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James P. Slattery
Executive Account Manager, Forge Nano
“Music defines me and impacts everything I do in business. It has taught me discipline, collaboration, creative thinking, and resilience.”
James P. Slattery is a technology leader with over 25 years of experience in business development and enterprise sales, with leadership roles at Intel and Micron. He has led high-performing teams and driven growth across enterprise, AI, and hyperscale markets.
Before entering the technology sector, he was an accomplished jazz pianist and studio musician, performing and recording with artists including Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre. He is also featured on a Grammy winning album by The Winans and several multi-platinum recordings.
He brings the discipline, collaboration, and resilience developed through music into how he leads, performs under pressure, and navigates complex environments, and serves as a Board Member of Education Through Music-Colorado.
Tell us about your professional journey and what defines your work and leadership today. What motivates you in the role you hold and the field in which you operate?
The technology sector is not for the timid. I have thrived in this industry for over 25 years, holding leadership roles at Intel Corporation, Micron Technology, and now Forge Nano in Colorado. I am motivated by the pace of business in this high-stakes industry. I also enjoy new ways of challenging myself. My musical background has grounded me and helped me navigate the mercurial nature of this business environment.
How has music been part of your life? When did it first enter your life, and how has it evolved over time—whether through playing an instrument, singing, composing, or other forms of musical practice?
I grew up in a musical household. My father led the music program at Coe College, and we always had colorful musicians, conductors, and artists passing through our home throughout my childhood. Music was also an integral part of my elementary and middle school education. I played violin, studied piano, and eventually got bitten by “the jazz bug”. Despite my high school guidance counselor’s advice, I thought I would try a career in music. After earning my Master’s in Music, I travelled to Los Angeles, where I was quite successful in the scene. I performed on multi-platinum albums, a Grammy-winning record with The Winans, wrote music for TV and Film, and worked with many famous musical artists. I enjoyed creating music with some of the most talented people in the world. However, there was still so much I didn’t know beyond music, and I always wanted to broaden my mind and take on new challenges. I wanted to know more about how the rest of the world worked – I wanted to learn the art of business. So I applied to Business School and matriculated to Northwestern University for my MBA, and my life changed forever.
Many leaders recognize that the skills developed through music extend far beyond the stage or rehearsal room. Learning and practicing music often strengthens qualities such as listening, discipline, collaboration, creative thinking, resilience, and the ability to perform under pressure—skills that are also essential in professional life. Looking back, how has music shaped the way you think, collaborate, innovate, or lead in your professional life?
Music defines me and impacts everything I do in business. It has taught me:
Discipline – To be successful in music, you need to be driven and focused on your craft. The focus needed to excel on a musical instrument and to succeed in the music industry is wonderful training that can translate to success in anything in life, including business. Without this discipline, I wouldn’t be successful.
Collaboration – Music doesn’t care who you are or where you are from. It erases bigotry and bias. Everyone is treated on the same terms, and it allows collaboration to flourish. In my business experience, group collaboration always exceeds a single person’s output.
Creative Thinking – Business problems are a daily occurrence. A musical mind allows you to look at these problems through a different lens and often yields unique solutions. I have built a career on this.
Handling Pressure/ Resilience – When performing (Live or in the Studio), you need to maintain focus and manage your mind so you can be free to create. The pressure in the boardroom of a Fortune 500 company is intense, but it is no less intense than being in a recording studio with the best musicians in the world, just as the “red light” goes on…
Can you recall a moment in your professional life when your experience with music helped you navigate a challenge, make a decision, collaborate with others, or unlock a creative solution?
There was a time when I got extremely nervous as a high-stakes business deal approached. My career depended upon this deal being successful. I immediately thought back to one particular musical setting where I performed on stage with Tony Williams (Miles Davis’ long-time drummer). I will never forget looking down the strings of the piano and seeing Tony intensely staring at me as he danced across the drumset. The look in his eyes was the most intense experience I have ever been through. After that reflection, I laughed and took a deep breath – I approached the “high stakes” business deal with a new perspective and managed it through to success. Music saved me again…
What resonates with you about ETM-CO’s mission to ensure that music is part of every child’s education—especially in under-resourced schools—and why do you believe access to music from an early age matters for the next generation?
ETM-CO’s mission resonates with me. I believe early music education is critical to a well-rounded child. Music education early in a child’s development ingrains all of the benefits noted above. This will yield emotionally strong children and give them the tools to be successful in life. The challenges in educational funding have left music programs decimated over the last 10+ years, and this deterioration has gone on largely unnoticed. ETM-CO is highlighting this problem and addressing it directly with solutions.
And now, the most difficult question—one we often ask our students. What does music give you today that nothing else does?
Nothing else comes close in providing an exquisite combination of boundless joy, inner peace, profound mysticism, and deep soul.
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