We were lucky to catch up with Tracey Felten recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tracey, appreciate you joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Taking a risk. Who knew those 3 words wouldn’t just define taking a risk, but risking it all. Before starting GPS, I had over 20 years of experience in every aspect of the concert/live event/theater/corporate industry. Little did I know, I was about to get a lot more in a very short amount of time. In 2016 I was freelancing and working for some of the best people/companies I had ever worked for. NASCAR Productions, Mr. Rick Ketner, and many others. I was staying in the best resorts, getting paid well, and working with the best crews. Then it all changed. I was approached by a “friend” Someone I knew, but wasn’t close to. He had a small company and asked me if I wanted to start a labor company in AZ. (where we both resided) I said no. I managed a labor company before, and the idea of doing that again was less than appealing to me when I was perfectly happy doing what I was currently doing. He painted a pretty picture of starting it up and still being able to do what I loved. I bought the snake oil. Lock stock and barrel. He created it all. The LLC, the bank account, got the facility… his name on it all. I questioned my “partnership” and why I wasn’t added to any of the business structure and was told “in due time, I did it this way to get it started as soon as possible” I believed him. So I called my friends and clients and let them know what “We” had started and everyone was on board. My friends that were techs (more like family) joined us, clients that knew me and trusted me and I had been working with and for, for years, thought the idea was great and jumped in. I took this person to a corporate sit down and listened to him make promises I was praying quietly he would keep. The business took off like a shot. We had an agreement with one of the biggest hotel AV companies in the valley and I was super excited to watch this grow. Being able to have so much work to offer my tech family had me overjoyed! I hired people that trusted me to work in the office. We all worked night and day. I put people in place so I could go do other ventures, but instead of me pursuing what I was promised I could, I had to stay and watch over the non stop business while he went out of town and worked all over the country. (Keep in mind, I still was not a legal partner) He started expanding into other areas that no one in the office knew anything about. He brought in a wonderful man because he owned AV equipment and sold him on the idea of us now being a full production company. (He drank the koolaid too) Then we hear walls coming down in the back warehouse. He had rented the space next door and was making one huge warehouse, we were all perplexed and were getting no answers.

Next up, a shipment of LED panels from China (stand up like sandwich boards) He hired more “friends” and was set on renting these to every hotel in AZ for corporate events. So at this point, no one in the original office knew what was happening and his office next door was knee deep in IT and trying to sell to their friends this new idea. (if you are following along.. you will see the pattern here) This soulless shell of a human got us all to bring in people that we knew and trusted us for his personal gain. Let me now fast forward and get to that, and please know, there is SO MUCH I’m not able to cover here, but when I write a book about it I will let you all know.
Literally this all happened in the matter of 4-5 months. Fast forward to November. Techs started calling me about getting paid. I thought they meant that week. NOPE they meant ever… like since they started working with us. I was speechless. I went to accounting and I got you have to talk to “HIM” (I’m not protecting his name, it just makes me physically sick to even say it) Well “HE’ was never available, so between myself and the director of operations (also a friend I brought into this “amazing opportunity) we didn’t know what to do. When “He” finally showed his face, he made the receptionist send an email out to all the techs, mostly due to the fact that “HE” didn’t want to deal with the backlash emails. This poor girl did as she was told, and I was nothing more than mortified and disgusted with his “honesty” A fire was started, but the crew bought into his promises to pay them and continued to work and get the jobs done.

December… right before Christmas..

This is literally the most despicable and disgusting thing I have ever witnessed. He went to the receptionist again… NOW keep in mind, the work environment was MORE than hostile at this point, He was asking her to send yet ANOTHER email to all the techs saying how sorry he was about being unable to pay them… I stormed into the front area and told him he needed to do this. HIM, not her. Man up and do the right thing. Well, you can only imagine how that went. After I walked away, he threatened her job and she did as she was told.

For the next month and a half, techs stormed the castle and demanded to see the little weasel that was holding their money hostage. They wanted to take gear and I couldn’t let them do that, because it wasn’t HIS to take. He finally showed his face and made deals and gave techs items he owned in trade for services rendered. I had enough. MORE than enough. I quietly started GPS. I got the business plan together, I opened an account with $100, I got my company name locked in and I was determined to stop him and his lies. I went to the company that we were doing business with behind the scenes and said pull the plug, NOW. I explained the Sh*t show that was going on and they needed to move away from him. And just like that… the work stopped coming in.

He approached me right at the end of this nightmare and wanted to give me the company. I told him he was out of his mind. He handed me a piece of paper with one line on it and wanted me to sign it. I’m sure what I said to him wont make it to print if I type it here. I told him I will have my lawyer write up an agreement and HE can sign it. So in 2 days I brought in the paperwork for him to sign. It stated I get everything that the company used from start to finish. Computers, furniture, phones, printers… everything EXCEPT the debt he had accumulated. The money he owed over 200 techs. The rent, which I can only imagine he owed. The repairs he will be fined for, due to the fact that he didn’t get permission to blow out the wall in the warehouse…. and back pay to people that trusted him and worked for him in the office and I can’t even imagine what else. Honestly, I don’t want to. It’s entirely to heartbreaking.

March 8th, 2017…

With every once of hope I had left. With every family (tech) member that stood by me. With every client, that knew me and still had faith in me. Guardian Production Services Inc was born.

I had nothing to hide from, yet was treated as though I should have been doing just that. I get it. I was always introduced as the partner. It was in my email signature, It was what I thought I was. I wanted to be a partner in a business to help techs make money and care for their family by doing what they loved. Not a partner in crime. He was and is a criminal. To the tune of 267k (that I am aware of, I’m sure it was more) My guys didn’t press charges, even though I told them too. They didn’t want to hurt me. I told them it wouldn’t hurt me and even if it did it would have been worth it to punish the horrible human that cared about nothing other than himself.

Guardian is named after my angels. The ones above and the ones that walk beside me. The ones that always had my back. The ones that always knew I did no harm and the harm that was done by another killed my soul and they helped repair it. They don’t know, but they will now. Without them, I don’t think I would have made it through the most horrible situation I have ever been involved in.

So taking a risk..
Was trusting someone I shouldn’t have, but in doing so, I found my angels. They stood by me at my worst and continue to stand by me at my best. And I couldn’t be more grateful.

Tracey, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started in the event industry when I was 16. I took Tech Theater and I fell in love. Volunteered at the Phoenix Theater until 21. Took a few years off and got back in full force at 26. I worked for a local staging company for 17 years. I toured, I learned every aspect and everything I possibly could. From wardrobe to high rigging. If I listed everything I have done in 30 years I would need my own magazine.

We provide the most professional and experienced technicians to keep your show on point, from start to finish. :)

What I want clients to know about me? .. I don’t BS. I stand by my word, like in the old days, where a handshake and honesty was all you needed!!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

See page one

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Word of mouth / Referrals / My Techs are my company, they bring the business back!!

Contact Info:

• Website: http://guardianproductionservices.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GuardianProductionServices

Image Credits
Every GPS family member Every GPS Client Everyone that believed in me My Dad…. the wind beneath my wings.