Jared Judge: 0:38

Thank you. I was a DJ for five weddings. Excellent, me too five weddings.

Scotty O'Brien: 0:48

Excellent, Me too. Awesome 35 years. Hey, it's right. Here there's the microphone.

Jared Judge: 0:50

That's some well, there it is. There it is. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, that's a for those who are not watching the video Scott, he's got a really nice classic microphone tattooed on his left arm, so you got to got to check it out in person. So, scotty, I'm I'm super excited to have you because you are starting a new chapter in your life and your business life and, of course, we all know you as, like you know this, this DJ and the person who runs the Interaction Denver team building company and a bar mitzvah company and all these really great entertainment options. But I saw on Facebook and that's kind of the purpose of this episode you are launching a DMC, a destination management company. So, to kick us off, what is a DMC?

Scotty O'Brien: 1:34

So a DMC? You just said it stands for destination management company. Another version of that in the corporate world is DMO destination management organization. And you know, jared, right before the podcast we were talking. It's interesting because in our world, you know, and we'll just call it the NACE world because it's the NACE podcast a lot of people not everybody, we'll just say some, that'll be a nice even mix of the folks that view this podcast and are in the catering world and then the social world, the non-corporate world, if you will, because there is a certain differential between the two Don't know what a DMC is.

Scotty O'Brien: 2:24

They've heard the term and fair enough. I didn't know when I first started. I mean, you know, my career did start as a DJ MC 35 years ago. Then I went into being a cruise director for three years and with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, and then moved back to the world, back at St Louis, just because I wanted to start a family. But when I moved here I knew that this was going to happen sometime. I just didn't know when. You know, kind of involving my history and the DMC thing together because it all kind of fits.

Scotty O'Brien: 2:59

But DMC again, destination Management Company sorry I tracked off on that is essentially a meeting planner for meeting planners, that's the easiest way to describe it. So if Coors because that's one of our large corporations here in Denver plans a meeting, they're meeting planners. They don't hire that person just to plan one meeting in one city at one time. He or she or they may be planning a meeting in Philadelphia, Anchorage, alaska, san Diego, california and Miami and 15 other cities all at the same time. Usually they'll replicate themselves, which makes it easier for that planner.

Scotty O'Brien: 3:41

But that planner does not have time to call and find out who the greatest DJ is in Denver, colorado, or who the best electric violinist is, or the most awesome audio visual company, or an interactive team builder, or, even more for that matter, to find properties and where they're going to host their meeting, because that planner usually won't know all the cities as well as a DMC will. So a destination management company's job is to again be a planner for a planner and do all the vetting, the research, the guidance that's necessary to figure out who the best of the best is, who they want to work with and who they want to refer, because they usually refer a few options to that planner when the planner reaches out to that DMC to plan their perfect event. That's a long explanation, but it makes sense, it's. It's a plan for a planner in a city that that planner doesn't know.

Jared Judge: 4:48

Yes, that makes perfect sense to me. I'm going to pull a leaf from Simon Sinek and I'm going to start with why here, and I'd love to know what motivated you to start your own DMC here in Denver.

Scotty O'Brien: 5:01

So a brief history. I kind of already hit it St Louis, cruise ships, clubs in Europe. I mean, I've done a lot of travel in my career, 35 years worth. When I moved here to Denver four years ago just about, actually, no, it is four years, yay. Thank you, denverver, for welcoming me. I love you, happy four years. Um, I love this city, this, this whole our industry is so unique compared to any other industry sorry, I'm shaking, uh, in the nation, it really is. Uh, denver is just awesome, um, but you know, I started interaction denver dj, uh, casino nights, uh, arcade games, uh, electronic, all the stuff that we house under that. The team building company I've been a team building master, which is a terrible title, but that's what they gave me for about 30 years. And then Vision Work Group Denver, which is audiovisual. So we do the creative side of AV and that's kind of our focus. So we do the creative side of AV and that's kind of our focus.

Scotty O'Brien: 6:08

So, interestingly enough, I owned and ran a DMC in St Louis for five, six years before COVID and a massive divorce, and that's kind of where it landed. So I paused all that because I knew my roots. I could come in quickly and at least make some strides, which I think I've done pretty well, networking in this town and meeting with folks and didn't want to start the DMC just yet. Oddly enough, meritz, which is the largest destination management company in the world and they also do what's called incentive travel. It's based in St Louis, the headquarters of St Louis, and I did tons and tons of work with them, of course. Anyway, I decided, you know, hey, why not, let's give it a shot. I met Mary a year and a half ago. Mary and I got married, hey, and we have a puppy. We're not going to have any kids, bro, I'm 51. Ew, you nobody wants that old of a dad. That's especially layla b, not a chance. She's like you're old already. So, you know, happened with that anyway. Uh, and mary has a background in nonprofit management that's what her bachelor's was in and she did a lot of work in nonprofit. We all know what I do, so we just decided to combine forces and what it does is twofold. It allows us to umbrella ties that's not really a word to umbrella ties all of the stuff that we do, as well as the other things that a DMC do will do, which would include, you know, site, research and management and transportation and tours. So it houses everything under one one umbrella.

Scotty O'Brien: 7:59

Now that also doesn't mean that you know you asked about our company specifically, partner DMC. I'm not going to immediately say, oh, this is perfect, we're going to do all the business. You know, the AV, the decor, the entertainment. I mean that's common sense. However, I'm also a very firm believer in providing the best fit for the client. So I've posted this a bunch lately and I firmly believe this.

Scotty O'Brien: 8:28

I even started another Facebook group trying to connect the DMCs and planners with you know other vendors and suppliers that not everybody knows, because not everybody knows everybody. You know our focus is the Rocky Mountain region, so not only Colorado, but Utah, whatever part of Arizona that is Wyoming, montana, but one of the downfalls, and it's not just of Denver but it's industry in general citywide. People work with friends, they work with people they like. I want this to be an opportunity as partner DMC for those folks that are the vendors and suppliers that are a good fit for the upcoming clients meeting special event conference.

Scotty O'Brien: 9:22

Hey, we may not be best friends and that's okay, but if you're great at what you do and you're may not be best friends and that's okay. But if you're great at what you do and you're going to be a phenomenal fit for that client, then I'm going to promote you through the DMC, because it's about the industry. It's always going to be about the industry. I love having friends and that's awesome. However, our job and the career that I've chosen and that you've chosen, jared, is to do what's right for the industry and to elevate our hospitality industry.

Jared Judge: 9:55

Another good answer. I love that. No, it's great. I want to dive a little bit deeper into your answer, actually, because you've been in this events industry for over 35 years, right? I'm just curious, like, what is it about events, special events and corporate events and these occasions that motivates you to do this and do a fantastic job at it?

Scotty O'Brien: 10:31

be well, two reasons, um, number one we get to me it's I love my answer um, we get to make people smile and and really step out of whatever their daily is. I don't care if it's uh stuff at home, political, uh, their job, whatever, it doesn't matter. I think our job, uh, as, especially on the special events side because you know those are parties, that's what it is is we get to make them forget their problems for four or five hours at a time and we get to create something special for them. I truly believe in elevation, in creating something magnificent for these folks. I don't, I never and I really say this a lot in my B'nai Mitzvah plan inside and when we rock those parties, I don't do cookie cutter, it's not me. I want to do something special and creative for the families to make them say, wow, um, so I, I think just my passion, you know, because the way uh, uh, you, you, you grow up, you know, through your 20s, 30s and and maybe a little bit into your 40s, and you're going to your friend's weddings, right, and it's the same format, it's the same cheesy dj doing the same stuff and I'm not speaking about all of them, but a good portion right. I mean, weddings are budget driven at times. They're not all luxury and you get kind of what you get when you pay. You know mediocre or bottom dollar. So you see the same repeat format. I don't believe in doing that. I want to create on my wedding side, right, but on my corporate side, and especially with this DMC, I want to create wow experiences. It's just not really a celebration, it's an experience, it's an overall piece.

Scotty O'Brien: 12:14

There's a difference between a four-star and a five-star review and that's not only the performance and the food and the venue and everything else, but it's the overall experience that we create for the guests. I'm sure you've had a time in your career, jared, where you're out doing your violin at a corporate event and everybody's just having an awesome time, your violin at a corporate event and everybody's just having an awesome time, and somebody I don't know, the one piece of chicken was cold on the buffet. Whatever they're going to talk about what a great time, what a great experience they had, but they're also going to talk about that cold piece of chicken, that that word of the cold piece of chicken is going to get back to the planner and the planner is going to say, man, what a great, a great event. Jared, you rocked this thing.

Scotty O'Brien: 12:57

This was awesome. The venue was incredible, the food was on point, except for the piece of chicken, which is the difference between a four star and a five star review. So it's about creating overall experiences. So, yeah, the answer is that I said I was going to say a second piece, but it all tied into the first. So there you go.

Jared Judge: 13:18

No, I love it. That's fantastic. And, yeah, I was thinking of several corporate events where you know they hadn't used a DMC. They didn't. They didn't even have a planner other than their in-house and the experience was was overall good. But even as the electric violinist, I noticed a couple of things that I would see, like the decor there was none and I don't know. You're right it, it it's the entire experience and I love that when you tied it back to I give these people four hours of their life when they can forget about their problems. Like I think that's why a lot of us do this too.

Scotty O'Brien: 13:50

So thanks for sharing that. It's not all about the money. I mean, money's not bad in this career, I ain't gonna lie. However, uh, yeah, I mean we're, we're creating something exceptional uh for these people and that's what. What a pleasure uh to be able to do. You know uh, but you're right here, you know, yeah, to reiterate, you're right, and and and what we both said.

Scotty O'Brien: 14:15

Um, they do notice little itty bitty things, especially if it's like a corporate client, which is why the DMC would exist. They've been to big galas, they've seen the best of the best, they've seen the A game. If the planner decides to do it internally and they go from one city to another city and they don't know the city well, the decor companies, the electric violinists know the city well. The decor companies, the electric violinist, the dj, the mc, the team building, the audio visual company, the hotel, the food, the florist, all those things that come together and meld to make the overall event experience, yeah, they give a c show instead of that a show. Well, if it's an association meeting and those folks came to attend and paid to attend that gala that night and they're getting c-rated stuff, well there goes the review, not only of that planner, of the organization, but it also frowns upon the city.

Scotty O'Brien: 15:11

Okay, which I'm proud of, denver. I'm proud to be a part of colorado and iraqi region, so I will show the best that I can for this region. But the reason it reflects on the city, Jared, is because you know the people that attend these conferences, these meetings, these special events. They don't know the story, they don't know how it worked. They're like oh, denver's weak, not on my time. Watch, I'm not going to let Denver appear to be weak. This is the most incredible city that our nation has to offer.

Jared Judge: 15:43

Let's go. I love Denver, let's go. That's amazing, cool, scotty. Well, I think we have like a really incredible opportunity to witness the behind the scenes of building a DMC from the ground up. Like you know, I know I work with several DMCs. They just book me, they ask me to show up and I do my damn best job. Might have to edit out that curse word, but I have no idea what it took to actually build a DMC from scratch. So could you kind of peel the curtain a little bit and walk us through what have you been doing to get this started and what do you see the work being in the next several months?

Scotty O'Brien: 16:24

Sure, and it wasn't that hard, which is funny. I'm pretty good at building a website. I mean, that's always the everybody's horrified at that concept. It is a lot, but that was the easiest portion of it. I'm colorblindblind. Figuring out colors kind of sucked. But you know, I hired a graphic designer who's phenomenal, um, and put together the logo and the color scheme and we built the web on the back end. So that was the easy part.

Scotty O'Brien: 16:51

Mary and I had this conversation when we we just we were on our trip. Uh, we really focused on it after the December casino soirees for the holiday events that were so incredible and we got a break. So you know, we were in England and Paris and Iceland and we really had a chance to really talk about putting this on together. So my focus on the company will be the same as I've done all along since I moved here to Denver One event, one project, one meeting at a time, one special event at a time All I want to do. I'm not built to handle more than that. What the benefit of this is is I get to have hands-on all the way through, which means I'm one POC, one point of contact for the client that's planning their meeting their event, all those pieces of the puzzle.

Scotty O'Brien: 17:45

One of the downfalls and it's not a bad thing, it is what it is but one of the downfalls of a larger organization is that there's many different departments to have input and things get lost in translation between each department. For example, hey, my vision for my special event on Tuesday night is the uplighting to be red. Right, fair enough. Well, after it goes through five different departments and it's handed down to the onsite, that up lighting may be pink. Difference between four star and a five star review. Right there, just that little right there. Um, building the dmc again website is easy. Uh, planning is easy, announcing it's exciting. Um, everybody seems to be pretty receptive. Uh, wondering if the dmCs will be receptive? You know now I'm direct competition for them. I would rather consider myself as more of a collaborator, because I'm sure there's going to be times that we need each other, that we do stuff like with interaction, denver, the team building company. Nobody else has laser skeet in this area. These are things we can do, right.

Jared Judge: 18:56

I've played that laser skeet. Super fun, right.

Scotty O'Brien: 19:00

Nobody else has an electric violinist. But you know, it's all about these connections and I'm trying to view myself not as a competitor but more of a partner. Oh, there's a plug, anyway. So the hard work to be done is now getting the word out. I've built this DMC to be very SEO heavy.

Scotty O'Brien: 19:21

Thank you, jeff Levy, for the insight, because not everybody goes to the organizations ADMEI and PCMA and all the other organizations that exist that a planner would go to and say who's your local DMC? That's not the way it works. There are going to be people to Google it. There's going to be people that go to Visit Denver and that go to Destination Colorado, of which we're a member of all of those for this exact reason. So I'll be switching my memberships on Destination Colorado and Visit Denver to Partner DMC, which will encompass all the services we do but yet serve as another outlet.

Scotty O'Brien: 20:01

There's tons of business in this town and in this, in the state and in the region. I keep referring to Denver because I'm here, it's just easy. But you know, again, we cover the Rocky Mountain region. So, but you know, google, hey, it's a thing, we all use it and we all search for what we're going to do that weekend or whatever. So it's kind of the same thing that an out of town planner. So yeah, I SEO the thing right and and fingers off the word and then word will spread. So that's the hard to do is to get that word to spread.

Jared Judge: 20:37

Yeah, although it seems like you've kind of been laying the foundation for this since you moved to Denver four years ago. Yes, sir.

Scotty O'Brien: 20:44

Yeah, very cool. It's always been a plan. I didn't know when. You know, when I moved here, my job was to a survive because that was a pretty big divorce. That's over, almost finished with the last and final pieces of of that puzzle. Um, and didn't expect to find a wife, good God, and I found a gold mine.

Jared Judge: 21:10

How did that one? You did.

Scotty O'Brien: 21:11

And there's amazing, oh and you know, get the kids in order Layla and Noel, and now we have Ellie, which is hers, and she's just incredible. So get my personal life in order before I, because this venture will be big, this will take a. It's going to take a lot, so, but I'm built for it. Jared, I'm 51. Uh, we've got to be a retirement plan somewhere in this thing. Nobody needs a 75 year old DJ on a mic, cause what are you going to do? Hey, I had a bowel movement. How are you?

Jared Judge: 21:46

Okay, I want to edit that, by the way. I bowel movement. How are you okay? I want to edit that by the way. I just I think we should. We should leave it in don't it's true?

Scotty O'Brien: 21:53

I mean, you know we, we age out of our profession, right? You're not going to be on stage at 82 years old playing the violin while you're holding your walker? That ain't happening yeah you're right.

Scotty O'Brien: 22:05

So this will be an exit strategy down the road. This is the first company that I've decided to put together that's marketable, to be sellable down the road. You know, at this time, like I said, it's one event at a time, one project at a time, stuff like that Woman-owned but it's co-partnered, so it's both of us-owned and that's not a primary focus, but I know that's important at times. The most important thing, the thing that really separates us, besides the one event at a time thing white glove, because they're going to deal with one person. They're not dealing with six different people trying to make it come together, with six different people trying to make it come together, but that, you know, which gives them that personal touch. That's pretty important. So we're excited about that and being able to focus. You know, on the other side of it, am I talking too long? Am I good? No, you're good, I've got like 10 minutes, awesome. The other side of it is we're also focusing on luxury event experiences. All right, and this is not really. I'm not. I'm not out to do a big gala. I mean, yeah, we can do it, we can produce it. This is more for small groups.

Scotty O'Brien: 23:20

One of my favorite stories. A good friend of mine, Josie Littlepage, out of St Louis. She was working with Meritz at the time, the company I told you about and she sent me three days after my oldest, oldest daughter was born, to hawaii, uh, to do an event on the island of lanai. Amazing, um, and it was for, uh, ac delco. Uh, what a fabulous event. It was awesome. I, my room alone, which 20 years ago was a big deal, was about two grand a night. Wow, right, I didn't have to pay for it, but I made a ton of money to go there and just talk on a mic. Uh, there are these luxury experiences. Ac delco rented out the only hotel on the island of lanai and josie produced an amazing and incredible event for that company. It was just phenomenal and that really inspired with me and really stuck with me on what these folks are actually capable of.

Scotty O'Brien: 24:19

Colorado, rocky Mountain region, jackson Hole, wyoming, salt Lake City, utah, aspen these places have money. People that come to these places come because you know, hey, they can do it, number one on them and you know if they're coming to show off, you know their company wares. Well, what a better place to do it? How to do it with creating luxury experiences. And that's something, since we know the area so very well, because I've been coming to the Rocky Mountain region since I was three months old, I mean, really I know the area and I know the people.

Scotty O'Brien: 25:03

If I don't know something that do know the area and to create the area and to create, you know, really intimate, again, white glove luxury experiences for these clients. These will usually be on a smaller group side. You know 10, 20 people to 100, 150 people. You know three or four days in and out. You know they're not flying into DIA. These guys are, you know, flying into the smaller airports on, you know, private jets, private jet, yep, hey, these are the folks that we also want to be able to create exceptional experiences for.

Jared Judge: 25:39

Oh, yeah, for sure, and what a true testament to you having done your homework, because not all events are created equal, Like there are segments within this events industry and I don't think everybody gets that. So I appreciate you kind of making that very clear from the get-go. Not a problem, Very cool. Well, we're getting close to the end of this episode. I mean you've definitely peeled back the curtain. I appreciate that. Is there anything else about Partner DMC or you and Mary and the kids that we should know that I haven't asked about?

Scotty O'Brien: 26:10

Wow, uh, you got another hour. Um, no, I mean, we're just super excited about this thing. I'm not, uh, we are adding this to the repertoire, but we're really uh I like the way to say it umbrella tizing, which is not really a word. But we're putting all of our services under one banner with partner DMC, and you know we're not going to stop doing the other services. But again, I think what's important to know, because people have asked are you stopping what you're doing? Or, you know, are you only going to use your friends? No, that's not the way that things are supposed to be built. I know you're all shaking your friends. No, that's not the way that things are supposed to be built. I know you're all shaking your head, but I love each and every one of you and I have a lot of love to give and a lot of great talents to give to the industry.

Scotty O'Brien: 26:58

The reason I say that again is Partner DMC will be working with the best of the best, who is the best fit for the client. I'm not worried about who my buddy is when it comes time to contract for my clients. I'm worried about the person that can do the absolute best for that client out of the warehouse or the wheelhouse of the people that I know. And if we can't find it here in Denver or the Rocky Mountain region, I know a lot of people across this great nation that can come in and rock this thing and we'll bring your skills in. I mean, it's about the client experience, it's not about what we think or who's buddy buddy with. So that's kind of important to know. Um, you know again, rocky mountain region, the whole area. We're excited about that opportunity. So, uh, you know, yes, what you want to know future plans um, yeah, bro, it's gonna. You want to know Future plans? Yeah, bro, it's going to be fun. I'm going to love this experience. It's going to be a lot of fun. I'm excited about this and speaking to people about it and education.

Scotty O'Brien: 28:00

And again, it's been my dream, jared, to take events well past what we think we're capable of, you know, and really creating that wow experience. That is just mind blowing. I want people to walk out of an event or a meeting or a conference that I work on, the way that Mary and I just walked out of that Paul McCartney concert. There's nothing. How does it get better than this? I want to see it possible. I mean, that's kind of important. So yeah, you can find us on your hyphen partner, hyphen DMC dot com. You know all the social media. I'm sure the plugs will show up. Email me, call me Carrier pigeon, whatever, I'm here to rock some stuff for you, thank you.

Jared Judge: 28:50

That's awesome. Well, scotty, thanks so much for introducing us to Partner DMC and for featuring yourself and your family on the Denver NACE podcast. It is such a pleasure to have you. If any of our listeners are interested in meeting Scotty or any of our other fine NACE members by the way, nace stands for National Association for Catering Events All you got to do is go to nacedenvercom N-A-C-E denvercom and you'll find a list of our upcoming meetings, which our next ones are actually in March for the big MIC conference. Scott, are you going to be at the MIC conference?

Scotty O'Brien: 29:25

I certainly will. You know, and you know I spoke to. Can I give you one second real quick? Sure, denver's unique folks, our, our area, Colorado, this whole thing's unique. I've traveled every city in the nation and a big plug to the MIC. Uh, this is the only organization, the only area that brings together all 18 of the different association and organizations that plan on that focus on our industry together as one. This is a very magical city and region that does that. So big applause, huge applause. I see it, this is massive and people that don't live, that live outside of this, get it. We don't get it Cause we take it for granted, cause we see it every day.

Jared Judge: 30:10

Oh, yeah, for sure that's huge.

Scotty O'Brien: 30:12

Awesome.

Jared Judge: 30:13

Well, thanks again, scotty, and thank you to our listeners for listening. Again, check us out at nacedenvercom and hopefully we'll see you at our next NACE event. So have a great rest of your day and we'll see you soon. Recording.