Today we’d like to introduce you to Chad Hadersbeck.
Chad, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started playing trumpet in high school and picked up guitar in college. It wasn’t until later in my 20s that I took my music more seriously and started a band with my brother Joe. I was quite new to playing in front of people in that regard and needed to learn a lot of things about being in a band, how to use my gear, how to compose songs, etc. How to use a microphone was something I never really even considered. Just stand in front of it and sing, right? As I gained experience, I learned there was a lot more to good mic technique. I also learned that despite knowing I shouldn’t eat the mic, I did it anyway. It wasn’t a knowledge gap, it was that I often closed my eyes on stage so I wouldn’t forget my lyrics, or I would look at my guitar, my pedals, my bandmates, the crowd… anywhere but at the mic. So I would physically need to stay in contact with the mic to make sure I was being heard. The idea for Mic Trainer was born.
Like so many others during the pandemic, I was looking for work. I decided to take inspiration from my favorite Steve Jobs quote, “Life can be so much broader, once you discover one simple fact, and that is that everything around you that you call ‘life’ was made up by people who were no smarter than you. And you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use”. I embarked on the journey to create Mic Trainer.
I took a startup class, hired a designer to bring my rudimentary design to life, went through multiple rounds of prototypes, filed for a patent (which I have been granted) and sourced a manufacturer. Beyond that, I opened my own company, branded my product and began marketing; culminating in launching it at NAMM Show (National Association of Music Merchants).
Mic Trainer is currently available at MicTrainer.com and at select retailers such as Guitar Center and Musician’s Friend.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. Trying to manufacture the product during the pandemic was a challenge as many manufacturers and/or shipping channels were either closed or backed up. As a self-funded startup, it was sometimes difficult to find the courage to continually bet on myself financially. I found that though I had the time to work on my business, I didn’t have an income to support both myself and the business as it was not immediately cash flow positive. When I was working at my “day job,” I found that I then had more financial confidence but no longer had the extra time. On the macro level, Mic Trainer is a brand new invention. Nothing like it has existed. So aside from launching a new business and product, I’m tasked with creating a new category.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’ve spent my career in advertising and marketing. I like to think of it as helping people. I always found it gratifying to help my clients achieve their goals. I enjoyed earning someone’s trust and developing a relationship that benefits both parties both personally and professionally. That could probably be said about a variety of industries or careers. Speaking of which, I’ve relished that advertising allowed me to learn about many different companies, products, initiatives or businesses. It really prepared me to start my own business and fit my personality of being an aspiring polymath.
I identify more as a creator though. Whether it’s writing music, prose, visual arts or creating solutions to a problem; I just love to make things. And I don’t like putting it in a specific box. My personality just doesn’t accommodate doing the same thing over and over. My main outlets, aside from Mic Trainer, are my indie rock band, Goodnight Freeman, and my solo project, Cedars Beck.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
You have to put in the work. Go to events. Research people in your field. Ask your network what you’re looking for. Know what you want and from whom and be able to tell them that. Asking someone for an open-ended amount of time is much more of a burden than someone saying they want to ask about XYZ and it shouldn’t take more than 15 min. Beyond that, be persistent. A non-answer is not a no. Everyone gets busy and helping a random person that is reaching out is not always #1 on the priority list. Sometimes you just have to catch them at the right time. Lastly, be very honest. Nobody expects you to be perfect so don’t pretend to be. Chances are that a mentor will have been in your shoes before.
Pricing:
- Single – $19.99 (free shipping)
- 3-pack – $49.99 (free shipping)
- 5-pack – $74.99 (free shipping)
- 10-pack $129.99 (free shipping)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mictrainer.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mic_trainer/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mictrainer
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadhadersbeck/
- Twitter: https://x.com/mic_trainer
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mic_trainer
