Originally Published at Global Business Leaders Magazine
Upgrading The Traditional Stadium Hospitality Solutions At Events
Bobby Bowers started his entrepreneurial journey at the young age of 18 with his first company ‘Epic Sessions Wakeboard Camp’. While pursuing his education at South-eastern University (SEU), Bobby designed and developed a portable, on-demand village used for emergency response scenarios, that’s outfitted for the temporary replacement of homes or commercial structures destroyed by natural disasters. At the age of 21, he was supporting the development of a whole new wellness program for the PGA Tour and its affiliates as the Director of Health & Wellness. He is also the creator of the world’s first, durable, plastic surfboard travel case; The Nautilus Adventurer Case.
Bobby’s rich experience with the consumers and exceptional business acumen have helped him establish several successful business ventures. Being a keen observer, he was able to detect the void in the ways that sports and entertainment properties activate customer/fan experiences, which led him to develop the Party Shack concept. After spending months of due diligence to assure the legitimacy of the concept, Bobby built the Party Shack prototype in Qingdao, China. Bobby spent 35 days in Qingdao working directly with the factory to develop the concept. After the prototype was packed and shipped to States, Bobby and his father began marketing Party Shack at local markets.
The efforts have made Party Shack rank amongst the leading companies in the sports, entertainment, and hospitality industries. We got an opportunity to interview Bobby Bowers, the Founder of Party Shack. Through our chat, we discovered that Bobby not only has a unique vision for practical design and technology but also is gifted with the talent of forecasting how the products can be sustainable and generate long-term profitability. Here is the interview:
Could you brief our readers about Party Shack?
Party Shack is a US-based design and manufacturing company focused on building modernized portable hospitality products for sports and entertainment venues. The aim was to foster a new wave of innovation in event hospitality infrastructure, we develop new concepts and new ideas while meeting our high standards for quality and safety. We have taken Party Shack from a concept to a repeatedly demonstrated reality, spending time and resources on optimizing the performance and efficiency of our products.
How has Party Shack distinguished itself in the industry?
Party Shack is focused on manufacturing purpose-built, portable products for the sporting and entertainment industries. We design and manufacture all of our products from scratch in our custom facility in the USA. We outfit stadium venues with structures specific to their needs, no matter their requirements. Our patented designs help organizations to generate incremental revenue streams in areas such as premium ticketing, F&B, and sponsorships.
What has been the toughest challenge for your company and how did the team tackle it?
Our toughest challenge has been the process of educating professional organizations about our products, and how to transition them from their traditional methods to a more modernized methods. We depend solely on the success of one major organization (i.e. NFL team) while the others sit back and wait to see how profitable the organization is by monetizing our concept.
Among the varied services offered, what has made Spectator Suite a consumer favorite?
The Spectator Suite has certainly gained the most popular among our consumers. The portable suite is easily towed from A to B with a heavy-duty pickup truck, and can be parked on virtually any surface; grass, dirt, sand, asphalt, uneven terrain, etc. The towable design cuts down on the logistics costs and on-site staffing requirements significantly. Once parked into position on-site, the suite only requires 2 staff members to set up in less than 30 minutes. Simply roll in the suite on the morning of the event, and then roll it away as soon as the event is completed.
With the intent to foster a new wave of innovation in event hospitality infrastructure, we develop new concepts and new ideas while meeting our high standards for quality and safety.
Could you share your opinion on how rapid digitalization is benefiting your industry and why others should also leverage digital tools?
The digital era is truly the only trend worthy of focusing on moving forward. We utilize digital technologies in our manufacturing techniques along with our on-site services ranging from deliveries, pick-ups, on-site maintenance, and inventory tracking. Our customers expect us to provide the latest in digital amenities where we can.
Throughout the journey, which award/recognition are you the proudest of?
We have been most proud of being recognized as “efficient disruptors” in the sporting and entertainment industries by major organizations such as the NFL, PGA Tour, X-Games, ESPN Events, etc. We are also most proud when our customers call us back to rent, lease or purchase more products.
According to you, what are the factors required to qualify as one of the best companies in the industry?
- Staying committed to your customers and treating every one of them equally
- Maintaining a constant and consistent stream of communication with your customers
- Be considered a disrupter by your competition
- Maintain a portion of the market share and build that share annually
- Go above and beyond for your customers regardless if they see the hard work behind the scenes
What can we expect from Party Shack USA in the following year?
Our constant goal is to enhance the fan experience, generate incremental revenue, and create opportunities for major sponsorships for our customers. You can expect to see Party Shack products at various new types of sporting and entertainment venues in the coming months. We have also established new strategic partners ranging from engineering firms, venue management specialists, and hospitality agencies.
