Event-based businesses faced exceptional challenges when the industry was effectively shuttered for two years.
In 2022, however, some normalcy has returned. And the companies that survived are now in a position to thrive.
One example of this is Vancouver-born Eventbase. The startup was ready to rocket in 2019 before a global pandemic dramatically halted its momentum. Now, the BC company says it is enjoying a “resurgence” as the masses return to in-person events.
“Revenues have more than doubled in the past six months,” says Eventbase cofounder Jeff Sinclair, “and we’ve been hiring rapidly to keep up with demand.”
Sinclair notes that customers including Cisco, SAP, and Adobe hosted large events this spring—and who can forget about South by Southwest? He also cites growth from new customers such as Salesforce, Intel, and Red Hat.
According to Sinclair, moving from in-person to online events increased the accessibility of events, which was good. However, it “often reduced engagement dramatically.”
“Our customers have been excited to return to in-person events and attendees have too,” Sinclair says. “There is something special about live events.”
While in-person events are everything to Eventbase, in-person work is not. The actively hiring company adopted a remote-first approach to work a few years ago, offering team members an allowance for setting up their home office.
“While we do offer an office space in downtown Vancouver for those who want it, most are content to work from home or to visit occasionally,” Sinclair explains. Plus, Eventbase is now able to hire nationwide.
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