Navigating the Event Industry Post-COVID | Phil Mershon

13 Mar 2025 · 42 min
Episode

13 Mar 2025 · 42 min

0:00

In this episode of The Profitable Creative, host Christian Brim interviews Phil Mershon – a musician, author, and founder of Unforgettable Events – about his entrepreneurial journey and the evolving event landscape after COVID. Phil explains how a family history of entrepreneurship and a desire to create led him to start an event‑strategy business while still working full‑time at Social Media Examiner. He describes the challenges of juggling multiple roles, managing ADHD, and staying focused amid many creative interests. Phil outlines his two primary client archetypes – new‑event creators needing strategic guidance and established organizations seeking to overhaul underperforming events – and adds a secret‑shopping service. The conversation shifts to the post‑COVID recovery of the events industry, highlighting the new balance between in‑person and virtual formats, attendee decision‑making based on content, networking, and experience, and the distinction between events as marketing tools versus profit centers. Phil shares the timeline of writing his book Unforgettable, how the pandemic delayed its release, and how the writing process informed his business model. He discusses the need for operational support, the three‑type manager model (ideas, operations, people), and the importance of outsourcing tasks that don’t align with his strengths. Drawing on Dan Miller’s “passion‑purpose‑profit” framework, Phil emphasizes finding the intersection where his expertise meets market demand. He also reflects on creative challenges such as the “idea monkey” mindset, the impact of ADHD, and the necessity of divergent thinking in marketing and business strategy, citing examples like Iron Maiden and the Grateful Dead. Finally, Phil provides contact information for listeners interested in his services or book.

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