The Wedding Biz – 375: DAVE CALZARETTA – Fighting the Fear of Missing Out and Making Your Own Luck
Listen in to Andy’s conversation with Dave Calzaretta, the founder and president of Magnificent Events & Entertainment! Magnificent Events & Entertainment was founded in 2000 and has since established an impeccable reputation out of Chicago, Illinois (and also now Scottsdale, Arizona), and it is considered an international booking and event expert company.
Dave always had a love for music, especially after fostering a unique friendship with The Temptations at a young age, but he majored in accounting because he was told that he should choose something practical. He reveals how he landed the career that he now has in the events and wedding market, however, and reveals what it was like to make the jump from the corporate world to a career in music and events.
Motivated by a fear of missing out, Dave explains, he became an entrepreneur because he didn’t want a 9-5 office job but instead wanted to live a more whimsical lifestyle. He discusses negotiation and how it’s about gathering what’s important on both sides of a transaction. He also reflects on the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has affected his career and his business over the last year or so. Andy has been wanting to have Dave on the show for a while and appreciates his connection and friendship with Dave. He’s so happy to have had this chance to talk with him on the show!
Have you heard about the brand new show on The Wedding Biz Network, Stop and Smell the Roses with Preston Bailey? Listen as Preston shares the secrets, tools, and technologies behind his extraordinary ability to create a theatrical environment out of any space. Also, don’t forget about Sean Low’s podcast The Business of Being Creative, where Sean discusses the power of being niched, pricing strategies, metrics of success, and so much more. You can find both shows on The Wedding Biz Network.
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Time Stamps
[1:12] – Andy reveals that this episode’s interviewee is Dave Calzaretta, founder and president of Magnificent Events & Entertainment.
[2:31] – Dave reflects on a time at fourteen years old when his father took him to see The Temptations.
[5:08] – Dave talks about how he majored in accounting despite his love for music.
[7:50] – Dave explains what it was like to make the leap from the corporate world to the music world.
[9:25] – Having an accounting degree, Dave shares, made him comfortable with the gap between careers.
[11:33] – We discover how Dave balances business and art.
[14:07] – Dave looks back at the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it affected his career.
[16:43] – We learn how Dave’s career doesn’t have a shelf life anymore and he can continue to do this into his sixties.
[18:06] – Dave talks about his office in Chicago and how he manages it post-pandemic.
[21:08] – Dave describes his family situation.
[23:50] – The biggest challenge that the industry faces, Dave asserts, is the waves of people who value price over quality.
[27:01] – Andy expounds upon the challenge of explaining why you’re worth your price to prospective clients.
[28:26] – We hear Dave reflect on how difficult it is to reach prospective clients via video.
[31:49] – Dave discusses negotiation and how a lot of musicians don’t recognize their own value.
[34:21] – Dave shares his thoughts about current emerging trends and talents.
[38:21] – Andy reveals where Dave can be found online.
RESOURCES
Andy’s Top 10 Event Luminary Tips For Dealing With Stress
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Title Sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Kushner Entertainment & PartySlate.