Company address: 8035 N. Port Washington Road, Fox Point, WI 53217
Company Web site: www.loganproductions.com
Industry: Event and media production, along with high-end AV equipment rental and sales.
Number of employees: 18
Family: Wife, Beth, is co-owner and president of the company; son, Ryan, is a pilot in the U.S. Air Force.
What was the smartest thing your company did in the past year?
"After 28 years as a corporate event and video production company, we’re reinventing ourselves and broadening our core business to include entertainment events. It is a lot of fun and very challenging. The new technology is incredible – there is nothing like the feeling of cranking up the volume on 100,000 watts of power on a great audio system and when the crowd starts dancing it really makes you feel good."
What’s new at your company?
"We spent the better part of the last year designing and building our concert audio and lighting systems. The heart of our audio systems are JBL VERTEC line arrays – these are the large hanging speaker systems that you see at rock concerts. The VERTEC speakers are the same speakers that Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen are touring with – the sound is incredible. When we started our audio design, our goal was simply to create the best possible sound using cutting-edge technology. One key example of this is that we no longer use copper wire audio snakes that are prone to hums and buzzes. Now, we’re sending all of our audio and control signals over a digital fiber optic system built by Whirlwind. We were one of the first companies in the U.S. to use this technology, it means our system sets up faster, and there is absolutely no electronic noise."
Do you plan to hire any additional staff or make any significant capital investments in your company in the next year?
"We’re planning several new hires in both the event and the video production side of our business. Our immediate needs are an additional graphic artist with experience in video production, technical crewmembers for live events, and sales for entertainment events. Our capital investments will be for an additional high-definition video editing system to replace one of our standard definition systems."
What will be your company’s main challenges in the next year?
"Sometimes, I think our main challenges are keeping up with ever-upward spiraling insurance costs. Our challenges are the same as most businesses – that’s finding great people and growing the bottom line. Our immediate focus is reaching out to the entertainment industry so that they are aware of our capabilities."
What’s the hottest trend in your industry?
The merging of digital technology into live event production is revolutionizing the industry. Almost every technical aspect of a show is now computer-controlled. We went through this revolution a number of years ago in video production with computer controlled editing. The same evolution is now happening in live shows – the experience for the audience can be electrifying when scenery, lights and effects all coordinate with split second timing.
Do you have a business mantra?
"Doing business and having fun are not exclusive of one another. Surround yourself with talented people you like and have fun."
From a business standpoint, who do you look up to?
"We work with a number of Fortune 500 CEOs on a fairly regular basis and have learned a great deal from each of them. Watching how they react and hearing their philosophies has been invaluable. Among my personal all-time favorites was Sam Johnson. He built a great company, treated people around him with respect and was humble about his accomplishments. It was a true pleasure to have made his acquaintance."
What was the best advice you ever received?
"Don’t be afraid of failure. You can’t achieve success without taking calculated risks."
What do you like to do in your free time?
"Beth and I enjoy boating, water sports, and hanging out with our friends at our summer home in Eagle River."
