We were lucky to catch up with Garth Herberg recently and have shared our conversation below.

Garth, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you have any thoughts about how to create a more inclusive workplace?

Disability, queerness and neurodiversity in one combination or another are the norm for our clientele, volunteers and most of our hires. I spend a lot of time lifting up artists that don’t fit as easily into society as those capable of assimilating more readily. Inclusion forms the foundation for us to all pursue our shared goals and passions. If you’re in an inclusive environment you’ll probably find yourself surrounded by people that are different in their experience and point of view. I try to be aware of my assumptions and let them go. Almost every one I’ve ever had has been proved wrong. When I work with people that have very different challenges from my own I’ve noticed that occasionally I will lower the bar as a way to ensure safer, seemingly more positive results. It’s rewarding when I catch myself doing that and face those problems more directly alongside my colleagues. We recently produced a musical with live musicians and puppetry. During that process working as a producer and music director, there were moments where I wanted to scale things back. We had a very tight timeline, about a month to rehearse a cast of 15. I remember one scene in particular that featured three part harmony and had gone under the radar for most of the rehearsals. My instinct was to cut it and the actors were defiant, really pushing to make it happen. They made the effort to rehearse and prepare on their own time, proving my instincts way wrong. They totally nailed it and one of the three performers had never sung harmony a day in his life! Generally speaking in my worklife I’m most proud of the things we create outside of our comfort zones. The projects we all suffered through a bit and challenged ourselves to produce.

Garth, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’ve been a musician my whole life, since I was a five year old watching my sister practice what she’d learned in her piano lessons. Some of my earliest memories with music were sitting at my family’s piano and getting sucked into the sounds and imagery, the sort of original language I was able to make. I know now that was the composing bug burrowing into my brain! I began playing in a series of bands starting at 11 until my late twenties, while studying music composition and eventually music production. I now operate a recording studio, The Anything Box, and am the Head of Music and cofounder of Spectrum Laboratory (Spec Labs), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting neurodiverse artists, focused primarily on Music, Film, Acting and Voiceover. Growing up I was a lone wolf at times with a music obsession. It’s a point of pride to work with artists now, help them find community, and collaborate with them in a way I know I would’ve wanted when I was getting into music. It feels very natural to me. At this stage in music I’m constantly trying to push the community further, bringing others into the process as much as I can, trying to create opportunities whenever possible. When I receive a composing gig or a record to produce I view it as a chance to job carve and bring on many other musicians in our community that I know will jump at the opportunity. The other department leaders I work with at Spec Labs, Jason Weissbrod and Cathy McAuley, Film/Acting and Voiceover respectively, deeply share this passion and mission to bridge gaps in the entertainment industry.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Slow and steady progress has built Spec Labs reputation over time. We’re careful to acknowledge and invest in the right talent on our team. Our best marketing has come directly from our community members referring new participants and clients because of their great experiences. Our focus has always been more weighted towards creating these great experiences rather than investing heavily in marketing. Now that we’ve grown to a point where we are looking to expand beyond our current size, developing online services for clientele well beyond Los Angeles, we are investing more in marketing. I feel we’ve laid a strong foundation and established credibility. The process of marketing and sharing our story is much easier having many experiences and a large library of content to draw form.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

There is really no substitute for good old fashioned referrals. When you put your heart into your work and it benefits others, naturally they will communicate that experience to those closest to them. On a good day I feel I’ve been able to connect with the people I work with and help them develop their passion further, step by step. I think the growth of the studio and Spec Labs is a testament to that effort and something I try to never take for granted!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.speclabs.org
• Instagram: spectrum_laboratory
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spectrumlaboratory
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spectrum-laboratory
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIJ9pn8Y-WUHZN8qjWm1eag

Image Credits

Photography by Ann Postlewaite and Lillian Carrier