Beating the Odds in Vegas: How Adam Steck Built An Empire

By Sanjiv Goyal

In this article, you will learn about:

• Post-COVID trends in live entertainment
• Opportunities for entrepreneurship in Vegas
• Experiential learning
• The power of mindset
• The mindset of the most successful people

In our “new normal” existence, some industries are thriving and some are being forced to adapt. Delivery services, hand sanitizer, and Netflix are cashing in and restaurants, hotels, and concert venues are struggling to stay afloat. I sat down with Adam Steck, founder of SPI Entertainment, for a conversation about the future of entertainment in Vegas.

Follow Your Passion

Steck grew up in a house filled with love. He never felt a sense of lack even though he was raised by a single mother. Somehow, she managed to give her children everything they needed to feel safe enough to explore their passions and secure enough to believe they could handle whatever life threw at them.

From an early age, Steck knew he wanted to be in the entertainment industry. He didn’t take the traditional formal education route. Instead, he got his GED in tenth grade and began promoting and booking acts.

College provides structure but it certainly isn’t the only way to learn or evolve. Steck observed what was working for the successful players in his industry and applied their methods. He learned by doing and modeling the strategies of his mentors.

The adage rings true, “Do what you love and you won’t work a day in your life.” In our conversation, the importance of following your passions, listening to the knowing voice inside, and putting yourself in proximity to your dreams came up again and again.

Steck has an intuitive streak found in most creatives. We all have it, but some can tap into that creativity and follow their hunches and whims more easily than others. You might say Steck has built his life on practical improvisation.

“The nature of life is to follow your curiosity, to continually grow and evolve.”

Staying Curious Will Get You There

A self-proclaimed sponge and life-long student, Steck has made a life and a living by following his interests. When his curiosity is piqued, he explores relentlessly. I believe it is human nature that when we are awe-struck by something, we want to know how it functions. That was how Steck felt the first time he went to a show.

“The primary emotions of children are curiosity, excitement, and enthusiasm. As we get older we chase different things and we often forget to chase our dreams. Every successful person I know is someone who is chasing their dreams relentlessly, chasing unattainable perfection; refining, and redefining. That is the secret. Be like a child. Keep that childlike wonderment.”

We become curious when something has touched us in an essential way. There’s a familiar feeling that accompanies curiosity, almost like deja vu. Something inside tells us that we have to know more. But the irony is, as soon as you open one door you walk into a room with two more.

“Just when you think you’ve learned everything a new world opens up to you. That’s part of the magic of life. When you dive deep you always find there is another level and another level of growth and expertise. There is always more to learn if you stay curious.”

Lady Luck, Meet Preparation

Curiosity got Steck in the door, but it was years of dedication, study, and hard work that lead to his success today. Proximity will only get you so far, you have to be prepared when an opportunity comes knocking. Steck spent years learning the ins and outs of the business before he started SPI Entertainment in 2000.

Achievement is like the tip of the iceberg; it’s the part everyone can see. But the real foundation is everything that came before. Steck ate, breathed, and lived entertainment since he was a teenager.

His advice to young entrepreneurs and dreamers: “Never, never, never, never, never give up.” True it helps to be in the right place at the right time, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be adversity. Believe in yourself and believe there will be a way. Keep going.

The Post-pandemic Future of Entertainment

There is no substitute for a live show. That pandemic has halted music, theater, dance, and other forms of live entertainment. How will this industry evolve because of COVID 19? Necessity is the mother of invention. Entertainment as we know it is being forced to change, but will those shifts redefine it permanently?

With safety and social distancing being top priorities, there is increased interest in virtual reality and using technology to create unique experiences. The goal is to provide the best experience for audiences within COVID limits. Steck is currently working on a socially distanced project that can be enjoyed from inside a car.

The alternatives and augmentations being explored include virtual reality, socially distanced experiences, holograms, personalized experiences over live-streaming platforms, and watch parties. As with anything, there are pros and cons.

The benefit is that much more can be done without the limitation of physical barriers. The question is, will the replacement ever live up to or surpass the original experience? Having seen and felt the real thing, will consumers even be willing to pay for a virtual concert?

While virtual reality is nowhere close to providing the feeling you get from sitting in a packed house watching an amazing Vegas show, there are things that can be done with cameras now that can provide an experience that you could never get live. For instance, virtually, you could see a show from multiple vantage points and change your position in the room. You could even be on stage.

As technology becomes more sophisticated, will we enter an era where we watch concerts and plays from our living rooms? Only time will tell.

Current Entrepreneurial Opportunities in the Entertainment Industry

With every difficulty comes an opportunity. I asked Steck to describe a problem his business was facing that technology could solve. We discovered that there is no software to bundle tickets to streamline a Vegas trip. Currently, everything has to be booked separately. The goal would be to build software to provide consumers with a seamless experience.

Right now, there is a lot of cumbersome googling and internet research that goes into planning a Vegas adventure. One day our phones will be able to suggest which events, restaurants, and stores we should go to based on our habits. The question is who will be the architect of this software?

There are also opportunities to enhance UX during a show or while someone is in a venue. Conceivably, using geofencing technology, an app could make suggestions, give additional information, or guide you through the floorplan of a large concert hall, perhaps even navigating you to your exact seat.

Conclusion

Whether you are an engineer or an entrepreneur, the secret to success is in your mindset. Know who you are, know what you want, and go after it. Steck’s recipe for success: follow your passions, model your mentors, stay curious, and never give up. The entertainment industry will never be the same, but how will it shift? If virtual reality makes it possible to closely recreate or enhance live experiences, will it catch on? That is the wild card. Will audiences ever be satisfied with a hologram version of Whitney Houston, or will they think it’s creepy? Only time and beta testing will tell.