With most of the nation practicing social distancing and nearly all live events cancelled or postponed, fundraising is crucial for organizations to stay afloat during the crisis. Fundraising expert Karen Brooks Hopkins chats with Jim to share ideas to keep your donors and audience engaged and actionable steps you can take to come out of this as strong as possible.  Karen Brooks Hopkins, Brooklyn Academy of Music President Emerita, has more than 30 years of experience in fundraising and is the author of Successful Fundraising for Arts & Cultural Organizations. She served as President of the Brooklyn Academy of Music from 1999 until her retirement in 2015 and was an employee of the institution since 1979. Hopkins served as the chair of the Cultural Institutions Group from 2002-2004, a member of the Mayor's Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission and as a participant on Mayor de Blasio's transition committee. From 2005-2010, she served as the Brooklyn Regent for the New York State Education Department. In 2013, Crain's named her one of the "50 Most Powerful Women in New York," and in 2014, she was one of 10 selected into its inaugural "New York Business Hall of Fame." From 2015-2017, she served as the Inaugural Senior Fellow in Residence at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation where her research focused on the impact of anchor cultural institutions. Columbia University conferred upon her an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on May 22, 2019.

The world of the music industry is ever-growing and ever-evolving. The players who have seen it from its early days of creating sold-out events that sold tickets in buckets to selling sold-out venues from tickets sold online can definitely say that things have gone so much further than what people give the industry credit for. Mark Meyerson is a ticketing executive and a long time industry music industry veteran. He is an innovative and passionate leader in the technology, sales, and marketing of the Live Events industry.  His career in the live music industry wasn't a straight line but his trajectory, in retrospect, was clear: he was meant to reel the crowds in. In this episode of the Selling Out Podcast, Jim sits down with Mark as they talk about how his career started, the learnings he got from working with well-established companies, how the industry has evolved through the years, and why you shouldn't hold your breath on your seemingly wavy career path because when you look back, you might just see a pretty connect-the-dots picture.

Circuses have a storied past of delighting crowds of various sizes. The popularity of circuses, carnivals, and sideshows have ebbed and flowed, but there has been a resurgence of late.  This week's guest, Todd Robbins, has built a successful career in the New York City area utilizing what he calls "arcane" forms of entertainment. He is a veteran of numerous television, sideshow, and off-broadway productions.  In this episode, Todd joins host Jim McCarthy to talk about eating glass, the changing of carnivals over time, and the differences between European and American audiences and shows. 

Every Broadway show is a startup and a company on its own. It's a legal entity that can either have an infinite life of touring and licensing, or it could be done in as little as 3 months. It also requires a different type of approach compared to other ventures or tech startups. So what would you do after your very first Broadway project fails? Would you give up? Eva Price, this week's guest, has gone through such failure and has all the advice you need. Eva Price is a three-time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer whose credits include over 18 Broadway plays, musicals, and concerts. She has been producing on Broadway for about 13 years and is a member of The Broadway League's Board of Governors. Current and notable productions include: Oklahoma!, Jagged Little Pill, What the Constitution Means to Me, Annie, and Angels in America. In this episode, host Jim McCarthy sits down with Eva Price to talk about producing Broadway shows, funding, and lessons learnt along the way Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:  [00:52] Eva Price's career in politics and TV shows  [04:36] How Eva got started as a producer on Broadway [07:16] Eva's first project [10:27] Funding Broadway shows [12:32] What the terms Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway mean [15:05] Lessons learned from the first project  [19:43] Eva's next project  [23:55] Bringing the Oklahoma! show to Broadway [32:53] Eva's "My Life's Blood" musical [39:27] Eva's talk on TEDx Broadway [41:43] Eva's advice for future Broadway producers Resources Mentioned on this episode TEDx Broadway Connect with Jim McCarthy Selling Out LinkedIn for Jim This episode is brought to you by Selling Out Selling Out is a resource, tool and meeting place for everybody whose job is to create, market or manage live entertainment. About Jim McCarthy Jim McCarthy is the co-founder and CEO of Goldstar and Selling Out. Goldstar started in 2002 and now sells millions of live event tickets to millions of people on behalf of more than 5,000 venues and producers each year. Jim is the curator and co-founder of TEDxBroadway and he is on the Board of Directors for Union Station Homeless Services as well as the Pasadena Playhouse. 

Having talent does not always equal success. You might have even known someone who has had all the talent in the world but just couldn't find a way to be successful with their art or music. Where is the balance between creativity and having a business mindset, and is it possible to have a knack for both? This week's guest is out to bridge that gap. Klause Derendorf is Chief Business Development Officer at VerifiR, a cloud-based marketing, sales, and authentification platform. VerifiR helps brands directly connect with their customers from their mobile phones. Klaus has over 20 years of experience in the music, technology, and media industries. On this episode, host Jim McCarthy sits down with Klaus to talk about the notable talent he has worked with, how much bands actually get paid from streaming music, and the three traits artists need to be successful in the business.   Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:  [0:31] Background on Klaus [5:05] Artists always start out working for free [6:36] Do artists have trouble on the business side of their career? [10:30] Top 3 traits needed to be successful [13:30] Notable clients Klaus has worked with [17:45] The industry difference between streaming and sales [24:15] The Tech Industry is the new rock star [25:58] Background on VerifiR [30:40] Artists have to find new ways to connect with their audience [33:10] You have to be ready to adapt to change [35:30] Klaus' concert wish list   Resources Mentioned on this episode VerifiR LinkedIn for Klaus Bandsintown   Connect with Jim McCarthy Selling Out LinkedIn for Jim   This episode is brought to you by Selling Out   Selling Out is a resource, tool and meeting place for everybody whose job is to create, market or manage live entertainment.   About Jim McCarthy Jim McCarthy is the co-founder and CEO of Goldstar and Selling Out. Goldstar started in 2002 and now sells millions of live event tickets to millions of people on behalf of more than 5,000 venues and producers each year. Jim is the curator and co-founder of TEDxBroadway and he is on the Board of Directors for Union Station Homeless Services as well as the Pasadena Playhouse. 

The internet and social media have completely remade the way we create, produce, discover and consume art. And Fabrice Sergent wants to use these digital tools to unite artists and fans in a more profound way than ever before.    He is succeeding. Fabrice is the Managing Director of Bandsintown, a digital media company powered by and built for music. He also found early success in his career helping to launch Lagardere, an early broadband provider.    On this episode, Fabrice sits down with Jim McCarthy to discuss the success of Bandsintown, the current state of the music industry, and how he helped start one of the first internet companies in France.   Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:  [1:13] What Bandsintown is, and what the app does for concert lovers [6:58] The app not only helps music lovers but artists, as well [9:15] Fabrice helped found one of the first internet providers in France [13:01] The purpose of Bandsintown is ideal for a mobile device interface [16:19] What did Fabrice dream of doing when he was 14? [18:20] The 2020's will be a gold rush for music [20:40] Today is a great time to be an artist [24:11] The emergence of subscription services, and the future of the market [26:02] Fabrice's advice for those early in their career [29:07] Upcoming concerts that Fabrice is excited about   Resources Mentioned on this episode Bandsintown Twitter for Fabrice LinkedIn for Fabrice   Connect with Jim McCarthy Selling Out LinkedIn for Jim   This episode is brought to you by Selling Out   Selling Out is a resource, tool and meeting place for everybody whose job is to create, market or manage live entertainment.   About Jim McCarthy Jim McCarthy is the co-founder and CEO of Goldstar and Selling Out. Goldstar started in 2002 and now sells millions of live event tickets to millions of people on behalf of more than 5,000 venues and producers each year. Jim is the curator and co-founder of TEDxBroadway and he is on the Board of Directors for Union Station Homeless Services as well as the Pasadena Playhouse.   

Live entertainment events have become an American staple. But the average attendee of a live musical, theater or other entertainment event is not aware of the flurry of activity and work that goes on behind the scenes. That arena is where Eric Valley has created a successful career.  Eric Valley is a Live entertainment and Ticket Sales consultant with his company Eric Valley Consulting. Eric spent over sixteen years with Cirque du Soleil, including five years touring. He has worked in over fifty countries, with 38 million tickets sold and twenty thousand performances during his time with Cirque du Soleil. Eric is also involved currently with PY1, which is a live entertainment project started by the founder of Cirque du Soleil, and the Apollo 11 Tour. On this episode, Eric Valley joins Jim McCarthy to talk about his time with Cirque du Soleil, the artistic side of working in the ticketing industry, and why he wants to take his kids to see Daft Punk in concert.   Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:    [1:55] Eric talks about life after Cirque du Soleil and working with Intix [5:20] The artistic side of working in the ticketing industry [9:30] Touring with Cirque du Soleil [14:51] Eric's current work with PY1 and the Apollo 11 tour [22:50] Cirque raised the bar for touring shows [24:42] The future of live events as Eric sees it [27:15] Eric's advice for those who are early in their career [32:50] What Eric is working on now [36:21] Eric's love for baseball, and why he hopes to see Daft Punk in concert   Resources Mentioned on this episode Intix website Cirque du Soleil PY1 website Luzia LinkedIn for Eric   Connect with Jim McCarthy Selling Out LinkedIn for Jim   This episode is brought to you by Selling Out   Selling Out is a resource, tool and meeting place for everybody whose job is to create, market or manage live entertainment.   About Jim McCarthy Jim McCarthy is the co-founder and CEO of Goldstar and Selling Out. Goldstar started in 2002 and now sells millions of live event tickets to millions of people on behalf of more than 5,000 venues and producers each year. Jim is the curator and co-founder of TEDxBroadway and he is on the Board of Directors for Union Station Homeless Services as well as the Pasadena Playhouse.   

The social media revolution has brought change to all corners of the art world, and Broadway is no exception. Who better to discuss the nuances of these changes than someone who is currently helping to usher in this new world? Jennifer Ashley Tepper is the creative and programming director at Feinstein's/54 Below, which combines performances by Broadway's best with a world-class dining experience. In addition, Jennifer is the producer of Be More Chill, which recently ended a successful Broadway run. She is also the author of The Untold Stories of Broadway: Tales from the world's most famous theaters (Volume 1). In this episode, Jim McCarthy is joined by Tepper to discuss the interesting story behind the rise of Be More Chill, the culture shift in how audiences are consuming theater and media today, and Jennifer's experiences at Feinstein's/54 Below.    Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn:  [0:23] Introduction and background of Jennifer Tepper  [1:55] What did Jennifer want to be when she grew up? [3:30] Jennifer's experiences from the last year as a Producer for Be More Chill [5:05] The interesting story behind the production of Be More Chill [10:00] The culture shift of how audiences are consuming media content [12:45] The "Stage Door" concept in the age of Social Media [17:21] Background for 54 Below, and Jennifer's experience there so far [21:50] Jennifer's advice for those who wish to work as a producer [26:05] What is next for Jennifer, in the short-term and long-term [34:25] The upcoming shows Jennifer is looking forward to   Resources Mentioned on this episode Jennifer's Website Feinstein's/54 Below The Untold Stories of Broadway: Tales from the world's most famous theaters (Volume 1) by Jennifer Ashley Tepper Jennifer's TEDx Broadway Talk LinkedIn for Jennifer   Connect with Jim McCarthy Selling Out LinkedIn for Jim   This episode is brought to you by Selling Out Selling Out is a resource, tool and meeting place for everybody whose job is to create, market or manage live entertainment.   About Jim McCarthy Jim McCarthy is the co-founder and CEO of Goldstar and Selling Out. Goldstar started in 2002 and now sells millions of live event tickets to millions of people on behalf of more than 5,000 venues and producers each year. Jim is the curator and co-founder of TEDxBroadway and he is on the Board of Directors for Union Station Homeless Services as well as the Pasadena Playhouse.