Leadership / 12.12.23
Tips From the Pros: Words of Wisdom From 5 Ticketing Legends
Christine Payne
When it comes to the world of ticketing and live events, names like Russ Stanley, Jack Lucas, Juanita “Lightnin’” Epton, Debra Kay Duncan and Gary Lustig stand out. They are all legendary figures who have achieved incredible success while helping transform our industry. Their accomplishments inspire everyone who aspires to turn a passion for live events into a lifelong career. For those who dream of following in their footsteps, it might all start with just that — a willingness to dream.
“I would say, don't ever stop following your dreams,” Debra, whose legendary status reaches Olympic proportions, both figuratively and literally, says. In addition to her role as Director of Ticketing for the MLB’s famed Los Angeles Dodgers for 13 years, she was involved in a dozen Olympic Games since 1984. “Do not ever underestimate that your dreams aren't worth fighting for.”
Not only did Debra follow her dreams, but she also turned them into reality. Her advice for industry colleagues is simple: “Never be afraid to pick up a phone and reach out to others,” she says. “If you are fortunate enough to be in a management position, listen to your people, create a warm environment, but also make it fun. We all have to work, so let’s try to have a good time.”
Debra poses with some “lady lifers,” other Patricia G. Spira Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, at INTIX 2020 in New York City. L-R: Linda Forlini, Jennifer Staats Moore, Maureen Andersen, Debra and Jane Kleinberger.
Perhaps nobody knows that better than 103-year-old Juanita “Lightnin’” Epton, who has spent more than eight decades with the Daytona Speedway, including 65 years full-time in the ticketing office.
“I work with the nicest group of people,” she says. “Everybody cooperates and works together. There is no friction in our ticket office. Each person works for the good of the company, and that is the nicest working condition that you can find … I want to thank the people who have been responsible for having me here at the racetrack … We work together to make this the best Speedway in the world.”
As a ticketing legend, it is only fitting that young people entering the industry can benefit from Lightnin’s advice. “If you are interested in a permanent position that will be gratifying, that will be very much about contact between the customer and yourself, get involved with ticketing.”
And for all ticketing professionals, she offers this wise counsel: “Be polite. This person does not have to be here. He does not have to show his face at your racetrack. If you can’t be gracious enough to thank him for being here, [can’t] be polite and give him the best service that you can, then you can’t expect him to come back. We are all human, and we like to have a little praise and a little thank you. We try to make everybody feel welcome, and it makes no difference whether they are dressed [up] or in their everyday clothes. Each person is welcome as an individual until they prove themselves otherwise.”
Lightnin’ poses in front of the Daytona Speedway ticket office, renamed in her honor in August 2022.
It is a philosophy shared by Russ Stanley, who started in ticketing with the San Francisco Giants in 1989 and today holds the position of Senior Vice President of Ticket Sales and Client Relations for the organization. Like Lightnin’, Russ says, staying focused on the customer is crucial to success.
“I've tried to instill that [in my team]. If I am not there to help them decide, or if they have to make a decision on the fly, if you do what's right for the customer, you’re most likely going to be right every time. If you make a decision and it is not the right decision, let's talk about it and be sure that we do not make the same mistake twice. I have always had that philosophy that it is OK to make a mistake as long as you don't make it again, and if the thought process is to help the customer, we are going to be OK.”
Over the past 35 years, Russ has gained a well-earned reputation as a risk-taker and an innovative thinker.
“If I could provide advice, it would be to listen more than you talk,” he says. “When I first started, I listened to [one of my mentors] Arthur Schulze. Arthur said, ‘You seem to like ticketing. If you want to come in at 7:30 every day, I will teach you something.’ He took me under his wing and said, ‘I'll teach you the business.’ The next day, I was standing at the door at 7:30 a.m. He said, ‘I didn't think you would be here.’ I said, ‘I want to learn; teach me everything you can.’ And I just listened to him. Many times, I would listen to him with our alumni players. They would come in on their way to a game of golf and stop and sit in his office for a cup of coffee. I would listen to the stories and listen to Arthur talking to our Ticketron rep. I just sat there and listened, soaked it all in and tried to learn as much as I could. If I had a question, he was very open for me to ask the questions, but I think listening and soaking in as much as you can while growing in the business is really important.”
Russ with girlfriend Kimberly (left) and daughter Jordyn (center) in the 2014 World Series parade down Market Street.
Jack Lucas officially retired five years ago, but his name still resonates with many in the live entertainment industry, and it likely always will. Often described as a visionary, luminary and legend, Jack spent 40 years in the business and received numerous industry accolades, including the INTIX Patricia G. Spira Lifetime Achievement Award. When he retired in 2018, Jack was at the pinnacle of his career after helping to build WestCoast Entertainment and TicketsWest into legendary industry success stories. Want to do something similar? Jack pulls no punches in placing a lot of emphasis on one’s work ethic. “There is no substitute for hard work,” he says. “You’re not going to be successful without it.”
Jack says, “I always say that any success I may have had was not the ‘Jack Lucas show.’ It takes a team to do this ticketing thing. It is hard work. It is not easy. [I often think about] the number of hours we put in back in those days, and my team members were shoulder to shoulder. They were right there … We all bought into the vision, and we all made it work. It was a phenomenal ride.”
He continues, “I always say that ticketing is a way of life. My God, I can't even begin to tell you how many birthdays I missed, how many holidays I have missed. I always tell people that entertainment happens on weekends, it happens on holidays, it happens, so when you decide you're going to get into this business, you are all in, or you're just not in. You can't phone it in. You’ve got to be there on the front lines along with everybody else, shoulder to shoulder. And you definitely learn how to be organized when it comes to thinking fast, thinking on your feet and conflict resolution; that is ticketing.”
Jack, center, with Roger Tomlinson (L) and Adam Rubin (R) after receiving the Patricia G. Spira Lifetime Achievement Award at INTIX 2013 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Gary Lustig is a true ticketing legend who has left an indelible mark on ticketing over the past four decades. After the Dallas Opera, he became Vice President of Performing Technologies, spending eight years there before being hired as Director of Ticketing and Information Technology for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Then came a move east in 2003 when Gary became Managing Director of Ticket Philadelphia. While still there, he assumed the role of Vice President of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (now the Kimmel Cultural Campus). Today, he continues with a dual purpose, sharing his business expertise as a volunteer mentor for SCORE Mentors Canton and as founder and principal of LusTicks, which provides ticketing consulting for the live entertainment industry.
With all his experience and expertise, there is perhaps no better person to seek advice from than Gary. He generously shared some of that wisdom with us.
“There are a few things that have worked for me,” he says. “First, hire your staff carefully and choose your boss even more carefully. I have been able to work for some amazing bosses who gave me the space to experiment, take chances and supported my rise to the executive level of my organizations. Who you work for and who you work with are really important. Also, don't be afraid to fail. If there's no chance of failure, there's little chance of innovating. Lastly, one of the things that's worked for me has been to speak truth to power. So many times, we feel like we are just being told what to do or being told to do things that we know aren't going to work, so you have to respond to that, but you have to do it in a way that also presents solutions to the challenges at hand. You can't just say no.”
Gary at INTIX 2014 after being named the Patricia G. Spira Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
Gary continues, “I would like people to remember that you are not in this alone. Sometimes it feels that way. Very few people understand what we do. I once had a boss tell me, the CEO of our organization, ‘I don't know what you do. I don't know how you do it. I just know that I don't want to hear complaints about tickets.’ That resonated with me. People do not understand what we do … You have lots of people who can be your support network to help you. Take advantage of it. I always did.”
The legendary Irish playwright Oscar Wilde said, “I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself.” With that in mind, Gary wishes he had passed on some advice to himself when he was younger.
“I would have a better work-life balance,” he says. “I would take more vacations and know that the world could survive without me for a little while. I would also have learned a lot earlier to delegate things so I could focus on bigger-picture issues and not sweat the details so much.”
Click here to read more in our Ticketing Legends series on Access.
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Tags: Leadership , Ticketing Legends