When Stacey Montgomery-Clark left the University of New Brunswick in Canada, business degree in hand, she had her eye on the big prize, but in a small town. “I grew up in the area. I married my high school sweetheart and we wanted to stay in this region, close to family and friends,” she said. SABIAN happened to have an opening for a marketing coordinator, so Montgomery-Clark applied, “thinking I’d be here for a year or two, and 15 years later I’m still here. So it worked out really well. I love working for Sabian. We have a great team of passionate people working hard every day for drummers all around the world.”
Being a people person certainly comes in handy when you’re working with as many people as Montgomery-Clark does on a daily basis. She manages her department and its staff, and also works with the research and development department, spearheading its efforts based on feedback she gets from the market. “It’s all about the market and what our customers want,” she said. “We approach product development with the customer first. We focus on their needs and listen to what is relevant to them, rather than trying to develop products we ‘think’ they desire.”
One of the main ways Sabian connects with its customers is through its innovative and interactive programs, most notably, the annual Vault Tour. The promotion reaches thousands of consumers over the course of a few weeks, and Montgomery-Clark finds the experience invaluable. “I think it’s very important to be in touch with the market directly. In fact, this year, we’re adding an online component to the promotion in order to engage more people on the road. The Vault Tour is a chance for our Sabian team to make a personal connection with consumers and store personnel, and the photos, videos, blogs, and daily Twitter contests will enable drummers throughout the world to experience the events ‘firsthand.’”
Montgomery-Clark assured that feedback given during these sessions—as well as the factory tours offered by the company—does not fall on deaf ears. “We find we learn a lot from meeting with our drummer and percussionist customers. In fact, putting cymbals in boxes was an idea generated from one of these meetings,” she said, offering just one example. “That idea was feedback from one of our dealer visits; now you see every major cymbal company offering cymbals in sets.”
The Beat Goes On
While this industry is often filled with current and former musicians, Montgomery-Clark bucks that trend, having never played an instrument (other than in middle school band) before coming to Sabian.
“I did take drum lessons when I first started working here, for about 12 months, mainly as a form of education for me with learning lingo, understanding the psyche of drummers, and trying to get into their world,” she explained. “By nature, if you’re a drummer, you know the products. You know the little nuances of cymbals that I only get because I’m being trained by the best cymbal makers in the world.
“These insecurities of not being a drummer in a predominantly male industry have really been the toughest part of assuming a leadership role,” she continued. “So I do try to put more emphasis on my own product knowledge and understanding; I listen to drummers, do a lot of market research, and really try to get into our customers’ heads and understand what they’re looking for and what they hear.”
While she appreciates her market and its needs, don’t expect her to join the world of drummers any time soon. “I enjoy the business, being part of a company that develops some of the finest instruments available to musicians around the world and seeing musicians use them within their art form,” said Montgomery-Clark. “It’s very rewarding to know that I play a small part in that. But I have no plans to take it up again any time soon!”
Family Matters
Being not only a rare non-musician in MI, but also the youngest member of Sabian’s executive management team, has done nothing to dampen her spirit. Montgomery-Clark is committed to being better at everything she does, and is looking ahead to the next steps in her marketing career.
“Sabian as a company is constantly thinking beyond traditional marketing methods—a necessity as more of our customers move online,” notes Montgomery-Clark. “We’re also working to reach our percussionists in more interactive ways; from events like the aforementioned Vault Tour to our Web site initiatives and online community at Sabian.com, we’re consistently looking for new ways to reach our customers throughout the world.”
It’s easy to stay focused on your professional development when you find inspiration in your work. And that’s exactly what Montgomery-Clark finds in the Zildjian family.
“The vision that the family has for this company is very motivating. It started with Robert Zildjian, as you know, splitting from his family and starting down his own path,” she said. “That entrepreneurial spirit that started on day one—and is still here 27 years later—is very motivating. Sabian is known for combining centuries-old traditional craftsmanship with modern innovation to create the highest quality cymbals available, and we are constantly pushing ourselves as hard as we can to see the vision of Sabian as number one in the cymbal category a reality.”
Though her work with the Zildjian family is very intense, Montgomery-Clark makes sure to focus on her own family, too. With a husband and 4- and 7-year-old boys at home, she says finding the perfect balance can be a challenge. “I find my schedule does require a lot of energy,” she said. “That’s not to say I don’t crash, because I certainly do. So I try to keep my mind and body healthy. I also make sure to take downtime for vacations and time to spend with family and friends.”
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