Unobstructed

Our 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!

Antonia 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 and delight, anticipating customer needs, strategies to cultivate loyalty and why you should avoid asking, "How can I help you?"

Mike 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 halls, libraries, labs, student unions and recreation centers. These spaces, which have traditionally been first-come, first-serve, will now require technology to help assist with capacity management, student flow, contactless access and other newly adopted safety protocols. They also discussed the recent launch of the AudienceView Campus Flow solution, a new packaged offering designed to help higher education institutions manage capacity in spaces where students congregate, enhancing safety and supporting physical distancing measures. They highlighted the critical role that technology will play in helping bring students back to campuses across the country in the safest way possible.

Public 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 we begin to re-open. Cristyne also shared the positive things she's seeing in her community, including support for essential workers, the surge of creativity of artists and the general generosity of people.

Darren 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 revenue in the decision to re-start college athletics, his bold approach on social media and more.

You can follow Darren Rovell on Twitter at @darrenrovell.

James 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 otherwise gloomy times, like uncovering staff skills that were not known and taking advantage of the gift of time to reflect on a set of scenarios that haven't had the proper attention paid to them. You can connect with James on Twitter at @jamesmackblack.

Mike 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 the health-worthiness of venues, the need to quickly learn from the canaries in the coal mines, the psychology of social distance seating and the increased opportunities to leverage local talent when doors re-open.

We invite you to learn more about Charcoalblue and to follow them on Twitter at @Charcoalblue.

Dr. 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 how organizations need to increase buyer confidence and to adequately address the number one question being asked: When is it safe to attend sporting events again?

Disruption 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 of getting going and then getting better. This is a must-listen for any live events professional that is considering or has recently started live streaming their content.

Broadway 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 moments that have happened as a result. TheaterMania is the place for those interested in live theater and the performing arts to connect with like minded people to learn about what's going on and understand how they can engage. TheaterMania delivers a combination of news that people need to know and fun, lighthearted content – which is needed more than ever.