The lights seem to dim. An aerialist spins in the air. The sequins flashed in the warm light of the following place, and my strange mind wondered: “Sounds like marketing for a traveling circus where every other week brings in a brand new market?“
When I went looking for an answer, I found instead, one of the most profound and heartfelt conversations in a long time.
And it reinforces my belief that, sometimes, the most important lessons for marketers… don’t come from marketers at all.
Kevin Venardos
Owner/Founder/Ringmaster of Vanardos Circus
- Fun Fact: I’m sorry, what could be a more interesting fact OWN YOUR OWN CIRCUS?!
- Claim to Fame: Kevin grew his circus out of a rented tent at the state fair two The Tour boasts 45 locations across the United States and more than 200,000 participants.
Lesson 1: Use your dream to help others achieve theirs.
“Everything I owned was a certain amount of debt,” Venardos says. “It started with wanting to keep working. Not having to depend on someone else to think I was useful to have around.”
But life had lessons in store that would change his motivation.
“I found this little (carnival) in Snohomish, WY and I said, ‘Hey, let me put my little circus through your event, and it won’t cost me a dime. And I’m going to work my tail off putting as much butt in these hay bales as I possibly can.’
It was meant to be just a smart business move, a way to stretch their slim budget, but something clicked somewhere for Venardos.
“We have the ability to make an economic impact. Where we have a circus, there are businesses nearby. And when we succeed, they benefit from it.
This small lesson grew into a philosophy that underlines how Venardos thinks about its staff, its partnerships, and even its audience.
“How can you use your dream to help other people achieve theirs? When I’m not asking myself this question, I’m usually on the wrong track.
Lesson 2: Invest in emotional connection.
“Every (interaction) has an opportunity to bring them joy or give them a reason to smile. Take weight off them or make our needs more important than theirs.”
This is the same with customers, co-workers and colleagues. And it’s that consideration that Venardos attributes to the show’s success. For example, he tells me about what his lowest point might be.
“When 2020 hits, that investment of love is what gets us through the pandemic.“Social isolation can kill many live shows and, instead, “People showed up and bought $25 tickets (to a live circus) when they could watch YouTube for free.
And Venardos is quick to point out that Love isn’t just for consumers. “It’s about other businesses and other parts of your community that you have a spark for.”
“Places where it’s just a transactional relationship are usually not the places where we’re most successful,” he says. “When you have an army of people whose success is tied to yours in some way, that’s when things really start to pick up.“
Lesson 3: Share your unique struggles.
As our conversation drew to a close, I asked Venardos what he would do differently if he could go back in time to 2014 and do it all over again.
Tormenting oneself with such a question can be a trap, he said. Our identity as a small circus that was completely fake, and only, Because I have made many mistakes,” he said and stared off into the middle distance.
The first time I saw Venardos Circus, the show ended when the ringmaster himself came out to thank the audience. When he said that, he said that his voice explained how close the show came to not making it. How he bets everything on the dream of a rented tent and a circus. How each of us was helping an entire family of dreamers. I was hooked.
“I don’t wish pain on anyone, but pain is a spoonful of gratitude in your heart. I think it’s something that connects with people. There is an emotional resonance.
People come to the circus for the spectacle. But they come back Because they get something deeper.
“That thing you think What is your flaw, if you are willing to share it comfortably, is actually your unique struggle. There is someone else out there – and you may not know them yet – who needs to see something that only you can offer because of the unique challenges you’ve been through.
Bonus Lesson 1: Happiness is clear expectations.
“Building a happy community means setting clear expectations for everyone and holding each other accountable.”
If you think culture is important in your work, imagine if you lived with all your co-workers for months! I asked Venardos how his team navigates this dynamic.
The first step, he says, is “the amount of time and love that goes into finding and caring for the right people.” The second step is the promise you make to each other.
“Great people will feel disrespected if people are allowed to perform at a mediocre level or are not held to what they were promised.,” says Venardos. I thought it was a cold-hearted philosophy at one point. Before I discovered that I caused more pain than (resolving) the thing by dealing with it immediately. “
Bonus lesson 2: Inheritance is priceless.
“The person who’s greeting at the front door, our concessions team, they’re all equally important to every artist,” he explained. “In recent months, I’ve also discovered that giving titles to people who seem to have some kind of superiority (is detrimental to team dynamics).”
Which is not to say that there isn’t a level of leadership.
“True, one may have responsibilities where they are looking after certain individuals and holding them accountable. But the idea that a boss should be respected just because that is their title is the antithesis of what I consider to be a successful team.”
In a car, the engine is not more important than the wheels. You need both if it’s going to work.
Lingering questions
Today’s question
“How do you see your marketing evolving as you enter the holiday season?” —Christina Jerome, founder of Warwick
Today’s answer
Venardos says: “We don’t really change our marketing during the holiday season because our formula is more targeted to whether we’re playing a new city or a returning city.”
Sometimes it just happens!
Next week’s question
Venardos asked: “What is the most effective marketing tool in your arsenal?”
