Written by Luke Garro, GM
Luke Garro, here. For those of you I haven’t yet had the pleasure of meeting, I’m the General Manager of Noble & Cooley.
In Fall 2020, I joined the Noble & Cooley team to take on what’s very likely the hardest, most rewarding, best job I’d ever experienced -- helping to lead the next chapter of growth for a historic – yet boutique – drum company I’ve been a fan of since the 90’s.
Why am I reinforcing the word “boutique” you ask? (Maybe you didn’t, but let’s talk about it anyway.)
Because the truth is, we’re as boutique as “boutique” can get. And a lot of people have the impression that because Noble & Cooley has been around forever, we’re a lot bigger than we actually are. (For better or for worse. Hopefully more for the better.)
And to us, “size matters” when it comes to the companies and people crafting drums for the next generation of drummers. To be fair, there are benefits to both sides of the equation – with behemoth parent company-owned drum manufacturers providing scale, speed or pricing perks, and boutique independent makers offering customization, innovation and intensely personalized service solutions. The balance of having both small and large options for drum enthusiasts can make the market and product innovation perpetually exciting and enticing.
But back to Noble & Cooley, I don’t think most people know that there are five individuals that come to this factory every day to work. Four of them make drums, and then there’s me. As the GM, I get to wear many hats. Many, many, many hats. In fact, a wise friend of mine once said, “You wear so many hats, you need another closet to keep them all in.” My role typically requires getting as many things done as I can in a day. From speaking with our amazing customers, to organizing the team, to inspecting or prototyping products, to managing marketing efforts or online order fulfillments, and more – I can confidently say that “a day in the life” of a General Manager at a boutique drum company sure looks a lot different than it would within our much-larger brethren.
Here’s a sampling of what any given day could look like, and the quick shifting of gears and juggling that occurs to be able to bring our very best to Noble & Cooley fans at all times:
If there’s any doubt in your mind why someone would sign up to do all these things in a day – it’s because I love it and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Our powerhouse team of five have never been ones who’d want to get caught up in the jurisdiction of a bigger company, and several of us have even run away from that. We love the benefits of being boutique and it’s our mission to keep those alive -- the agility to pivot from one thing to the next, the personalized attention we can offer, the way we can innovate on the fly, and the niche expertise we have and continue to develop. These drums – these works of art – and the people who love them as much as we do, fuel our drive and efforts every day.
As I’m writing this, I also can’t help but reflect on the strong parallels between drumming and business and the sheer amount of multitasking that needs to happen in both areas. With both, you have many individual things happening simultaneously, with the goal of it all working together in a symphony of sorts. Whether that means performing several tasks on the job all at once, or having all four limbs (and brain) working in unison to create a successful outcome. And that success comes from finding the right rhythm, staying focused, and maintaining a high level of performance in all that you do.
So, from one multitasker to another, cheers to all our drumming fanatics out there, especially those who have chosen to be part of something different with Noble & Cooley. I hope you’ve enjoyed a glimpse into our days and what it means to be boutique.
About Luke Garro
Luke is a seasoned entrepreneur, drummer for 25+ years, and the General Manager at Noble & Cooley. Having founded and run two successful boutique marketing agencies beginning in 2000, he now brings his creative and operational experience to the oldest drum manufacturer in America. Luke grew up as a touring and recording drummer for various bands in Connecticut and Massachusetts, which in 2001 led him to his current gig as the drummer for indie rock staple, Piebald.
You can follow Luke at:
Instagram: @lukegarro