For my Subject Matter Interview, I interviewed Ion Balu, owner of Balu Musik a small shop that deals with everything french horn – from repair to accessories and even horn construction. He is constantly on the road going to all sorts of music events as a vendor so we did a question and answer style interview, enjoy.
1. Tell me a little bit about yourself?
My name is Ion Balu, I was born in communist Romania and I think that helped a bit to catalyze who I am today. My parents sent me to a special music school when I was six and basically I grew up there, all the way through college it was me and my friends. I still have some very trusty friends since then. Life in a dorm at a special music school was not necessarily fun all the time but I have some very good memories.
2. Tell me more about your business?
Balu Musik started in November 2002 because I was just too poor to buy a mute for my french horn. I was playing at the time with Memphis Symphony and about two months into my first season I realized that I need to buy a good mute. But I didn’t have $100 to get one so I decided to make one. It turned out to be a very good one and all I did after making he first mute was to make it lighter and more beautiful. Now sixteen years later we have basically everything horn related; from custom mouthpieces, to horns, horn cases and some good mutes.
3. When did you decide to open your shop?
I definitely cannot put a date on that one. It’s not like I was like, “oh, I’m going to open a shop.” It was more like a necessity as a result of a growing number of orders of my horns.
4. What were some of the challenges you faced, when you first got started?
Tools. One needs tools to make quality stuff and also to be productive. Now, I have what my friends call “the most tools in one location in the world”. That’s definitely not true, but we sure have all the tools one can think of. And if by any chance we don’t have a tool when we need one we are very quick to just buy it.
Also, another challenge one can face is a good location. For plenty years I just worked in the garage at my house but that was very challenging. Especially in the summer when the sun would be very hot and in the winter when it was very cold. I always worked with the garage door open just because I was concerned about all the chemicals I would inhale.
5. I know that you use a lot of social media presence with your company, do you think it helps with your bottom line?
Social media is really good if one can utilize it efficiently and with common sense. I think it’s very important not to over-post and also not to post the same stuff over and over. One thing we like to do is post about all the cats we have at the shop. Facebook, Instagram and even Twitter (if you use it) can make a difference. It’s a very efficient way of showing lots of people what you do when you do it.
6. What are some draw backs to using social media for your company?
The draw back when one is active on social media and also own a company is that one cannot or at least should really try not to make or get into political and religious fights. Those are not just a no-no but even more important, it truly absorbs and drains one’s creative energy. Totally not worth it but sometimes it’s very hard to stay out. I challenge myself more than once a day to just stay out of arguing with people about political stuff. For the past 3-4 years one of my very few New Years resolutions was to stop reading political news and staying out of commenting on Facebook and I succeed, for about one week. One should truly localize the creative energy into leaving something meaningful behind, trying to change people’s mind on Facebook is not even close to being a good way to spend your time or energy.
7. What made you partner with Ken Pope, when making the Alliance Horn?
Ken and I “clicked” really good together as friends from the very beginning of our business relationship, about 16 years ago. About 5 to 6 years ago he told me about this Chinese company that makes really good horns and asked me to test them, and I totally refused to even take my time to play any of the horns. I simply dismissed the idea that good horns can be made in China. But he insisted by telling me that he has been advising them on what they need to do to make a good horn so I finally caved in about a year later and was pretty impressed with the horn. I then stepped in and also gave them my two cents of advice since I know a bit about making horns. Our Alliance horns have turned out pretty good and we are very happy and grateful for our very happy customers.
One more example of why one should not dismiss things from start is what happened to my at the International Horn Competition of America about two and a half years ago in Lincoln, Nebraska. I was there exhibiting horns and mutes like I usually do. A week before that the factory owner of our Alliance Horn emailed me and told me that there is a Fifteen year old Chinese boy who is doing the pro-level competition and asked me to say hello to him. Not only did I not say hello but I was like, “whatever dude, you are fifteen and you think you are going to advance when playing against some serious pro players? Good luck with that.” Surely enough he advanced in the semifinals and again I was like, “whatever”. On Sunday morning I left before I found out that he actually made the finals. So, I’m driving down the road and a friend of mine texted me and was like “There is a young boy in the finals using one of your Alliance horns” And I immediately pulled over and watched the finals live on the internet. He got the second place in the Pro-division. I learned never to be dismissive again.
8. How does it work with using a third party, vendor from China for instrument construction?
As long as you can find a trusty partner who can make quality every time things are pretty good. I am positive that they understood what Ken and I repeated over and over and still repeat every time: take your time to make quality horns. Quality is what sells not quantity. They have not once failed to delivered at the quality we asked and expected.
9. What are some ideas that you have had for the horn world that haven’t gone over well?
Not necessarily “not gone very well” but I learned the hard way that any product should be at the very best it can be before you offer it for sale. The first generation stop mutes were not one of those. I had to replace about 70 to 80 of them and that was not just a lot of work and money but also a LOT of time. And time is the one luxury we do not have.
10. What are some things you’d like to see in regards to innovation as it pertains to the horn/music world?
This is such of an awesome question that it even cannot be answered without writing a whole novel. There are just too many ways we could improve the world of music.I like a lot the young people, like you and a few others, who have lots of enthusiasm and so much energy to continue to improve of find new way to make the like of musicians better.
11. What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a business in horn construction and repair?
Be tenacious and keep going at it. Especially when you are down and feel like it’s time to quit. Remember that there are lots of ways one can quit and usually blame it on everything around them but on our inability to go forward. There is only one way you can succeed and that is hard work, innovation and keep going at it. Good luck and make things happen!
