Get Your Foot in the Door (Connor Taylor from On-Stage)
In this special interview from The NAMM Show floor, Connor Taylor, Product Line Manager for On-Stage, shares how persistence and networking helped him transition from Guitar Center to shaping gear for musicians, podcasters, and creators. We also discuss the power of product design and On-Stage’s latest innovations including a travel amp and the ultimate all-in-one guitar utility vehicle.
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Check out Connor’s vision, the Guitar Utility Vehicle.
Transcript:
Mike: I am here at the NAMM Show with the lovely Connor. How's it going, Connor?
Connor: Great, man. Thanks for having me, Mike. I appreciate it.
Mike: Of course, of course. I really do. I mean, we’ve known each other now for quite a number of years, and I want to say, first of all, that I am so appreciative of the relationship I have with On-Stage. You guys have been nothing but amazing—just supporting creators in general. I want to start by saying how much I appreciate everything you’ve done.
Connor: Oh, well, thank you, man. It's honestly great to connect with you. I think when I first met you, it was my very first NAMM Show—bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to go. I’m glad we’ve continued to stay in touch and talk about the music industry and our products. It’s been a great pleasure getting to know you, so thanks for staying in touch.
Mike: That means a lot. I appreciate that. I was always curious—how did you get involved with On-Stage to begin with? I noticed you started off as a store manager at Guitar Center and eventually moved into your current role. Can you talk a little about that journey?
Connor: Yeah, for sure. I actually started at Guitar Center right after graduating high school. The same day I graduated, I had my first student there. I was 18, loved playing guitar, hadn’t really taught much yet, and they took a chance on me. I spent a decade working my way up to a store manager role. It was a huge part of my life—so many hours.
Eventually, I realized I wanted to be on the product side of things—really helping musicians by creating solutions, not just selling products. When I got furloughed in 2020, my buddy and I started a pedal company. That gave me a taste of product development. After returning to Guitar Center briefly, I realized that The Music People and On-Stage were right in my backyard. It took a few tries, but I eventually got in through networking and persistence. I didn’t start in product, but once I got my foot in the door, I busted it wide open.
Mike: That’s incredible—and I really appreciate that you mentioned it took a few tries. Sometimes it’s not the first, second, or even the third try—it might take 15 attempts to land something.
Connor: Totally. I mean, right now we’re surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people here at NAMM, but after coming a few years, you realize how small the industry feels. There are lots of entry points, but they might not be at your ideal salary or role. Still, getting your foot in the door is what matters. Once people start to know you, growth happens, and you can build your path. My advice to anyone out there looking to break in is—just find a way in, and you’ll get there.
Mike: And to plug NAMM a little—it’s a great place to do just that. You mentioned networking and connecting with friends to help land the job, and NAMM is great for that. Just walking around, talking to booths, meeting companies you like—that's how relationships get built. Every year we come back, it’s like the only time we see each other is during NAMM, right?
Connor: Exactly. But that’s how we build relationships—year after year. And I’ll also throw in a shameless plug for NAMYP, the Young Professionals group here. It’s been instrumental in my growth—not just networking, but learning from peers and different parts of the industry. It’s easy to get wrapped up in your own space, but you start learning about different sectors like string companies or band and orchestra, and you realize we all have similar challenges.
And for even younger folks, the Nexus group here at NAMM is another great way to get involved. You don’t have to be working for a big company or retailer—you can get involved just by asking. Highly recommend it.
Mike: I’ll definitely check those out. I hadn’t heard of either before.
Connor: You can email me if you want to learn more.
Mike: And you’re a musician yourself, correct?
Connor: Yep! Been playing for a long time. I started in a band with my dad when I was 12 and played with him until I was about 20. Then I went out on my own. Music has always been the reason for my existence—huge fan.
Mike: I’m sure that helps in your current role too. You know what it’s like being a musician—thinking, “Man, I wish I had something that could solve this problem.”
Connor: Absolutely. At On-Stage, when we develop a product, the first question is always: what problem are we solving? It’s not about putting out something flashy for the sake of it. It starts with our engineers and team identifying real issues musicians face.
I’m lucky to be surrounded by vocal musicians who constantly share their problems, so coming up with solutions becomes easier. My Guitar Center background helped too—getting hands-on with gear, thinking about how it could be better. We don’t want to be a company that just puts things out—we want to create meaningful solutions.
Mike: That’s amazing. And you mentioned the cables on the table—your company offers so many products. Do you remember off the top of your head how many SKUs you have?
Connor: My best guess is over 650 SKUs.
Mike: That’s wild! But also amazing—it’s like a one-stop shop where you know the brand, the quality, and the variety will be there. And it’s not just for musicians, but also for producers, podcasters, streamers—tons of people can benefit.
Connor: Yeah, we serve a wide variety. I’m a jam band/reggae guy and have played church, gospel, and country gigs. Each segment teaches you something new. But I’m not an expert in school music or band and orchestra—that’s why I work closely with my colleague Kathleen. She’s amazing and brings different strengths to the table. It’s all about surrounding yourself with the right perspectives.
For example, if I’m working on a band and orchestra product, I’ll talk to a school music teacher—I’m not going to assume I know what they need. Guitar players? I know those problems! But content creators and podcasters—we rely on people like you to share your pain points so we can solve them.
Mike: Well, not to brag, but I’ve got one of your boom mic arms, and I use it for all my studio podcast interviews. It’s been a lifesaver, especially with my small desk. And the little headphone holder? I use that all the time, even when I’m not recording—it’s just where my headphones live now. It’s those little thoughtful details I really appreciate.
Connor: That means the world. Seriously. My marketing manager and I were talking recently—she mentioned that on one of our high-end mic stands, the counterweight screws off for dual miking. I was like, “Oh yeah, we should talk about that more!” A lot of our features fly under the radar.
And also—just to jump back—you said “not to brag.” I think you might be the first person ever to brag about owning an On-Stage product. You’re now our favorite person ever. Thank you!
Mike: I legitimately love it—it just works so well. I think I also have the other stand you were talking about, so it’s great to learn it has a dual use.
Connor: Totally. We’ve been around for 46 years, so we’ve got legacy products and clever uses we’re still discovering. I recently used one of our products at a gig to mic drums in a unique way—something I hadn’t thought about before. It’s fun to discover new uses, and hearing that you’re appreciating those features really means a lot.
Mike: It sounds like you’re super passionate about design—especially since you mentioned starting a pedal company before this role. And you’ve got two new products launching at NAMM that you’re excited about. Let’s talk about the travel guitar amp.
Connor: Sure! That one came out of dealer feedback—multiple dealers started asking about it at the same time. So, we made a travel amp with two full-range 1.75” speakers, 5 watts, rechargeable with 7 hours of battery life, weighs less than a pound, and about the size of a wallet. It also has Bluetooth to jam along and an overdrive circuit to crunch it up.
It’s a great little practice amp—affordable, portable, and packed with features that are usually scattered across different products.
Mike: I picked it up earlier—it’s so light! When traveling, every pound counts.
Connor: Especially for musicians, right? We’ve all been at the airport juggling gear on the scale.
Mike: Now the other thing you showed me, your real passion project—the Guitar Utility Vehicle—blew me away. It’s like the Swiss Army knife of gear transport and setup.
Connor: Thank you! That one’s my baby. Last year we released the Guitar Workstation for home and studio use, and people loved it. But they asked, “Can I take this on the road?” So I said, “Not yet—but let’s make it happen.”
With a ton of input from my team and amazing engineers, we created the Guitar Utility Vehicle. It folds up like a utility cart for transporting gear, then becomes a tilt-back amp stand. It also has a guitar stand, a tray for accessories, and—yes—a cup holder! No more putting drinks on your amp and leaving the dreaded ring of death.
Mike: And the detail you pointed out—the little slot to accommodate big water bottles or Stanley cups—was such a thoughtful touch. You really thought of everything.
Connor: We all carry big cups now, and hydration’s important! Also... a big beer’s not so bad either during a set.
Mike: Haha, for sure. Well, congrats on the two new products! Your booth looks amazing as always, and I hope it’s been a great NAMM for you.
Connor: It really has. And kudos to you, man. You’re always grinding, making great content, and bringing on amazing guests. It’s an honor to be part of this. Thank you.
Mike: My pleasure. Thank you!