Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Craig Waldman. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Craig, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
I have always said that this lifestyle is one that chose me. My story started in my college years at Cal Poly where I found myself as a graphic design major but quickly involved myself in event planning for the student body. After being tasked with organizing concerts and shows for the university and surrounding town, I was able to secure several notable acts and artists for these performances. Years later a happenstance encounter and subsequent partnership with the late Merv Griffin to form a production company earned me my stripes in my early days in the industry. At 40 years of age and 15 years into the industry, my wife (and partner in crime) Cindy and I founded 15|40 Productions, transforming an operation that outgrew our laundry room into a globally renowned event production company.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
For the 20 years since its founding, 15|40 has grown to be the destination for strategic thinking, meaningful solutions and zeitgeist direction on cutting-edge experiential events, specializing in creative-led marketing events and one of a kind experiential entertainment premieres, immersive experiences and activations for the world’s most well-known and loved global brands and streaming services. This includes the likes of Amazon, Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Hulu and many more. Our ultimate goal is to tap into the pop culture hype and industry pulse, helming end-to-end creation and production of an event that allows for a brand or company to create their own memorable cultural moment and positive experiences for consumers. Our incredible team always has a beat on the next viral industry trend, and are able to remain a step ahead as we continuously evolve and diversify our capabilities.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
I have an unwavering belief that the success of 15|40 and the results that we can bring forth for clients hinges on the exceptional individuals that are a part of our team. The recent rapid growth of a family-founded and run business has presented its own unique challenges, but through efforts to balance this expansion while we maintain our core vision and family-value ethos is truly the key. The mindset, knowledge and passion of this creative-led team fuels the innovative and groundbreaking ideas that are what set our work apart from the rest. We always aim to broaden and diversify our teams to fulfill our commitment to remaining an end-to-end production company, sharpening our creative (and competitive) edge as we fill the team with fresh faces and continue evolving to reflect the ever changing nature of the events industry.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
15|40’s foundation stands upon the like-minded professionals and creatives that make up our incredible team. We make every effort to approach our work each and every day with integrity and honesty. The cornerstones of this solid foundation to allow for the success and global reach that we have achieved in recent years are quite simple—trust within client partnerships.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.1540productions.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/15l40/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1540productions/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/15-40-productions/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/1540creative
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@1540creative/featured
Image Credits
Line 8 Photography