One of the reasons the St. Louis Music Sales Team is so dedicated to great products and service is because they’re often musicians themselves or have a deep passion for music and education. In our “Meet Your SLM Sales Team” series, we’ll be giving you a glimpse at why our colleagues are so driven by music, and what inspires them. For November, 2016, we’re honored to introduce you to Matt Picker…
Where are you from? Where did you study?
A: I’m from right here in St. Louis, born and raised. I briefly pursued a communication arts degree, but never actually attained it. Let’s just say it’s still a work in progress.
Are you musical? If so, what do you play and with what bands?
A: I’m a drummer primarily, and have played drums in quite a few bands and done a bit of fill-in work here and there. I’m not playing with any bands at the moment, but I still do a lot of playing and practicing in my spare time. I also play guitar and bass. In my opinion, this job is so specialized that to really do it well, you have to be musical at least to some degree.
Please describe your career path before SLM, i.e. companies you have worked for, mentors you may have had, any sideways paths you may have taken….
A: Before I started at St. Louis Music I worked for a major book distributor here in town called Booksource. I then did business consulting work at MCI/WorldCom, which was a telecommunications company that more or less no longer exists. Before all that I made ice cream cakes at Dairy Queen. Through those years I was playing in bands and of course toyed with the idea of trying to do that full-time, but the touring musician gig was never in the cards.
How did you first connect with the SLM Team?
A: A good friend of mine was the Artist Relations rep for SLM back when the company owned Ampeg and Crate. He needed an assistant, and asked me if I wanted to work in A.R. with him. Of course I said yes. The stars aligned somehow. I went from a business-casual cube farm one month to hanging out with Bootsy Collins and Michael Anthony in LA the next. It was surreal. As the business transitioned a bit, that job was eventually moved out of the Midwest and that’s when I started with the sales team, which is where I’ve been ever since. Next year I’ll have been here in some capacity or another for fifteen years.
What is the most invaluable insight you have learned in your time at SLM? How does this affect your approach to work and life outside the office?
A: What I have learned more than anything in this position is that real success is truly built on developing and maintaining good relationships, be it with your customers, clients, co-workers, or whoever. I look forward to coming in to work every day because I get to spend the day with friends in the office and friends on the phone. I feel like my dealers know that they can trust me to take care of them, and not just because it’s my job, but because we genuinely know and like each other. We’re all in this thing together.
What do you do that inspires you outside of work?
A: I spend the vast majority of my time when I’m not in the office hanging out with my wife and two young kids, but aside from that I like to travel as much as possible, ride bikes, play drums, skate, work on my house, go see bands, and drink good coffee.
