A Global Supply Chain Rock Star

PROVO, Utah – Apr 13, 2018 – What does a BYU Marriott School of Business degree and celebrity rock concerts have in common? For Jeff Burns, a 2015 global supply chain alumn, they have everything to do with his profession.

For over a year, Burns was the day-to-day artist manager at Reynolds Management for the rock band, The Killers. As such, Burns would coordinate album release, design, communications, and anything else imaginable when it came to the band’s logistics.

Burns describes his first experience with the band on a trip to Mexico City soon after he was hired. Screaming fans were lined up outside of a luxurious hotel. Five SUVs with blacked-out windows lined up with security outside. Band members snapped selfies with fans as Burns hopped into one of the SUVs with Alan, a personal bodyguard who informed Burns he had previously guarded the president of Mexico. Once they arrived at the venue, Burns was immediately put to work by translating a message that Brandon Flowers, The Killer’s lead vocalist, could use to hype up the crowd. Then it was show time.

“As I watched the show, I realized how influential these guys were when eighty thousand fans went wild after Brandon said what I had translated for him,” Burns says. “It was a wild moment of self-realization of what I had gotten myself into, and it’s been a two hundred miles-per-hour rollercoaster ride ever since.”

Prior to his work experience with The Killers, Burns worked for Coca-Cola as a global supply chain consultant. Although a corporate America desk job and a band manager for A-listers may seem wildly different, Burns recognizes the value of his schooling and work experience and how that has collectively impacted his career.

“It’s funny because my little cousins will say, ‘Man, I don’t want or need to go to school because I want to do what Jeff does.’ But the whole reason I got this job was because of my performance in my last job for Coca-Cola,” Burns explains. “When you manage celebrities and musicians, there are a lot of moving parts, and it requires major organizational skills. I developed these specific skills during my time at BYU, so it turns out that my supply chain and business education help me in my music career every day.”

However, a nine-to-five desk job was never meant for Burns. He knew he found his niche when his career centered on his passion for music.

“Growing up I was a concert pianist and played in a few garage bands,” Burns says. “I also did drum line in high school. As a little kid, I loved being around music but never thought I would end up in a profession that had to do with music.”

Whether he planned it or not, Burns loves working in the music industry and doesn’t intend to quit now. Six months ago, Burns left The Killers and is now an entrepreneur, managing new artists and creating his own online music management school.

“The most important lesson I learned at BYU is that there are three different types of work,” Burns says. “There is a job, a career, and a calling. It is okay to start out with just a job, but always shoot for what you really want to do. Don’t be afraid to find your calling.”