Ben is one of the original Etix crew members. When he joined Etix in 2001, the company had just 20 clients. Today, the company boasts over 4,000 clients thanks in part to his leadership in sales and marketing.
With degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill (undergrad business) and Wake Forest University (MBA), Ben has applied his knowledge and passion for the industry in a number of ways over the years: as a venue owner, record label exec, artist manager and, of course, with Etix.
1. Give us your favorite Etix client story in three sentences or less.
My favorite Etix client story just happened: the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in Savannah, GA. I watched so many Etix clients and employees; our whole Etix family, step up and help out Matt Price’s campaign to raise money for FARA research to help his daughter Alison. I think it exemplifies what a special place this is and what Etix is all about.
2. You’ve worked at Etix for 13 years now. What’s the biggest change you’ve seen since you’ve been at Etix?
Wow–a lot has changed! There are a lot more of us, for one thing. We went from a handful of folks to almost 100 now.
One interesting pivot for us was that when Etix was first established, we were a print-at-home company. We would call venues and ask them to give us an allocation from their inventory so we could sell the tickets online via print-at-home. That’s all we offered. Now we have an extremely advanced reserved seat and GA ticketing system for all sales channels.
3. What are you looking forward to at IAFE?
Seeing all my amazing clients. I personally manage the relationship with about 16 of our fairs and I will try to sit down and spend time with each one of them when I’m there. I hope to strengthen our relationships with our partners and talk about how Etix can continue to help their fairs thrive.
4. What did you learn from running a music venue (Richmond’s The Hat Factory)?
I learned a lot! The biggest thing I learned is that ticketing is just one piece of a very large puzzle that makes up the world of a venue owner. For example, you are dealing with beer and liquor orders, security, cleanliness, advertising, restaurant staff….a million different things. Ticketing needs to be fast and easy for promoters. Systems need to give them easily digestible data so they can make high-quality, quick business decisions.
5. Favorite concert of all time?
Well, my first real concert was Rush during the Power Windows tour when I was 15. It was the first time I was dropped off at an arena and saw a BIG rock show on my own. I had never experienced that moment when the lights go out and the crowd screams and the band comes out and explodes on stage…the intensity of it. I was hooked and I have loved being around it ever since.
6. You’ve been involved with several bands. What was the name of your favorite one?
Well, all the bands that I have ever been in have stunk, so I’m not sure. It sounds like I was the one thing they all had in common…uh oh. I was in a band called Psycho Sonic Cindi for quite a while. It was kind of heavy-edged version of The Cure, but we were never very popular despite a massive amount of effort.
7. You’re a fan of surfing. Dream place to hit the waves?
Ummmm…I stink at surfing. I’d say Carolina Beach, NC. They have nice waist-high, geriatric waves for goobers like me to ride into shore off the sandbar. My surfing dreams are fairly realistic.
8. Ever had any nicknames?
Benji. I call my oldest son this now.
9. When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to own an amusement park. I built an amusement park in the woods near my house called “Western World” and sold tickets to games, the snack bar and gift shop when I was young.
10. What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
Find mentors so you don’t have to learn everything the hard way.
