The music industry had never been on Carla Alger’s radar. Though the Emmetsburg, Iowa, native has some musical background—Alger plays piano and sings, and would like to learn guitar—she had never thought of using her accounting degree from the University of Northern Iowa in a way that related to music. But she’s sure glad that’s how things turned out.
“Music is, by far, the most exciting opportunity I’ve had, and I’ve loved all of my opportunities,” said Alger. “This industry is very sharing, but challenging. Everyone seems to be open and friendly. At trade shows, people communicate. It’s about the music. There’s more passion in MI than in any other industry I’ve experienced.”
Alger has been in many industries over the course of her career. She began at the public accounting firm House, Nezerka & Froelich PA in Minnesota before switching to the private sector as an accounting manager for a financial printer. By 2003, Alger and her husband decided to move back to Iowa, which is when she first crossed paths with the founder of Two Old Hippies, Tom Bedell.
“I accepted a position at Pure Fishing, which was owned by Tom Bedell,” Alger explained. “Five years later, Tom sold the company and the new owners relocated the headquarters to South Carolina. My husband and I both worked there at the time and we didn’t want to move our family, so we decided to stay in Spirit Lake. Tom had gotten into the guitar business and needed a CFO. I wasn’t searching for [a job in the music industry], but I enjoy it.”
A Day in the Life
Alger is “one of the original co-hippies” at the guitar manufacturer, which also has an online apparel business and a retail store in Aspen, Colo., that sells guitars, clothing and accessories. Being part of a growing company means Alger gets to wear many hats in her day-to-day business.
“I help with costing. I work with suppliers. I analyze pricing and margin aspects, as well as the upfront side of the guitars themselves. I’m the one who writes the checks, pays the bills and collects from dealers,” said Alger. “I like being involved with so many pieces and watching [the company] grow from the ground up. My knowledge grew leaps and bounds from being so involved with all the pieces of the company. It forces you to develop quickly.”
While the financial side of things hasn’t had much of a learning curve—“A debit is a debit; a credit is a credit. The way you handle things is the same,” she said—Alger has found that there’s much to learn about the industry itself.
“The hardest thing for me to learn is the complexity of the woods and the impact they have on the sound the guitar makes,” said Alger. “There are so many different options and different formats that companies make and they impact the sound. Not having that background, it’s harder to follow along with why one wood is more money or more needed. Our product development team knows this so intricately, so it’s frustrating for me that it’s so simple for them.”
A Woman’s Touch
Being a woman can be tough in MI, especially for someone who is still developing the knowledge that many of her contemporaries take for granted. But Alger has never felt as if she’s being treated differently. “I’ve learned to work harder to prove that I can get there, or that I am there,” said Alger. “If there are comments or concerns, you dig in and prove yourself over time and those doubts go away.”
In fact, Alger added that being a woman has some advantages in her position. “Being a mom and a wife makes you a lot more responsive to people at work and it helps you to develop relationships,” she said. “Being able to get along with everyone and being the pleaser, you want everyone to play well with others. Lots of moms bring that to the workplace.”
Alger and her husband have three children between the ages of 5 and 14. “My children are a joy and keep me busy,” said Alger, who actually ended up in private industry because of her children. “When my son was born, it wasn’t too hard to balance work and family but, soon, I became busy and found I was missing out on a lot of his growing up.”
She continued, “It’s a huge asset that my husband is also a CFO. I can rely on him for support, information and understanding. He knows when you can’t be home because of a deadline because he has the same background as I have and he’s gone through it, too.”
Having found that balance between work and family, Alger is focused on helping Two Old Hippies continue to grow into the future, beginning with its new merger. “Two Old Hippies is also entering into an exciting future as they combine their team with Breedlove Guitars. The finance integration of the two companies will add another challenge.”
Alger continued, “I really like this company and I want to help it grow, and grow along with it. My goal is to stay in the same position but help make this company the best guitar and lifestyle brand it can be.”
[ pages: 1]
|
you can download this entire issue here >>
