Unobstructed
43 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 year ago -Your View on the Live Events Industry
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Episodes
Episode 42 - Women in Leadership: Insights from AudienceView's VP Trio on Building a Positive Workplace
March 09, 2023 16:36 - 35 minutes - 48.8 MBIn honor of International Women's Day, we sat down with three amazing women from AudienceView's leadership team: Nancy (VP of People), Rosemary (VP of Sales), and Jennifer (VP of Product Management) They're here to share their experiences and offer advice on what makes a workplace truly great. From the best and worst advice they've received to the importance of inclusion, this episode is full of valuable insights for anyone looking to grow in their career and create a positive work environme...
Episode 41: The Impact of XR (eXtended Reality)
February 24, 2023 18:26 - 17 minutes - 24.6 MBIs extended reality (XR) poised to revolutionize the live events industry? AudienceView's Jo-Ann Chiam thinks so. With over 20 years of experience in tech and ticketing, she has committed her career to staying on top of trends and their impact on the big picture. Already leveraged to make massive financial gains during the pandemic shutdown, XR's immersive and interactive experiences add a layer of excitement to eventgoers, making them feel like they are a part of the action. No longer limi...
EP 40: Collecting Squirrels with Laurie B. Squire
October 29, 2021 19:58 - 43 minutes - 58.8 MBLaurie B. Squire, Director of Ticketing & Business Insights at Imagine Exhibitions Inc., joined Mike Evenson on episode 40 of the Unobstructed podcast. Laurie is a collaborative, results-driven sales and guest experience professional with over two decades of expertise generating revenue in live entertainment venues, museums and attractions. They discussed the importance of data-driven decision making, storytelling, looking outside of your core industry to meet revenue goals, pricing strate...
EP 39: Maximizing Revenue with Matt DiFebo
May 13, 2021 15:01 - 38 minutes - 57.7 MBMatt DiFebo, a highly respected industry leader and visionary in #SportsBiz, joined Mike Evenson on episode 39 of the Unobstructed podcast. Matt has become known as the nation's leading expert in collegiate ticket sales and has been recognized as a pioneer who has revolutionized the industry in regards to how college athletic departments can maximize revenue from ticket sales. They discussed the need for greater sophistication in college sports, breaking down silos within athletics departm...
EP 38: Into the Future with Garry Golden
April 30, 2021 02:34 - 55 minutes - 70.3 MBGarry Golden, an academically trained Futurist that helps organizations explore implications of long term change, joined Mike Evenson on episode 38 of the Unobstructed podcast. Garry is also the founder of Into the Future, a Brooklyn-based learning space that has a mission to help the world anticipate and lead change. They discussed futurology, the slow pace to fast change, trends vs. fads, cryptocurrency, TikTok, spatial computing, the intersection of social and technological change, the ...
EP 37: Experience Economy with Jim Gilmore
March 24, 2021 16:53 - 43 minutes - 63.5 MBJim Gilmore, an Assistant Professor of Innovation and Design within the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, joined Mike Evenson on episode 37 of the Unobstructed podcast. Jim is a co-author of The Experience Economy: Competing for Customer Time, Attention, and Money – the book that spawned worldwide interest in experience design, customer experience management and experiential marketing. They discussed all aspects of the experience economy – a subject tha...
EP 36: Gena Buhler and Scott Crossfield from Theatre Projects
March 18, 2021 19:26 - 46 minutes - 60.2 MBGena Buhler and Scott Crossfield from Theatre Projects joined Mike Evenson on episode 36 of the Unobstructed podcast. Gena is Head of New Business Development for North America, while Scott is the organization’s principal theatre designer. They discussed the accelerated adoption of technology by theater-goers, the future of the hybrid event model, the need to remove “excuse barriers” in the arts, the ray of hope as arts organizations begin to put tickets on sale and much more! They als...
EP 35: Reduced Capacity, Increased Creativity with Bret McCormick
March 09, 2021 18:30 - 46 minutes - 62.2 MBBret McCormick, facilities and ticketing beat reporter at the Sports Business Journal (SBJ), joined Mike Evenson on episode 35 of the Unobstructed podcast. Bret has been a sports reporter, writer and editor for more than 15 years, focusing on creative storytelling, investigative journalism and using social media to interact with readers. They discussed the increase in mobile adoption across all age segments, creative tactics being used by sports organizations to make up for revenue shortfa...
EP 34: #BeCowboy with Kosha Irby
February 19, 2021 19:42 - 42 minutes - 55 MBKosha Irby, CMO at the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), joined Mike Evenson on episode 34 of the Unobstructed podcast. Kosha has 18+ years of cross-functional experience in global live event marketing, professional sports, NCAA Intercollegiate Athletics, brand development, integrated sales, touring logistics and more. They discussed the PBR’s 2020 journey, the decision to double-down on content, embracing 2nd and 3rd screens, reimagining the in-venue experience, multi-tasking fans, the #BeC...
EP 33: Change the Narrative with Aubrey Bergauer
February 05, 2021 19:49 - 49 minutes - 62.4 MBAubrey Bergauer, CEO of Changing the Narrative, joined Mike Evenson on episode 33 of the Unobstructed podcast. Hailed as “the Steve Jobs of classical music,” Aubrey is known for her results-driven, customer-centric, data-obsessed pursuit of changing the narrative for symphony orchestras. They discussed the patron experience, relentlessly pursuing retention, removing barriers, the importance of diversity across our staff and stages, ideas for new and recurring revenue streams, the role of a...
EP 32: Fan Monetization Strategies with Nels Popp
January 29, 2021 15:39 - 53 minutes - 70.5 MBNels Popp joined Mike Evenson on episode 32 of the Unobstructed podcast. Nels is an Associate Professor of Sport Administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and serves as the Co-Director for the Center of Research and Intercollegiate Athletics. His research interests include revenue generation for college athletic departments with a particular emphasis on sport ticket sales at both the collegiate and professional sport levels. They discussed fan monetization strategie...
EP 31: INTIX Live! with Maureen Andersen
January 20, 2021 20:54 - 38 minutes - 53.1 MBMaureen Andersen, President & CEO of the International Ticketing Association (INTIX), joined Mike Evenson on episode 31 of the Unobstructed podcast. Maureen is an industry veteran, voice of calm and mentor to so many ticketing professionals. They discussed the role that ticketing professionals have played during the chaos at the start of the pandemic and how their responsibilities have grown and shifted, the courses that should be required if a bachelor’s degree in ticketing was created, ...
EP 30: #SportsBiz and Personal Branding with Chris Grosse
January 14, 2021 19:32 - 51 minutes - 67.6 MBChris Grosse, Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing at Penn State University, joined Mike Evenson on episode 30 of the Unobstructed podcast. Chris is a preeminent sports marketer and has made career stops at Florida State, New Mexico State, Navy and Georgetown before arriving in Happy Valley in 2018. He’s the brains behind wildly successful promotions like Millennial Day, Fashion Faux Pas Night, Hail to Kale and many more. He also firmly believes that a hot dog is a sandwich. They di...
EP 29: Dance Like Everybody's Watching with Dr. Trevor Boffone
January 08, 2021 15:44 - 48 minutes - 60.6 MBDr. Trevor Boffone, a Houston-based educator, writer and producer, joined Mike Evenson on episode 29 of the Unobstructed podcast. Known to his nearly 300,000 followers on Instagram as “The Dancing Teacher,” Trevor is a lecturer in the Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies Program at the University of Houston and a Spanish teacher at Bellaire High School. They discussed how Trevor earned the title “The Dancing Teacher,” how he’s amassed such a large social media following, his unique approach...
EP 28: State of UK Theatre with Sita McIntosh
December 21, 2020 19:49 - 48 minutes - 63.4 MBMike Evenson was joined by Sita McIntosh on episode 28 of the Unobstructed podcast. Sita is the Chief Operating Officer at WhatsOnStage, the UK’s largest theatre website that is an unrivaled source of news, reviews, interviews, videos, tickets and more. They discussed the state of the arts industry in the UK, the #CurtainsWithoutYou campaign, the resilience of theatre professionals and the importance of striking an optimistic tone. Sita also talked about things you can do to help theat...
EP 27: Culture of Experimentation
December 10, 2020 18:25 - 30 minutes - 42.6 MBKristen Huss, Vice President of Community Partnerships at the Hudson Valley Renegades, joined Mike Evenson on episode 27 of the Unobstructed podcast. Kristen has spent her entire career in Minor League Baseball (MiLB), starting with selling programs as a 16-year-old to her current leadership position with the Renegades. They discussed the Hudson Valley Renegades' culture of experimentation, things that live events organizations can learn from the way that MiLB teams operate, opportunities ...
EP 26: Handing Out Keys
November 30, 2020 15:21 - 49 minutes - 66.5 MBMike Evenson was joined by Hannah Grannemann, Assistant Professor and Director of the Arts Administration Program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, on episode 26 of the Unobstructed podcast. Prior to joining UNCG in 2017, Hannah spent 17 years in the arts, mostly in non-profit theatre, which included leadership roles at the Children’s Theatre of Charlotte, PlayMakers Repertory Company, Yale Repertory Theatre, among others. They discussed the benefits of embracing a digital...
EP 25: Giving Thanks with Dave Wakeman
November 24, 2020 18:26 - 48 minutes - 110 MBMike Evenson was joined by Dave Wakeman on episode 25 of the Unobstructed podcast. Dave is a consultant, speaker and podcast host that has worked with clients all over the world to help them generate higher profits, enter new markets and grow businesses. Dave specializes in turning fuzzy ideas into measurable outcomes for organizations. They discussed things they’re thankful for in an otherwise turbulent 2020, including how supporters are being extra generous with their time and money, the...
EP 24: The Marist Mindset List
November 06, 2020 17:00 - 48 minutes - 66.6 MBJoyce Yu-Jean Lee, Assistant Professor of Digital Media at Marist College, joined Mike Evenson on episode 24 of the Unobstructed podcast. In addition to her work in higher education, Joyce is a visual artist working with video, digital photography, and interactive installation. Her artwork examines how mass media and culture shape notions of truth and understanding of the other. They explored and discussed the 2020 Marist Mindset List in great detail. The annual list is a collaborative eff...
EP 23: Virtual Success at Geffen Playhouse
October 26, 2020 17:56 - 34 minutes - 63.6 MBMike Evenson was joined by Patrick Brown, Director of Marketing at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, on episode 23 of the Unobstructed podcast. Patrick began his tenure with the Geffen Playhouse in 2018 after thriving in his previous roles with the Los Angeles Master Chorale. They discussed how the Geffen Playhouse team shifted their business model through the pandemic, creating engaging remote experiences for their audience, the logistics behind such a move and how they can continue to...
EP 22: Customer Service & Engagement
October 01, 2020 18:42 - 40 minutes - 56.8 MBMike Evenson was joined by Jonathan Boulter, the Associate Director of Patron Services at Virginia Tech's Moss Arts Center, on episode 22 of the Unobstructed podcast. A Virginia Tech alumnus, he began his career at Walt Disney World, but made his way back to the university in 2012. They discussed how the staff at the Moss Arts Center has continued to serve their core demographic during the COVID-19 shutdown, their HomeStage Series, pricing strategy for virtual events and the complex nature...
EP 21: Evolution of Live Events with Andrew Thomas
September 16, 2020 18:30 - 52 minutes - 121 MBMike Evenson was joined by Andrew Thomas on episode 21 of the Unobstructed podcast. Andrew is a South Wales-based ticketing industry consultant and Director of the Ticketing Professionals Conference. In a career spanning more than 20 years, he has worked as a vendor, venue operator and consultant in both the sports and performing arts sectors. They discussed the future of virtual events, the irreplaceable experience of in-person events, the staying power of policy shifts driven by COVID-19...
EP 20: The Role of Technology in Reopening Campuses
August 28, 2020 19:48 - 39 minutes - 89.3 MBMike Evenson was joined by Sean Moriarty on episode 20 of the Unobstructed podcast. Sean is a 30+ year veteran in the area of campus technology and currently serves as the CTO at SUNY Oswego. They discussed the current climate on the SUNY Oswego campus, the Oswego Forward reopening plan, the need to adhere to low-tech safety protocols and the critical role of technology as part of a campus wide solution. Sean also detailed how the leadership team SUNY Oswego arrived at the decision to im...
EP 19: Live Events will Change...But How?
August 20, 2020 20:36 - 31 minutes - 71.2 MBOur host, Mike Evenson, delivers a solocast for episode 19 of the Unobstructed podcast. The episode is focused on the potentially permanent changes that we may see in the live events industry as a result of COVID-19. Mike talks about the need to re-examine your consumer experience, the importance of knowing the people that are attending your events, sweeping changes related to concessions, the increased reliance on personal devices in your venue and more!
EP 18: Peel it Back with Jesse Cole
August 07, 2020 15:39 - 52 minutes - 70.3 MBMike Evenson was joined by Jesse Cole on episode 18 of the Unobstructed podcast. Jesse is the founder of Fans First Entertainment and the owner of the Savannah Bananas, where their mission is Fans First, Entertainment Always. They discussed the importance of getting people’s attention, making small bets, not fearing failure, obsessively focusing on the event experience and how the Savannah Bananas make every decision through the lens of “Is it fans first?” Jesse also talked about how he ...
EP 17: The Future of College Campuses
August 03, 2020 19:06 - 38 minutes - 44.9 MBMike Evenson was joined by Kelsey Harmon Finn, CEO of the National Association of College Auxiliary Services, on episode 17 of the Unobstructed podcast. Kelsey, a 20-year veteran in higher education and association management, was on the campuses of UC Berkeley, UNLV and Illinois State University before joining NACAS as CEO in 2015. Kelsey talked about the role of auxiliary professionals on college campuses, their impact on the in-person student experience and how NACAS supports the global...
EP 16: Growing Bolder
July 29, 2020 16:09 - 42 minutes - 98.1 MBMike Evenson was joined by Marc Middleton, founder and CEO of Growing Bolder, on episode 16 of the Unobstructed podcast. Marc is a media entrepreneur, Emmy Award-winning television journalist, author, filmmaker, speaker, activist and consultant who focuses on the changing culture of aging. Marc discussed his organization’s mission to re-brand aging, how organizations should communicate with older generations, his distaste for the term Boomer and ageist stereotypes that need to be retired. ...
EP 15: Rob Williams, Chief Product Officer at AudienceView
July 15, 2020 14:19 - 46 minutes - 63.4 MBOur guest for episode 15 is Rob Williams, Chief Product Officer at AudienceView. Rob joined our host, Mike Evenson, to discuss the changing landscape and continued evolution of the live events industry. They talked about the acceleration of AudienceView’s strategic innovation plan, the transition from a product view to a platform view and the ability to more efficiently build and release features that benefit all clients. Rob also shared how AudienceView is now in a better position to ...
EP 14: Hale Centre Theatre’s journey from shutdown to reopening
July 08, 2020 13:44 - 55 minutes - 76.3 MBMike Evenson was joined by Michael D. Fox on episode 14 of the Unobstructed podcast. Michael, the Chief Operations Officer at Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy, Utah for the last 18 years, says that his passion is to turn the public into regular patrons and current patrons into raving fans of Hale Centre Theatre. Michael discussed his organization’s journey from venue shutdown to their reopening in late June. He shared all of the items that were considered by his team, the logic used to decide ...
EP 14: What did the Fox say? Hale Centre Theatre’s journey from shutdown to reopening
July 08, 2020 13:44 - 55 minutes - 76.3 MBMike Evenson was joined by Michael D. Fox on episode 14 of the Unobstructed podcast. Michael, the Chief Operations Officer at Hale Centre Theatre in Sandy, Utah for the last 18 years, says that his passion is to turn the public into regular patrons and current patrons into raving fans of Hale Centre Theatre. Michael discussed his organization’s journey from venue shutdown to their reopening in late June. He shared all of the items that were considered by his team, the logic used to decide ...
EP 13: The Patrons’ Perspective
June 26, 2020 15:33 - 34 minutes - 47 MBTheaterMania’s Publisher Rosemary Maggiore joined Mike Evenson for episode 13 of the Unobstructed podcast. They discussed the key findings from the recent survey of more than 5,000 members of the TheaterMania community. The Patrons’ Perspective: An Overview of the Impact of COVID-19 on the Behavior of Theater-goers, a report generated from the survey results, will be released the week of June 29. The report uncovers new behaviors of theater-goers, including the appetite for virtual events,...
EP 12: Spring Cleaning for Live Events Professionals
June 18, 2020 14:20 - 33 minutes - 45.9 MBOur host, Mike Evenson, delivers a solocast for episode 12 of the Unobstructed podcast. The episode is focused on spring cleaning for live events professionals, offering listeners ten things they can do to improve their business. Mike talks about the importance of getting to know your customers better, the need to periodically examine your tools and processes, defining (or redefining) loyalty, revisiting your physical spaces in a post-COVID world and more!
EP 11: The Ritz-Carlton Experience w/ Antonia Hock
June 10, 2020 16:35 - 53 minutes - 72.9 MBAntonia Hock, Global Head of The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center, joined Mike Evenson on episode 11 of the Unobstructed podcast. They discussed Ritz-Carlton’s status as a culture-first and customer-centric organization that empowers its employees to create unforgettable experiences. Antonia shared why all staff members carry the Ritz-Carlton Credo Card and how it represents the heart and soul of their culture, values and service strategy. They also talked about opportunities for surprise an...
EP 10: Bringing Students Back on Campus
June 02, 2020 20:27 - 30 minutes - 41.2 MBMike Evenson was joined by Derek Mitchell on episode 10 of the Unobstructed podcast. Derek has spent nearly 15 years working in the higher education industry, a career that began as a student worker at the University of Maine and continues in his current role as the Product Manager for AudienceView’s Campus and Grad solutions. Derek talked about the current challenges being faced by the higher education community, specifically related to the management of campus facilities like dining hal...
EP 9: Broadway’s Next Act w/ Cristyne Nicholas
May 22, 2020 16:55 - 36 minutes - 50 MBPublic Relations veteran Cristyne Nicholas joined Mike Evenson on episode 9 of the Unobstructed podcast. They talked about Cristyne’s role in rebuilding New York City’s $27 billion tourism industry following the tragic events of September 11th and the methodology that can be applied to our current economic crisis. They discussed the need to over-communicate so that people understand the new rules and expectations, along with the importance of the health confidence factor of businesses as w...
EP 8: Darren Rovell
May 12, 2020 17:16 - 46 minutes - 63.3 MBDarren Rovell joins Mike Evenson on the Unobstructed podcast to discuss the changing landscape of sports business. Darren has covered the industry for more than 20 years, with stops at ESPN and CNBC before joining the Action Network in 2018 as a Sports Business Reporter & Senior Executive Producer. His unique approach and personality has earned him 2 million+ followers on Twitter. In this episode, they discuss remote fan engagement, the future of the in-venue experience, the role of ticket...
EP 7: Head, Heart & Gut
April 29, 2020 18:50 - 35 minutes - 48.8 MBJames Mackenzie-Blackman, CEO of Eden Court, joins Mike Evenson on the podcast to discuss how his organization has continued to engage with its patrons, re-vectored staff and technology to help their community and collaborated with peer arts groups in the Scottish Highlands. James stressed the importance of blocking out all of the noise and clinging to your values to best serve staff, customers and the community at large. James also shared bright spots that he’s experienced during these o...
EP 6: Precedent for an Unprecedented Situation
April 24, 2020 17:36 - 44 minutes - 60.9 MBMike Evenson was joined by Byron Harrison, the leader of Charcoalblue’s global acoustics practice. They discussed Byron’s recent paper, Performance Buildings in the Post-Pandemic World, which focuses on the changes venues will need to consider when artists and audiences return. They take a look back in history at how theaters confronted the challenges presented by the 1918 flu pandemic and what we can learn from their actions. Topics of conversation also included the increased scrutiny of t...
EP 5: Sports Business with Dr. Bill Sutton
April 17, 2020 16:39 - 33 minutes - 46.2 MBDr. Bill Sutton joins Mike Evenson for episode 5 of the podcast to discuss the current state of the sports business world. A self-described “prac-ademic,” Bill's career has been a mix of teaching, consulting and high-profile sports marketing positions. They discuss the attributes needed to be a great leader remotely, how sports organizations can continue to engage with fans, the concept of a virtual season ticket and a prediction for the 2020 college football season. Bill also talks about...
EP 4: Crawl. Walk. Stream.
April 08, 2020 02:29 - 35 minutes - 49.2 MBDisruption often leads to innovation. With stay-at-home orders in place for many parts of the world, businesses and communities have turned to live streaming as a conduit to reach their customers. Rudy J. Ellis, founder and CEO of Switchboard Live, joins the Unobstructed podcast to discuss how organizations can leverage live video to share their content, engage with their audiences and generate revenue. He shares his thoughts on how to approach this new initiative, stressing the importance o...
EP 3: House Seats
April 03, 2020 18:28 - 28 minutes - 39.7 MBBroadway theaters went dark on March 12 when government officials enacted new restrictions in an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19. Our friends at TheaterMania, Rosemary Maggiore (@RoeMaggiore) and David Gordon (@MrDavidGordon), join Mike Evenson to share their viewpoints on how theater is staying alive during these uncertain times when the shows can’t go on. The trio discusses how this business interruption is impacting the theater industry globally, highlighting the heartwarming momen...
EP 2: Ticketing Hugs #INTIXhugs
March 27, 2020 14:26 - 29 minutes - 40.9 MBAudienceView’s CMO Mike Evenson is joined by INTIX CEO Maureen Andersen. An industry veteran, community leader and mentor to so many ticketing professionals, Maureen shares her very unique vantage point on these unprecedented times. They discuss the effect of the COVID-19 crisis on the entertainment industry and the ways that this interruption will have a lasting impact on how live events organizations operate. Maureen also provides a rundown of resources and support being offered by INTI...
EP 1: Navigating COVID-19
March 18, 2020 20:43 - 35 minutes - 48.3 MBThe first episode of the Unobstructed podcast features a conversation between AudienceView’s CMO Mike Evenson and CEO Mark Fowlie. They discuss how our industry is navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, from the sudden absence of live events to how quickly organizations have rallied in this moment of crisis. They share things they are seeing that make them optimistic about the future of live events and make a strong case that this disruption will lead to innovation.