By Taivan Acer
Evan Rubinson, CEO and founder of Evan Rubinson Audio Music Brands (ERA), entered the music industry from an unusual path. His previous job, running a large hedge fund on Wall Street, was a lucrative endeavor, and Rubinson had made a name for himself as a powerful and successful moneyman. But all of that luster fell away when Rubinson learned that his father had been diagnosed with a terminal illness.
Rubinson’s father was also a successful businessman, but his work centered around musical instruments. Racing back home to be at his father’s side, Rubinson didn’t hesitate to take over the family business, Armadillo Enterprises. “My father’s legacy meant a great deal to me,” explains Rubinson. “I was certain about the next step I needed to take in my life.”
Evan Robinson was no novice when it came to music. As a youngster, he was always at his father’s knee. Many of his fondest memories revolve around times with his father spent backstage, fiddling with instruments, seeing how things operated, how the backstage setup worked, and how all the components of the music industry played together. He feels that these experiences ended up helping him when he took over the family business. “There were no big surprises; it was a seamless move into the music industry,” Rubinson says. “I knew the score.”
All this demonstrates that immersion in the music business is instrumental in anyone’s individual success within it.
The next lesson that Evan Robinson shares with anyone who is looking to work in the music business is working with people. Rubinson says that meeting as many people as possible and expanding your network is a great way to land a job. “It’s also a way to learn how to have working with many different personality types,” says Rubinson.
One important thing that he says he learned after moving from the world of finance to the world of music is how to work with people. He went from “interfacing” with computer screens all day to having to have real relationships and conversations with people. “I learned how to see others in a more human light,” says Rubinson. “I began to be more sensitive to their needs, to view workers as whole instead of just what they could do for me. I paid attention to their needs, became more empathetic and understanding.” Essentially, Rubinson became a people person instead of always thinking about data and numbers. Anyone interested in getting into music will need to do the same.
When choosing whom to work with, Evan Rubinson does have preferences. “I’m a very passionate person,” he says, “and I value passion in others. I enjoy working with people who care deeply about their work, who aren’t just doing it for the paycheck. I like working with people who treat others with kindness, respect and who are willing to go the extra mile when it comes to making something great instead of just okay.” Those are the kinds of people I want to spend time with and work with.
