Happy Holidays From In The Groove!

Yet another year has drawn to a conclusion. This first occurred for Darren and me back in 1995. Then, we had just moved into downtown Minneapolis; renting 600 square feet on the fifth floor of our current building. At that time, this all seemed like such a distant and unfocused destination; multiple studios, employees, frequent travel, branding strategy sessions, legal issues, taxes, health insurance, a new dishwasher… Back then, a new chair, and a new microphone, “IMAGINE the possibilities,” were cause for celebration. We were simpler then, just the two owners, setting off on an unknown journey towards the future. We had our hopes, dreams, ambitions, and each other.

Today, that coastline is but a distant, peaceful memory; “the halcyon days” as we recall. That future brought change, growth, decisions, tests of our values, tests of our resolve, tests of our willingness to “do whatever it takes” to get the job done, give the client what they want; to bring our best selves to every situation we faced, and to honor our mission of connecting people through sound.

Today, we stand at the conclusion of a quarter century’s worth of lessons learned, client’s trust earned, mistakes made, people hired and fired, and lives lived beyond these walls. The true measure of our accomplishments: Work to live, rather than live to work.

2019 was another year filled with lessons and clients and tests of endurance and ethics. We bid farewell to Kevin Call, who’d been with us since late 2014. Kevin tendered his resignation and moved with his wife and daughter back to Australia. For our business, we were concerned. For our friend, we were thrilled. So we bid him adieu, happy to play second fiddle to a man living his best life.

With Kevin’s departure, we found room in our culture for a long known peer, and occasional consultant, Janell Vircks. We’d known Janell for years, and more than once asked her advice regarding business issues whose nuances eluded our knowledge base. Contacting her was initially as a sounding board (more guidance counseling type stuff) for possible next/post-Kevin steps. Amidst that dialog, Janell made a proposal; that SHE come on board to pick up where Kevin had left off. We discussed, accepted, and, as of this writing, could not be happier with that decision. Janell’s business expertise, coupled with her easy-going manner, and her joyous sense of humor, made her an effortless fit into our ‘unique’ small business culture.

August saw the departure of satellite sales/marketing man Alec Setten. While Alec was an ideal fit, working remotely proved to be too difficult for effective communication and project coordination. We wish Alec and his family our best wishes for a wonderful future.

And so, we ease into the holiday season; friends, family, food & wine, good cheer, and looking back, a sense that we’ve traversed this past year with our values intact, our culture strong and supportive, our priorities where we’ve aimed them. At this 25 year mark, there is a certain pause one gets amidst their breathing rhythm; to view the world around you, a world that you’ve built from YOUR OWN hopes, dreams, and ambitions. This place looks nothing like what my child’s eye view of the unknown future looked like. And yet, this is exactly IT; the people, the place, the work, the challenges, the successes and failures, and the hope for a better tomorrow. We are exactly who and what and where and how WE are supposed to be…

Merry Christmas, Happy holidays, and a bright New Year to all those we’ve had the privilege of traveling this road with; one step, one mile, one lifetime.

-Brian B. Reidinger (with Darren Drew) || Partners; In The Groove Music LLC