Mark Saiger
Mr Happy!
I have been so blessed and so lucky!
I have been exposed to so many things in my life, I just can't say how thankful I am to have had so many great life experiences. I truly believe all my experiences have helped me and my business today!
I have been in music all my life as my dad was a band director and carpet cleaner (I said I would never be like my dad....I lose!). I have been a racer (stock cars, motorcycles, snowmobiles, jet skis...if it could be raced...we raced it!) The family is from farming background so I have been around wheat (grain farming) and all the mechanical skills needed for that. It also gave me a great respect for the land and environment.
I also Incorporated music and racing together, performing the opening of many jet ski and snowmobile races with the "Star Spangled Banner" and "Oh Canada" to open up National race events (and raced at the events). I also have played professional for many groups (and while still being a teacher) for such groups as Little Anthony and the Imperials, Sonny Geraci, been with Maynard Ferguson, many other Blues and rock bands....I have even strapped a $5000 custom trumpet to my back in a soft gig bag and rode 30 miles through the twisty wooded trails on a snowmobile to play at local bars with local musicians! Nothing like seeing a good old dive bar come to life with people dancing in their sorel snow boots!
One of my race sleds during a cross country race:
Yes, I did win a lot
Me playing at opening event for a jet ski race....note the life jacket...I was in the first heat after I got done playing! Also note the greasy arms...I was putting in a set of new pistons before the race...AGAIN!
I took a small town band of 65 members in grades 10-12 to over 375 students participating in my band from grades 10-12 and also had over half over every grade involved in instrumental music during my 25 year teaching career in the school district...with hardly any extra staff.
Some pics of some of my bands....a lot bigger than 65 students!
Made a National competing marching band program that competed and won many National awards. Even was told by many that I couldn't do this being up North because of weather and location constraints. My bands even went to competitions with all original music arrangements and designs. I was told "I would never even make a cut in the competition....well guess what...in 1999 out of 65 bands, they made me be the first competing band at 7:30 am, had driven the furthest, slept on gym floors, up the earliest! We made the finals out of 10 finalist bands....and finished 7th place against all big dog bands. Most of them had 30 staff members. I had myself and 3 other part time teachers....and with all original music and arrangements....(next year, there was a lot of original music and arrangements)
Our 7 place finish in 1999 BOA St. Louis Finals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcImr7JqcpE of good and evil GRHS MB
Our 2001 original show of "Time" with one of the largest Hour glasses ever made...and made in my garage! But it didn't make the Guinness book of world records because it wasn't traditional enough to qualify (yes I did enter it) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdaInTi8ClI
I have never been one to accept....it's never been done that way, so you shouldn't do it that way....
My bands won many National awards also in Jazz and concert bands, and we had corporate sponsors! That doesn't happen everyday to small school programs or in small towns in small Northern MN communities. But corporate sponsors like underdog success stories.
I was known as the only racing band director in my activities....and I received a lot of sponsorship because of this. You don't go out and blow up $18,000 race motors everyday on a teachers salary!
My point here....don't let someone tell you it can't and shouldn't be done that way. Make a positive name for yourself. People want to be part of winning organizations. Is your business know as a winner?....are you fun to be around? Are you a problem solver? I have found people will spend money if you give them a reason to feel good about doing so. Every experience we have can be an opportunity to learn and better yourself and your business. How you present yourself is part of your business marketing and brand.
There is so much more that has blessed my life. I hope all of you are having some of those same golden "Life" Moments! I look forward to meeting everyone who can make it Mikeysfest this February too!
Mark Saiger
www.saigers.com
I have been exposed to so many things in my life, I just can't say how thankful I am to have had so many great life experiences. I truly believe all my experiences have helped me and my business today!
I have been in music all my life as my dad was a band director and carpet cleaner (I said I would never be like my dad....I lose!). I have been a racer (stock cars, motorcycles, snowmobiles, jet skis...if it could be raced...we raced it!) The family is from farming background so I have been around wheat (grain farming) and all the mechanical skills needed for that. It also gave me a great respect for the land and environment.
I also Incorporated music and racing together, performing the opening of many jet ski and snowmobile races with the "Star Spangled Banner" and "Oh Canada" to open up National race events (and raced at the events). I also have played professional for many groups (and while still being a teacher) for such groups as Little Anthony and the Imperials, Sonny Geraci, been with Maynard Ferguson, many other Blues and rock bands....I have even strapped a $5000 custom trumpet to my back in a soft gig bag and rode 30 miles through the twisty wooded trails on a snowmobile to play at local bars with local musicians! Nothing like seeing a good old dive bar come to life with people dancing in their sorel snow boots!
One of my race sleds during a cross country race:
Yes, I did win a lot
Me playing at opening event for a jet ski race....note the life jacket...I was in the first heat after I got done playing! Also note the greasy arms...I was putting in a set of new pistons before the race...AGAIN!
I took a small town band of 65 members in grades 10-12 to over 375 students participating in my band from grades 10-12 and also had over half over every grade involved in instrumental music during my 25 year teaching career in the school district...with hardly any extra staff.
Some pics of some of my bands....a lot bigger than 65 students!
Made a National competing marching band program that competed and won many National awards. Even was told by many that I couldn't do this being up North because of weather and location constraints. My bands even went to competitions with all original music arrangements and designs. I was told "I would never even make a cut in the competition....well guess what...in 1999 out of 65 bands, they made me be the first competing band at 7:30 am, had driven the furthest, slept on gym floors, up the earliest! We made the finals out of 10 finalist bands....and finished 7th place against all big dog bands. Most of them had 30 staff members. I had myself and 3 other part time teachers....and with all original music and arrangements....(next year, there was a lot of original music and arrangements)
Our 7 place finish in 1999 BOA St. Louis Finals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcImr7JqcpE of good and evil GRHS MB
Our 2001 original show of "Time" with one of the largest Hour glasses ever made...and made in my garage! But it didn't make the Guinness book of world records because it wasn't traditional enough to qualify (yes I did enter it) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdaInTi8ClI
I have never been one to accept....it's never been done that way, so you shouldn't do it that way....
My bands won many National awards also in Jazz and concert bands, and we had corporate sponsors! That doesn't happen everyday to small school programs or in small towns in small Northern MN communities. But corporate sponsors like underdog success stories.
I was known as the only racing band director in my activities....and I received a lot of sponsorship because of this. You don't go out and blow up $18,000 race motors everyday on a teachers salary!
My point here....don't let someone tell you it can't and shouldn't be done that way. Make a positive name for yourself. People want to be part of winning organizations. Is your business know as a winner?....are you fun to be around? Are you a problem solver? I have found people will spend money if you give them a reason to feel good about doing so. Every experience we have can be an opportunity to learn and better yourself and your business. How you present yourself is part of your business marketing and brand.
There is so much more that has blessed my life. I hope all of you are having some of those same golden "Life" Moments! I look forward to meeting everyone who can make it Mikeysfest this February too!
Mark Saiger
www.saigers.com
