From stages to spreadsheets

For more than a decade, Chris Marquart (MAC ’24) has spent his weekends in front of thousands of fans.

As the longtime drummer for country-music star Cole Swindell, he’s performed everywhere from Chicago’s Soldier Field to the Grand Ole Opry, attended award-show victories and watched a dream career progress one show at a time.

During the week, you’ll usually find him somewhere much quieter.

As an accountant with Sound CPA in Franklin, Tennessee, Marquart helps businesses manage everything from payroll and taxes to financial strategy. His clients include restaurants, law firms, catering companies and even record labels, blending his two worlds.

For Marquart, accounting was a way to build a future that could exist alongside the career he already loved.

“I never wanted accounting to replace music,” he says. “I wanted it to exist in conjunction with it.”

Building a second career

Marquart attended Berklee College of Music and built a successful touring career, but he witnessed how unpredictable the music industry could be.

“I remember thinking that by the time I was 40, I wanted to have my next steps prepared,” he says. “Not because I wanted to leave music, but because I wanted to make sure I could always provide for my family.”

“I wanted to make sure I could always provide for my family.”

When the pandemic paused live performances, Marquart saw an opportunity to act on his plan and began searching for a graduate program. The Master of Accounting (MAC) Program at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business stood out not only because of its reputation, but also because it welcomed students with no prior accounting experience.

“I didn’t have any accounting background when I started, and that’s exactly what attracted me to the program,” he says. “When I graduated and started working, so much of what I was doing already felt familiar because the program prepares you so well.”

That preparation proved especially valuable because Marquart intentionally chose a different path than many MAC graduates. Rather than pursuing a role with a Big Four accounting firm, he joined Sound CPA, a growing firm founded by another Tar Heel, Jesse Krohmer (MAC ‘18).

The position offered the flexibility to continue touring while gaining experience across nearly every area of public accounting, from bookkeeping and payroll to tax preparation, advisory work and fractional CFO services.

Finding harmony between two worlds

His background in music has become an unexpected advantage. Because some of the firm’s clients work in the entertainment industry, Marquart combines the knowledge he gained at Berklee with the accounting expertise he developed at UNC Kenan-Flagler. Whether discussing publishing royalties or advising music-related businesses, he brings a perspective that few accountants can offer.

“I’ve been able to connect my two educations at Berklee College of Music and UNC Kenan-Flagler,” he says. “There are situations where having both of those specialties is really valuable.”

Balancing two careers sounds difficult, but Marquart says his touring schedule makes it more manageable than people realize. Most weeks, he performs Thursday through Saturday before returning home and spends weekdays working remotely for Sound CPA.

He often starts his mornings on accounting work before heading to soundcheck, then finishes client work between rehearsals and performances. Rather than competing with each other, the two careers coexist.

Marquart and Swindell with Professors Chip and Tanja Snively

Professor Tanja Snively recently reconnected with him after attending a Cole Swindell concert.

“I’m so impressed that he was able to navigate his entry into the ‘9-to-5’ workforce while continuing to pursue his love of music,” she says. “He’s found a position where he can meld his accounting career with his concert and band expertise.”

Redefining success

Importantly, his schedule also allows him to prioritize time with his wife and three children. Whether it’s taking his children to the park, riding bikes together after work or being home for dinner, Marquart says those experiences have reshaped what success means to him.

“If I’m working, I’m all in with work. If I’m home with my family, I’m all in with my family. And when I’m on the road, I’m all in on the music,” he says. “As a result, I have a lot better focus and presence wherever I am.”

Marquart sees the MAC Program as more than just an accounting education. It gave him the confidence and flexibility to build a career on his own terms.

For prospective students considering where an accounting degree can take them, his advice is simple: Stay focused, use the resources around you, and don’t be afraid to pursue an unconventional path.

“Whatever path is set in your heart,” he says, “go after it.”