NAMM Keynote 2024 || Hospitality, Service, and Friendship: The Real Mechanics of How Deals Get Done

Last year when I gave a variation of this talk — if you didn’t catch that, please check the archives because that’s definitely the primer for everything that we’re gonna cover today.)

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Anyway — last year, If I seemed a bit preoccupied on stage — that was because I was in the middle of filming and producing a movie. Now. I’m not the kind of guy who films movies. I know nothing about making movies. But I happen to have some great friends in the business and I do have a great story to tell. I watched the birth of the in-ear industry and I saw it blossom and morph into the Global Headphone revolution. And I know all the players and all the players know and trust me.

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I’d always joked that I missed my calling in life. That I should have been filming and recording all the shenanigans and all the trash talking — about Who Invented the In-Ear Monitor. And last NAMM seemed like as good of a time as any to start. So I pulled in many of the favors owed and got everyone — Shure, Sennheiser, JH, UE, Audeze, Sensaphonics, Blue Man Group — Engineers for Maluma, Doobie Brothers, and even Billy Bob Thornton. And for fun — I even had Steve Woznack there as the Boom Operator.

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And It’s going to be great. Better than great. It’s going to be a proper WHo Done It — American Success story Blockbuster hit.

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And I was able to pull this off because I’ve spent the last 20 years showing up, doing the right thing, giving more than I take, and slowly building up my reputation and my network.

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But it wasn’t always like this.

1:30

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Let me tell you a story.. A very ironic story.

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See. I don’t have a musical background. Yes, I tried to play drums but I was awful. I couldn’t keep a beat and my friends only let me hang around because I had the van. I like to sing but I only have one note.

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I went to school for economics. I wanted to work in finance.  I really shouldn’t be in this industry at all.

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And I had NO IDEA what NAMM was the first time I came here.

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Actually — I had to pay to come here on my own dime and time — to “Volunteer” to work for Mindy and Jerry Harvey in the early early early days of Ultimate Ears. We weren’t even in the basement. It was more like the parking lot.

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I knew no one. Absolutely no one. But at least I got to hang around the booth and blend in. I dind’t have to walk the floor and feel embarrassed and awkward. I didn’t have to go ask people for things.

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Not like the first time that Mindy and Jerry sent me to AES on my own — also something that I had to PAY for —  I was so intimidated and outgunned that I ended up leaving after an hour or so. I just felt stupid and out of place. No one talked to me and no one made me feel even remotely welcomed. The only highlight from that trip was that I got to see Tracy Chapman walking around the aisles but that just made me feel like I didn’t belong even more.  

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And the first time I had to give a talk in public — it was at one of the Apple retail stores when those first started to open up around the world — no one showed up and the store manager made me deliver my address to all the empty chairs. I thought he was joking. But he was not.

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That’s OK though. I worked through it and kept taking on more little speaking gigs and eventually, I got booked for my first trade show.  I was going to talk about Hearing Health Conservation at Tour Link. Much bigger venue. Much bigger opportunity. Much more pressure. And many many many more empty chairs. Like all of them. Like - again. No one showed up. And I felt just as dumb and stupid and out of place and lonely.  (3:30)

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But it was worse. My wife and daughter had wanted to come to the talk to support me. But I told them to scram and that I’d see them back at the hotel. So when I came back all dejected, I didn’t any love or encouragement — they just razzed me to death laughing about how if I hadn’t given them the boot — I’d at least have  2 people there:)))

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3:00 (4:00?)

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So it's HILARIOUS That I’m up here — MAIN STAGE —  giving advice and talking about HOW TO NETWORK at tradeshows.  Because besides for everything else that I just shared, you should also know that I’m not naturally outgoing, that I don’t like making small talk, and that I’m quite private and shy. And while I’m going to spend a lot of time talking about success, I have failed spectacularly on my way to getting there!

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It’s all just a function of time. And practice. And of being super uncomfortable. And of being brave enough to do it over and over and over and over again. Until it gets easier.

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This must be like my 20th NAMM. I don’t even know anymore. And it doesn’t matter. Because it really only takes 3 times to get comfortable with anything. The first time that you do anything new — it’s bound to be awkward, and scarry and unfamiliar. The second time is a little better — and a little worse. Because the 2nd time — you know what to expect and you know the ways that you’re going to fail and be jammed up.

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But by the 3rd time, you’ve worked through the nerves and you’ve got the lay of the land. You even feel like you’ve got home court advantage; that you’re on your turf.

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That’s why I want to mix it up a bit today. I’ve played this stage before. The first time I was on a panel and I had stage fright so bad that by the time the question came to me, I forgot what the moderator had even asked. The second time was a little better…. And a little  worse. And today — I just want to have some fun with you all.

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And to share the things that have helped me figure out how to do this. I promise these tips and tricks are well-eared. Each one is practiced to perfection;0

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And not to brag (Well… to just brag a little. I’m actually soooo good at what I do now —  that most days — I amaze myself.  I’m like Steph Curry. I shoot from anywhere I want and it just goes in. Like I’m playing a different game.

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Look. I was decent before. At least I was good at drinking and telling jokes…. But once I started really thinking about these skills and once I started having to train other people on how to effectively network and what that actually means, things started cooking. The more I started to understand what I did to overcome my ineptitude and how I trained myself to became comfortable talking to anybody — anywhere. Things got easier. Much easier.

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And then. Then.  Once I started to understand how deals actually get done. OH!!! That was game over. That was like the Matrix.  (6:15)

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Look. You always hear me talking about Why No Likes Networking — and all the bad ways that we all fail at it. And you hear me talk about how Networking is about what you GIVE - not what you take.

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And how Networking is a team sport and the path that you must take if you want to accomplish HUGE THINGS with lasting impact. How it’s about collaborating and how it is the single most important variable that YOU CAN CONTROL to affect your career trajectory.

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But what you all keep really asking me for is how to play the favor game. So we’re gonna go there! But first I want to try to explain a few fundamentals in new and different ways.

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I don’t like talking about things in terms of Networking because there’s just a lot of baggage that goes along with that word. It always conjures up that WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR ME kind of vibe.

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SO instead. We’re going to talk about Hospitality, Service, and Friendship.

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6:00 (7:00)

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PART ONE || HOSPITALITY

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You ever go to a great restaurant? Or stay at a fantastic hotel? You know the kind I’m talking about — the ones you still talk about YEARS later. The ones that transcend the food and the place.

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They make it about the EXPERIENCE.

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THAT’S HOSPITALITY!

And that’s the #1 TRAIT that you need to adopt for a Networking mindset.

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So I ended up grabbing dinner at Verse in LA when I got in on Tuesday. EVERY SINGLE TOUCH POINT is perfection. From the minute that you walk in the door to the sad moment when you finally have to leave — it is an EXQUISITE EXPERIENCE.

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And of course I loved the food and setting and the sound system. But here’s what really blew my mind. Halfway through the meal, Manny Marraquin himself - came over to me personally to say hello, to check in, to see how everything is going and to ask my wife about her parents.

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Now look. I’m nobody. Manny certainly did NOT need to take time from his night to catch up with lil ol me. But he did. Authentically and genuinely. And I left there feeling bigger and badder than Kanye himself. I left feeling like a KING.

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Now here’s something to think about? Something to ponder….

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Could it have been any other way? Could verse — from the moment they opened their doors — be anything less than perfect? Could it have cut any corners or not paid attention to every detail?

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NO. Of course not. Because Manny will always be Manny. Whether its at Larrabee or at home or with any random interaction. Whether its an album or designing the drink menu.  He will always be dunking. He will always be playing above the rim —  because HE IS HOSPITALITY. He exudes it. And HOSPITALITY is the SUM of all the little details. The things that separate GOOD FROM GREAT.

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Tell Story of Manny Washing dishes — MxU and ALicia Keys.

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And thats it. That’s what Networking really is. It’s the intentionality of the connection. Of giving your time — your uninterrupted and non-distracted time — to those around you.

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SO I POSE THIS TO YOU. How can you cultivate that level of hospitality in everything that you do? How can you go that extra mile and make everyone around you feel welcomed? Feel included? And to feel at ease and calm?

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3:20

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Hospitality is XXXX (minding) the Space

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Hospitality is being polite. Having good manners. Dressing appropriately. And making sure that everyone has a good time and feels part of what you’re doing.

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It’s an attitude that you get to project everywhere. ALL THE TIME.

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It’s what I want you all to be known for going forward.

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Now lets get super concrete and specific. We’re going to talk about how you can apply that Hospitality mindset at Work, at any tradeshow, and at home.

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3:45

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AT WORK

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At work — are you there to help solve problems or are you unknowingly and accidentally creating messes for your employees and bosses to solve?

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I’m serious. That’s a real question. And the answer 100% depends on how you previously thought about hospitality.

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Because if you’re the type who used to think that hospitality only extended as far as your customers, then my smart money says that there are some exciting growth opportunities heading your way.

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Hospitality is 360. All touchpoints. And this applies to all of your co-workers (especially the ones you don’t particularly like) as well as to all your vendors and suppliers.

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The people that you work with daily — including all inputs and outputs — that’s your first tier network. And if you’re not actively cultivating and growing these connections, then you are not even trying to succeed in your career development.  (4:45))

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MORE ON THIS IS WHERE AND HOW YOU START - WHERE IT ALL BEGINS - FOR A LATER TALK IT WOULD BE NICE TO FLUSH HERE

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Now Here’s what happens when you adopt a Hospitality-Based Welcoming and inviting problem solving can’t fail attitude at work. And this starts with you and then you get to help radiate this attitude through the rest of your team.

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• Communication RAPIDLY improves
• Deadlines are respected and met
• Accountability increases
• Deliverables speed up
• You will be able to solicit many more YESES than NO’s
• Your Team gains the ability to play zone and to cover for each other while making sure to play to each’s individual strengths
• And most importantly — you are better able to serve your customers.

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And that’s what it’s all about. The wholistic Hospitality mindset helps get everyone in your organization aligned with serving your customers.

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And when you and your team are able to adopt a Networking mindset as it relates to customer service — then you and your team are able to dominate the competition.

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13:00

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Look. It’s no secret that when I started at Earthworks a few years ago, they were at the bottom of the heap — If you even knew of them at all. They were a small mom&pop microphone shop that only a handful of people kind of cared about. Today — they are the #1 hottest fastest rising brand in the Pro Audio space. Why? Because we adopted a Networking mindset for customer service.

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Now let me tell you exactly what that means and how you can do the exact same thing at your organization.

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I will stand up here and argue until I am blue in the face that there is never a shortage of opportunity. There is only a misalignment of priorities and failures of execution. Right now — in each of your in-boxes (and the inboxes of your teams and customer service divisions) there is gold that’s being completely overlooked. Wasted!

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Are you taking the time to obsess over everything? to pay attention to email addresses and signatures? Do you and your team know who’s calling in? But more importantly — do you have a plan in place to even know what to do when a big influencer or pop star does get in touch with you? Again. Smart money says you don’t.

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And it’s so easy to implement these changes. It just comes right back to hospitality. To being welcoming and inviting. To paying attention to every small detail. (7:00)

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Because here’s the kicker. When you do have those HOSPITALITY mechanisms in place. When you are able to curate the entire customer experience and journey — then you start to get that Holy Grail Halo effect. Right!

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Because what happens when you go to that great restaurant… Or stay at that great hotel… What happens when you have that amazing experience ——_ is that  You tell everyone about it. You become the biggest evangelist. And you are thrilled to make recommendations. You want everyone to feel that level of service and joy.

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And When you adopt a Networking Miindset for your company at work — the exact same thing happens. Referrals come rolling in. That’s just the byproduct of doing it right. Referrals are the proof that its working. (7:45)

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Just this month alone — not counting any huge wins from last year. But just these last few weeks, I’ve gotten a call from Travis Barker’s manager. We’re launching a new kick mic and he loved the sound and experience so much that he wanted to know how he could help and be part of it.  And I got that same call from Pearl Jam. And T-Pain wants to switch out all his mics for his Twitch Streams and YouTube Podcasts. And these are just a few of the examples. I’m leaving out Tiny Desk and everything else. It’s all connected.

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But these aren’t random or accidental. These are all intentional referrals.  And the reason I get these calls is because I exude Hospitality and because I exude that Networking mindset. All the time. I don’t need to come to NAMM to network to get deals done. That’s some old school thinking right there. It’s happening always —all the time.  And I have my entire team expertly trained on everything that I preach up here.

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This is why and how Earthworks was able to rebrand and where the explosive growth has come from.  And this isn’t rocket science. Seriously.. Before you pick up any more HOW TO Business Books — go out and grab a copy of Emily Post’s Etiquette and manners books. You’ll get a much better ROI!  (9:00)

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HOSPITALITY AT A TRADE SHOW

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OK. On to Hospitality at a Tradeshow. Now this is going to get fun! I’m spilling all the goodies. You didn’t know that you showed up for the Penn and Teller version of this talk!

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Here we go. Hospitality at a Trade show. In 2 parts. We’re going to talk about how to exhibit hospitality as an organization — as a  company —  and how to be as an individual.  

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When I’m paid to run an event — to have a booth and to be responsible for the overarching customer experience — here are 2 things that I do that I promise you all don’t know about.

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1. Day of show. After the team has set the booth up the night before and has everything all dialed and perfect.  I get to the hall SUPER early — before anyone else even thinks about getting up — and I go in to our booth and I get rid of all the chairs. Every one of them. And that’s harder than you think. Freeman is great at bringing over a LOT of chairs. SO I’m running around trying to figure out where to stash them. Hiding them here and there.  
   
   1. And every time. Every single time. Whenever the team shows up. Someone always says: What the??? What happened to our chairs? I know we ordered them. Damn You Freeman!!!
   
   
   2. LAUGHHHHH. OK. So why do I do that? Besides for it being funny? It’s simple. The minute that there’s the chance to sit down and change your body language or to start doom scrolling on your phone — the minute you kill the Hospitality vibe. There is NOTHING welcoming or inviting about walking by and seeing a bunch of people sitting down in their own world. And now that I said it out loud, You won’t be able to unsee it. The minute you walk back in the hall, you will see the booths that are popping and you’ll see the booths that are dead. And for all the dead ones, you’ll see everyone sitting around with a stand-offish attitude wondering why their booth has no traffic. (11:00)
2. And speaking of traffic — because that’s the currency of a trade show — I pay people to stand in the aisles and to block traffic for me. You heard me.  I pay to create a traffic jam. Because that’s human nature. Once there’s a jam, everyone else stops to see what all the fuss and commotions about. Everyone loves a crowd! And once it becomes self-perpetuating, I pay those same people to fall back - and become the greeters — to welcome and invite everyone in to experience all that the booth has to offer. To Exude Hospitality. And if there’s a lull or if things slow down, we reset. It’s beautiful to watch. It’s like poetry in motion! Like a well run hotel. And it makes all the difference!

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No Chairs + Traffic jams = Best In Show.

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It works every time. Flawlessly. (12:00) 3 bits in.

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OK. On to you as an individual — not as part of an entity.

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How should You behave at any Tradeshow or Event?

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Well. That’s Easy. You get to be the consummate host wherever you go!

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You get to make everyone feel welcomed. And included. And if this isn’t your first show — You’re on deck to take someone under your wing and to show them the ropes. That’s your responsibility. Just because someone didn’t do that for you — and because you had to come up the hard way like me — dosen’t mean that you can’t help accelerate someone else’s learning and make it easier for them.

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Now I’ve been lucky enough to share many a meal with old Mr. Billy Cuthrell — The Retail Doctor himself. And it’s always a blast. And he always has a new sidekick with him. He’s exemplifies this behavior to a Tee. He is always bringing up youngblood. I can’t even begin to imagine just how many doors he’s opened for countless people in this business. And it’s great. It’s always additive and everyone wins. That’s the networking spirit and heart.

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So in honor of Billy — here’s my request. After this talk is over. If this is anyone’s first NAMM or if you’re just starting out in this industry and it’s feeling a bit overwhelming and if like me — you don’t even know where to start and you kind of just want to leave —  please make a small group over by the soundbooth before heading over to your next event. And likewise — if you’re old hat at this and you already muddled your way through it all and you want to lend a helping hand, go over and pick someone up and invite them to your big dinners and parties tonight. And don’t stop there. Make it a habit. Be that consummate host and connector. Be that bridge that spans time and space.

(13:30)

Which brings me to part 3 —— How do you Exude Hospitality at Home?

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That’s easy. It’s the exact same way that you should at work and at tradeshows. When you truly adopt a networking mindset of giving more than you take and trying to add value wherever you can — then the porous borders between work and events and home dissolve away.

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NOTHING makes me happier than having an international distributor over to my house for a home cooked meal. And nothing makes me happier than taking my wife and daughter to events and shows whenever I get to travel te world

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We work in one of the most open and accepting industries. And if we can’t figure out how to have a little joy and fun and to overlap family and friends, then we’re not fully adopting those hospitality values.

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And if we’re honest — that’s probably the reason that we all keep showing up at NAMM. it’s not really about the gear. Or these talks. It’s about having the excuse to spend time with friends and family and friends who feel like family! And if we’re double honest — that’s the only reason that I give these talks. It’s no surprise or secret to anyone that I don’t actually care about in-ears or microphones. I simply care about the people that I get to work with. That right there is why I’m able to accomplish the things that I do. And that’s why I am always beating this Networking drum. It’s the path to tremendous success and productivity. But it’s also the path to joy and laughter and happiness — for me and for my entire family.

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15:00 (22?)

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ALRIGHT! Moving on to SERVICE

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Ok. So I shouldn’t have to say this but it’s not enough to simply be welcoming and inviting if you don’t have the goods to actually back it up. If you’re all talk and bluster — then you come off like hot air.

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Service & Hospitality are the 2 sides of the same coin. You can have a well decorated restaurant but if the food is bad, you’re not going to last. Likewise — if your food is excellent but your staff is awful and your place looks like a rat hole, you can stay open but you’re never going to kill.

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So this is where Service comes into play.

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How can you be helpful?

How can you add value?

How do you deliver?

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And I don’t mean with just lip service or that triage-mentality. Like I’ve got to get this off my desk and pass it back to you or to someone else. I’m talking about really taking the time to listen, to understand, and to do what is being asked of you — above and beyond.

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And then to stay with it until you know for certain that the issue is resolved. THAT’s SERVICE!

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And sadly. That’s rarer now than ever before. It’s so easy to just phone it in or to skate by. Or to look like you’re on it but really you’re just moving paper and not adding value.

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But when you combine that Hospitality Presentation with That Service Work Ethic — That’s pro level.

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And that’s reputation building. When you work like that, people notice.

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And this matters because you can not build a network if you don’t build your reputation.

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And you can’t build your reputation if you don’t deliver. It’s all connected. This is exactly what we were talking about when we were discussing referrals — just from the perspective of SERVICE.

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See. I have a great reputation for always saying YES. For being one of the easiest people to do a deal with. I’m going to find a way to find a YES. And I’m super transparent about that right from the start. I go in and start off by saying — Look the answer’s already Yes. And what I need to makes things really work for me is just X, Y, and Z. I approach every deal with this exact Networking Mindset.

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And I’m super specific about my needs because none of my needs are random. They’re not guesses. They’re all part of that bigger picture of Making Earthworks the Fastest Growing Brand in Pro Audio. When I was hired, I asked the CEO what he wanted to accomplish and I’ve been working backwards from that goal from day one. And the more wins that I stack, the faster and easier that goal becomes.

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Here’s a great example. iZotope by Native Instruments just launched a game changing plug in for content creators. It’s like Ozone / Nectar / and RX all in one but without having to learn how to use Ozone or Nectar or RX. You just hit a button and the AI does it all for you with amazing ease and accuracy. Now this is HUGE. Especially for me personally. I’m a decent content creator who can’t figure out how to actually use the tools. So this new plug in let’s me compete and be in the game and to make things that I’m not embarrassed about sharing.

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It’s a win for iZotope and Native Instruments because I take on some of the marketing and placement responsibilities.

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And it’s a HUGE win for Earthworks because we’re able to bundle this Plugin — along with RX Elements — with all of our streaming and broadcasting mics.

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And that in turn a GIANT win for all our partners and resellers.

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And it’s a phenomenal win for every end user who reaps all the additional value and joy.

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This deal is like making 1+1 = 5. And I share this story because this is everything we’ve been talking about. This is my Networking philosophy in action. Everyone wins. This is what Hospitality + Service looks and feels like in a business setting.

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Now let me break it down and tell you how it came about from a personal networking perspective. And how all of this is interconnected and why all of these things that we’re discussing matter. It’s always the little pieces — the little details — that matter most.

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The great content producer and YouTube personality Sanjay C made a great video on Native Instruments’ Komplete 14 and he used my mic in the shoot. I wanted to get in touch with someone over at NI to see if we could get Sanjay’s video placed on the Sweetwater Komplete product landing page. The only problem was that I didn’t know any over at NI.

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Then as luck would have it. Metallica was passing through the Bay Area, and the founder of Brainworx wanted to go to the show. He asked his friend — the engineer for Sanatana if he knew Metaliica’s engineer and somehow I got caught in the middle of it all and made introductions. Once we sorted that all out, I mentioned that I wanted to get Sanjay’s video placed. And that led to the proper introduction over at iZotope… And the rest kind of unfolded over burgers. That’s usually how it works. You just need to be talking to the right people. (4:45)

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Which leads me to this. When you want to get anything done, the Yes should already be the forgone conclusion. That’s the only way to play the favor game.

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The reason that I’m such an easy YES is that if it’s already made it through all the filters — if it  lands in my lap through a trusted referral or recommendation — then of course it’s already a Yes. Why would someone in my top-level throw me a bunk deal in the first place? Who would even think about wasting my time like that?

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Jason — have I ever said No to anything that you’ve asked for? No. Never. And you’ve brought me the sun and the moon and everything in between. I know that you wouldn’t even bother if it wasn’t worth both of our time.

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Same goes for me when I need a favor. For when I need a yes. I’m not calling some random stranger who I just met a show. I’m calling on a trusted friend and partner who I have years of experience with. Or at worst _ I’m reaching out to second level network tier — but with a track record and reputation to back it up.

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This is what I try to teach my team. And it’s one of the hardest lessons to learn but the most important. I don’t ask for anything that’s not already in the bag. I only ask favors from the people who I know can make good on them. And who I’ve already done plenty of solids for.

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And even then — I only ask for things that are the easy ask — meaning its right in the wheelhouse. I don’t ask the wrong people for impossible deliverables. This is why I get everything that I need. Why I dunk! And why I’m the guy that everyone calls.

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That’s the only way to play the favor game. Like I said before. Give a lot more than you take and do not ask people to do things that they are not able to easily do. Don’t put them in that awkward position. That’s some beautiful networking mindset right there. (6:45)

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FRIENDSHIP

OK. I didn’t leave enough time for this one. And that’s a bummer because this is actually the most important.

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Look. it’s easier for me to talk about Networking than about making friends. But it’s the exact same thing. There’s no difference at all. It’s just that on sounds like work and one sounds too new age for me.

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But we’re facing a crisis of loneliness. An epidemic of loneliness. so if I have to sound New Age in order to help someone’s suffering and pain, I will happily do it. If you know anyone who is hurting and just needs someone to talk to, please be there for them. If you are someone who is going through one of those down times, please reach out to me personally and I will do my best to tell you my worst jokes!

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