When Sh*t Goes Wrong At Events

Freddie Sparrow
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Freddie Sparrow interviews the great and the good from the events world about their experiences, and learnings.

  1. 6D AGO

    Ep. 19 – Nick Steiert (Wellnergy Festival)

    Welcome to Series 3 of When Sh*t Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast giving listeners a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising. In this episode, host Freddie Sparrow sits down with Nick Steiert, events entrepreneur and founder behind student travel brand Invasion Events and Wellnergy festival. From running university events to choosing startups over a legal career, Nick shares the realities of building, and rebuilding, an events business under pressure. They discuss rapid growth, tough financial moments, surviving COVID as a travel events company, and launching into the fast-growing wellness festival space, along with lessons in resilience, sponsorship, and planning for the worst. Topics covered: Choosing events over a corporate law careerBuilding a student travel and nightlife events brandCOVID’s impact on travel events and refund pressuresRaising emergency funds to keep the business aliveLaunching a wellness festival and the growth of the sectorWhy founders shouldn’t be too ambitious too earlyReal world event mishaps and unexpected setbacksConnect with host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento, and guest Nick Steiert, Founder of Wellnergy and Invasion Events. This episode is sponsored by Vento Insurance - specialists in protecting live events when sh*t goes wrong. For event insurance advice, email hello@ventoinsurance.com.

    44 min

  2. JAN 28

    Ep. 18 – Chris Carter - Founder and CEO of Eventwise

    Welcome to Series 3 of When Sh*t Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast giving listeners a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising. In this episode, host Freddie Sparrow sits down with Chris Carter, Founder and CEO of Eventwise, to unpack the financial realities of running live events. From promoting student club nights in Bristol to working across the festival supply chain, Chris shares how he found his way into accountancy, and why understanding the numbers can make or break an event. The conversation covers everything from overinflated artist fees and rising costs, to the importance of solid budget sheets and cashflow management. Chris also shares some unforgettable stories from the field, including managing festival finances in Mexico under intense pressure, and what resilience really looks like when events aren’t going to plan. Topics covered: How Chris went from promoting club nights to leading an events finance businessWhy budget sheets are essential for every eventThe reality behind artist fees and marketing spendManaging cashflow at festivals (including a high pressure situation in Mexico)Why many independent promoters haven’t survived, and advice for those trying toBuilding an events brand that lasts, and the role of resilienceConnect with host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento, and guest Chris Carter, Founder & CEO of Eventwise. This episode is sponsored by Vento Insurance - specialists in protecting live events when sh*t goes wrong. For event insurance advice, email info@ventoinsurance.com.

    41 min

  3. JAN 14

    Ep. 17 – John Rostron (AIF): Chaos, Power Cuts and the Fight for Grassroots Music

    Welcome to Series 3 of When Shit Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast giving listeners a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising. In this episode, Freddie Sparrow chats with John Rostron, CEO of the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), about a career shaped by a love of music, early chaos, and lessons learned the hard way. From losing money on first events to championing grassroots venues, John shares what it really takes to make live music thrive. Topics covered: How a love of music and organising led John into promoting.Why “never trust a promoter who’s never lost money” matters.Why local venues and knowledge are essential - and how co-promoting can work.Power outages, artists walking off stage, and handling live emergencies.Connect with host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento, and guest John Rostron, CEO of the AIF. This episode is sponsored by Vento Insurance - specialists in protecting live events when sh*t goes wrong. For event insurance advice, email info@ventoinsurance.com.

    41 min

  4. 11/19/2025

    Ep. 16 - Craig Mathie from Project 30: When Formula 1 Goes Off Track & Festival Chaos

    Welcome to Season 2 of When Sh*t Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast where we give a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising. In this episode, we speak with Craig Mathie, Managing Director of Project 30, about what it was really like to run a festival company through and after the pandemic. Endless cancellations, what it was like launching a business in the wash-out summer of 2023, and why resilience and the right skillset matter more than anything when sh*t goes wrong. Topics covered in this episode: Running a festival business during Covid: Cancelling, rescheduling, and surviving the unknown. Craig's biggest festival ever: Pulled off in just 42 days after restrictions ended. Launching in a wet summer: The highs, lows, and mud-soaked realities of 2023. Why skillsets matter more than knowledge: Lessons for anyone starting out in events. Tents, beds, and windy nights at Formula 1: How small oversights become big problems at Silverstone. Connect with our host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento, and connect with our guest Craig Mathie, Managing Director of Project 30 Events Management.

    39 min

  5. 11/12/2025

    Ep. 15 - Olly Galvin: Mud, Weapons, Tough Decisions & The Day Fire in the Park Was Cancelled

    Welcome to Season 2 of When Sh*t Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast where we give a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising. This episode we sit down with Olly, Director of Acumen Safety, to talk about all things event safety, training, and crisis management in the live events industry. With years of experience helping organisers prepare for the unexpected, Olly shares insights on how to keep both teams and audiences safe when sh*t really does hit the fan. Topics covered in this episode: Fire in the Park Festival cancellation: The difficult decision to call off day two after extreme weather, a serious incident, and the long-term impact on the venue. Training and upskilling event professionals: Why continuous learning is key to building resilient, safety-focused teams. NEBOSH and Safety Advisory Groups (SAGs): What they are, and why they matter for event organisers. Posting on LinkedIn daily: How to track success, and why visibility helps push safety conversations forward. Fires at events and lessons learned: Plus the reality of working through the pandemic and its aftermath. Connect with our host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento, and connect with our guest Olly Galvin, Director of Acumen Safety.

    42 min

  6. 11/05/2025

    Ep. 14 - Hannah Eakins, CEO of Production Futures: When Awards Go Wrong (and Right)

    Welcome to Season 2 of When Sh*t Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast where we give a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising. In this episode, we sit down with Hannah Eakins, CEO of Production Futures, to talk about how Production Futures began, the challenges of launching new events, and what it really takes to help people of all ages break into production roles.  Hannah shares the highs, lows and shit going wrong with the Production Futures Awards. From “blagging it” in 2022, to everything going wrong in 2024, and her determination to make 2025 the best yet.  Topics covered in this episode: How Production Futures started: And why it’s all about opening doors into production careers. Blagging it, mistakes, and lessons learned: The reality behind the Production Futures Awards. Why new events are so difficult: And what it takes to get them right. Quality over quantity: Why smaller events can sometimes deliver more impact. Dealing with strikes, oversubscription, and unpredictability: The chaos of real-world event organising. Connect with our host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento. And you can connect with our fabulous guest Hannah Eakins, CEO of Production Futures.

    35 min

  7. 10/29/2025

    Ep. 13 - Jack Saward, Founder of Saward Marketing & Events: Ash Clouds, Gaffer Tape, Marquee Roofs & Keeping Events Alive

    Welcome to Season 2 of When Sh*t Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast where we give a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising. In this episode, we sit down with Jack Saward, Founder of Saward Marketing & Events. He's a seasoned event manager, with decades of experiences, and with stories that define the phrase “the show must go on.” From battling the Icelandic dust cloud at Bauma Germany - a colossal construction and industrial trade show - to physically gaffer-taping his own knee to stay on site, Jack’s tales are equal parts unbelievable and inspiring. This conversation is a masterclass in improvisation, resourcefulness, and refusing to give up when everything’s going wrong. Topics covered in this episode: Improvisation at its finest: From makeshift water-siphons to DIY fixes on site. Last-minute miracles: Securing cabins and resources through quick thinking and great contacts. The mindset that keeps you going: When quitting simply isn’t an option. Bauma Germany & the Icelandic dust cloud: How one ash cloud threw international logistics into total chaos. Working through injury: How Jack kept going with a gaffer-taped knee. Connect with our host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento, and connect with our guest Jack Saward, Founder of Saward Marketing and Events.

    42 min

  8. 10/22/2025

    Ep. 12 - Cat Kevern, Founder of Electric Cat: Fired in France & Ski Event Disasters

    Welcome to Season 2 of When Sh*t Goes Wrong at Events - the podcast where we give a backstage pass to the often unheard stories of event organising. This week’s guest is Cat Kevern, Director of B2B Events Marketing Agency Electric Cat as well as NOWIE - Network of Women in Events. She shares one unforgettable story from early in her career, all about a time working in accommodation management for a ski event in France.  What started as a dream role turned into a nightmare when a massive accommodation fiasco left hundreds of attendees without places to stay, and ultimately resulted in Cat being fired (bit harsh if you ask us!) 🫠 In this brutally honest conversation, Cat breaks down what went wrong, what it felt like in the middle of the chaos, and what she learned about crisis management, communication, and the realities of working in events when everything goes off the rails. Topics covered: The ski accommodation fiasco: How one mistake spiralled into hundreds stranded with nowhere to go. The fallout: What happens when you’re fired in the middle of an event disaster. Lessons learned: What the experience taught Cat about planning, resilience, how she wants to lead and surviving in the events industry. Connect with our host Freddie Sparrow, Co-Founder of Vento, and connect with our guest Cat Kevern, Director of both Electric Cat and NOWIE.

    39 min
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Freddie Sparrow interviews the great and the good from the events world about their experiences, and learnings.

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