Alternative Audio Careers: Luke Furr — Founder of Shoreview Distribution

Behind the gear in your studio is an unseen force: the distributor.

Luke Furr launched Shoreview Distribution in 1989.

Luke Furr launched Shoreview Distribution in 1989.

It’s not manpower that you think about very often because, well, you’re not supposed to. Like the guitar or drum tech who keeps a live show running smoothly while lurking in the shadows, distributors make the facility happen without getting much recognition.

But quality gets its due, as evidenced by the longevity of Shoreview Distribution: The Foxboro, MA-based pro audio distributor is marking its 25th year in business this month. Their brand roster includes Sony Electronics, Revolabs, JVC, Pioneer, Toshiba, Tascam, Ricoh USA, Crane and more. Meanwhile, founder Luke Furr and his team of field reps have applied their unique skills to the New England Patriots’ Gillette Stadium, Madison Square Garden, Yankee Stadium, Rolling Stones tours, and innumerable studios of every size.

Today may be the Internet age where you can easily click-and-buy, but manufacturers still depend heavily on distributors to make sure resellers and end users actually get the gear they’re getting. According to Furr, his sales team excels at using, explaining and selling advanced audio tools as soon as they become available.

Get in-depth on this intriguing behind-the-scenes career here, as Furr breaks down what it takes to make it in distribution.

Many people who use audio (and video) gear every day are unaware of the link the independent distributor provides in the chain that provides them with the hardware or software that wins them their bread. It may seem obvious to you, but what does the distributor do – who do they connect, and why is that important?

As a distributor we are a bit different because we have sales guys in the field training our dealers who then train the end users. We are a primary part of the chain, one that helps the end user grasp, and master all of the facts, features, and benefits of new tools and technology.

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Luke, you got into the business of distribution 25 years ago. How has the role of the distributor changed the most in that time? In what ways has it stayed the same?

I would say the distributor’s role is greater then ever today, because the manufactures have reduced their in-house sales forces, and independent distributors are the primary links between the gear and the users.

What remains the same is in the delivery of product for pricing and logistical realities. Even though those services have also changed dramatically with computer software and the Internet, the indie distributor is right there on the ground with the solutions and the connectivity.

Is your job more or less challenging today than when you started, and why?

We have worked hard to earn our reputation for reliability and follow up, and that makes it a bit easier to sell ourselves and the lines we represent.

The challenge has always been to find the most realistic and affordable options to meet our client’s needs. We understand their budgetary issues, and we also appreciate the manufacturer’s bottom line concerns. The ability to negotiate deals that satisfy both buyer and seller, and to keep all their relationships on track is acquired through years of experience. It’s almost instinctive at this point.

Q How does the distributor choose the brands that they work with, and vice versa? In other words, what makes a distributor and a brand a productive match?

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We try to maintain a complementary mix of products, so that when someone is developing a system they have a one-stop shop to obtain the gear they need.

That philosophy does not always work — but we try to come up with the most cost effective and realistic product mixes. We study the competitive brands carefully, and our clients find that knowledge beneficial in helping them make the right decisions.

From there, when a distributor and a brand are working in synch, how does the end user – the producer, the engineer, the studio, the artist – win?

25 years in the field...and counting.

25 years in the field…and counting.

What’s cool is when we are all in sync, and what is conveyed to us in the field gets implemented in the factory.

Manufacturers can fine-tune their products to meet real world needs, and the user base appreciates the fact that their feedback is taken seriously. Then it’s a total win.

Shoreview works with video as well as audio. How do these two verticals inform each other, and make you better at both, in your experience?

The audio world has really transformed into a total media production environment. They are both so intertwined that you need to be conversant in both to be successful.

All of us have shot and edited videos, and while there will always be those who favor shooting, those who lean towards recording and mixing and those who excel at editing, graphics and special effects, the understanding and appreciation for each of these disciplines is universal.

From where you sit, what are the sales trends you’ve seen unfold over the last 1-2 years? What do you expect to happen next?

The Internet is the biggest factor. Unfortunately it is killing the concept we spoke about earlier of salesman on the street. It is getting harder to support that guy in the field when a big box house is selling gear at cost to maintain the lowest price and depend on making their numbers on churn.

The problem has been especially evident in the MI market where the Internet and big box stores succeeded in making price the buyer’s PRIMARY consideration. Many smaller “mom and pop” stores were forced out of business, but over the past few years MI has seen a resurgence of indies. They offer real advantages like hands-on connectivity with the instruments, on site service and music lessons.

It’s true that the bottom line remains a vital consideration, but customers want and need that connectivity to the seller. That’s one of the reasons indie distributors like Shoreview are here for the long haul.

How do you pick your team of reps? What do you look for in the sales representatives that you hire?

I like highly personable, educated and energetic sales people who are not afraid to get in their cars, drive out to do a demo and then go on to another demo. The people on our sales team have had real world production experience. They’re part of the industry and they understand the problems the users face.

An ability to have a conversation with a client instead of just walking them through an online catalogue is a major advantage.   I’ve got a team that can give a client a better answer than, ‘I’ll have to get back to you on that.”

What advice do you have for a young person who might want to explore pro audio and video distribution as a career?

Follow your passion. If you like music and video then this is a great industry. I tell my kids that as well. Don’t just go do something you don’t have a passion for. Find your passion and let it work for you

We dig upon that advice! Next, true or false: being a Pro audio distributor is a glamorous job.

You, too, can hang with The Stones.

You, too, can hang with The Stones.

It can be. I’ve been on stage with the Rolling Stones, I’ve helped design studios for Whitney Houston, watched Pat Metheny compose a movie score. It can be very cool….

What is the toughest request that you ever fielded in the history of Shoreview?

The Rolling Stones needed a wireless mic in a certain frequency in one hour for a BIG Boston concert. We got it there. And, that’s why we were on stage handing them beers when they wrapped their encore.

Cheers to that! Finally, if you could make a personal delivery to any person, living or dead, in history, who would it be? And what would you equip them with?

Paul McCartney was always an idol. I would give him Sony’s new C800G studio mic to try.

Thanks Luke! Anything else to add?

Enjoy the ride!

— David Weiss

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