Sara Chebishev | INTIX Interviews

Getting to Know: Sara Chebishev

Sara Chebishev, a Customer Success Manager for AudienceView, is proud to be supporting artists professionally and personally. When she isn’t helping entertainment organizations engage and attract audiences, she’s grabbing a seat for herself – at a rock concert, the Grand Ole Opry or the Metropolitan Opera House. Here, Sara reflects on many things that she loves, including people who are loyal and honest, being outdoors, her favorite venues and spending quality time with her daughter.

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Who do you admire most and why?

My mom. She was the oldest of five kids, then had five kids of her own. My mom is also the person who everyone in our family went to for everything. Later in life, she went back to school, got a master’s degree in social work and then chose to do hospice work for 15 years. She raised her own family, helped keep our family together, and then went on to support other families.
 

What is the quality you like most in a person?

Loyalty, because with loyalty comes respect, understanding and empathy.
 

What is the quality you most like in a colleague?

Honesty. I like when people are frank and don’t beat around the bush.
 

What qualities are important to you in a leader?

I appreciate when a leader is willing to put their ego aside and help pick up the slack, regardless of what it is that needs to be done.
 

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

My family.


Which talent would you most like to have?

I’d love to be able to be in two places at the same time.
 

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Packing up and moving from Colorado to New Jersey when I didn’t know anyone here. It resulted in my marriage, my beautiful daughter and a life on the east coast that I didn’t expect to have.
 

Where would you most like to live?

I really like living in New Jersey. If I could pick up everything and go somewhere else, Maine or Wyoming would be great.
 

What do you value most in your friends?

The same thing that I value in my colleagues, which is honesty. Patience too, because when I need to be in two places at once, I need them to understand!
 

Who are your favorite writers?

Janet Evanovich. As much as her writing is completely and totally predictable, she always makes me laugh. I also love the Writer’s Almanac. I’m not necessarily a fan of poetry, but I enjoy learning. It introduces me to new poets and gives me a bit of history every day.
 

What’s the best live event you’ve ever seen and why?

I can’t narrow it down to just one. Blur on their Parklife tour just before they went on their arena stint. I saw them in London. The audience and the band were so charged! Everyone was jumping and singing so hard that I bet the building was shaking. The Beastie Boys when they released their very last album. I saw them at the Hammerstein in New York and the room had that same charged energy. On the flipside, nobody was moving when I saw Radiohead at Liberty State Park, but the New York City skyline directly behind the stage made the event. And anytime I see an opera at The Met I’m blown away by the artistry and technical aspects of the production.


What is your favorite venue and why?

Red Rocks Amphitheatre is my favorite outdoor venue. While I haven’t been there, the Gorge in Washington State is on my bucket list of places to visit. My favorite indoor venue is the Grand Ole Opry. The people who run it are so incredibly passionate. They really help promote and support the country lifestyle. Even if you’re not a country music fan, it’s a venue you just have to see.
 

What is your favorite place to visit or place you’d love to visit and why?

Maine. I just love the people and the combination of the ocean and the mountains.
 

If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself?

Stop and listen a bit more.
 

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Spending time with my daughter, photography, hiking and just being outdoors.
 

If you were granted three wishes today, what would they be?

Good health for my family and friends, for people to find satisfaction in what they do and for a place I could go to get away from it all. I like the idea of being isolated at times, but with the knowledge that I could come back at any time and remain connected.
 

What brings you the most joy or greatest meaning in life?

Simple moments of beauty; listening to a bird sing, seeing the sun rise, watching my daughter have a good time or seeing an audience enjoy themselves. It’s just appreciating the moment.


Why are you a member of INTIX?

Because Linda Forlini and Frankie Accardi encouraged me to join. I’m still a member because I met people like Maureen at my very first conference. I’ve learned so much from her and other members. It’s all about the network.
 

What do you get from INTIX?

Comraderie. I don’t feel like I’m alone in understanding what it is to be a ticketing professional. Networking is important and the educational component is great too. I always know what’s new and trending.
 

How do you use INTIX?

INTIX helps me explain that a ticketing professional doesn’t just exchange a piece of paper for your money. There’s so much more involved. It also helps me define myself as a ticketing professional. The conference is a great way to learn and re-energize. It also reminds me how much I love what I do.
 

What does INTIX give you that is different from everything else you are doing?

Reassurance that I’m not alone, that there are other people out there who have the same struggles. You gain a lot from attending the conference, but as an individual and professional, you can get so much more if you also join committees and participate within the organization.  
 

Do you look to INTIX to learn about trends or develop relationships?

Absolutely, both. I’ve learned about ADA, PCI, how to be a better manager, how to use Excel better and how to appreciate being in a customer service position. Regarding relationships, you can go to the conference, listen, learn and then put your hand out and start introducing yourself, which gives you the opportunity to grow as a person.


What do you love most about your job?

Working with so many wonderful entertainment organizations. Each time they do something awesome, it’s so great to be there to celebrate.
 

What do you love most about our industry?

Seeing the lights go out when the shows start, then watching the audiences enjoy it. That’s why we do it. I also love supporting what the artists are trying to accomplish.
 

What is your most memorable career moment?

Helping clients through a high-volume on-sale so that their customers can have a wonderful experience before the show even starts!
 

What is your most memorable INTIX moment?

Attending my first INTIX conference. I realized immediately that this was something I had to try to do every year.
 

Is there anything I haven’t asked you about that you would like to share, which defines you as a professional or a person?

I’m a very passionate person. Whether it’s helping other organizations, supporting my organization, helping my family and friends or anything else that I’m involved in, I always try to do my best. It doesn’t mean I always get it right, but my heart is always in the right place.