Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie DuRose.
Hi Julie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I remember my 7th-grade teacher asking our class who thought they might be an entrepreneur. My hand shot up. Who wouldn’t want to do their own thing? I was so confused when I looked around the room and saw mine was the only hand raised. Skip ahead thirty years, and I was (still) working long hours for someone else and not getting to do anything that jazzed me. So I gave myself a 6-month deadline: either I would commit to doing my own thing or stop identifying as a (future) entrepreneur. I was at the director level in the catering & events world then and saw a need for entertainment options. I was also shocked at how few women or minority emcees there were – locally or nationally. I felt the genesis of my company in my gut. I would create an entertainment company whose mission was to create joy, laughter, and connection. And the troupe would be primarily women, minority, and LGBTQA+ performers. I start year ten in a few days. I am grateful to have such a fun job and to work with outstanding performers who trust me and each other. I am thankful for how I (finally) grew into myself and how my life and work views can be aligned. The future might bring new directions, but there are two things that I’ll always need: (1) an ongoing opportunity for creativity and (2) radical flexibility in how, where & when I work.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been relatively smooth so far?
One of the hardest things for any creative person is the gulf between what they can imagine creating/producing and the reality of their work in those early years. It can be sobering and highly motivating for the right person. Our programs were okay in the early days. Sometimes, we were even good. We were always at least cheap – ha! But we were only sometimes creating magic. We kept at it and kept practicing. I kept honing my skills in recruitment & coaching, which, in our case, was one of the keys to creating magic at our events. We are exponentially better than we were 9+ years ago. I’m always grateful when a client chooses us, but now that we have dialed in the magic, the client is lucky that we’re coming to host their event.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We host live games & game show programs for 20 to 2000+ people. Well, that’s what I put on the contract. The games are just scaffolding; we create a place for people to connect, laugh, be seen, see & appreciate their coworkers in a way they haven’t before, and perhaps feel better about the world. To kick back and live in the present, at the very least.
• We are agents of joy, laughter & connection
• We remind grown-ups how to play
• We connect people across difference
• Our troupe is comprised of mostly women & minority performance artists, and largely LGBTQA+
Our virtual & in-person game shows include:
• Survey Says
• The Right Price
• What’s That Tune?
• Minute To Bring It
• Iron Foodie
• The Amazing Scavenger Race
We also offer live musical performances & emcee (MC) services and a 20% nonprofit discount. Our clients include Delta, Mayo, U.S. Bank, Target, General Mills, Medtronic, Allina, and Trader Joe’s. But I love working with much smaller local & regional businesses & nonprofits, and we love it when we’re part of a rehearsal dinner or a fabulous surprise party. I’m incredibly proud to look around the room and see that not even a single person is on their phone.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any essential lessons or epiphanies you can share?
Covid-19 was a challenging time for anyone in live events. We were lucky to have a loyal client base and were hosting virtual events throughout, which we continue to book into 2024. There’s no substitute for human connection if we learned anything as a species during the pandemic. We crave connection in all its forms – all the surprises, the magic, the laughter, the joy, all the reasons to celebrate life & to celebrate each other.
Contact Info:
- Website: sassylassyevents.com
- Other: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/259033074
