No regrets leaving safe job to set up event management firm

Whether you want an intimate event for a select group or a big shindig for thousands, Tadhg Moriarty is the man to run it for you. Having managed festivals and sporting occasions of all sizes for many years, he gave up his safe pensionable job with Diageo nine years ago to set up Approved Productions with his sister Bríd.

Since then, the company has built up an impressive client list and has been responsible for many of the most popular outdoor festivals seen in the west. As well as sporting events such as the Dingle Marathon and Ireland Bike Fest, the Killorglin-based firm has also managed key festivals such as the Foynes Air Show and Killarney Summerfest.

It has moved on from simply running outdoor activities to providing expert training and consultation in all aspects of event management, including site design and safety.

Tadhg has also boosted his credentials in recent years by spending some time double-jobbing as interim general manager of the Killarney-based entertainment venue, the INEC. With a capacity of 4,250, it’s the largest indoor venue outside of Dublin.

Festival background

The Kerryman said that he and his sister had dabbled in events for many years before establishing their own company in 2006.

“We’d come from a festival background and had been helping to run them for years and had often spoken of setting up our own company, but I was a sales rep for Diageo and it was a nice pensionable job and so hard to give up.

"Event management was my passion though and, in 2006, we came round to the idea that if we didn't go for it then, we never would. I left my job and went full-time that year. While in hindsight, it seemed like a brave move, it didn't feel like it and I've never regretted it."

“There was a certain amount of leaping into the unknown, but we got some good advice beforehand that helped us get started and our prior experience in the area meant that we had plenty of contacts and know-how,” he said.

For some years Bríd worked part-time with the company before also going full-time in 2013. While the core team remains relatively small, Approved employs many subcontractors to work on events. Many of these are people the siblings have come to know and trust over the years.

“When we set up the company, we could see that there were lots of community festivals being organised that could do with our type of expertise.

“They were often being run by councils that were trying to deal with issues such as getting permits and so on that we dealt with on an almost-daily basis.

“We knew the ropes so could cut through the red tape quickly and were also friendly with all the major suppliers, so we could ensure that we got the best prices on equipment.”

The company runs events of all sizes, from small corporate occasions for between 100 to 150 people to festivals such as the Foynes International Flying Boat Festival, which pulled in a crowd of 22,000 to the Co Limerick village and is now set to be an annual event.

“The basic principles of event management are the same. It’s really how you apply them. All festivals are difficult to arrange.

Audience expectations

“If you’ve one with a €10,000 budget versus another that is working off a €1 million budget, the only real difference is that the problems you have are multiplied.

“It’s the same with audience expectations in that people want a bit of spectacle, no matter what the size of the event.”

While business was brisk in the early days, the economic downturn forced the company to diversify.

“Funnily enough, and testament to the fact that there was a demand for what we were doing, our business actually grew year-on-year during the recession. Now we did have to work a lot harder, drop our prices and diversify more, but it all proved worthwhile.

“We hadn’t any plans to offer training and consultancy initially, but that was something we got into and it has proven to be a great add-on for the business. We both went and got university diplomas in event safety and now spend a lot of time offering training to tourism bodies, councils and so on.”

Working with a sibling can be difficult for some, but Tadhg said that it actually makes things easier most of the time.

“Working with Bríd means I don’t have to mind my Ps and Qs so much. We can cut through a lot of the niceties because we know the way each other thinks so don’t have to spend so much time wondering what the other person is doing.

While Tadhg admits that much of his time is spent juggling tasks, he said both himself and his sister get a great reward when an event proves successful. “You get a great sense of achievement when you see people having fun or pleased from having achieved something such as finishing a marathon. That’s very rewarding.

“But it’s also great to know that behind the scenes we’re worked hard to ensure that it all comes together and that’s a fantastic feeling.”