Over two decades, Metter has grown regional food festivals into nationally recognized economic drivers. Her thesis is simple: live experiences are not cost centers. They are revenue platforms capable of compounding value across multiple stakeholders.

AI should remove operational friction, not human connection. The real opportunity for event leaders is reclaiming time and monetizing trust.

In this episode, host Heather Holst-Knudsen is joined by industry titan Doug Emslie (Chairman, Cuil Bay Capital & Raccoon Media Group; former CEO, Tarsus Group). With a career spanning "nearly a third of a century"—from negotiating multi-million pound deals in his 20s to guiding Tarsus to a billion-dollar exit—Doug offers a masterclass on the tension between financial efficiency and creative soul.