#13 - Simran Whitham: “The Events Playbook” - Building a Profitable Events Business, Effective Networking, Resilience, Strategy & more

Sep 10, 2024

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Today's guest is Simran Whitham, founder and CEO of FORMAT, the award-winning events production and creative agency.

With over 8 years of experience in marketing and production across the events, video games, and digital creative industries, Simran has co-founded and worked as Head of Marketing at Tri-Heart Interactive, Head of Player Engagement at Milky Tea, Lead Social Media Manager at The Lowry Theatre, and marketing executive at VR/AR studio XR Games. Along the way, he gained invaluable experience that inspired him to create FORMAT, a leading games industry community nightlife event.

In this episode, Simran delves into the secrets behind organizing successful and profitable events. He shares the journey of FORMAT, from its inception to groundbreaking gaming events, and offers practical advice on everything from generating lead flow and tracking attendees to finding the balance between profitability and fun. Simran also provides insights on overcoming challenges, networking strategies, and how to make your event stand out.

This podcast is ideal for event planners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in the events and games industries. Whether you're looking to launch your first event or seeking ways to optimize and grow your existing business, this podcast is for you.

Connect with Simran:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simran-whitham-939957143/
X: https://x.com/simranwhitham

Connect with Harry:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hphokou/
Youtube: ⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@hphokou
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hphokou

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:40 What is FORMAT?
1:46 The Origin Story of Revolutionary Gaming Events
7:40 Simran’s Resilience and Going Against the Stream
9:58 What Makes FORMAT Events Better Than Others
12:50 Tips For Starting Your Very First Event
18:47 How to Generate Lead Flow Like FORMAT
20:41 Strategies for Tracking Attendees and Managing Data
24:24 You Win Or You Learn
26:46 What to Do When Hard Work Isn't Paying Off
30:42 The Importance of Networking and Going to Events
35:19 Lesser-Known Events Worth Attending
37:49 Simran’s Networking Strategy for Gamescom
45:15 FORMAT’s Way To Making Event Business Profitable
50:49 Capitalistic and Profitable or Fun and Losing Money
56:21 How To Organize a Fun and Profitable Event
1:04:40 Advice For Aspiring Entrepreneurs
1:07:40 Ways To Connect and Find Out More About Simran