We were lucky to catch up with Kari Ringer recently and have shared our conversation below.
Kari, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about your team building process? How did you recruit and train your team and knowing what you know now would you have done anything differently?
Owning a business is deeply personal. In contrast to large corporations or working for a small business owned by someone else, your business is YOUR baby: you’ve birthed it, raised it, and continue to want the best for it. For me, the hiring/team building process is like choosing godparents for this baby; who will best nurture it? Lead by example? Be responsible to care for it when you’re absent? I was lucky enough to find a true partner in Chelsea McLean to nurture and grow The Darlings Productions. The business was born and adapted from a previous touring show that needed to pivot due to a personnel shakeup and a major production overhaul. Chelsea had been my best friend for years prior so there was no real interview process, but I knew she was incredibly talented, organized, articulate, and brought a unique perspective to the new brand. Having seen it from a third party viewpoint, she had valid opinions from someone “outside the inside”, so to speak. Sometimes, when were so close to something like a personal business, that outside perspective is just what we need to move forward. Chelsea had something to say, and I needed to listen.
We grew The Darlings Productions from a small seasonal enterprise to a year-round original concept production company, selling out shows and becoming one of the first touring shows in the Southeast to be brought back to venues multiple years in a row. I attribute this success to Chelsea and I’s collaboration–we work together seamlessly, through good days and bad, and always put our friendship first. Some would argue this isn’t the best way to run a business, but I think our kindness and support for each other resonates with our clients, and that moral highground shows them we are trustworthy and a dang good time!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
The Darlings Productions is a entertainment production company that specializes in full scale original theatrical style shows and concerts. We are proud to maintain a catalogue of professional, diverse talent who, beyond their awards and accolades, are wonderful, supportive, and kind entertainers. Our business code of ethics sets forth no exclusivity clause or non-compete contracts–our entertainment should work with us because they WANT to, and feel respected and valued. Similarly, our clients have the choice to work with any other company to book their talent, but the Darlings work hard to be chosen above others for their honesty, can-do attitudes, and communication.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
The Darlings Productions flagship project is called The Downhome Darlings, a music/comedy experience starring Chelsea and myself. The Downhome Darlings travel around the Southeast heavily during the snowbird season (November to April), and this particular night, we were at the very end of our busy season. We were booked on a split bill in South Florida, 3.5 hours away from our home base. Chelsea, our sound engineer Andy, and myself were just starting dinner around 530pm at a nearby sports bar before the show. The show was to begin at 7pm with a comedian, and we were to take the stage for Act II at 8pm. Suddenly, I got a frantic call from the lifestyles director: “The comedian isn’t coming. Could you do your full two-act show tonight, and how. much would you charge for the extra hour?” The three of us flung ourselves into problem solving mode–I started crunching numbers, Chelsea worked on a new setlist, and Andy canceled the entrees. Within minutes, we jumped back into the car, knowing we had an extra hour to perform and one hour less to get ready (and no dinner). The best part was, we three knew that we were going to make it happen and despite the exhaustion at the end of the season, we were dedicated to providing a great show!
The show went off without a hitch, and was maybe our best of the year. The exhilaration of a last minute change gave us a jolt, and the audience was so grateful. We received lots of compliments and kind words from the guests. We easily could have said we were only doing the one act, but I’m so lucky to work with a crew that jumped in, did what was needed despite challenges, and went above and beyond for the sake of great entertainment!
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
Our clients are mostly older people, and word of mouth is a very powerful tool in that age bracket. We are in a unique position, in that social media is still sort of foreign to our client base, so we are on extra high alert to present ourselves professionally in everything we do and say in person. For example, during our shows. we build in extra time to meet and greet guests in their seats or at their tables. We provide a step-and-repeat backdrop for photos after the show. We maintain a Google Sheet with our lifestyle directors’ names, hometowns, and any other relatable personal information like their favorite sports team or pet’s name, so we can brush up before we make a sales call or travel to their venue. Above all we know our guests love to chat about themselves, so we want to do our part to remember the important things about their lives and make them feel special. This is a personal touch that has grown our business exponentially, because our clients feel like they’re hiring friends instead of a company. It’s all about knowing what makes your clients tick, and using your resources to keep them ticking!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.TheDarlingsProductions.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDarlingsProductions/