Jeff White
Posted: December 21, 2006
By Jane Cohen and Bob GrosswienerJeff White is the vice president of Business Development & Sales of In Ticketing, a technology company in Marin County, Calif., that provides ticketing and e-commerce solutions for bands, venues, festivals and events, such as online ticketing, box office software, on-demand ticket printing and access control. Since joining the company in 2003, Jeff has been instrumental in corporate branding and the creation of strategic alliances. Ticketing clients include Burning Man, Wakarusa Music Festival, Reggae on the River, Xingolati, Yoshi's at Jack London Square, The Catalyst, Goo Goo Dolls/CinderBlock, Pine Mountain Amphitheater, Vail Snow Daze featuring the Counting Crows and Orpheum Theater in Flagstaff, Ariz. Merchandise fulfillment clients include George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic, Jamcruise, Langerado, and Sound Tribe Sector 9. With a high-tech sales background (Jeff formerly served in sales, project management and customer relations at technology giants JPMorgan SymPro and Advent Software) and a passion for music and the outdoors, Jeff is realizing his dream of combining his business acumen with working for a music technology company that cares about the environment. In Ticketing works with artists and event organizers to provide more environmentally friendly approaches to producing events and merchandise. "Green events" In Ticketing is associated with include Earthdance, We the Planet, Reggae on the River, Green Festival, LOHAS Conference, Harmony Festival, Sol Fest and others. The company has assisted all of these events in using renewable materials for printing to educating event patrons of how to offset their impact from attending the events. All of these events also tie together the environment, the community and music in some capacity. In Ticketing also founded the Global Cooling Collective, an organization that works to reduce the effects of global warming by sponsoring planting trees around the world. "With some of our ticketing clients, most recently Tree Sound Studios in Atlanta, we have launched the Tree Per Ticket initiative," notes Jeff. "We plant one tree for every paper ticket sold, thus combining our strength with communities of concert goers around the world to create a healthier, more beautiful planet full of life and fresh air. Jeff hooked up with In Ticketing CEO Steve Weisz through the live music scene when they were introduced by mutual friends. "We just jelled," says Jeff. "We're both passionate entrepreneurs, share common values and love music. I began doing some consulting work. It was clear this was a good fit, and I transitioned to full time." In Ticketing does business in all 50 states, Australia and Canada, in all types of venues, such as San Jose (CA) Civic Auditorium, Sonoma County (CA) Fairgrounds, Peppermint Beach Club in Virginia, Theatre of the Living Arts in Philadelphia, TABU and Paramount Theatre in New York, Boulder Theatre in Colorado, and Syrup Night Club in Tasmania, Australia, with GA and reserved seating alike. It has a core staff of 12 as well as a group of team members who assist only with festivals and larger projects. Jeff is active at industry events, such as Aspen Live, Billboard, SXSW and INTIX. He lives in Marin County, Calif., with "my beautiful wife Hallie, and a terribly handsome flat-coated retriever named Rambo." With the competitive nature that online ticketing has become, what are some of the advantages of using In Ticketing over other online ticketing services? As event goers ourselves, we have very high standards as to what level of service we expect and therefore strive to deliver. In Ticketing has built all of our own technology in-house and from the ground up. It's easy to use and intuitive to navigate through as the flexibility and power of the system allows us to be extremely adaptable and scaleable. Most of In Ticketing's features and functionality come directly from client and customer suggestions and feedback. The system is designed for real life scenarios by the most qualified people in the industry--the users themselves. In Ticketing's products and services are some of the most cost effective and service oriented in the business. Are your operating costs higher by employing green initiatives? If so, how do you remain competitive?
We make it our business to use renewable resources while maintainingour bottom line. Sure, it can cost a few cents more to make a hemp/flax ticket and plant a tree, however, we developed the process in-house and can keep the cost low to our clients which in itself makes us more competitive. We have something unique and authentic, which attracts new clients, builds trust with event patrons, and inevitably saves us money and time on advertising and brand development. The real question is how can a company remain competitive without employing green initiatives? In the long run, it's far more expensive to neglect the environment than to work to keep it healthy. What percentage of your business consists of online ticket sales?
Approximately 65% of our business is ticketing and the remainder is web stores, merchandise fulfillment and related activities. How is the convenience charge to the ticket buyer determined?
All online transactions have processing costs associated with them. Factors such as credit card percentages, event organizer's costs and bottom line, what services are being used for that particular instance or project, ticket volume, etc., all help to determine what the ultimate convenience fee will work out to for the patron. One of In Ticketing's core values is to keep convenience fees as low as possible to the consumer. Considering the frequency at which our target market purchases tickets for live events, we have to be extra sensitive regarding ticket fees that patrons are being charged. With your Box Office Management service allowing patrons to securely print tickets from their home computers, with what regularity are you seeing this done?
Most definitely, and more and more often. We have some clients that use print at home now for all shows. First concert attended
Foreigner with Joe Walsh opening, in 1985, at Ohio Center in Columbus. First concert worked
Health & Harmony Festival, Santa Rosa, Calif., 2003, featuring Dave Mason and Keller Williams. I handled box office management and operations on behalf of In Ticketing. First industry job
In Ticketing--formally known as InHouse Ticketing prior to our re-branding. Career highlights
The first year In Ticketing powered Reggae on the River's box office; creative re-branding project, which In Ticketing was born; launching our very first box office client--Yoshi's at Jack London Square in 2003; launching Pine Mountain Amphitheater in Flagstaff, Ariz. as one of our first touch-screen box office installations in the summer of 2006. Career disappointment
A promising summer festival that I'd spent a ton of time working with fell short of expectations due to challenges with their booking agent. I've the greatest aspirations for all of my clients and am personally invested in their success. Although it was disappointing at the time, the life lessons learned have been invaluable. Greatest challenge
Finding down time. Best business decision
I was less then two months into a sales job working for a software company that produced portfolio management software for government agencies--fun people, and thrilling work--when I was invited by a friend, Steve Weisz, founder/CEO of In Ticketing, to go to Maui with Soulive & DJ Logic along with some other music business folks in 2002. Although it's normally considered poor decision making to take a vacation so early on in a new role, it proved to be one of the best moves I've ever made. I met some of my current best friends on this trip. Had I turned him down, I may have never crossed over into the music business. Best advice you received
Figure out what you really like doing, then find a way to get paid for it. Best advice to offer
Always be positive, lead by inspiration, value is never too expensive, and the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are normally the people who do. Most memorable industry experiences
Although they were very different events, it's difficult not to connect them in my mind. Xingolati, as a project and an experience -- I've yet to encounter its parallel -- and Burning Man. At both Burning Man and Xingolati, the actual event/experience itself is community driven. There isn't one artist or single part of the event that defines it. In fact, the performers/artists themselves are as much attendees as anyone else who actually bought a ticket. Most people are dressed up in elaborate costumes and are actively participating in the performances, art and theatrically happenings, etc. At these events, each and every person is what makes these events unique and like no other. It's all about the community making the sum greater than its individual parts. The organizers of these festivals are more facilitators of a unique artistic and festive environment, then what would typically be expected from traditional concert promoters. Favorite team
Ohio State Buckeyes -- my home town. Favorite restaurant
Rubinos Pizza in Bexley, Ohio. Nothing like it on the planet -- nothing. Favorite hotel
Manele Bay resort in Lanai, Maui. What friends would be surprised to learn about you
My life's an open book. Industry pet peeve
When easy things are made to be difficult: unnecessarily. Office paraphernalia
Rambo the dog. If I wasn't doing this, I would be...
…playing my guitar on a beach somewhere. Industry mentor
Jerry Garcia. Jeff can be reached at: (415) 256-8498; e-mail: jeff@inticketing.com |
