“People often ask me, ‘Why ticketing?’ And I like to say: ‘Well, I can’t act, sing or dance. But I can sell a ticket!’”

So says Roberta “Bobby” Jiminez, and she is being way modest. Jiminez has been in ticketing for over 30 years. She began her career in the call center at The Denver Center for the Performing Arts and eventually worked her way up to Database Manager at that organization. Along the way, she held an interim position at The Hobby Center in Texas and spent some time working as a customer representative for the ticketing company, Paciolan. But she eventually returned to The Denver Center.

Five years ago, Jiminez made a big move to Phoenix to join The Phoenix Symphony as their Database Manager. That is where she is continuing to thrive now. She says, “I work across marketing, ticketing, development, education and accounting to ensure their needs are met within our ticketing system. My responsibilities include building events, managing donations, reporting, training staff and serving as the main point of contact for both the ticketing system and the outside vendors we partner with.”

The Highs and Lows of the Job

There are several aspects of the work that Jiminez highly enjoys. But she especially loves the fact that “no ticketing system provides every tool an organization might want. My favorite part of the job is finding creative solutions that get us as close as possible to the results they need. I enjoy problem-solving and helping others reach their goals.”

But even after three decades, there are still things she finds challenging, too … even hard. One is understanding and bridging departmental communication styles to support ticket sales and fundraising efforts. Jiminez explains, “Different departments have unique goals, priorities and ways of sharing information. These differences can lead to gaps or delays in communication. This, in turn, may impact areas such as ticket sales and customer engagement. By recognizing each department’s needs and preferred communication methods, we can build stronger interdepartmental collaboration and better align efforts to sustain and grow ticket sales.”

Jiminez definitely has learned many lessons along the way. In fact, she credits the challenges and hardships for making her the success she is and has been in the ticketing industry. “This is not life or death,” she says. “Do the best you can and take ownership of both your successes and your failures. Some days, it’s just hard to remember the successes.”

Jiminez’s Time in the Sun in Phoenix

In addition to the lessons learned she has gathered and collected, she also has a tremendous number of funny and interesting anecdotes from her time working in ticketing and live events. Two favorites stand out above all others. The first is the time she walked backstage to get to the box office, strolled right into a dress rehearsal for “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and got blessed by Ted Neeley himself! Neely played Christ in the 1973 movie version of the legendary musical and has toured extensively over the years with various stage versions of the show.

And the second? It had to do with “The Lion King.” Years ago, Denver was the opening city for the Broadway sensation’s first national tour. “We were sent the wrong house configuration!” she recalls. “I had to call patrons and let them know their seats didn’t exist, then try to re-seat them elsewhere. After being yelled at over and over, I had no interest in seeing the production. But I did attend opening night with my teenage daughter, and the joy of watching kids sing along and seeing their faces light up when the parade of animals came down the aisle — well, that made it all worth it!”

The Road Ahead

That’s why it is important to stay strong and roll with the punches in what can be an, at times, a very trying job. With this being our Women in Ticketing column, Jiminez was asked what advice she has for any young female ticketing professionals reading this and wanting a bright future in the business. Her answer: “What many don’t see are the long hours, the hard work and frustrations that go into getting an event ready for sale. My advice: Don’t give up! Take a deep breath and keep moving forward. The payoff is knowing you played a role in creating a memorable experience for someone.”

Finally, we have the great benefit of interviewing her here as we draw close to the fourth quarter of 2025. Is Jiminez generally optimistic, pessimistic or a bit of both about the rest of the year with regards to ticketing and live events, and why?

“I’d say a bit of both. Since COVID, we’ve seen a decline in ticket sales just like many others in the industry. We’re working hard to find ways to bring in new audiences. And while challenges remain, I’m optimistic that we’ll continue to adapt and find new opportunities to grow!”