On Tuesday’s class (Nov. 4th), I had the wonderful opportunity to listen to three accomplished Sauder alumni talk about their journeys as entrepreneurs. One of these guest speakers was Tom Dobrzanski. I was very excited to hear him speak because I absolutely love The Zola‘s music. After listening to him speak about his business ventures I was very inspired; not only is he very musically talented, but he embodies the entrepreneurial spirit just like the two other speakers, Paul Davidescu and Jenny Duffy, do.
In reflecting upon Tom Dobrzanski’s presentation, here are two takeaways I got about what it means to be an entrepreneur:
Think differently and turn threats into opportunity:
With regards to pirating music, Tom had a different perspective than I would have expected from most music producers. Instead of viewing it as a threat to album sales, he saw it as a way to increase the band’s fan base. Especially in the beginning stages of The Zolas, pirating music helped the band spread its name; it was not confined to its demographic in Vancouver but the band’s music spread worldwide. While illegally downloadable music may have reduced revenue from album sales, concerts and shows were being sold out in different countries around the world. In turn, this would increase revenue from ticket sales as well as sale of merchandise.
Passion is the driving factor:
It is evident that Tom is extremely passionate about what he does and his passion is reflected in how successful he has been. While completing his bachelors of commerce at Sauder, Tom was simultaneously beginning his career as a musician and producer. He started off with a small recording studio in his parent’s basement and grew from there. This self-motivation and devotion to his vision of producing music eventually led to the creation and current success of Monarch Studios. In an abstract way, I feel that the physical construction of Monarch Studios, with Tom’s home connected to the studio, is a representation of the life of an entrepreneur. There is no distinction between work and home because if you love your work, then it isn’t work anymore. It is your passion that you are privileged enough to do everyday.
(The Zolas performing Friday, Nov. 7, at Zulu Records)