Pieces & Parts
Margolin saw the potential for a business that could meet all those needs, but didn’t have enough equipment to do so, yet. In preparation, he made strategic gear purchases, expanding his previous inventory with an eye to being able to capitalize on the need for production infrastructure in the region himself.
“If all of the sudden we’re renting a bike rack, or cable mat for 10 venues, I’d go buy it. I think not being in a metropolitan area was the reason that we spread in so many directions. I mean, how many times have I got to drive to Boston to pick up pipe and drape – then drive back and return it – before I say, ‘I need to have this in my shop.’”
It was an obvious succession, he explains. “There was a lot of technical work and I knew the pieces and parts and all the players in the market. That’s how I grew the company in the beginning.”
Knowing his customers wanted a one-stop shop, he also invested in staff members who could provide everything necessary for a given event, from sound to IT support. Staff size also increased to 17 full-time people as well as about 30 subcontractors.
As the company became known for providing efficient solutions for increasingly varied segments of the industry, Atomic’s client base and inventory grew substantially. “It seemed like we were doing just about anything related to the business and suddenly I was going, ‘Where did we get all this equipment?’” In the mid-2000’s, Atomic moved from a 4,000-square-foot space to the 12,000-square-foot facility they inhabit now, although they’ve outgrown that space and are looking for more room.
The move allowed them to diversify further and offer, in addition to existing services, substantial amounts of backline – an initiative Margolin took on personally. More recently, in 2011, the expansion of their lighting inventory was a major focus, Margolin adds, but maintains that one of their greatest preoccupation remains providing increasingly high quality sound.
Key Relationships
Given the dismal state of the current economy, the business isn’t as easy as it once was, but Atomic’s consistent efforts at diversifying have served them well. “2011 was a record year for us, even in this economy,” Margolin says, attributing the company’s success, in part, to relationships developed with key equipment manufacturers, artists and other regional production companies over time.
A relationship with Adamson Systems has been particularly helpful in the past decade. “That was tremendous for growing the company. Nobody has anything bad to say about the product. You either used it and loved it, or heard that it was great, or were curious whether if it really was that good. The kind of gigs we were attracting with those boxes brought us up to another level.”
From the late 1990s to the present day, artist relations have also been of great importance. “An artist would come through and say to promoters, ‘Don’t shop around. We want these guys.’” Although they weren’t aiming directly for the touring market, business landed in Atomic’s lap because of relationships fostered with acts like Linkin Park, who asked Atomic to provide a sizeable Adamson rig for arena and shed tours for the last four years.
Typically, regional festivals are a mainstay of the business, Margolin notes, adding that they’ve become increasingly complex undertakings. “There’s a high level of patience and detail you have to apply and ever changing technical needs. Used to be you’d drop a couple of analog consoles out front and a couple in monitor world. Now it’s 10 different digital boards and a lot of guys are traveling with their own desks, so that changes it quite a bit.”
While Atomic has a comprehensive inventory of digital desks on offer – including models from Avid, Yamaha, and others – Margolin still appreciates analog consoles. “I was just hoping analog would stick around longer, and I still have some analog gear I’m keeping. I’m not going to sell it.”