Hartford Business Journal

26 Hartford Business Journal • April 6, 2020 • www.HartfordBusiness.com WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARDS 2020 Hennessey leads family business The Music People through 'significant growth' By Karen Ali Special to the Hartford Business Journal W hen Sharon Hen- nessey, co-presi- dent and co-own- er of Berlin-based The Music People, was a child, she would go to work with her father on weekends at Ova- tion Guitars in New Hartford. While there, she and her younger brother John acted like they ran the company. "We had complete roam of the fac- tory," Hennessey said. "Since I was older, I was the 'boss' and asked my brother for reports." Hennessey, who was around 7 years old at the time, would call her brother on the phone from the sales depart- ment and say, " 'I asked you to get me that report an hour ago.' Then, I hung up on him." Hennessey said the dynamic hasn't much changed. "It's what we do today," said Hen- nessey, who now runs The Music People, which her father Jim found- ed in 1979, with her brother. She focuses on sales, while John is involved in operations. "We manage day to day the busi- ness together," Hennessey said. Hennessey worked part time at The Music People, which is an importer of musical-instrument accessories and a national distributor of Pro Audio Brands, while in high school and col- lege. She went to college, earning a degree in special education because she wanted to carve her own path. But when she went to a National Association of Music Merchants trade show in California with her father in the late 1980s, she was hooked on the passion and creativity in the industry. "I saw rock stars and that was enough to say 'I'm joining the com- pany,' " she said. She then joined The Music People's sales department full time in 1989. "If you believe in the product you're selling and you align that with a relationship with the customer, that's when magic happens," Hennessey said. "People want to work with people who they like and trust." She and her brother took over officially from her father a few years ago, but unofficially were running the business for more than a decade. Hennessey's father, now in his 80s, comes to work every day, although he's no longer involved in the day-to- day operations, Hennessey said. She credits their success to hard work and a dynamic to "take on things we know nothing about." One of her greatest accomplish- ments has been the "seamless transi- tion" of the business from her father. "During this transition, we continued to experience significant growth with minimal growing pains," she said. Hennessey and her brother helped the company through difficult eco- nomic times between 2008 to 2012, when they grew it by 113 percent, Hennessey said. During her tenure, she said she has not only had a role in develop- ing the sales department but the company as a whole. "We've grown from 17 employ- ees to 84 worldwide today as well as started a division overseas that enhances our abilities and continues to establish relationships with the most strategic corporations in our industry," Hennessey said. Sharon Hennessey Co-President The Music People Inc. What's been your biggest profes- sional accomplishment so far? My biggest accomplishment was the seamless transition from my father, who founded the company, to my brother and me while continuing to grow sig- nificantly with minimal growing pains. During my tenure, we've grown from 17 employees to our current 84 worldwide and started a company overseas to develop strategic relationships. What's your next big goal? We're developing innovative products to boost the market share for On-Stage, and our TMP-Pro sales are growing as we further integrate our MI and sound-contracting relationships. We're also producing OEM goods for our pro audio partners. We hit $65 million last year, and $100 million is within reach. What legacy do you want to leave after your career is over? I was a fair-minded individual who always valued the input of others, strived to make the culture at The Music People a positive one for all, and worked to ensure our company was a leader in the industry. Integrity is everything to me, and everything our company has accomplished has been done with integrity. We can walk down any hall in a trade show with our heads held high. I hope that integrity always remains intact. What are your keys to maintain- ing business success? We hire excellent employees who are allowed to make their own decisions, sales staff with superior product knowledge, and a high level of customer service coupled with state-of-the-art sup- port systems. On the innovation side, we're first to market with thoughtful, new products. What are your keys to maintain- ing work/life balance? Quality time alone with my son is very important to me. Spending time in nature allows me to connect and tune in to my thoughts. Some of my best busi- ness ideas have come while I was hiking. PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED

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