Lari Stark is one of the founders of Spring Advisor and an avid musician who believes that a good strategy is like a good jazz gig – finely tuned and impactful
We founded Spring Advisor in 2017. In a smoky cigar lounge somewhere in Southern Helsinki, we vowed to make Spring the modern-day management consultancy where we personally had always wanted to work at. The idea was pretty much to create a Netflix of consulting: hungry and demanding, but devoid of traditional hierarchies and strongly culture driven.
It’s a reality that one can’t “just work here” in a young and growing company like Spring. I spend plenty of time on developing our culture and operations besides leading strategy projects. A lot remains to be done, but we’ve already come a long way since the first day when we walked to the nearest electronics store and carried the laptops, displays and other equipment to our office on foot. Luckily, the salesclerk was kind enough to let us borrow their hand truck.
To be honest, I’m an accidental strategy consultant. I was for a long time determined to make a career in the music and audio industry. I’ve spent countless hours in studios, live gigs and practice rooms over the years. It actually went as far as studying a Bachelor’s degree in Sibelius Academy and a Master’s degree on acoustics in Aalto University. However, sometimes life throws you a curveball and plans change.
Bring your own personal voice. You have your own instrument, unique background and interesting things to say. Don’t be shy to express yourself, but remember to always serve the music, not your ego.
Carry your weight. Practice your part and don’t come to a session unprepared. Remember, though, that learning to play is a life-long journey and none of us will ever be 100% ready.
Connect with the audience. The real magic happens when the listeners enjoy the performance, and the performers keep on drawing on this energy. Just have fun and make the night unforgettable.
I wholeheartedly look forward to all the gigs with my current and future fellow management consulting artists at Spring!
