In conversation with Pablo Dassen on re-imagining the live events industry.

(Photography by Mel at Phase2Fotos)

1.         What one aspect of the event hosting industry will see the longest-lasting repercussions of the global health pandemic?
Assuming no game changing pharmaceutical interventions, the longest lasting change will be the move to smaller events to comply with social distancing requirements and ease audience discomfort. With touring and large-scale events out of favour, it could provide for a wider variety of local entertainment options. In this scenario, we see a greater choice in the type of event as well. For example, what was once a massive trade show or convention could be split into a variety of smaller events targeted to more specific audiences.

2.        Is there a future for live events in tomorrow's world?
Live events are already coming back in various forms, which is encouraging. People are very adaptable. You can already see this with things like masking, plexiglass, and higher sanitary standards. The events are different in structure as well, which has both pros and cons. We may be watching a show where the stage is behind a barrier or even projected on to a screen —  but live events won’t go away.

3.        What were The Pablo Dassen Company's plans for 2020?
Grand, to say the least. But you know what they say about best laid plans! Things were progressing for the company in 2020. We were getting hired to host more events and that was going to be our revenue focus. We’d finished recording the first season of The Humble Badger Podcast and were looking forward to producing more shows. Also, as announced in December’s issue of Modern Mississauga Media, we had booked a Pacific Tour through Australia, New Zealand, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. That footage would have been used to launch our travel and lifestyle YouTube channel. There’s no question that our plans took a detour this year, but things are thankfully looking up!

4.       How is The Pablo Dassen Company adapting to the new world?
As we learned on The Simpsons, “crisitunity” is when opportunity arises from crisis. We've adapted by remodeling our business. Our company grew in a very organic way prior to the pandemic. We’ve shifted to a more purposeful and organized growth track. With event hosting revenue at a trickle and not projected to rise in the short term, we’re looking towards business promotion and corporate training for revenue. For example, we’re showcasing restaurants through social media. They’ve been hit hard and many see more value in this type of promotion, as they climb out of the downturn. We’re also excited to announce that we've landed our first corporate training contract! The revenue from that contract will help fund some of our other creative projects in the community.

4.1.       Those sound like promising new initiatives. Tell us more about how you're supporting businesses and the corporate training.
The Company has always supported local businesses because we feel it’s important to connect and support our community. Thanks to the skills that Sara brings and some other investments that we’ve made, we’re now able to put together high quality professionally produced videos. As businesses reopen we aim to put the spotlight on their services, and most importantly, the passionate people behind the services. These posts will also help to put their customers at ease by demonstrating the various safety measures that our local businesses have implemented.

When it comes to corporate training, many companies were caught off guard when the pandemic hit. Luckily with our previous corporate experience, combined with our production assets, we’re able to deliver any organization's training modules to its employees in a unique and engaging presentation through various virtual and recorded platforms.

5.        Will this pandemic see the rise of new entrepreneurs and why?
It already has, while at the same time closing down many existing businesses. We see a changing of the guard as the pandemic has provided people with the opportunity to pause, reflect and reevaluate their plans and purpose.

6.       Many smaller companies double as their own marketing/advertising company. In addition to what you had already done for self-promotion, what other skills have you had to learn during this adapting phase?

They say patience is a virtue, but we also see it as a skill that can be learned and developed. We’ve learned that patience isn’t waiting for things to happen, but rather, making things happen methodically and with purpose. Having patience for different people and learning to navigate challenges, while keeping an eye out for one’s own mental wellness, is an important skill for anyone to master. In addition to patience, like everyone else, we’ve had to learn how to Zoom!

7.        How have you specifically been impacted by this?
It has been a roller coaster, for sure. We've lost people to this virus. Many in our circle have as well. Combined with the loss of livelihood and lifestyle, it’s been difficult to cope at times. We've seen a streamlining of our circle in some ways, especially with acquaintances. Personal and professional relationships, in the pandemic, either seemed to deepen or disappear as people rightly focused on their immediate environment. Fortunately, our industry is rebounding. The key was patiently working through things. Combined with support and a few lucky bounces, we are poised for this comeback! 

8.     How will medium and large sized event/hosting companies be affected?
Unfortunately, it’s going to be Darwinian out there for a while. Adapt or die. It’s possible for companies to adjust, but it depends on what position they were in going into the pandemic.

9.       Have you noticed an influx of entrepreneurs and business ideas during the pandemic?
While there has been some interesting innovations, we don't see that as the primary focus of the small business world during this time. We all had to suddenly go into survival mode in the spring due to the unpredictable and unprecedented nature of what we were experiencing. Moving forward, everyone will have to find a way to adapt to the “New Modern” and we are confident that will happen. The challenge will be to create a better business environment that works for everyone.

10.     With the huge influx of virtual "everythings" (music/teaching/meetings/etc.) how will you keep and grow your digital audience?
We are fortunate to have Sara on board now! She’s an experienced, talented, and creative professional who will be managing our marketing. Thanks to her, our video production capability is significantly higher and we've become familiar with video apps like Zoom and Microsoft Teams to assist in content delivery. With her input and social media savvy, we are confident our audience will grow in time. It's our passion to showcase talent and her skills will help us to shine the spotlight on our clients. 

11.       What's helped keep you grounded from a personal standpoint?
People. We have a lot of great people around us. We've really learned the value of community and the circle effect. We've made it through with the support of others and we've supported others when we were able to. We've seen the impact of “Critical M.A.S” as we call it. M.A.S stands for Mutual Appreciation Society and that has been critical in getting us through this.

12.      What positives can come out of this for the event/hosting industry?
One positive effect has been the increase in accessibility to events and content. Now events are both live and live-streamed which increases the number and mix of people in your audience. Local events can go global and reach wider audiences. As a point of pride, we were doing this even before it was popular with shows like Studio Night Live at The Studio Paint Bar, which was live streamed by Modern Mississauga Media!

13.      Can this be the end of in-person events with the rise in popularity of virtual events?
There are some types of events, such as concerts and team sports, that simply are better when experienced live or with a crowd. Technology can only take things so far. Digitally inserting a crowd does not have the same effect and it changes the revenue structure. On the other hand, people may find that some events are better experienced virtually, like corporate training or business meetings. Adaptations and innovations will arise. The key growth area is in the hybrid event where it's a mix of everything including in-person, live streamed and available digitally recorded later on.

14.     With many of us having been at home for the past several weeks, many of us have learned/enhanced our digital skills. Will there be an influx of tech-savvy teachers/instructors/photographers/videographers in the new world?  
Tech capable, yes. But not all people can or will become tech savvy. You can see it now, with the quality of some productions. There are some things that specialists are more able to do. Having said that, there will definitely be a greater tech fluency. It will raise the bar on standards overall. We see those who were tech specialists before rising even higher as they develop greater skills and capabilities. Hopefully people will have even more appreciation for tech professionals!

Pablo Dassen is an emcee, event host and entertainer who has performed for various audiences throughout the city. As the co-founder of The Pablo Dassen Company, he produces shows including Studio Night Live and The Humble Badger Podcast. He is passionate about showcasing people and his favourite colour is grey.

Connect with him here.