S HINE A LI GHT
SPRINGING INTO ACTION By Michelle Loeb In September, more than 18 years since Donovan Bankhead first began working for Springfield Music, he officially took over ownership of the company. “From the beginning, the owner wanted to find someone who could grow his businesses and eventually take it over from him,” said Bankhead, who described the former owner as “semi-retired, more of a chairman of the board.” Over time, the business grew, acquiring new store locations and pushing off the eventual transfer of ownership. In the meantime, Bankhead learned every aspect of the business, diving into one particular area at a time until he learned it well and could get it on the right track, before hiring a dedicated person to take each aspect of the business over. “That started with being a school service rep, then looking at how the stores ran, then into the lesson programs and finally onto the financial side. My degree is in music educa44
tion, so learning the numbers side of things was important,” Bankhead explained. Now Bankhead is at the helm of an operation that includes four retail stores in two separate states — Springfield Music, Fazio’s Music and two locations of Ernie Williamson Music — plus one warehouse that isn’t open to the public. The stores are approximately three to four hours apart, so it’s still possible for his team of vice presidents to make deliveries between the stores and maintain relationships with each location’s employees. But running all of those properties involves a staff of dedicated experts handling the various areas of the business, with Bankhead occasionally stepping in when something in particular interests him. “I’m not involved in the day-to-day operations of the individual stores anymore,” he said. “I appreciate the flexibility that allows me in my personal life, but I miss working with the
customers. I like people and I like gear, so I miss that.” Choosing the staff members who interface with customers is something that’s very important to Bankhead as he seeks to build his ideal music store culture, something that can be hard to do when dealing with multiple stores spread across a wide geography. “The challenge has been to create a culture, because culture is something that happens automatically,” said Bankhead. “When you have one location, it’s easy to make changes, but it’s more difficult with four locations, and the nature is for a culture to become toxic if you’re not constantly working on it and comparing where you are with where you want to be.” In order to find the best people and minimize necessary firings, Bankhead has moved away from the idea that you need to hire musicians. Instead, he developed a list of key core values that every employee should espouse.
Springfield Music 3100 S. Fremont Ave. Springfield, MO 65804 (417) 881-1373 www.springfield-music.com Mon.–Sat. 11 a.m.–7 p.m. Sun. 12 p.m.–5 p.m. Donovan Bankhead, President
“My love of gear and musicians and starting new musicians is non-negotiable. You have to embrace that idea if you’re going to work here,” said Bankhead. “You have to believe that music makes life better. You need to be grateful for the company, your customers and your coworkers, and believe that they always deserve your best efforts. And you should always be a problem solver and be good natured and fun. Humor and music are allies.” Customers who visit Springfield Music and its sister locations are met with a store that offers “a good selection of products that’s priced fairly, in a good environment, with good people,” said Bankhead, espousing his philosophy for what he thinks his customers are looking for. “Not every business needs JANUARY 2021