UpClose with Events
Steve Wildemann, President Advanced Staging Productions
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To get where I am today took a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work, but mostly it was about not being afraid to try new things and facing challenges that I didn’t know a lot about.
In the early days, when presentation technology was in its infancy, the old adage of “say yes and figure out how to do it later” really held true. Whether it was the pioneering times of computer display when that tech- nology was considered “magic,” or videoconferencing back when no one even knew what it was, or being open to creating a lighting department, or taking a leap of faith in purchasing new blending and presentation technology, we have always embraced the unknown and made it work for us.
For me personally, starting out as an audio-visual tech- nician and working my way up to president and partner of Advanced Staging Productions has really just been about trusting my instincts. I think I have always had an innate ability to connect with people, to empathize with them and their situation (put myself in their shoes, so to speak), and thus understand better what they want for their event. And to deliver it with a smile on my face because I care about them and their event, and because I know what it will feel like when the event is over and everyone is happy.
In fact, that is what drove me as a project manager and as a customer service representative. As a manager and executive, it has been simple and not something I set out to do on purpose. Treating people with respect, showing an interest in their work and their success, and providing them with opportunity just came naturally. By creating the kind of atmosphere in which I want to work, we have been able to create a culture of
78 January February 2013
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