Name: J. Damany Daniel
Age: 29
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
AHD: How did you find out about Art House Dallas?
DD: I was introduced to it by my friend Marissa who told me I had to come to a meeting they were having to kick off the program.
AHD: What is your favorite restaurant in Dallas?
DD: The Cedars Social
AHD: What is your favorite music venue here in town?
DD: The Kessler Theater
AHD: How would you describe your work and what do you love about it?
DD: I get the opportunity to work with people who host events for things they’re passionate about and figure out creative ways to get other people who share that passion to join them. I love the fact that people, regardless of their experience or skills, can connect with other friends (new and old) to create community using some of the tools that Eventbrite has. I love that I get to see people come together in a way they have for years- events and experiences.
AHD: Help us understand the state of event planning and the type of people that you work with.
DD: Event planning is one of those things that people forget about…until they do their first event. The amount of planning that is necessary for a successful one hour concert, or 5 hour gala is astounding and people often take it for granted. Ultimately, event planning is all about helping people express the things they’re passionate about. It’s about creating and cultivating a community that people want to be a part of because it speaks to their shared experiences. I get to work with some of the best people in the world. From mothers and fathers, to singles trying to find their place in the world. From career event planners to people who love reading or fashion and want to share that love with the world- I get to see people’s passions come alive and watch as they share that passion with the(ir) world.
AHD: Your work in the event planning industry entails working with various dynamics of people, how do you as an “Event Evangelist” integrate your faith into your business and clientele?
DD: It’s always important to remember that everyone has a story and they all want to share it. Unfortunately, we all too often are so concerned with sharing our story that we fail to listen. To be honest, we can also get so focused on sharing the story of Christ that we fail to listen. Christ made his message strong, but also contextualized it so people could understand. If he spoke to farmers, he spoke of seeds; if to soldiers, he spoke of authority; if to humble servants, he spoke of love. He did this because he took time to know the people whose community he was in. For me, I strive for the same thing. I want to know the story of people and then speak to them from that context. I want to represent something unique and different to them so people ask questions or feel as if they can speak about their problems or concerns because it is then that I can point them to Christ. They know that I “get it” and also understand them.
AHD: How can I (general public) get involved with Eventbrite?
DD: Check out the website. If you’re looking to host an event or want a better way to collect money for concerts and connect with fans (getting their email addresses, etc) then Eventbrite it likely the tool for you. It’s super simple to sign up and within minutes you can be selling tickets or managing registration online with more tools than you could possibly imagine. Email me (BriteDFW at Eventbrite dot com) and check out the Facebook page (http://facebook.com/BriteDFW) or sign up for the newsletter (http://eepurl.com/c_Nvk) to see what new events are my picks for the week.
AHD: What project(s) are you working on right now besides being an event evangelist?
DD: Getting plugged into my new neighborhood/community through Go Oakcliff, Writing for ILiveInDallas.com, starting an event planners community to share best practices and be able to offer support for people who may not have the resources or experience they feel like they need.