James Mildenhall is the Founder & Managing Director of CROWDEDEVENTS. With over 17 years of experience in his field, James has delivered more than 300 local and 7 major international events. He aims to enhance the events industry, and CROWDEDEVENTS is the result of that ambition.
Our interview with James started off by discussing the idea behind CROWDEDEVENTS.
The Emergence of The Technology Combined Event Space
We asked James, “What’s the idea behind your company?”
We’re a Consultancy & Event Technology startup looking to impact Workforce Management and Crowd Management Specialisms in the major event space. We have 4 new systems in the development phases, with 3 likely to hit the market before January 2023. Our phygital flagship Workforce Management System, CROWDHUBx, has spiked a massive interest, and we’re excited to showcase this internationally.” He says.
“How did you begin your career journey?” We further asked him.
James shares, “My journey started working as an Event Day Steward for rugby and football matches. Sooner, this opened up to concerts and festivals and learning what ‘events’ were all about from the bottom up. From this small stepping stone, I learned about crowd flow and its dynamics, how crowd management and experience are intrinsically linked but also how subconscious gestures and information sharing can be the bed to provide holistic crowd management.
With my background, I was fortunately asked to support the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as part of a team responsible for Crowd Management on the Olympic Park in London and managing over 130,000 people daily. This building block has taken me to another 7 major events across 7 countries and delivered on some of the world’s most iconic events.”
The Ultimate Advice And Goals
When we asked him if he had any advice for beginners, he said:
“So advice for beginners, be passionate, soak up information and never stop learning. Academics doesn’t stop when you leave school/university. It’s only just starting. From a business, entrepreneurial perspective: A close friend once told me being an entrepreneur CAN be a lonely place; it will take your time, money, and resources but don’t forget, it doesn’t all need to be done alone. Entrepreneurship is the whole package. Knowing when you need support or investment is the strength, not tackling everything by yourself. Sound advice that’s stuck with me.”
We further asked James, “What’s your company’s goal?
“Our mission is to spread the power of technology to the events industry. Doing the basics effectively and pioneering to perfection. It sounds cheesy, but we believe in it, so we made it our mission statement and haven’t changed it since! The CROWDEDEVENTS Vision is to build a business that has the right knowledge, capability & experience to deliver continually. We aim to have competence on the ground with the technology behind the scenes to help deliver event excellence.” he replied.
Teamwork & Challenges
“What makes the team successful, in your opinion?” We asked.
James states, “This question links right to the heart of our business model. A successful team for CROWDEDEVENTS is a happy environment where the teams feel inspired, driven, trusted, and empowered to deliver. We flip most commercial models on their head and drive value through intangible metrics like those mentioned above.
We were also curious to know how CROWDEDEVENTS keeps moving in their path. So we asked James, “What keeps Your Company moving forward even during challenges?”
“As a business, the support and engagement has been overwhelming, which keeps us moving despite all challenges faced. With a business that is coming up 4 months old, we’ve had massive engagement across our social media platforms, most notably LinkedIn, with over 1000 followers in 3.5 months. Lastly, the good old-fashioned positive vibes, professional appreciation but ultimately the passion the team holds to keep us moving in the right direction. These are the people that make CROWDEDEVENTS and thank you team for all your support,” says James.
The CROWDEDEVENTS Team
Technological advancement
“How do you think technology is leading to changes in businesses? Do you feel it’s helping Your Company grow?” We further asked.
He replies, “As a tech startup, you might get a slightly biased answer. However, technology is slowly shaping the way businesses operate. Whether it’s advancing internal business processes, allowing true international trade with online connectivity, or joining the Metaverse, technology is evolving businesses. The advancements have helped us with all 4 of our bespoke systems (CROWDHUBx, CROWDWRK, CROWDTONIC & CROWDLYTICS), so growth is only inevitable.”
Lastly, we asked James about the services of CROWDEDEVENTS, to which he replied:
“In short, we provide Event Consultancy and Event Technology. The latter is where we use cutting edge technology, from networking LiDAR 3D sensors to SMART Watch integration and bespoke platforms to help clients manage their requirements. We have the best combination of expertise and technology to make a real difference across the major events industry.”
Connect with James Mildenhall on LinkedIn.
Follow CROWDEDEVENTS on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube & Instagram.
Email: James@CROWDEDEVENTS.com
