New Directions
As the inventory and services expand, Margolin wants to ensure that the level of customer service Atomic provides keeps pace. Not because he feels they fall short in that department, but because, “I think we could always do better. I don’t want one unhappy customer.”
Although they built their reputation as a “rock and roll” company, the number of corporate projects they take on has also grown significantly. Their gear, and the level of detail they bring to bear on every project, he believes, makes them an ideal fit for such applications, and often they’ll partner with other production companies to provide the best possible service and equipment.
Margolin places a high value on the associations with those companies, stressing that when they work together they do so out of mutual respect and the desire to help one another. “To me, there’s an ethical line; we don’t cross it, we don’t get close to it. There’s no reason to. There’s plenty of work. When we’re subbing for another company, we’re not going in there wearing shirts that say ‘Atomic’ and passing out business cards,” he says. “We’re competitors, we bid on jobs against each other, but we respect each other.”
At times, he has contacted those competitors to let them know one of their customers has approached him. In some circumstances, when asked to, “we’ll walk away from it. We built this business on being straight with our customers and other companies.”
As Atomic has grown, Margolin’s role has changed substantially. “My responsibilities of turning knobs behind a mixing desk turned into sitting behind a desk and running the business.” Although he rarely does sound these days, however, he remains hands-on in the field as technical director/production manager for various event management clients.
Atomic recently became the latest U.S. company to join the growing list of Adamson’s ongoing Project Energia beta partners, taking delivery of new E15 line source loudspeaker systems. While Atomic is a long-time Adamson user, Margolin notes that the performance of the E15 is “truly stunning. We’re also very excited to be a beta partner.”
Moving forward, the co-owners and their company team still base their decisions – whether related to expanding their services, client base, or inventory – on the most basic bottom line. “I’m a business guy, but I’m an audio guy and I’m not going to buy something just because it’s popular,” Margolin concludes. “At the end of the day, the guy sitting in the third row doesn’t care how long it took to hang the PA, or how lightweight it is, he just wants it to sound good, and so do I.”
Based in Toronto, Kevin Young is a freelance music and tech writer, professional musician and composer.