Aivar Laan

Founder and CEO at Festivality

 

Aivar Laan is of the key pioneers of professional Baltic event marketing since mid-1990s. Live events veteran, 20+ years in the industry, more than 2000 events produced and promoted from corporate to music and film festivals in the Baltics, Nordics and CEE region. On a mission to digitize the event industry with data-driven mobile technologies.

GENERAL

Q: What do you love about your job the most?

I´ve always been a change agent and on a mission to inspire positive changes in thinking among my peers. Innovation in event industry is close to my heart and right now I see multiple ways to innovate in the digitizing events space with smart devices and technology.

Q: Where do you see the biggest opportunity in marketing and MICE industry?

Technology and data helping all players. In events domain this means empowering attendees and fans with better user experience and helping event-goers get more out of events. For organizers and promoters to deliver better, smarter events and both to provide and gain more value from data-driven approaches. Technology and machine learning should enable us to free up valuable time to explore deeper paths where humanity manifests at it’s best – creativity.

Q: How do you deal with marketing jungle on daily basis?

I try to constantly sift out signal from noise and what is meaningful right now for achieving my personal and company goals, but also to stay on top and see a bigger picture and development. It´s important to take this helicopter view from time to time out of daily routines. I also aspire to free time regularly to be able to read, not only domain-specific topics but to stay sharp of what is going on in the world. Getting zeitgeist from rich signals from culture also helps, from arts, cinema, written or spoken word.

Q: How did the best events you attended so far make you feel?

Elevated, inspired, satisfied, energized. Think for example about your emotionally loaded state after your favorite band´s live performance and the feeling, when you could conquer the world. This energy level helps to keep us going and should be the outcome of any good event.

PERSONAL – BACKGROUND

Q: Looking at your bucket list, what is the one thing that you really wish to cross off until the end of 2017?

Tech startup building is a very intense rollercoaster. I will try to take at least a two to three week break to reset myself for another sprint. A remote place, jungle and ocean would make a great combo.

Q: If you could have dinner with anyone (alive or dead), who would you have dinner with and why?

Elon Musk. A truly inspiring human. Unstoppable spirit, willingness to learn and dream remarkably big. A great example how one person can bring a change at massive scale and start movements that make this transition possible. Would enjoy discussing what comes next and how, after humanity reaches the first milestone – being a planetary civilization would work.

CROSSOVER CONFERENCE

Q: What would you share with our participants if you would have only one minute?

You have just one life. Do only the things that matter, that you are passionate about. Take a minute for yourself to think if what you do is meaningful to you and the world around you. If assured, you´re on a right track. If not, make the change. Start now.

Q: What are you bringing to Conventa Crossover?

I´m a doer. I try to give advice from real-life examples with immediate real-world application. We will explore how can consumer and professional events use and gain from mobile tech and data-driven thinking. At Crossover type of events you grow, learn and build your network, which is essential. The real value is in personal relationships with your peers. My companies have always been international and these interpersonal connections have helped me build a lot of bridges over time. I´ve always thought that when you can go home with one good actionable idea, either from your peers or speakers, the conference has delivered.

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