Aidan Coleman met with Todd Green and spoke about Todd’s musical entrepreneurial journey.
Todd Green and Mendelt Hoekstra are singing their way to success with their company Choir Nation. How do entrepreneurs come up with ideas about what they want their start-up company to be? By addressing a problem they have personally encountered! Todd’s decision to launch Choir Nation in 2017 with Murray Foster (of Great Big Sea) emerged from his experiences in the corporate world that allowed him to see a gap in team building and employee engagement activities. Various corporate organizations offer recreational team-building initiatives, which include physical activities, however little or no activities related to arts or music.
Mendelt and Todd both have a heartfelt passion for music. Todd as a music fan and Mendelt as a music therapist and choir director for over 20 years. The gap they identified in the market provided the chance to connect people from the corporate world to the world of music.
Todd and Mendelt’s passion for music has fueled their business and has never made them regret the decision to branch out. One of the most memorable moments created was at their launch event when a group of company choirs sang “Hey Jude” in front of 200 people after just a few rehearsals together. Many of the company choir members from KPMG and Chubb Insurance had never sung in a choir. Choir Nation hopes that these moments not only build a sense of community amongst employees but also act as memories they carry for the rest of their lives.
Choir Nation’s business model has been built on the notion of giving back and has supported various charities since launching including MusiCounts, Momentum Choir, and Unison Benevolent Fund. In the fall of 2017, Choir Nation launched Tomorrow’s Voices, a barrier-free children’s choir in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Choir Nation donates 5% of the proceeds to help fund weekly choir rehearsals and experiences for children including singing with artists such as Serena Ryder, Dan Mangan, Royal Wood, and Neko Case. This idea came from Todd’s desire to connect students to the music community, students who otherwise might not be able to afford it. Mendelt and Todd have seen the community and confidence grow in the kids. Tomorrow’s Voices’ slogan – “Kids Should Be Heard” – has empowered the youth of the Niagara Region to have the confidence to sing on stage and have the strength to achieve their future goals.
For more information on Choir Nation and Tomorrow’s Voices, check out his website:http://choirnation.ca
This article is authored by Aidan Coleman, Features Writer for The Onside Media, Canada, For comments get in touch aidan.onside@gmail.com
