Become a master of your own craft

Johnny Marr made the guitar sound so unique that you instantly knew a song was one of his no matter what band he played in.  He was a master.

I recently came across a coffee table book about Johnny Marr chronicling his journey as a musician through stories found in his 132 guitar collection called Marr’s Guitars. He formed and played in some of the most iconic alternative bands in the 80s, the Smiths, Electronic, The The, Modest Mouse, The Pretenders and more. If I am dating myself or you don’t know his music, you can listen to this Spotify list here.  You’re welcome.

So why am I spouting about Johnny Marr? What does this have to do with entrepreneurship Sean?  Well we can learn a lot from the impact he had on the music world and use this to make our own impact in our work lives.

Marr was a master of his craft. Johnny Marr picked up his first guitar at the age of six and hasn’t stopped playing.  Again, he owns 132 guitars and can play them all flawlessly. It’s his passion and life long work - the kind of passion we could all use when delivering on our idea or building a business.  And while a guitar may have just six or twelve strings, his dedication created unlimited unique riffs and sounds that place him among the most unique and prolific guitarists of all time.

Thought starters - How passionate and dedicated are you about your idea and business?  Does your idea fill a niche or bring something new and unique to the table or stage?

Marr puts in the work everyday.  I use a physical counter to reach out to 25 clients a day and ask for business. I developed this idea from a great article using the paper clip method by James Clear.  Doing this consistently, day after day, I started to win business daily and build the company we have today.  Johnny Marr puts the same work in everyday.  Slowly and consistently, he would discover new riffs and sounds that delivered amazing music. Most of us are not Johnny Marr by any stretch of the imagination but by putting in the daily work, you’ll see your ideas or efforts improve incrementally.

Thought starters - When you think about your business idea or company or even building a hobby, what do you do daily to build incremental progress with the goal of long term success?

Marr adapted to change but never lost his unique position. Like any business we face challenges, but if you can adapt and stay true to your mission, you can succeed.  Johnny Marr was asked to play for many brands through his career, and while the sound and music may have been different, he remained dedicated to guitar playing and capturing unique sounds for each band. He didn’t start playing the flute or drums but stuck to what he was a master at - the guitar.

Thought starters - If change or an abruption comes in the market or competition, can your idea or business adapt and remain unique in its positioning?

Age only made Johnny better. Like a good wine or a great business, Johnny Marr stands the test of time. His playing only gets better as he ages. I think it really comes down to his passion and daily desire to get better.

Thought starters - How will your company or idea age?  What steps can you take to make sure that as time passes on, your idea or company can remain unique, strong and stand the test of time.

Alright, I hope these thoughts starters helped.  Pick up the book or listen to some of Johnny Marr’s greatest songs for inspiration.  Time for me to get off the stage.