Four Lessons in Four Years

Last week we opened MJ in the West End and I received a lovely email celebrating my 9 years working for Situation. In typical fashion, this email slid into my inbox and went unread for a moment as it was keeping good company with dualling priorities of emails regarding opening night planning, team growth plans, new office logistics, Asana alerts, client billing and new business proposals (to name just a few things on my current to-do list). But amid the chaos, this anniversary really made me take stock. 

Thinking back to 2015 when I joined Situation, I’m struck by the difference in where I started and where we are as a group today. In some ways time has flown by, and in others it has been a long road travelled (and oceans crossed). I have experienced highs and lows with tremendous personal growth along the way, Situation group equally has morphed to keep ahead of the ever-evolving digital landscape, and to meet the demands of working with live entertainment and theatrical clients in a shifting cultural landscape.

Now, we’re coming up on our 4th anniversary of Situation UK and it feels fortuitous to reflect on 4 lessons I’ve learned. 

When we embarked on the Situation UK venture, I possessed a small list of UK-based contacts, a wealth of Broadway experience, and a fervent desire to champion shared experiences across the UK. During our nascent days, our partners, advisors, and supporters served as our guiding lights in the industry. Even now, we remain profoundly grateful to these stalwarts and thankful to an industry that values being nice over being important.

Situation UK was born during the pandemic. As audience members, we learned all over the world the value of shared experiences when we lost them. As business owners, we learned the importance of agility. The live experience industry will have its ups and downs, but human beings will always want to gather. We have to learn how to pivot with agility when the ways that we gather evolve and change.

Our team has grown significantly, from just me, my laptop, and my dog to a robust group of smart and passionate media and content specialists. Our team hails from all over the world. In many ways, we could not be more different. As I grew our Situation UK team, I intentionally brought together team members with perspectives and experiences that were different from mine, who could complement my skillset and who could push me, the agency, and the industry to grow.

Starting Situation UK was a risk, but with my knowledge and experience working in London, as well as the incredible education I got at Situation, I knew we had something to offer. We pushed through the early days of cold calling and hoped that someone would take a risk on us. We are so grateful all of you did. Now, four years later, we can look back and the body of work that we have done together and know that the risk was worth it.

I am tremendously proud of our UK team and the work we have delivered. I am eternally grateful to the clients and partners who saw the potential in Situation UK three years ago which has allowed us to do what we do best. It is a privilege to work in an industry that continues to motivate me daily and reminds me that the world is a better place when we experience it together.

With the Olivier Awards around the corner, we’re turning our sights to what’s ahead. There is no shortage of live experiences in the UK. Despite any headwinds the industry has faced this year, producers and creators are still generating invigorating and innovative stories and shared experiences. Situation UK is poised to relocate to a new, more spacious office this summer, primed and eager with excitement for all the big moments for Situation UK in the coming months.