THE FINAL NOTE: SUZANNE D'ADDARIO BROUDER
(continued from page 62) an MI retailer who was moving his store to a larger location and planning a grand-opening party. He wanted to give a percentage of the event’s proceeds to the D’Addario Foundation and has since been collecting donations from customers for our work. It was touching that he thought to reach out to us, and we are so appreciative of the support.
The Retailer: What is the best thing about the MI industry? D’Addario Brouder: My father and my uncle, and in turn myself, siblings and cousins, have grown up in this industry. To me, it is a very familial industry. I have begun to meet the next generation of young adults (daughters and sons of industry folks) interested in pursuing careers, and it warms my heart to see that familial quality continue. The Retailer: Who do you admire most outside of the music industry and why? D’Addario Brouder: Anyone who is an innovator and unabashedly takes risks doing what they love. The Retailer: What technology could change MI down the road? D’Addario Brouder: I tend to feel that we might actually see a simplification of how we live life, distancing ourselves a bit from technology, but I am not on the product innovation side. I am on the education side of this business. I think we are beginning to see a resurgence in public interest in music making that stems from our innate need to exercise our brains and connect to something tangible and meaningful. The Retailer: If you weren’t in the music industry, what would you be doing and why? D’Addario Brouder: I’m passionate about architecture and interior design. I dabble in it on the side when time allows. Ultimately, I’m a closet entrepreneur. I have a Google doc filled with business ideas that are mainly thoughts on how to address modern problems or make the world a safer, cleaner, more humane place. The Retailer: Tell us about your hometown and why you
enjoy living there. D’Addario Brouder: I grew up on Long Island. It is incredibly beautiful, like living in an enchanted forest with close access to the water. I also loved being so close to New York City as a kid. I still absolutely love New York City.
The Retailer: What are your most prized possession(s) and why? D’Addario Brouder: I am obsessed with photos and videos that document the history of my
family, past and present. I would die if those disappeared.
The Retailer: What’s your favorite book and why? D’Addario Brouder: Another tough question. I tend to get very passionate about the books and films (mostly documentaries) I am reading and watching at this very moment. Right now, I am really enjoying the book “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less.” I’m actually reading it for a second time (this time with a highlighter).
The Retailer: The D’Addario Foundation has won the Music & Sound Award for Outstanding Community Service the past six years in a row. Tell us what that means to you. D’Addario Brouder: It is hard for me to process, and I tend to compartmentalize stuff like this and just get back to work. But it truly is so incredibly meaningful. When there is an acknowledgment of your work, it only compels you to want to do much more. I’m humbled and inspired.
