Dave Wakeman's The Business of Fun Podcast

My guest today is Dan Galpern.  Dan is CEO of DanceOne.  What a great conversation this is.  We discussed how dance impacts every aspect of our lives, even if we don't recognize it.  Dan humors me and talks about the Baldwins.  We discuss dance studios and the thousands of small businesses that dance powers.  Dan shares how he came to be so passionate about dance.  We get into some great things on strategy and branding. We talk about performance and exceptionalism.  Just an all around great talk. Check out Dance One at www.DanceOne.com Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com You can sign up for my newsletters. Get to the Dave store. And, more!  Rate, review, and share the podcast. It helps!  Also, send me your guest suggestions at Dave@DaveWakeman.com  

My buddy, Simon Severino, is back.  I wanted to have him come teach us how he turned one webinar into $80,000.  Why? Because it applies to all of us.  We go through Simon's plan for coming up with the idea, filling the webinar, and following up.  Simon also teaches us how he uses AI to create better marketing materials to drive people to his webinars.  Check out Simon's site at www.StrategySprints.com because he now has a free offer to try out some of his ideas.  Great resource.  Visit me at www.DaveWakeman.com and get the newsletters.  Rate the podcast! Review it! Share it!  This helps me grow. Also, send me a note at Dave@DaveWakeman.com to let me know who you want to hear from. 

My guest today is Faisal Hoque.  He has a new book, Transcend: Unlocking Humanity in the Age of AI.  This is a very hopeful conversation because Faisal definitely knows that there are always going to be things that people can do that AI and computers can't.  Our conversation covers a lot of territory including frameworks to make your use of AI effective.  We talk about humanity and the important things that AI can't do.  We cover some of the hot topics like "will AI steal your job".  This was a good one...especially when we hear so much stuff about AI. I found Faisal to be a voice of reason on the subject.  Visit my website and never miss a post! www.DaveWakeman.com April 1st webinar sign up here.  

My guest today is Jimi Gibson.  Jimi is a trained magician.  He's used his magic skills to help us understand marketing and strategy a little bit better.  This is a fun conversation.  We talk about Jimi's work at The Thrive Agency and how the unique culture drives impact.  We discuss audience bullseyes and dehumanizing language.  We talk about humanity.  Jimi shares a great lesson from his training in Canada while he was standing on a stump.  Jimi also shares a key takeaway from his TED Talk about the magic we all have within us.  This one is great.  Let me know what you think by sending me an email at Dave@DaveWakeman.com Sign up for the first in a five part webinar series on selling tickets in uncertain times. April 1st at 1 PM Eastern time "Understanding the Premium & Single Ticket Buyer Mindset in a Downturn". Visit my website www.DaveWakeman.com and sign up for my newsletter so you don't miss these things, articles, or other fun stuff!  Share the podcast! Rate it! Review it!  This helps me continue to give you great conversations. 

My guest today is Lawrence Amstrong.  He's written a new book, Layered Leadership: Drive Double Digit Growth and Dominate Your Competition With Creative Strategies and Execution.  This conversation is even more timely than it was when we had it a few weeks ago because we talk about creativity, innovation, and strategy.  Lawrence talks about how his path has taught him resilience.  And, a lot of these lessons are more important than ever.  I'm doing a FREE webinar series on selling tickets in times of uncertainty.  The first one is on April 1st at 1 PM Eastern called "Understanding the Premium & Single Ticket Buyer Mindset in a Downturn".  This is the first of 5 that will help you deal with uncertainty.  Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com and get the newsletters and never miss a new post.   

My guest today is Jill Schulman!  A total badass.  She is a Marine that focuses on teaching people the power of positive psychology so that they can be braver.  This was a conversation I was excited to have because I feel like we all can use a bit more bravery in our lives.  We talked about a ton of cool stuff including: Toxic Positivity Challenges Psychology v. Positive Psychology Taking action And, a lot more. You can connect with Jill at www.breakthroughleadershipgroup.com Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com and sign up for my newsletters to get assessment, action tips, and more!  Do me a solid: Rate Review Share  This podcast! 

My guest today is John Reider!  He is 'The Bubble Man'.  Seriously, it says so on his Teams' handle!  We had a great time talking about John's businesses. He is the king of bubbles and has a number of businesses built around bubbles.  More importantly, we had a chance to uncover a lot of important ideas that will help you with your business like: Listening to your customers.  Understanding that you bring joy and transformation to your customers.  The importance of evolving your ideas. Plus a lot more.  Check out the Bubble Bus at www.BubbleBus.com You can find Atomic Bubbles at www.AtomicBubbles.com Visit my site at www.DaveWakeman.com. Sign up for the newsletters!  Rate! Review! Share! The podcast! 

This is amazing!  Happy 2025 to you all!  My guest today is the owner of Magical Memories Entertainment, Steven Burchard.  We had a great talk about relationships and creating experiences for folks.  This conversation had some serious range because we got from Lambeau Field and the Green Bay Packers to Fort Knox to Guantanamo Bay and beyond.  A key part of the conversation is how Steven was able to shut down for Covid and rebound almost immediately. There are some lessons there for all of us.  Visit me at www.DaveWakeman.com  The pop up gets you my newsletters.  I'm going to Indianapolis in April. The final details are being worked out, but would you be interested in me coming to work with your team or put together a workshop in your town?  Send me an email at dave@davewakeman.com  Talking Tickets has a Slack Channel!

Love this episode!  A great conversation with Zack Sugarman.  Zack is the Chief Strategy Officer at Superplastic.  Superplast just opened a brand new IRL space in Las Vegas at Area 15 called Dopeameme. Dopeameme is called "The Institute for Pleasure Research".  This is a way to bring the virtual and the physical together. The experience is includes a RFID tag that will help give you a personalized experience!  (I don't want to spoil it for you.)  Get your tickets here: https://superplastic.co/pages/dopeameme?srsltid=AfmBOopYFsH836cdICPXHcJZVQpqCTjz3xln15tCXKp_QVdMe393Yz6h We talked about all kinds of cool stuff besides Dopeameme such as: "Demented Disney" Collectibles Using IP  Market research Character development And, a lot more This one was great!  In the introduction, I mentioned a free Q & A on Wednesday, December 11 at 1 PM Eastern.  You can sign up here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/5450529c-8fd9-43bd-b0ea-18bc83e33503@3cfe5c98-57cc-44af-8891-aafc29444c09 If you can't make it, you can send me your questions at Dave@DaveWakeman.com You should join us in the 'Talking Tickets' Slack Group!  We are going to share more ideas on selling tickets, pricing, and revenue... I just spent the morning in a workshop on community building. So, take advantage of that.  https://join.slack.com/t/talking-tickets/shared_invite/zt-119g3ze9e-IMCN~xcmlm8o2nkAREKHqA Rate the podcast! Review the podcast! Share the podcast!  Every little thing helps!  And, I thank you for listening!     

I love this conversation with John Kinsner because John has done so many things as he has made his way to becoming CEO of Black Ink Presents that I can't call our conversation anything less than a love letter to the business.  We discuss a ton of things today: We talk about the tour for 'Labryinth'. John's experience sweeping floors, cleaning bathrooms, and all the other jobs he did on the way to being a CEO.  Producing and creating content using existing IP.  Symphony audiences and helping reach a new generation of fans.  I talk about my love of LCD Soundsystem and we hit on influences and how you learn about art.  Like I mention in the intro, this is a total love letter to the business of entertainment.  Check out Black Ink Presents at www.BlackInkPresents.com Check me out at www.DaveWakeman.com Get 'Talking Tickets' at https://talkingtickets.substack.com. Rate! Review! And, Share!   

This is a special conversation that comes from a LinkedIn Live I did with Bruce Eckfelt and William Lieberman.  We discuss KPIs.  You can find me at www.DaveWakeman.com Sign up for my newsletters on my website.  Tell me who you want to hear from and what topics you want to learn about by sending me an email Dave@DaveWakeman.com  

My guest today is Jon Allen from TKT.com. We had a good time talking about TKT's move to the European market.  Jon teaches me about taking a US tech focused approach to the hospitality ticket market in Europe.  We talk about opportunity.  We also hit upon the importance of speaking the language of the market you are in.  Jon talks about staying in line with GDPR.  And, much more.  You can find Jon and his partners at www.TKT.com  You can find me at www.DaveWakeman.com Let me know who you'd like me to talk with by sending me an email at Dave@DaveWakeman.com Get the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter at https://talkingtickets.substack.com  Rate! Review! Share! This helps me continue to grow the podcast. 

I've got Andrew Recinos on the podcast today!  Andrew is the CEO of Tessitura.  He came to me with a great idea: we have our podcast conversation built around the ideas I share with folks in 'The Fans for Life' workshop.  We discussed ideas such as: Why Andrew enjoys my POV of looking at tickets through the gamut of tickets sold.  We discuss the idea of inspiration from outside of the world of arts.  Andrew shares where he finds his ideas from. Especially ethnography.  Innovation, creativity, and opportunity.  We hit on all kinds of great stuff!  This one is a lot of fun, actionable, and one I'm glad I got to have.  Let me know what you think.  Send me your thoughts at Dave@DaveWakeman.com  Check out Tessitura's website: www.tessitura.com Get my newsletters and keep up with me at www.DaveWakeman.com Rate, review, and share the podcast! Every little bit helps. 

What a fun episode!  Yaniv Zaid is my guest today. We had a great time!  Yaniv's new book is called 'The 21st Century Sales Bible' and it will help you sell more tickets, services, and products of all kinds.  Authenticy is the key to success in the 21st century and we cover what that means exactly.  Trust. Relevance. Balance.  At the core of Dr. Zaid's message, "love". Love for other people.  www.persusasion.co.il Send me your thoughts on today's episode at dave@davewakeman.com  Tell me who you want to hear from, what you want to know, or trends and opportunities that you are looking at.  www.DaveWakeman.com and keep up with me. 

I'm reposting my conversation with Steve.  The original show notes didn't publish only my bulleted notes about what I wanted to say.  I had some bad weather in my area and the disruption in internet and power threw me for a loop.  Enjoy a picture of the tree that fell in my driveway. My guest today is Steve Cook.  Steve is CEO of TCG Entertainment.  We talk about the 15th anniversary of Cirque Musica.  I was excited to talk with Steve because he has a background that has touched the symphony, amusements, tour productions, and a lot more.  Steve's experience with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Disney on Ice are prime examples of bringing ideas from outside of your typical industry playbook to use in your situation.  You bring a solution from another world to bear on your business.  In this case, Steve used lessons from his time in amusements to create thinking that elevated the DSO's business.  We discuss trends in the business.  Steve talks about the pricing issues.  I bring up dealing with brokers. And, a lot more. www.tcgent.com www.cirquemusica.com On Wednesday, October 2nd, I'm hosting a "Strategy 101" webinar. The ideas here are part of a push I have to create a brand new executive education class in a strategy called "Markets and Competition: Strategy in Modern Times".  So, I want to share some of the thinking and find out what works and what doesn't work for you.  Sign up here! My website: www.DaveWakeman.com Get my newsletters.  Share this episode. Rate and review it!  Send me your questions to dave@davewakeman.com   

Hi!  I'm creating a class called "Markets and Competition: Strategy for Modern Times" and as I'm putting it together, I want to share the journey with you.  Today, I recorded a quick webinar called "Strategy 101".  In this webinar, we talked about 7 ideas that I think will give you a strong foundation in strategy.  My 5 question strategy framework Why strategy isn't planning Strategy is about elimination "We don't have time for strategy" Clarity And, a lot more.  I talk about the impact of consolidation in the American market as a tool to understand the context of a strategic vision... Do me a favor!  Share this episode with someone that needs a little bootcamp on strategy.  Rate the podcast!  Review it!  Visit my website and sign up for my newsletters! www.DaveWakeman.com   

My guest today is Steve Cook.  Steve is CEO of TCG Entertainment.  We talk about the 15th anniversary of Cirque Musica.  I was excited to talk with Steve because he has a background that has touched the symphony, amusements, tour productions, and a lot more.  When I say, "lovingly steal"...Steve's experience with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra is a good example of just what I mean.  We discuss trends in the business.  Steve talks about the issues with pricing.  I bring up dealing with brokers. And, a lot more. www.tcgent.com www.cirquemusica.com On Wednesday, October 2nd, I'm hosting a webinar called "Strategy 101". The ideas here are part of a push I have to create a brand new executive education class in strategy called "Markets and Competition: Strategy in Modern Times".  So, I want to share some of the thinking and find out what works and what doesn't work for you.  Sign up here! My website: www.DaveWakeman.com Get my newsletters.  Share this episode. Rate and review it!  Send me your questions to dave@davewakeman.com 

My guest today is Angela Meleca. What a great conversation.  We got into a really interesting conversation about: Arts' business models Funding Arts as a business The public value of the arts Framing conversations Measuring the impact of arts And, much more!  You can find Angela on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelapmeleca Meleca Creative Advisors: https://www.melecacreative.com Visit me at www.DaveWakeman.com Get 'Talking Tickets': https://talkingtickets.substack.com Get 'Business of Value': https://businessofvalue.substack.com Join the 'Talking Tickets' Slack Channel: https://talking-tickets.slack.com/join/shared_invite/zt-119g3ze9e-IMCN~xcmlm8o2nkAREKHqA    

My guest today is Stephen Glicken from Project Admission.  You have heard from Stephen before, but I wanted to have a chat about what Project Admission has been working on... Including new areas of focus and big new partnership announcements.  This episode was delayed due to a personal situation. So the references to visiting them at the Tessitura conference in DC are outdated.  My bad.  You can get the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter: https://talkingtickets.substack.com The 'Business of Value': https://businessofvalue.substack.com My website at www.DaveWakeman.com  

I have two guests today: David Hornby and Michael McDermott.  David is the Managing Director Northern Europe, UK, and Ireland for SecuTix and Michale McDermott is the General Manager of the Americas for SecuTix.  We had a really great conversation that hit on a ton of really great ideas and concepts.  In this episode, we talk about: Tech and change in tickets The secondary market Customer focus Tools of transacation  A really great case study on Guinness and the Guinness visitor's tour Do me a favor and rate and review the podcast on your favorite platform.  Share this episode with someone you know that will find it valuable.  You can also visit my website www.DaveWakeman.com and check out the shop where you can sign up for the 2024 Virtual Workshop Series or 'Fans For Life' in NYC.  I've been sending you emails every day to ask what you are thinking about and how I can make the newsletter and podcast more valuable for you... If you haven't heard from me, you can email me at Dave@DaveWakeman.com and let me know what's going on.   

Brian Hess is back!  We are talking sports washing.  I thought I had a better grasp on the subject than I did. But Brian discusses the many ways that sports washing presents a challenge to sports fans in America, outside of the obvious ones.  We discuss the possibility of foreign investment in the NFL, LIV, and more. We also hit on the way that these investments can impact our policies as a country and harm our citizens.  I'm curious what your take is on the subject.  So send me a note at Dave@DaveWakeman.com and let me know.  Check out my website at www.DaveWakeman.com Get the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter at https://talkingtickets.substack.com Come and hang out with me for the 'Fans for Life' workshop in NYC on September 4, 2024.  Totally redesigned and rethought.  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fans-for-life-creating-and-keeping-todays-fans-tickets-902412549227?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=email&utm_medium=sparkpost&utm_campaign=postpublish

I loved this conversation because I totally got Sabrina Carrazzo worked up about teaching, women's sports, and helping international soccer teams enter the US market.  Sabrina and Asli Pelit teach a sports PR and communications class at NYU. They invited me to give a guest lecture earlier in the year.  I loved the way that Sabrina nurtured, challenged, and taught her students.  So I wanted to get her on the podcast and view it as a total win for all of us that she came on.  We discuss a bunch of great things such as: Women's sports and the current moment of growth. Bringing soccer teams to the US market.  Technology.  Teaching.  Fandom Culture.  And, a lot more Totally great conversation!  Get the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter at https://talkingtickets.substack.com Come hang out at the BrewDog in SoHo on 2 July at 5 PM for a meetup. We can talk tickets and have a few pints. https://www.brewdog.com/uk/brewdog-soho Join me for the 'Fans For Life' Workshop in NYC on September 4th. I've rebuilt the workshop to reflect the current environment and we cover strategy, branding, sales, pricing, renewals, and more.  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fans-for-life-creating-and-keeping-todays-fans-tickets-902412549227?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=email&utm_medium=sparkpost&utm_campaign=postpublish My website is www.DaveWakeman.com  

My guest today is Jason Velez from the Staten Island Ferry Hawks.  I've known Jason for a long time. So long that he has one of the OG Dave business cards.  So, it was great to catch up with Jason.  We hit on 3 big topics in this episode: Selling based on value Competing with bigger brands and bigger teams Unique promotions We talk about the Ferry Hawks partnership with the Wu Tang Clan.  We talk about creating unique value.  We discuss why price isn't necessarily a driver of demand...and more.  2 July, I'm hosting a meet up in London at the Brew Dog in SoHo at 5 PM.  We can throw back a pint!  https://www.brewdog.com/uk/brewdog-soho I'm hosting a brand new, freshen up version of 'The Fans For Life' workshop in NYC on September 4th, 2024.  As a good excuse to go see Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden.  You won't want to miss this because I'm going to pack in a ton of good ideas that will help you and your team sell more tickets in 2024 and 2025.  We will cover: Pricing Branding Strategy Sales And, more! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fans-for-life-creating-and-keeping-todays-fans-tickets-902412549227?aff=oddtdtcreator&utm_source=email&utm_medium=sparkpost&utm_campaign=postpublish Get the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter. https://talkingtickets.substack.com Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com  

Lauren Teague returns!  Lauren is the CEO of FanWgn. She has created an idea that is called "Second Fan Fashion" and it is very cool.  FanWgn ties together a few of Lauren's favorite things: Sports Fashion Tech Sustainability In this episode, we talk about Lauren's career path and how she went from an employee to a sole business to a founder.  We hit on the importance of strategy. Se talk about fandom, entrepreneurial spirit, and the environmental challenges of fashion.  Lauren is working with Brian Berger on the Sports PR Summit that is happening in Chicago this year on June 17th. You get a full day of learning and you get to see the Cubs!  That's a winning day!  I'm mapping out the new, improved 'Fans For Life' for NYC on September 4th. I want to know what you want and need to know so let me know by responding in the poll that is going out in today's 'Talking Tickets' or by sending me an email at Dave@DaveWakeman.com You will find me in London from 27 June to 7 July. I've got a few things going on, but mark your calendar for 2 July because I'm going to try and figure out a place to have some drinks and meet up with folks.  A 'Talking Tickets' meetup!  Check out my Live Nation antitrust case roundup in 'Talking Tickets'. Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com   

My guest today is Chris Pantani.  Chris is the GM of the NY Mavericks of the Professional Bull Riders.  We talk about bull riding and why there is now a professional bull riding team representing New York City.  I find out that there is a long history of professional bull riding in NYC.  We also talk about the makeup of bullriding, the history of the sport, and the ambition going forward.  Chris shares how his experience at Goodyear has helped him be in a good position to lead a team in PBR.  We talk about sponsorships and activations. We hit on rooting for a sport that has a history of being individually driven...and a lot more.  Make sure you join me in NYC on September 4th for 'Fans For Life: Creating and Keeping Today's Fans!' Re-invented for 2024.  We will talk about things like: Lifetime Fan Value Brand Codes Strategy Before Tactics Discounts are for Dummies Feeding the Content Funnel  And, more.  Get my newsletters, find my store, and read my blogs at my website: www.DaveWakeman.com  Make sure you rate and review the podcast on your favorite platform. And, share this episode with someone that will benefit!  Thank you for spending time with me and don't hesitate to send me a note to say hello at Dave@DaveWakeman.com     

Today is the 200th episode of 'The Business of Fun' podcast! You didn't think I would not have something special prepared, did you?  I will share some lessons learned and some things I'm thinking about and paying attention to.  You can come work with me in NYC on September 4th, 2024...I've recreated 'Fans For Life' for the current world we live in. Find out what I'm up to by visiting my website at www.DaveWakeman.com Please, share the podcast and review it. These things help.  Talking Tickets: https://talkingtickets.substack.com  The Business of Value: https://businessofvalue.substack.com     

My guest today is Solene Jimenez. She is Head of International Development for arenametrix. www.arenametrix.com This is Solene's first podcast appearance and we had a good time.  Of course, she didn't tell me it was her first podcast until we'd finished recording. I like to make the first podcast appearance fun and easy for folks.  We talked about culture especially from Solene's unique experience of being from France living abroad, working for a French company, returning to France, and now focusing a lot on North America.  She offers up some unique takes on how you have to understand different cultures to build relationships, develop a sales pipeline, and grow a business.  All of them are relevant as my business is more global and you might have a similar situation.  We discuss how Solene approaches bringing a personal touch to a tech business and a lot more.  Visit my website where I am going to be posting some upcoming workshops, happy hours, and events in: London on 2 July NYC in September Melbourne and Sydney in November If you are this far and you haven't signed up for 'Talking Tickets' what's going on with that? You can get that newsletter here: https://talkingtickets.substack.com Yesterday, I had a guest post from Bryan Ralston on group sales and I want to know what else you would find valuable.  You can let me know by sending me an email at dave@davewakeman.com   

I have a good conversation for you today with Alasdair Crawley from FanBase.  We had a great time talking about sports business including: Why sports business is at a crossroads. The challenge of getting the basics right.  Data v. research Balancing the short term and long term in fanbase building.  The power of experience... And, much more.  I'm going to be on tour this year... On sales will be available on my website in a few days, but you are a listener of the podcast so I want to let you know first.  I've rebuilt 'Fans for Life' for 2024 and it is better than ever.  I'll be hosting two sessions: Wednesday, September 4, 2024 in NYC.  Tuesday, 19 November 2024 in Melbourne.  Obviously, these sessions coincide with the 2024 Pearl Jam world tour...but if they didn't, what would I even be doing?  I'll get the full details up in the next few days, but we are going to cover things like: Developing insights and understanding of the market using free and publicly available data.  How to balance pricing, brand, and sales to achieve the maximum impact of your fan building efforts.  Establishing your brand so that your fans have an identity to latch onto.  The fan lifecycle and how to understand that so you can maintain a relationship with your fans, even in down times.  And, more... Send me a note with the city you are interested in and I'll do a pre-sale for 'The Business of Fun' listeners... Dave@DaveWakeman.com  I'll also be in London from 28 June to 8 July... A mix of business and pleasure with the Pearl Jam concert at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, The National at Crystal Palace Park, and, hopefully, Wimbledon.  But I also want to set up a time for us to get together and have a pint or a drink. Let's tentatively schedule it for 2 July, Tuesday.  Thank you for being here and listening.  I want your voice to be a bigger part of the podcast going forward. So send me your questions, ideas, guest suggestions, and other feedback...on social media, in the Slack Channel, or via email.  Get 'Talking Tickets' if you don't already at: http://TalkingTickets.Substack.com    

I haven't always been a champion sleeper.  Like a lot of my friends, I haven't always had a regular bedtime due to work, school, social life, whatever.  In college, at the University of Alabama, I couldn't be torn from the things going on in my dorm. I was so excited to see everything...I didn't want to miss a thing.  Later on, I was working 3 or more jobs to pay for school including working nights at several nightclubs.  During those years, I'd catch sleep whenever I could.  Including underneath the desk in the recreation center or the tennis courts that I worked at.  To say that my sleep schedule was screwed up would be doing a disservice to the term "screwed up".  Eventually, I got my sleep in order.  I'm often in bed right at 11PM and I'm out of bed sometime around 645AM.  You'll learn that this fits right into the natural sleep rhythm our bodies have.  Dr. John teaches us about things we can do to sleep better.  He also covers where we might be having problems sleeping.  And, he goes over his SLEEP NOW formula. --- You can follow Dr. John: Twitter LinkedIn Instagram Visit Dr. Sleep Fix: 'Nobody's Sleeping' Dr. John's new book. The Sleep Assessment Get Dr. John's newsletter and be the first to know when his sleep course drops!  --- Keep up with me at my website: www.DaveWakeman.com  You can find all of my stuff like newsletters and more at my Linktree.  Do me a favor and rate this episode on your favorite podcast platform. Share it with your friends and colleagues as well. Okay, that's two favors!  --- I want to get your voice into the podcast this year: so send me your questions about strategy especially around overcoming complacency in your business... Or, if you have a guest suggestion, let me know what you want to learn more about and from whom by sending me an email at Dave@DaveWakeman.com  -- Thanks for being here today!  I appreciate you! 

Today's episode is personal because it is about the proposed arena in Northern VA.  My guest is Brian Hess from I Street Advisors. Like me, Brian lives in the area.  We discuss the arena at length: The nature of the market and where attendance comes from.  Public subsidies. The 50/50 bet at the heart of the deal.  Whether or not the District's offer to Monumental makes sense.  Traffic.  More!  Do me a favor, I want you to be a bigger part of the podcast this year:  Send me your questions on revenue, strategy, and audience building to dave@davewakeman.com Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com and sign up for my newsletters so you won't miss out on my upcoming visits to London, NYC, Seattle, Sydney, and Melbourne.  You love the podcast! Share that love by leaving a rating, review, and sharing this episode with your colleagues... Join the 'Talking Tickets' Slack Channel and say hello to me and over 325 ticket folks from around the world. 

Jeffrey Shaw, author of The Self-Employed Life, teaches me some great lessons about positioning, strategy, marketing, branding, and sales.  Listen and find out how selling eggs explains all of this.  I'm hosting a FREE strategy webinar on 31 January 2024 at 11 AM Eastern called 'Beyond Boom and Bust'. Join the 'Talking Tickets' Slack Channel.  Send me your questions about driving attendance in 2024. I'm going to use a few in an upcoming episode of 'The Business of Fun'. We want to get you into the podcast a lot more this year.  I'm planning a new sponsored event right now, a FREE day in Chicago that will be invite only...I'm working out the details now, but if you are interested in learning more and hearing about the application process when the time comes, send me an email at dave@davewakeman.com   

This is a me episode with a recording of my 'First Wednesday with Dave' session from December where we talk about planning for 2024.  I'm hosting a FREE strategy webinar on 31 January 2024 at 11 AM Eastern called 'Beyond Boom and Bust'. Join the 'Talking Tickets' Slack Channel.  Send me your questions about driving attendance in 2024. I'm going to use a few in an upcoming episode of 'The Business of Fun'. We want to get you into the podcast a lot more this year.  I'm planning a new sponsored event right now, a FREE day in Chicago that will be invite only...I'm working out the details now, but if you are interested in learning more and hearing about the application process when the time comes, send me an email at dave@davewakeman.com       

"What do scalpers really like to see when a ticket goes on-sale?" That question popped up in my inbox about a week ago. It got me thinking about the questions that people ask me when they want to know how to "stop" the secondary market or whether or not to work with the secondary market.  So, I had Martin Haigh from Total Tickets come on to discuss this topic since he's just put together a special report on the secondary market.  Martin and I try to come at this topic from a neutral point of view, but Martin's thinking on the subject has changed over the years to be more pro-secondary and I mention that my thinking on the secondary market has changed because I was involved in the secondary market at a different time and different space.  In today's episode we cover ideas like: Good bots v. Bad bots Blockchain and the claim it will eliminate the secondary market Creativity and why the secondary market will always find a way to get tickets Distribution and how the secondary market can be a powerful tool in your distribution plan. Why you may not want to eliminate all resale, even if you can.  You can get the information on Martin's report here!  Get 'Talking Tickets' my ticket newsletter.  Visit my website: www.DaveWakeman.com  Don't miss 'First Wednesdays with Dave' on January 3rd, 2024 at 1 PM Eastern. We will be talking about getting 2024 off to a fast start.  I want to include your voice in the podcast. So send me a note and tell me what challenges you are dealing with.  Is there a specific topic you want to learn more about? Do you have a guest you'd like to hear me talk with?  Let me know. 

My guest today, Caspian Turner, helps me answer that question and shows us how you can take some easy steps to solve the problem for yourself.  I want you to be more a part of 'The Business of Fun'.  What does that mean?  Send me your questions about strategy: Is there an issue you are constantly struggling with? Is there something going on in your business that you don't think people are paying enough attention to?  Do you feel like your organization is in danger of failing because everyone is always running around putting out fires with no focus? Send me those questions. You can email me: Dave@DaveWakeman.com You can DM on LinkedIn or Twitter. You can send me a letter, my address is on my website.  You can even send me smoke signals or carrier pigeons.  Just get me your questions.  I'll take the best ones I use them in future episodes of the podcast.  You can also see my handy, dandy list of new ways to work with me right here. I've gone all the way by allowing Apple Pay!  If you know someone that is asking questions about strategy, share 'The Business of Value' with them.  If you have a friend in sportsbiz, theatre, or other live entertainment...share this podcast episode with them, obviously, but you can also share 'Talking Tickets' with them. I offer some good ideas.  Join in the fun in the 'Talking Tickets' Slack Channel. Because I'm sucking on my own exhaust here, I've set up a strategy Slack as well. I want you to always be able to find me and with all of the changes to the algorithms and such. There's no better way to do that than by setting up our own community. 

I've got the TiqAssist guys on today.  Chris Babu and Jamie Zimmerman.  www.tiqassist.com  We got into a bunch of stuff like: How feeling pain as STHs led them to start TiqAssist. Jumping careers to get into sports.  The "strain" of resale for season ticket holders. The cash offer that TiqAssist makes to help make people have a bit more "peace of mind" Let me know what you think: Dave@DaveWakeman.com  Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com Talking Tickets: https://talkingtickets.substack.com Business of Value: https://businessofvalue.substack.com  Sign up for the 20 April FREE webinar: "Filling Your Seats NOW!"

My guest today is Drew McManus from UpStage CRM: www.upstagecrm.io  We had a great time catching up in Seattle at INTIX and now we've gone and done a podcast!  We hit on a lot of topics like what led Drew to start UpStage.  I put Drew on the spot and make him define "one size fits none". We discuss where he gets his ideas from.  Why focusing on the minimum amount of functionality is magic.  And, a lot more.  Hook up with my friends at Cover Genius in Birmingham for the Ticketing Professionals Conference.  www.CoverGenius.com I've been paying special attention to the CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason) product because the data becomes more compelling everyday.  Guests want peace of mind in their purchases and are willing to pay for it. We've seen that really clearly at the Playhouse Theatre in Ohio where 48% of guests have taken up refund protection as the weather can be challening in the winter.  The idea applies to health, economic issues, and THE WEATHER!  So talk to Joe, Hayley, Chris, and the team.  Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com  You can go to my shop and get a "Pick My Brain" session.  Keep an eye out for workshops in NYC, London, Sydney, and more!  Get 'Talking Tickets' for my weekly ticketing thoughts: https://talkingtickets.substack.com Get 'The Business of Value' and learn strategy, branding, and marketing: https://businessofvalue.substack.com  Rate the pod! Review the pod! Share the pod!  SUBSCRIBE!!!! 

I have Mark Herschberg back today to talk about his new app, Brain Bump.  This is a really cool tool that lets you bring learning with you wherever you are. I've been taking part in the launch and it enables me to provide bite sized nuggets and insights to you so that you can access the ideas that you want to use when you need them.  Check out my friends at Cover Genius: www.covergenius.com Pay special attention to the CFAR (Cancel For Any Reason) product. As we get more data, we are finding that peace of mind is an even bigger factor in people's purchase decisions than it has been at any point since we've started measuring the number.  At the Playhouse Theatre in Ohio, we've seen 48% of ticket buyers take up refund protection.  This is stuff to pay attention to.  Hook up with Joe, Hayley, Chris and the Cover Genius team in Birmingham at the Ticketing Professionals Conference.  Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com. You can find some new stuff in the shop including a situational consulting offer that is an hour to pick my brain.  Also, I'll be dropping new workshops in places like London, NYC, Melbourne, and Sydney. I'm on the road, y'all.  Get my newsletters:  Talking Tickets: https://talkingtickets.substack.com The Business of Value: https://businessofvalue.substack.com  Please rate, review, and share the podcast! 

I'm talking with Paul Bailey from Halo in Bristol, UK today.  We are discussing brand and this is a great one because we set out to hit on a few really important topics: Research Brand Purpose Top of Funnel Activity Paul was kind enough to come on to be the first guest to talk about brand exclusively so that I would have some conversations that I directed to include as resources for my upcoming applied brand management class for executive MBAs.  We hit on the 95/5 rule that comes out of LinkedIn's research. The Long and Short of It. The challenge of last click attribution. Brand as a tool to generate future demand...and a lot more.  Check out my friends at Cover Genius: www.CoverGenius.com  The CFAR product is very helpful to folks now because peace of mind is showing up in purchase habits around the world meaning uncertainty is showing up as a driver for customers holding off from buying their tickets/trips/entertainment.  https://covergenius.com/any-reason/ Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com. I have some upcoming workshops that will be dropping for NYC, London, Melbourne, and Sydney.  Plus, I'm looking at Singapore, but I haven't been able to lock those dates down just yet.  Get the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter at https://talkingtickets.substack.com and 'The Business of Value' at https://businessofvalue.substack.com  Rate! Review! Share!  These things help me out! 

My final conversation from the floor of INTIX at the Booking Protect booth.  This time I catch up with friend of the podcast, Christy Grantham.  We talk about why she goes to INTIX.  Christy talks about how INTIX helps her learn about new tech, new ideas, and avoid burnout.  One of the important things Christy learned was around the shift from "no refunds, no exchanges".  She also highlights the importance of meeting the customer where they are. Giving people more options gives you a higher NPS number... We also hit on how Christy could do customer tags right away in her hotel room...we will have to check in later to see if she followed through.  Give this one a listen and let me know what you think.  Check out my friends at Cover Genius. Building on this conversation, check out 'Cancel For Any Reason' the ultimate in peace of mind. Visit their website at www.covergenius.com  Get the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter at https://talkingtickets.substack.com  Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com Share the podcast. Rate it! Review it!   

Here's another conversation live from the Cover Genius booth at INTIX 2023 in Seattle with Casey Thomas of AudienceView.  We talk about what Casey likes about INTIX. We hit on things she's learned. And, why we are snazzy dressers.  Check out AudienceView at www.audienceview.com  Hook up with my friends at Cover Genius and find out how they've helped folks like AudienceView and the Playhouse Theatre deliver a better customer journey. And, you can find out why 48% of people taking up refund protection is such an incredible number.  Make sure you connect with them at the Ticketing Professionals Conference in Birmingham in March.  Visit me at www.DaveWakeman.com I'm doing a workshop in NYC on April 11 on marketing and strategy in challenging times. Sign up for the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter so you don't miss the chance to sign up. You can get the newsletter at https://talkigtickets.substack.com 

I did some quick podcast conversations at INTIX that I loosely called, "8 minutes at INTIX" from the Cover Genius booth.  This first one is with Angela Higgins. Along with Jo Michel, Angela does the Ticketing Professionals Conference of Australia.  The conference is in October this year. Check out my friends at Cover Genius: www.CoverGenius.com We did a really interesting panel at INTIX with Jo-Ann from AudienceView, Kelley from Playhouse Theatre, and Joe from Cover Genius that focused on how much embedded protection helps accelerate the customer journey.  Along the way, we uncovered that 48% of people are buying refund protection in at Playhouse right now. That's a number that points out that people want peace of mind and they are willing to pay for it.  We also found out that 61% of people are buying strictly for the content and that pricing is a secondary or non-factor in the buying journey.  And, we uncovered that people feel better about the entire process when they are offered refund protection and this shows up with big jumps in NPS score.  Find out more at www.CoverGenius.com  Get my newsletter, 'Talking Tickets' at https://talkingtickets.substack.com  Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com  I'll be traveling this year with upcoming dates for workshops in DC, NYC, London, and Sydney. Find out more in this week's Talking Tickets newsletter. 

REPOST WITH REPAIRED FILE Totally new idea this week.  Chris Furnell offered up the idea of a conversation centered entirely on the process of change and making change stick in our organizations.  I jumped at the chance because I've been talking with y'all about change for years.  So we dug in deep on change.  We cover things like: Dealing with constant change.  Leaders wanting to shorten the distance between ideas and results.  Why you can't "tell" someone into changing.  Why it is that old patterns die hard... And, a lot more. I'll be in Seattle from 23-26 January at INTIX. You'll see me at the Cover Genius booth on Wednesday and Thursday recording some live podcasts under the banner: "8 minutes at INTIX".  I'll also be leading a panel on Thursday at the Inspiration Stage at 10:45 AM called "Enhancing the Customer Journey with Embedded Protection". This panel will include Joe from Cover Genius, Jo-Ann from AudienceView, and a special guest! You'll learn about new data that helps understand people's purchase decision. We will also share data around people's perception of the event, pre and post purchase...and more.  Send me an email: Dave@DaveWakeman.com and I will make sure you don't miss us.  Take my pricing survey: https://forms.gle/Dc5FVHB93A9GGx9p9  Lots of interesting data about where folks are struggling with price, who makes the decision, and why the decision is being made poorly.  I'll be sharing that in the weeks ahead.  Get the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter at https://talkingtickets.substack.com Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com  Share! Review! Subscribe to the newsletter and the podcast!  Love y'all for being here.  

I'm my own guest today with an audio version of my "2023 Numbers to Know" webinar.  This is something I started during the lockdown year of 2020 and I'm back with a lot of intersting stuff like: What the 60% projected drop in GDP means for Australia. And, how this will help you look at numbers.  1 and what Return to Work policies have really looked like.  63% of Americans want to take a vacation in the next 6 months. What does that really mean? Are there more gamers under 18 or over 45? Or, is the in-between the big area?  This is one of my most popular presentations.  Give it a listen.  Visit my website at www.DaveWakeman.com Check out the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter: https://talkingtickets.substack.com 'The Business of Value': https://businessofvalue.substack.com Check out my friends at Booking Protect, a Cover Genius company: www.BookingProtect.com  We will be at INTIX in Seattle. So be there! 

My guest today is Bruce McTague.  Bruce is a first in two ways for the podcast: A think tank person A futurist This opens up the door to a really new type of conversation for listeners.  We discuss things like: Adding value Lack of innovation in the economy Why large companies can have similar challenges Cruise lines and "butts in berths" "us v. them" narratives And, a whole lot more.  Get my weekly newsletters: https://talkingtickets.substack.com  https://businessofvalue.substack.com Visit my website at www.davewakeman.com  Email me: Dave@DaveWakeman.com  If you dig the podcast, share it.  Or, rate it and review it on your favorite podcast location.  I thank you!  Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! 

My guest today is Dave Harland...the Wordman himself. Get his excellent newsletter: The Word!  This is an excellent conversation about things like: Dave's Uncle Tony, Gary V, and Simon Sinek and what all three of them have in common.  Why being a trained journalist helps Dave be a better copywriter. How to not take yourself seriously as a marketer. What a perfect email might look like... And, more.  Check out my website at www.DaveWakeman.com Get the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter for FREE each Friday: https://talkingtickets.substack.com Send me a note at Dave@DaveWakeman.com Check out my friends at Booking Protect: www.BookingProtect.com Now, a Cover Genius company. Booking Protect will be at INTIX in Seattle, January 23-26.  The Booking Protect team has more insights to share, more data to help understand customer behavior, and the same great service that will help you offer the best experience to your guests.  Find the podcast valuable: Share it with your colleagues or friends. Rate it. Review it. Subscribe to it.   

My guest today is Eduardo Lebre from Circular Unity. www.circularunity.com We discuss sustainability in the live entertainment business.  Eduardo teaches us about things like: Why Coldplay's touring habits are so important to a sustainable touring business.  How likely ticket buyers are to pay for more sustainable events.  Why you need to consider things like travel in the environmental impact of your event.  Check out my website: www.DaveWakeman.com Join me for my annual Numbers to Know webinar to help sell more tickets in 2023: 13 December 2022 at 11 AM Eastern.  Get the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter each Friday: https://talkingtickets.substack.com Check out my friends at Booking Protect: www.BookingProtect.com Now a Cover Genius company, meet the team at INTIX in Seattle. The Booking Protect team has been developing new insights into customer behavior, buying habits, and more that will help you better serve your guests and offer your organization more opportunities.  There is also a rumor of a juice bar in Seattle. But you have to be there to find out.  Let me know what you are up to by sending me a note at dave@davewakeman.com   

A little different episode today, but Sheryl Lynn from Joyley comes on and teaches me a mindfulness technique that might be useful to y'all during the holiday season.  Her take on mindfulness is called "The Chair of Joy".  We discuss mental health, mindfulness, negativity, and getting your mind right.  Check out my friends at Booking Protect at INTIX in Seattle in January. Booking Protect is now a Cover Genius company. Since the lockdowns have finished we've seen incredible growth in the number of people taking up refund protection. Give them a look at www.bookingprotect.com Get the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter at https://talkingtickets.substack.com it is my ode to marketing and selling live events. You can also get my weekly strategy note at https://businessofvalue.substack.com Visit my website at www.davewakeman.com  Sign up for my webinar on the numbers you need to know to help sell more tickets in 2023: Numbers You Need to Know

My buddy, Simon Severino, is back!  We wanted to discuss planning for 2023. We also talk about his new book, Strategy Sprints. Simon gives away some valuable resources...and more.  Visit my website: www.davewakeman.com Get the 'Talking Tickets' newsletter at http://talkingtickets.substack.com New stuff for 2023 on the way.  Visit my friends at Booking Protect. www.bookingprotect.com They had a great time connecting with people at the Ticketing Professionals Conference last week. Now they are preparing to go to INTIX in Seattle in January.   

My guests today are: Morgan Harper and Krista Brown from American Economic Liberties Project.  I wanted to have them come on and talk about the campaign that they are working on around monopoly power. As we discuss on the podcast, monopoly power isn't unique to tickets, but it is an area where people can see and feel the impact with little education needed.  Going through this, we talk about why being a big business isn't bad. We talk about what anticompetitive behavior looks like in action. And, we get into how deeply embedded bad behavior never has to be explicit.  Check out their work at www.economicliberties.us and www.breakupticketmaster.com  Reach me at dave@davewakeman.com  www.davewakeman.com https://talkingtickets.substack.com    

My guest today is Simon Weber, Co-Founder of Vivenu!  We had a great talk. It was really nice to get to know Simon.  We covered: The importance of controlling your brand.  Data. The power of market research.  I pushed back on Simon's talk of Vivenu being "product oriented" because the amount of research they did into developing the product says that they are market focused.  www.vivenu.com Check out my friends at Booking Protect. Hayley and Joe will be at the Ticketing Professionals Conference in Parramatta on 1-2 November. Give them a quick hello and check out what they are up to.  www.bookingprotect.com I'm running my annual NPS survey to help me create the next year's newsletter and podcast. 4 questions and it helps a lot. The 4th question: drop any guests you might like to hear from in the box. Thanks for checking this out.  https://forms.gle/pCG1ZCY8gHaPWwjG8 https://talkingtickets.substack.com 

My guest today is the 800 pound guerilla, Bill Guertin!  I should have asked why it isn't the thousand pound gorilla!? Save that one for the second conversation!  I'm surprised that I haven't had Bill on before this, but the conversation we had is worth the wait.  We discuss the costs of bad sales hires. We talk about how successful the ISBI has been developing sales leaders.  We cover a lot of territory on sales training, market research, and leadership.  This is a top notch episode.  Check out the ISBI at www.isbi360.com Visit me at www.davewakeman.com Talking Tickets: http://talkingtickets.substack.com Hook up with me on the socials:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/dave_wakeman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dwakeman/