Why I Start a Rock and Roll Band at Every Company I Join

By Karry Kleeman
3x SaaS Exited CRO | Board Member | Investor | Advisor | GTM Executive

Music and the performing arts are etched in my DNA.

It first surfaced when my dad would put on his record collection and we’d sing along with Jerry Lee Lewis, Chubby Checker, the deity known as Elvis Presley, and other pop music masters of their craft. Not long after, my grandparents bought my brothers, my sister, and me a piano and lessons were forced upon us. I hated them, of course. Then came grade school band and the trombone, a successful audition to sing the one and only solo in the 3rd grade chorus concert, and my first record, The Beatles 1967-1970, a compilation widely known as the Blue Album. I was hooked!

Later, in what seemed to be predestined, my high school football and baseball coach also taught music and choir. Jackpot! He made it cool to pursue both the performing arts and athletics. Varsity athletes eagerly joined choir, musicals, and other avenues for expressing themselves creatively in the context of music and performance. Next came college where I was the frontman and lead singer for a rock band with a name not fit for print…

I Want to be a Rock Star (If Only I Had the Time…)

My rock star ambition was placed on hold when a career in technology sales, marriage and family, and the demands of life came calling. Then serendipity! A neighborhood friend—also a busy career and family man with the same passion for rock and roll—persuaded me to light it up again, so we formed a band. I was back! But that too had a short shelf life.

Bottom line: across each of these experiences, I’ve felt the joy music brings and experienced its connective properties in and through people. And it turns out I’m not alone. Over time, I’ve discovered that there are many career-minded, busy people who were once in a band or a group of some kind, and would do it again if they had the chance.

Many times in my career I’ve seen young people with similar passions—musical or otherwise—follow the same path, putting the hobbies and pastimes they enjoy aside while their lives get ever-busier with careers and families. Usually they think it will be a temporary hiatus—they’ll pick up the guitar, the pen, the paintbrush again somewhere down the line when they have more time, they tell themselves. All too often, that time never comes.

I was once that person too. However, I am happy to say that I’ve resurrected my musical passion, and made it a part of my life, and this time integrating it with my career. The whole “two birds with one stone” thing… It’s a matter of aspiration, priority, and strategy.

My strategy was to weave together my sales career with my musical background by starting a house rock and roll band at the companies I work for.

And I’m incredibly glad I did.

A Rock and Roll Culture? Why Not?

Just as much as I believe in the power of music, I also believe in the power of organizational culture. Culture isn’t just company happy hours and lunch and learns, it’s also how well we encourage and empower individuals to bring their full selves to work. This includes those passions and interests that aren’t directly tied to day jobs. When work is integrated with these outside pursuits in a holistic, productive way, it makes work life (and thus life in general) that much richer. Companies would be remiss to overlook this.

Further, when I look around the LogicGate office, I know there’s tons of creativity that lies dormant. With me, as with many others, the things we pursue with zeal and creativity in our youth don’t always carry over into our adult lives. Inspiring employees by giving them creative outlets can lead to enhanced productivity and engagement and build more meaningful relationships.

It isn’t easy. Companies need to go about this in a structured, intentional way. In my case, the first house rock band was a perfect fit for the company culture I was in at the time. The company even invested in music equipment and eagerly supported our events. I’ve since carried that practice over into my roles at SpringCM (acquired by DocuSign) and LogicGate, where our current house rock band, aptly called “Logic and the Goats”, recently made its debut. At SpringCM, I even inspired our founder and our CEO to learn to play guitar a little later in life. In the case of our founder, he was able to start performing live.

As with most things, the hardest part is making the time. But employers are uniquely suited to help and encourage employees to make their passions a priority. When these initiatives are successful, we get to see the fuller picture of our colleagues, as more than just fellow workers. We get to see them let their guard down, share their love with others, and maybe even feel a bit vulnerable. In other words, we get a glimpse of who they really are.

These are the things upon which good co-working relationships—and ultimately good cultures— are built.

About Karry Kleeman

​​Karry Kleeman is a seasoned software executive, go-to-market strategist, and revenue leader. He thrives at the intersection of business growth and human connection, blending a sharp instinct for scaling companies with a deep passion for people and a commitment to infusing a human touch into the process. He is known for bringing energy and clarity to organizations—rallying teams around a common mission, driving execution, and creating momentum that fuels growth.

With a career spanning decades in enterprise software, Karry has built and led high-performing revenue organizations from early-stage startups to IPOs and strategic acquisitions. He has played a pivotal role in scaling multiple companies to successful exits, generating well over $1 billion in enterprise value. At LogicGate, he architected a go-to-market strategy that propelled the company from $1M to $50M in ARR. At SpringCM, he led the revenue function through its $270M acquisition by DocuSign. And at Mobius he helped scale the business from $3M to over $100M, culminating in a successful IPO.

Karry’s ability to inspire and energize teams is a core part of his leadership. Just as he commands attention and engagement when performing live music, he brings the same presence and intensity to leading teams—aligning them around a shared vision, setting the pace, and ensuring everyone is moving in rhythm toward ambitious goals. When he’s not driving business growth, you’ll find him performing classic rock hits anywhere he can find a live mic.