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Alan Schaefer
🎵 I mix behavioral science inside music centric experiences to help individuals/teams accelerate clarity, alignment and results. 🎵 Team Optimization 🎵 Keynotes 🎵 Advisor 🎵 Behaviorist 🎵 Musician 🎵 Lifelong Learner
Alan Schaefer is the Founder and CEO of Banding People Together, a unique consulting firm that combines music, science, and business expertise to improve team collaboration and organizational performance.12 Here are key details about Alan Schaefer:
Professional Background
Music Career::
- Founder and lead singer of the band Five Star Iris from 2003 to 20141
- Performed in 16 countries, including for U.S. troops in Iraq12
- Received national airplay and worked with Grammy Award-winning producers1
Business Experience::
- Co-founder and COO of Tourdates.com, which was acquired by Launch Media (Yahoo) in 20001
- Served as Vice President at Launch Media after the acquisition1
Banding People Together
Schaefer founded Banding People Together in January 2009.1 The company:
- Uses a music-centric, data-driven approach to improve team effectiveness2
- Offers keynotes, workshops, and consulting services1
- Serves clients such as Coca-Cola, NASA, Netflix, Verizon, Cisco, and Hilton24
Education and Location
- Earned a BS in Communications from Florida International University12
- Currently based in Encinitas, California24
Philosophy and Approach
Schaefer developed the True Collaboration℠ methodology, which aims to teach the tactical and behavioral aspects of the collaborative process.3 His approach is inspired by his experiences in the music industry, particularly his interest in understanding why some bands succeed while others fail.24
Highlights
Last night I watched a show on Netflix called American Nightmare. It was fascinating and maddening and got me thinking about just how powerful bias is.
A woman get's kidnapped. Her boyfriend is the main suspect. She gets let go by her captor and the police immediately think that the entire thing was a hoax.
A big part of that narrative was driven by the movie "Gone Girl" where that story aforementioned actually happened.
The police like any humans, couldn't really wrap their minds or leave space for what was possible because it didn't fit a particular narrative based on "their" experience.
This bias dangerously permeates every facet of our lives and creates delusional thinking. We build false narratives about our kids, spouses, neighbors, manager, co-workers etc.
We have been tricked by "seeing is believing" and "perception is reality". Those create blindspots that sometimes protect us but more often wreak havoc.
It's worth a watch when you have the time. #leadership #awareness #perception #netflix #personaldevelopment
We talk a lot about tempo here at Banding People Together, the speed at which you play a piece of music, the speed and pace at which you prefer to work.
Tempo difference is one of the biggest factors that contributes to misalignment and conflict.
I was reading an interview with the band R.E.M. about their struggles in the mid-2000's when they essentially stopped working and broke up. Guitarist Peter Buck sited the band's work tempo as his number-one issue, leading him to quit (then rejoin) the band.
The problem; he liked to work fast, the rest of the band... not so much. The band's 2008 album Accelerate took four years to complete. “I like to work really spontaneously,” Buck said. “The guys in R.E.M. don’t feel that way so it’s a struggle. Everyone knew the way we were working wasn't working"
With help from their producers and some outside counseling, the band was able to get to clarity about their issues and find a new way of working that would allow them to be themselves and still function as a band.
At Banding People Together we use powerful data to help you see the tempo gaps that are causing friction AND show you how to do something about it in a way that is easy.
What would your world look like if you could accelerate EVERYTHING that mattered in your business?
FunFact: Now that the band has learned to understand each other's wiring better, they can laugh about their differences. After a show, Buck goes his own way while the band has hours-long dinners.
The next day he asks, “How was it last night, Mike?” He goes, “God it was great. You woulda hated it!” #teamoptimization #teambuilding #leadership #tempo #powerofmusic
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Mesh is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
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Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
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