Why build a career in an industry you are passionate about

Ange Dove (00:01)
Welcome to You're the Boss podcast show. And today I have a special guest, Dawn Farrow. She’s been described by Exhibition News as the accidental architect of a live experience revolution. So Dawn, welcome to the show today.

Dawn Farrow (00:21)
Thank you.

Ange Dove (00:22)
Yeah, welcome. So first of all, let’s get the definitions right—what is a “live experience revolution”?

Dawn Farrow (00:31)
I love that phrase—“live experience revolution.” I think the key word there is “accidental,” but I imagine we’ll come back to that.

I work within the experience economy. When we talk about a live experience revolution, I take responsibility predominantly for the marketing, sales, and communications workforce within that space.

In the UK, the experience economy is forecast to grow to £134 billion in the next couple of years. Globally, it’s expected to reach $12 trillion—which is hugely exciting.

I work across anything that is live and ticketed—this could be theatre, immersive experiences, exhibitions, galleries, consumer events, festivals. The “revolution” is really about people finding better ways to sell tickets and build their brands.

Ange Dove (01:18)
Right.

Ange Dove (01:32)
Okay, that sounds huge. So why were you described as “accidental”? What was accidental about it?

Dawn Farrow (01:43)
I love that—and it always makes my clients laugh.

Over time, I identified a need within the community I’m part of. There were clear pain points—meeting ticket sales targets, lack of training in the workforce, pressure on performance.

I realised that someone needed to take responsibility for solving these issues. That wasn’t my original intention, but I stepped into that role and began supporting the industry.

Ange Dove (02:46)
Right.

Ange Dove (02:51)
So what were you doing when you first noticed this problem?

Dawn Farrow (02:57)
I built a successful marketing agency focused on selling tickets, building brands, and growing audiences. Interestingly, I closed the business just before COVID—without really knowing what was coming.

What I had already noticed was that things were getting harder. Campaign decisions became less clear. Questions like:

• Is Meta still working?

• Are partnerships effective?

• What’s the right strategy?

No one had clear answers. That uncertainty created nervousness among promoters and producers.

Even with 20+ years of experience—working on campaigns from Friends to Squid Game to Batman—I felt that uncertainty. And if I felt it, I knew others did too.

Ange Dove (04:53)
So you closed your business just before COVID and moved into something new based on that need. What made you stop?

Dawn Farrow (05:12)
Great question. I had built the agency for eight years—we were turning over multi-million pounds. But I realised I could only take it so far as a sole founder.

The agency model itself was becoming harder to sustain. It’s a real slog—there are highs, but also very tough lows.

I started consulting instead. I told myself I wouldn’t start another business—I’d rest for a while. But then the problems appeared… and I couldn’t ignore them.

Ange Dove (06:53)
So what was going through your mind when you decided to step away after eight years?

Dawn Farrow (07:18)
There wasn’t one “aha” moment. It was gradual.

I had employees, rent, responsibilities—so it wasn’t a quick decision. But over time, I realised that scaling further would require changes I didn’t want:

• Being acquired by a larger company

• Selling services I didn’t believe in

• Hiring cheaper staff instead of retaining great people

Ultimately, I felt my skills could be used in a different way.

Ange Dove (08:42)
And then you said you weren’t going to start another business—but you did. What changed?

Dawn Farrow (09:05)
It started as an idea. And then I got this feeling—almost like anxiety mixed with excitement.

I asked myself:

• Have I found a real solution?

• Can I help people?

• Is this my purpose?

Then I tested it—both emotionally and logically. I asked the community what they needed, did the research, and validated the gap.

Both tests came back with a clear answer: yes, there’s a real need.

Ange Dove (10:28)
You mentioned purpose. How important is that when building a business?

Dawn Farrow (11:00)
For me, it’s everything.

Building a business is hard. If you can’t remind yourself why you’re doing it, you’ll stop—because it’s just too difficult otherwise.

I even considered getting a job. But I realised without purpose, I wouldn’t feel fulfilled.

Ange Dove (12:07)
Have you always run businesses, or have you had jobs too?

Dawn Farrow (12:13)
I’ve had some fantastic jobs—but always within the experience economy.

I originally trained as a dancer. I came to London to perform, but when that didn’t happen, I realised I had found my industry.

Even in jobs, I loved being part of live experiences—finishing work and going to shows. I once marketed a European tour of Cats the Musical in my 20s—it felt surreal.

Ange Dove (13:39)
So you’ve always stayed within the same industry, just evolving your role.

Dawn Farrow (13:51)
Exactly.

Ange Dove (13:57)
So what specific problems were people facing?

Dawn Farrow (14:32)
The workforce is incredibly hardworking—but also under pressure:

• Long hours

• Constant targets

• No real “finish line”

There was also:

• Lack of community

• Increasing expectations

• No safe space to share challenges

People didn’t have a place to openly discuss how to improve marketing and ticket sales.

Ange Dove (16:31)
Why is everything becoming more uncertain?

Dawn Farrow (16:36)
We now have too much data. The question is: which data do you trust?

There’s also an over-focus on conversion rather than brand awareness. Smaller budgets push short-term thinking.

And marketers are becoming “jack-of-all-trades”—doing everything themselves. That’s unsustainable.

Ange Dove (20:40)
So what does OnSale actually do?

Dawn Farrow (21:04)
We run an annual event called OnSale Live every May.

It includes:

• Main stage keynotes and panels

• Expert sessions with practical guidance

• A personal development zone

• Free 1:1 coaching (focused on mental health and wellbeing)

We also run:

• A WhatsApp community

• Regular webinars

• A marketing masterclass
  
  

Ange Dove (24:20)
How do you manage your time with all of this?

Dawn Farrow (24:20)
I love what I do, so work blends with life.

I’m married, have a nine-year-old daughter and two dogs—but I’ve never worked a strict 9–5. That’s the nature of this industry.

Ange Dove (25:49)
It sounds like you’ve solved a problem for others—and yourself.

Dawn Farrow (25:57)
Absolutely. There’s a bit of selfishness in it—I genuinely need the community too.

Ange Dove (27:21)
Community seems more important than ever, especially post-COVID.

Dawn Farrow (27:59)
Completely. People want to share, collaborate, and support each other—and that’s exactly what we’ve built.

Ange Dove (29:02)
So what’s next for you?

Dawn Farrow (29:25)
Right now, the focus is the next event in May.

Beyond that, growth will be shaped by the community. It’s not about huge numbers—it’s about the right people.

Ange Dove (30:58)
Where can people find out more?

Dawn Farrow (31:42)
You can visit onsale.live for everything about the event and the business.

Ange Dove (32:29)
Fantastic. Dawn, thank you so much—it’s been wonderful speaking with you.

Dawn Farrow (32:39)
Thank you so much, it’s been great to chat.