April 2022: Lasting Impact
“At the end of the day people won’t remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel.”
Maya Angelou
Drastic inflation is one of the largest challenges that we’re all experiencing right now. From the cost of groceries to rising gas prices, everything seems expensive these days. We’re really feeling it in the Real Estate world where home prices have soared because of a historically low supply of houses, particularly new construction. Another example of inflated costs are tickets to live performances. I wanted to go and see the Eagles at Bridgestone next week & Van Morrison at the Ryman the following but tickets to either concert are $300 plus. $600 if I wanted to bring a friend. In times like these, it’s hard to justify spending $600-$700 for a 2-hour experience.
When I heard last week that Garth Brooks was performing at Nissan Stadium, I figured that might be worth looking into. I quickly discovered that the cost was only $85 per ticket, no matter where the seats were in the stadium. That’s super inexpensive these days for a performer of his caliber. I got emotional at the fact that he could charge so much more, and people would gladly pay it, but he opted not to. As consumers, we love to think we’re getting a deal and hate feeling taken advantage of. So going into the concert, I Garth is all right in my book.
Raving Fans
“Just having satisfied customers isn’t good enough anymore. If you really want a booming business, you have to create Raving Fans.”
-Kenneth Blanchard
Full transparency: A week ago I was not very well versed in Garth Brook’s catalogue. I love all music and have an affinity for country but went into the show very fresh and uninformed, like going to a movie where you have no idea what the plot is going to be. From start to finish, this was one of the best concerts I have ever seen. He came out firing on all cylinders with so much energy, optimism, and gratitude, you couldn’t help but get swept up in the excitement. I think the best art makes you want to laugh and cry at the same time. It’s a mixture of emotions, particularly joy and reflection. When someone loves what they do so much and is aware that what they’re doing is not about them but rather the collective, you can’t help but feel a part of the community and a believer in the message. He creates raving fans because of his passion and genuineness. It was a giant party and the value that I gained from the experience far outweighed the money that I spent in purchasing the ticket.