Music composition and software programming may seem like they reside in opposite areas of the brain, but one local entrepreneur believes they co-exist quite nicely, and he's built his business around the fusion of the two abilities.
Minneapolis-based
Hypergolic Motion got its start when composer Zachary Crockett wanted to keep more of the royalties from his music. In the traditional model, a music publisher would retain a portion of royalties, so Crockett opted to become a publisher himself. Since he's been doing programming for a number of years, it made sense that he'd continue that work under the Hypergolic name as well.
The company gets its name from a term used to describe rocket propellant--something that's "hypergolic" ignites on contact with another substance. After igniting the company in 2009, Crockett has taken on projects like desktop applications and mobile development, as well as internal corporate websites.
The blend isn't as clumsy as it might seem. Crockett notes that although music and programming are distinct arts, they share some unique qualities.
"They're both very natural for me, because there's analysis and synthesis in each," he says. "If you take a problem, whether it's a developing software or creating music, you have to understand the bigger vision, and then break that down into smaller pieces."
Through his work as a composer, Crockett makes many contacts in the non-profit world, and that sometimes leads to discussions about technology needs. As a result, Hypergolic Motion has built up a robust client portfolio of nonprofits.
"I think there's a perception that nonprofits aren't worth pursuing because they don't have a ton of money," says Crockett. "While that may be true, I find that the projects are more satisfying, and the clients are so grateful for the chance to be more efficient and have better systems in place."
For the future, Crockett looks forward to blending more programming with his music, and finding harmony in each.
Source: Zachary Crockett, Hypergolic Motion
Writer: Elizabeth Millard