I possessed or pursued formal certification for. Over the years I’ve developed the ability to simplify complex challenges within a business and can sort out the clutter of a situation to deliver clear, actionable solutions. Building collaborative teams that achieve business goals and objectives in an efficient manner has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career. 

5.  Let’s say you get an extra hour in the day, totally free. What’s the first thing you do for yourself? 

We are a family on the go. During Covid, we made the decision as a family to get out and see the world, and to make as many memories as we could. Since then, we’ve traveled all around the US, been to Europe three times, and have filled our lives with many wonderful memories. With this magical hour, I’d spend it planning our next adventure or writing about previous expeditions. We now have a travel blog where we chronicle our exploration and offer insight into some of the amazing places we’ve been blessed to visit – https://muchtobedone.com/.