The Entrepreneur Before the Frontman

Music was not Jaret’s only education.

He earned two college degrees and originally imagined some version of a career in psychology. Marketing was another natural direction because he had an instinct for turning an idea into something people cared about.

By sixteen, he was working at a small toy store owned by Joe, the father of his high-school girlfriend. Jaret eventually became Joe’s business partner. They sold bicycles, skateboards and the backflipping toy dogs people may remember from mall kiosks.

One of Jaret’s favorite ideas was buying two eleven-foot horse troughs and filling them to the rim with POGs. Kids would dig through them for hours looking for hidden gems.

During the Christmas season, the business expanded into temporary locations in as many as seven to ten other cities. It was exhausting and exciting. Jaret learned inventory, promotion, customer service, hiring, expansion, and what happens when a small store can no longer compete with Target, Kmart, Walmart, Toys “R” Us and the growing demand for video games.

More importantly, he found a mentor.

Joe taught him business, construction and problem-solving. Jaret still repeats Joe’s sayings with a smile. He can repair a remarkable number of things around his house because Joe taught him not to be afraid of understanding how they worked.

When the toy business ended, Jaret went into home construction with Joe and Joe’s brother. He learned to frame houses, walk ceiling joists carrying a heavy nail gun and cut an entire staircase quickly and accurately. He later entered the above-ground swimming-pool business and became one of the company’s busiest builders. Joe eventually worked for him.

Jaret hired musicians and friends whenever he could. The jobs gave people money and flexibility while their bands were still trying to become viable.

Those businesses were not detours from his musical career. They were preparation for it.

They taught him how to lead people, watch money, create urgency, solve problems, sell an experience and remain responsible when other people’s livelihoods depend on his decisions. They also taught him that nearly anything can be figured out if someone pays attention, asks the right questions and is willing to do the work.

Many years later, Joe’s death exposed one of the costs of the “band comes first” promise Jaret had made. He missed the funeral because he was on the road.

He still carries that.

He also carries the lessons and words of wisdom he learned while working beside the man he still misses every day:

“Always count the money.”

“What’s the worst that could happen?”

“This shit ain’t gonna sell itself.”