Nick Fichte, business manager, global, L-Acoustics Creations at L-Acoustics, takes the hot seat for this week’s Getting To Know interview…

How did you get into the industry?
I was walking through my local home town during a summer break from university and it was playing on my mind that I needed to get a job, but I didn’t want to do the standard thing of working in a pub as I had done previously, as it meant I wasn’t able to spend my evenings and weekends with friends. I stopped at the local Bang & Olufsen store as I always did to peer in through the window and drool over their sexy hi-fi and TVs. Then I noticed they had an advert in the window for a salesperson. I went home and drew up a CV and sent it in. 

At first, I was sent an email saying that I wasn’t qualified enough, but a couple of weeks later I got a call from the franchise owner’s PA who invited me in for an interview. In the interview I was asked what I was doing over the weekend. I told the owner that I was planning on going down to Bristol to see my girlfriend. He said: “that’s a shame, we are going out to Turkey tomorrow to work on the world’s largest private owned sailing yacht and could do with an extra pair of hands”. Funnily enough I didn’t go down to Bristol but instead boarded a flight to Turkey the next morning. That girlfriend is now my wife and mother to our two children, so I guess she forgave me! 

What was your first job?
I started as an installation assistant for a residential custom install company, which also owned four Bang & Olufsen retail stores. I spent four years working for that company and worked up to being a store manager of the flagship store.

What does your working day look like?
I spend my time predominantly at our London office performing demos of L-Acoustics residential offerings – known under the brand L-Acoustics Creations – to UK-based residential custom installers. We educate them about L-Acoustics as a brand and how we can bring the power of pro audio to their clients’ luxury homes and yachts. Whilst not meeting with UK installers in person, I am often on Teams calls to custom installers around the globe spreading the L-Acoustics Creations word.

What is your favourite thing about the pro audio industry?
I have worked in residential AV for 15 years, but just joined the pro audio world in March this year. It is a completely different world to what I am used to, but everyone has been incredibly welcoming and I feel very honoured to work for one of the world’s most prestigious audio companies. 

And your least favourite thing?
Seeing how badly COVID-19 has impacted the industry. The last concert I went to was in December 2019 and I think I took it completely for granted at the time. Since joining L-Acoustics I have met some incredible people from the live world and to see the effect that it is having on so many people’s lives is truly saddening. 

What is the achievement/project you are most proud of?
Launching L-Acoustics Creations into the residential sector. We are still in our infancy, but we have been making great inroads and have been fortunate to have had some fantastic projects to specify so far.

What do you like to do outside of work?
I love to cook outside, which is often a challenge in British weather! Whilst we were in lockdown I treated myself to a Big Green Egg and have been learning how to cook all kinds of interesting things and master the art of temperature control. I also have a Gozney pizza oven, which we love to use for pizzas and other fun things.