Marcus "Esports" Howard

I have 15 consecutive years of strategic/tactical experience with building startups in various industries, including gaming, news media and restaurants. I specialize in identifying exponential growth opportunities and converging trends in consumer markets. Also, I excel at creating/executing blue ocean business strategies. Growth Hacker. Innovator. Techie. Leader.

Chief Growth Officer

We're redefining education and workforce development with esports. We offer end-to-end services clients needs to create a truly wow factor esports gaming space or large scale arena. We recently completed the world's largest investment in the high school education esports space. Reach out to us if you have any projects or questions that we could help you with.

www.vesselxr.com

Marcus Howard

Nightlife United

Nightlife United [NU] is an industry advocacy non-profit coalition, founded by and for community stakeholders. Their mission is to foster an equitable nighttime economy for cultural professionals.

• Established alliance of live entertainment industry leaders to strengthen local businesses and employees

• Led sponsor outreach and activation in support of venues and staff that were financially impacted by the pandemic

• Fundraised $200K for relief grants to 133 local companies and workers selected by a committee of Black, POC, and LGBTQIA+ leaders

• Oversaw strategy and development through partnerships, roadmapping/planning, operations, team workflow, contract negotiation, and marketing

• Collaborated with the NYC Mayor, Office of Nightlife, Small Business Services Department, Office of Media and Entertainment, and NYC Health + Hospitals on civic town halls and health + inclusivity programs

• Surpassed revenue goal within 90 days by securing partnerships with global brands: Red Bull, Heineken, Rockstar Games, Tito’s, Splice, Johnnie Walker, and more

• $25K presented to community leaders nominated for the NU Culture Awards ceremony

• Acquired new partners for workforce development, awards show, product collaborations, influencer campaigns, and virtual space fundraisers

• Distributed 750 free meals and created 1 community fridge that shared 3500 pounds of food per week

• Founding Organizations: Friends and Lovers, AdHoc, NYC Artist Coalition, Solo Foundation, Grand Stand Media, City Farm Presents

Founding Partner & President

The Experiential Group

WebMD Medscape is the leading online global destination for physicians and healthcare professionals worldwide, offering the latest medical news and expert perspectives; drug and disease information; and relevant professional education. MedscapeLIVE creates congresses, events, and industry theatres.

• Transformed WebMD's Medscape B2B division from in-person healthcare conferences to virtual educational symposia including 1st hybrid events

• Piloted 2 new departments by reimagining audience platforms and remote client/team collaboration, which achieved 38% business unit revenue growth with 500 events that drove 80% of profits 

• Delivered $4MM of successful software-based and in-person events with 85% conversion rate of attendees and experts from over 151 countries

• Promoted in 1st year by leading interdepartmental verticals (sales, marketing, multimedia, creative, content) and streamlining a 50% reduction of program turnaround time

• Built profitable client relationships with global healthcare companies: Pfizer, Bayer, Lilly, Abbott, Merck, Novartis

• Oversaw client success, team structure, product launches, CRM software, timeline management, user experience, media trafficking, compliance, quality assurance, design, and copy

• AWARD: Top 10 Medical Affairs Services Provider - Life Sciences Review 

• AWARD: 2x Top 100 IT List - Event Marketer

• AWARD: Amazing Program Team - Medscape 

• AWARD: Medical Affairs Program of the Year - Sanofi

• AWARD: Best Team Performance - MedscapeLIVE

Lead Account & Program Manager - WebMD/Medscape [Consultant]

• Owned program development and operations with hospital groups, pharmaceutical brands, and other medical associations

• Created and improved standard operating procedures with company wide initiatives

• Managed event technology with latest capabilities and researched trends to engage expert audiences

• Leveraged data analysis across product lifecycles to achieve benchmarks

Program Manager - WebMD/Medscape [Consultant]

NYC Office of the Mayor

The NYC Nightlife Advisory Board informs the Mayor and the City Council on issues relating to Nightlife businesses and workers.

• Identified and studied industry challenges and trends
  
• Made recommendations on ways to improve laws and policies

• Examined regulatory structure, public safety, laws, zoning, local business and neighborhood integration, workforce wages and safety

• Appointed by the Mayor

New York City Nightlife Advisory Board Member

NIVA - National Independent Venue Association

NIVA's mission is to preserve and nurture the ecosystem of independent venues and promoters throughout the United States. They secure financial support and advance solutions unique for the live entertainment industry.

• Advised non-profit organization on bolstering cultural sustainability in live entertainment industry

• Guided IDEA committee's work towards equitable business practices

• Created resources for members to prioritize inclusion within their businesses and communities

• 3K national member companies

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility [IDEA] Advisory Group Leader

• Roadmapped accessibility initiatives to strengthen local businesses

• Alliance successfully lobbied state & federal governments to establish largest arts investment in US history with a $16BN grant program for venue operators and promoters

• Contributed insights and recommendations on developing leadership and teams

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion [DEI] Committee Member

City Farm Presents

City Farm Presents is a festival production and promotion startup created by the team behind The Bell House, Union Hall and Floyd venues. For 15 years they have played an integral role in the ever-changing worlds of music, comedy, and podcasts. 

• Launched events business with New York City's 3rd largest independent live entertainment company

• Created intellectual property by devising new show formats/venues:
+ Summer Series at Industry City: 65 outdoor concerts with 50K attendees at New York State’s biggest mixed-use real estate complex
+ Brooklyn Podcast Festival: 60 live podcast recording performances with 12K fans at The Bell House, Union Hall, BRIC House, and Camp David
+ Brooklyn Reserve: 6 culinary events with 3K guests at The Bell House and Industry City
+ Gowanus Block Party: 1 community fundraiser for Gowanus Canal Conservancy with 5K neighbors at The Bell House

• Owned all operations including business development, strategy, planning, execution, profit and loss, hiring, budgets, sponsor outreach, production, timetables, marketing, curation, and cash flow accounting

• Grew sponsorship revenue 2000% with international brands: Pandora, Heineken, Eventbrite, Maker’s Mark, and more

• Led partner acquisition of industry titans: New York Public Radio, Kings Theatre, DoNYC, BRIC Media, BrooklynVegan, City Point BKLYN, Industry City, Relix Media, PopGun Presents, Oh My Rockness

• Diversified revenue streams with cultural programming collaborations: Lola Star Dreamland Roller Disco, Everyday People, Hot Rabbit LGBTQ Dance Party 

• Established workflow systems with standard operating procedures and grew network of vendors

• Leveraged successful assets including The Bell House and Union Hall venues and their 200K followers

• Recruited and onboarded 350 staff 

• Increased company diversity with hiring of 60% women leadership team

• Produced New York City's most ticketed outdoor shows in a single season

Co-Founder/Owner & Executive Producer

MOSIS EXPERIENTIAL 

MOSIS is a design studio that produces unconventional content through multimedia installations. Their mission is to create cultural platforms by way of immersive and interactive tech-led experiences. 

• Showcased Patron Tequila’s 1st virtual reality activation for celebrity campaign with Padma Lakshmi

• Oversaw interactive technology for brand’s annual Margarita of the Year event series

• Garnered 40% engagement through virtual reality experience and social media-enabled voting photobooths

• Sourced venue and production partners

• Achieved profitability target

Operations Director - Patron [Consultant]

XANDALI

XANDALI offers consulting and logistics for events, brands, products, and services. They provide experience-driven planning with a solution-oriented approach.
 
• Spearheaded sponsor pipeline for South by Southwest conference’s largest music showcase, 9th annual Lose Control 

• Oversaw strategy, development, and contracts

• Pitched national brands: Red Bull, JetBlue, Avion Tequila, J.Crew

• Forecasted targets for growth and prospective revenue 

• Sourced creative production partners

Sponsorship Director - South by Southwest [Consultant]

Grand Visual

Grand Visual is a production and creative technology company offering services that unlock the communication potential of the out-of-home audience – where digital experiences intersect with the real, physical world. 

• Forged Disney's 1st live augmented reality out-of-home campaign in 11 international markets simultaneously to promote Marvel's blockbuster film, Dr. Strange

• Surpassed agency’s profitability goal

• Showcased campaign via social media campaign which featured a live satellite feed between London and Los Angeles that earned 660K views, a 25% increase in engagement

• Managed regional clients, vendors, and resources in UK, Spain, Mexico, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Korea, and USA

• Supervised cross-functional US and UK teams, budget, schedule, operational workflow, technology partners, application testing, hardware, fabrication, localization, and assets

Senior Producer - Disney/Marvel [Consultant]

AEG Presents

AEG Presents, the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles-based AEG, is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance: touring, one-offs, broadcasts, sponsorship, festivals, special events with 17 regional offices and 50+ state-of the-art venues.

• Launched Panorama Music x Art x Technology festival with 2nd biggest international concert promotion company

• Built, implemented, and reconciled marketing plan and budget with Coachella/Goldenvoice team that earned 50% social media engagement increase

• Achieved ticket sales record for an inaugural New York City music festival with 100K attendees and world's largest interactive tech-art exhibition featuring Hewlett-Packard

• Produced numerous teaser music and art events that diversified audience outreach

• Negotiated marketing partnerships and deal terms

• Managed Google and Arcade Fire's onsite social media campaign 

• Developed strategic non-traditional marketing initiatives showcasing event
	
• Oversaw creative media production as well as advertisement purchasing, trafficking, and analysis

• Performers included: Kendrick Lamar, Arcade Fire, Alabama Shakes, SIA, LCD Soundsystem, A$AP Rocky, The National, Major Lazer, Run the Jewels, FKA Twigs, Madlib, Sufjan Stevens, Kaytranada, Jai Wolf, DJ Khaled, and more

• AWARD: Best Consumer Environment - Event Marketer Magazine's The 2017 Ex Awards - Google Play Music Block with Jack Morton Worldwide

• AWARD: Best Production of a Consumer Event - Event Marketer Magazine's The 2017 Ex Awards - HP Lab with META and Infinity Marketing Team

Festival Marketing Director - Goldenvoice [Consultant]

Cunning

Cunning NYC is a brand experience agency that has created awe-inspiring activations. They have earned 7 Guinness World Records for international brands such as Mini Cooper, Red Bull, and Dove.

• Created Ketel One Vodka’s 1st experiential campaign with large-scale multimedia national event series 

• Supervised vendors, contracts, fabrication, design, talent curation, influencers, and permits

• Earned 441MM press impressions, 9MM social media hits, and 41% attendance conversion

• Produced Lyft's Halloween activation delivering zombies to NYC users, influencers, and press 

• Managed budget and 100+ vendors/staff in pre-production through end of campaign reporting

• Achieved 100% of Lyft marketing benchmarks: impressions, engagement, virality

• Secured 20% profitability through management of production budget and workflow

Senior Project Manager - Ketel One + Lyft [Consultant]

Adaptable and inclusive leader in partnerships x program management for local + global companies across diverse sectors: Entertainment, Technology, Consumer Goods, Health, Social Impact. Forging collaborations between cultural institutions and brands to create inspiring experiences worldwide.

• Founded and grew 4 organizations
• Generated revenue totaling $25MM
• Secured partnerships in 50+ countries
• Led 200-member interdepartmental teams
• Produced 1K in-person/virtual/hybrid events with 1M attendees across 150+ countries
• Fundraised $200K for pandemic relief grants supporting cultural workers and businesses
• New York City Nightlife Advisory Board Member

I am an Experiential impresario focused on business growth and operational strategy with startups and global firms. Throughout my career, I have launched multiple 1st-to-market ventures in a range of industries.

My life informs my work. Community and culture are vital. Live music is a muse. Public art shapes my perspective. Camping and biking help me feel grounded.  

Feel free to reach out with ideas or opportunities you think are relevant.


SKILLS 
• Event x Experiential technology mastery
• Brand creation + launch planning
• In-house + agency expertise
• New business + resource models
• Go-to-market strategy + implementation 
• Omnichannel integrated marketing + production
• Global business/partnership/team development
• Change management
• Profit and Loss ownership
• Audience trends research
• Data analysis
• Budgeting and forecasting 
• Agile project management
• Operational excellence
• Product management
• Contract negotiation
• Software + hardware integration 
• Live streams + virtual event platforms
• Regulatory oversight
• Public speaking


AWARDS + RECOGNITION
• Advisory Group Leader - National Independent Venue Association
• 2x Amazing Program Team + Performance - Medscape
• Program of the Year - Sanofi
• 2x Best Consumer Environment + Production - Event Marketer


PARTNERS
ENTERTAINMENT + MEDIA:  Marvel/Disney • TED • Goldenvoice/AEG Presents • Rockstar Games • Governors Ball • SXSW • The Bell House/Union Hall • NPR • Brooklyn Bowl

TECHNOLOGY + PLATFORMS:  Google • Pandora/SiriusXM • Splice • Lyft • HP • Eventbrite

CONSUMER BRANDS:  Nike • American Express • Diageo • L'Oreal • Heineken • Unilever • Bacardi • Evian • Danone • Red Bull • Nestle • Beam Suntory 

HEALTHCARE:  Medscape/WebMD • Pfizer • Bayer • Lilly • Abbott • Merck • Novartis

INSTITUTIONS + VENUES:  Pratt Institute • NYC Mayor’s Office • MOMA • Industry City • BRIC Media • NIVA • City Point • NYC Parks Department

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Marcus Howard

Varghese Chacko, MBA

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