Todd Scheel is a lot like a big kid who likes to play with balls, laser lights, disco music, parachutes and an over-sized tricycle. "A couple of years ago, when I was doing some crazy idea, my dad asked me, ‘When are you going to grow up?’" said Scheel, the 42-year-old owner and president of Pewaukee-based Muzic in Motion Inc. "And I go, ‘Hopefully never.’"
Muzic in Motion provides disc jockey services for weddings, audio-visual services for corporate events and unique entertainment experiences for college and professional sporting events.
Marquette University and Milwaukee Bucks basketball fans have seen many of Scheel’s creations, including the ball blaster, which launches souvenir balls into the stands, and drop zone parachutes, which float down from the ceiling of the arena, carrying gifts for lucky fans.
Scheel started his company 19 years ago.
"You know, we had no blue ocean/red ocean strategy back then," Scheel said. "We didn’t have a marketing plan. I just thought, ‘Wow, let’s just do this.’ We ended up starting out living in a blue ocean."
Over the years, Scheel said Muzic in Motion set itself apart in the local disc jockey business by providing two DJs at every function, using compact discs for all of its music and by meeting with each bride and groom ahead of the wedding to plan the event.
The professional service that Muzic in Motion provides for weddings sets the company apart from the "weekend warriors," Scheel said.
"Modern Bride" magazine recently named the company one of the hottest bands or DJs in the nation.
Shortly after he started his company, Scheel found a blue ocean opportunity in the world of sports.
Jim Peters, then one of the owners of the Milwaukee Wave, was getting his hair cut by one of Scheel’s friends. Peters said he thought the Wave needed more and better music to increase fan excitement at the games.
"And my friend was like, ‘Well, that’s really funny. I have a friend who talks about that all the time. He’s a disc jockey,’" Scheel said.
By the time the haircut was over, Peters said he wanted to meet Scheel.
"So I went down to the Bradley Center," Scheel said. "I had never seen an indoor soccer game. And I’m sitting up in the audio booth. I’m definitely feeling a need for some music.
"Then all of a sudden, the opposing team was protesting the referees. And they left the field and were standing off in the tunnel saying, ‘Unless you start calling the game right, we’re not even going to play.’ There was the soundtrack up there (in the audio booth) of ‘Good Morning Vietnam.’ I said to the audio guy up there at the time, ‘Here, play track 7,’ or whatever track it was. And he goes, ‘Are you sure?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll take full responsibility.’ And the song was ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry.’ The place went nuts. Several weeks later, we started in the world of sporting events."
Muzic in Motion has since worked for the Wave, the Milwaukee Mustangs arena football team, the Milwaukee Admirals, the Bucks and Marquette. Other sports customers include the Harlem Globetrotters, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Bobcats, New Orleans Hornets and Dallas Stars.
Dropping the names of its well-known customers has helped Muzic in Motion build credibility in the marketplace, Scheel said. The company has handled music and created unique entertainment features for the teams.
Scheel comes up with the ideas, and his father, Richard Scheel, designs them. Richard is an engineer and serves as vice president and controller of Muzic in Motion.
The products are manufactured at the company’s metal fabrication shop in Waterford.
The company created a noise meter, similar to those displayed on scoreboards at ballparks and arenas encouraging fans to get loud. However, this noise meter explodes, by shooting off confetti, if the fans get loud enough.
Two years ago, the Indiana Pacers rented the machine during the NBA playoffs. Now, two or three professional sports teams, whom Scheel declined to name, are planning to purchase exploding noise meters.
"This is a blue ocean, because nobody in the country is making what we are making, period," Scheel said.
Muzic in Motion also created the Ball Blaster to improve the way souvenir balls are thrown into the crowd at sporting events.
The Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns and Marquette University have purchased the company’s drop-down parachutes.
Muzic in Motion also has found a market by handling corporate parties. Its customers include Fiserv Inc. and Skipper Buds.
"When we do a function, audio, video, lighting, special effects, we’re a turn-key," Scheel said.
Muzic in Motion had $800,000 in revenue last year and expects to have $1.3 million to $1.4 million this year.
The growing company needs more space, Scheel said. The firm occupies 5,500-square-feet of space in a multi-tenant building in Pewaukee. Scheel said he is looking for a site in the Milwaukee area to build a new 10,000- to 12,000-square-foot facility.
Muzic in Motion is adding a new employee to do full-time marketing of its entertainment products for sporting events. The company is hoping to convince even more teams to buy its products.
"We haven’t done much marketing yet, and we’re at a pace to sell about 50,000 to 75,000 parachutes in our first year, and that’s our inventory right now" Scheel said. "We’re in the blue ocean right now."
Editor’s note: In this special report, Small Business Times is exploring how southeastern Wisconsin companies are enacting "Blue Ocean Strategies" to grow their businesses. See page 9 for more information.
Go Blue!
Muzic in Motion Inc.
Address: N15 W22180 Watertown Road, Studio 12, Pewaukee
Industry: Music, audio visual and entertainment for weddings, corporate functions and sporting events.
Leadership: Todd Scheel, owner and president
Employees: Eight full-time, 40 to 45 part-time
Annual Revenue: $800,000 in 2005, expected to be about $1.4 million in 2006
Blue Ocean Strategies:
• Invents unique entertainment for college and professional sporting events.
• Provides more personalized service for social and corporate events.
• Develops more cost-effective ways of delivering services.
April 14, 2006, Small Business Times, Milwaukee, WI
Nothing but a Good Time
Muzic in Motion Wows Customers with Music, Confetti and Fun
By Andrew Weiland, of SBT
Todd Scheel is a lot like a big kid who likes to play with balls, laser lights, disco music, parachutes and an over-sized tricycle. "A couple of years ago, when I was doing some crazy idea, my dad asked me, ‘When are you going to grow up?’" said Scheel, the 42-year-old owner and president of Pewaukee-based Muzic in Motion Inc. "And I go, ‘Hopefully never.’"
Muzic in Motion provides disc jockey services for weddings, audio-visual services for corporate events and unique entertainment experiences for college and professional sporting events.
Marquette University and Milwaukee Bucks basketball fans have seen many of Scheel’s creations, including the ball blaster, which launches souvenir balls into the stands, and drop zone parachutes, which float down from the ceiling of the arena, carrying gifts for lucky fans.
Scheel started his company 19 years ago.
"You know, we had no blue ocean/red ocean strategy back then," Scheel said. "We didn’t have a marketing plan. I just thought, ‘Wow, let’s just do this.’ We ended up starting out living in a blue ocean."
Over the years, Scheel said Muzic in Motion set itself apart in the local disc jockey business by providing two DJs at every function, using compact discs for all of its music and by meeting with each bride and groom ahead of the wedding to plan the event.
The professional service that Muzic in Motion provides for weddings sets the company apart from the "weekend warriors," Scheel said.
"Modern Bride" magazine recently named the company one of the hottest bands or DJs in the nation.
Shortly after he started his company, Scheel found a blue ocean opportunity in the world of sports.
Jim Peters, then one of the owners of the Milwaukee Wave, was getting his hair cut by one of Scheel’s friends. Peters said he thought the Wave needed more and better music to increase fan excitement at the games.
"And my friend was like, ‘Well, that’s really funny. I have a friend who talks about that all the time. He’s a disc jockey,’" Scheel said.
By the time the haircut was over, Peters said he wanted to meet Scheel.
"So I went down to the Bradley Center," Scheel said. "I had never seen an indoor soccer game. And I’m sitting up in the audio booth. I’m definitely feeling a need for some music.
"Then all of a sudden, the opposing team was protesting the referees. And they left the field and were standing off in the tunnel saying, ‘Unless you start calling the game right, we’re not even going to play.’ There was the soundtrack up there (in the audio booth) of ‘Good Morning Vietnam.’ I said to the audio guy up there at the time, ‘Here, play track 7,’ or whatever track it was. And he goes, ‘Are you sure?’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll take full responsibility.’ And the song was ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry.’ The place went nuts. Several weeks later, we started in the world of sporting events."
Muzic in Motion has since worked for the Wave, the Milwaukee Mustangs arena football team, the Milwaukee Admirals, the Bucks and Marquette. Other sports customers include the Harlem Globetrotters, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Charlotte Bobcats, New Orleans Hornets and Dallas Stars.
Dropping the names of its well-known customers has helped Muzic in Motion build credibility in the marketplace, Scheel said. The company has handled music and created unique entertainment features for the teams.
Scheel comes up with the ideas, and his father, Richard Scheel, designs them. Richard is an engineer and serves as vice president and controller of Muzic in Motion.
The products are manufactured at the company’s metal fabrication shop in Waterford.
The company created a noise meter, similar to those displayed on scoreboards at ballparks and arenas encouraging fans to get loud. However, this noise meter explodes, by shooting off confetti, if the fans get loud enough.
Two years ago, the Indiana Pacers rented the machine during the NBA playoffs. Now, two or three professional sports teams, whom Scheel declined to name, are planning to purchase exploding noise meters.
"This is a blue ocean, because nobody in the country is making what we are making, period," Scheel said.
Muzic in Motion also created the Ball Blaster to improve the way souvenir balls are thrown into the crowd at sporting events.
The Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns and Marquette University have purchased the company’s drop-down parachutes.
Muzic in Motion also has found a market by handling corporate parties. Its customers include Fiserv Inc. and Skipper Buds.
"When we do a function, audio, video, lighting, special effects, we’re a turn-key," Scheel said.
Muzic in Motion had $800,000 in revenue last year and expects to have $1.3 million to $1.4 million this year.
The growing company needs more space, Scheel said. The firm occupies 5,500-square-feet of space in a multi-tenant building in Pewaukee. Scheel said he is looking for a site in the Milwaukee area to build a new 10,000- to 12,000-square-foot facility.
Muzic in Motion is adding a new employee to do full-time marketing of its entertainment products for sporting events. The company is hoping to convince even more teams to buy its products.
"We haven’t done much marketing yet, and we’re at a pace to sell about 50,000 to 75,000 parachutes in our first year, and that’s our inventory right now" Scheel said. "We’re in the blue ocean right now."
Editor’s note: In this special report, Small Business Times is exploring how southeastern Wisconsin companies are enacting "Blue Ocean Strategies" to grow their businesses. See page 9 for more information.
Go Blue!
Muzic in Motion Inc.
Address: N15 W22180 Watertown Road, Studio 12, Pewaukee
Industry: Music, audio visual and entertainment for weddings, corporate functions and sporting events.
Leadership: Todd Scheel, owner and president
Employees: Eight full-time, 40 to 45 part-time
Annual Revenue: $800,000 in 2005, expected to be about $1.4 million in 2006
Blue Ocean Strategies:
• Invents unique entertainment for college and professional sporting events.
• Provides more personalized service for social and corporate events.
• Develops more cost-effective ways of delivering services.
