Photos by K. Blake Images
Everyone has a burning desire inside that longs for fulfillment. I believe fulfillment is a direct result of love. When you pour yourself into what you love, a flood of gratification rushes over you. Combine that with believing in yourself and you will quickly realize, we as humans have limitless potential. That dream you are chasing is ready to be yours as long as you promise to give it your all and lead with your heart.
Melissa Brogan and Josh Page, recent graduates from UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management, began their company Inspired Entertainment shortly after graduating. Melissa and Josh are no strangers to the music festival and entertainment world. Both have worked countless events ranging from Coachella to Lightning in a Bottle and Envision to name a few.
They are goal-oriented, hard-working, and believe strongly in their vision. Passion pours through their work and the events they create. Immersive community gatherings filled with some of the best local Orlando talent can be found at all Inspired Entertainment events. Inspiration is contagious and can spread like a wildfire when you are surrounded by like-minded people. I had the opportunity to interview Melissa and dive deep into the world of Inspired Entertainment.
FS: What is the inspiration behind Inspired Entertainment?
Melissa: The whole purpose of creating Inspired Entertainment was to inspire people to go out and chase their dreams. We’re just normal people that have always had a passion for music and bringing people together. Being able to do it on a larger scale with music and more is a feeling you can’t compare. We just hope it shows that anyone can do whatever they want with just a little bit of hard work and believing in yourself.
FS: It seems like Inspired Entertainment is more than just music. Can you describe the atmosphere you guys create for your events?
Melissa: Yes, we want to create a fully immersive experience that goes beyond music. We want to create an environment where up and coming artists can show off their art whether it be painting, art installations, DJing, etc. and people can truly be themselves. When you come to an Inspired Entertainment event we want you to feel at home as if you’re just going to a friends house party.
FS: The first-ever “Get Inspired” pool party will be taking place as a MMW Kick Off party, what can attendees expect at this event?
Melissa: For this event, we teamed up with our good friend Lizzie Aiu to bring together both Miami and Orlando local talent to showcase their music. You can expect food, drinks, games such as life-sized beer pong, and a few extra things we decided to leave as surprises! We essentially created this as an industry mixer to network, relax, and forget about your problems before the madness that is Miami Music Week.
FS: Can you explain the impact the local community has on your events?
Melissa: We love involving the local community in our events! Whether it’s teaming up with other promotion companies, providing local talent for our shows, involving live painters or people that have art installations. We also love to try to incorporate local food trucks to provide food for our attendees. We want to provide a platform for local companies to show off their strong suits.
FS: What type of interactive exhibits can attendees find at Inspired events?
Melissa: We love life-sized games! At our past events, we’ve had beer pong, life-size scrabble, video games, etc. Our goal is to give off that chill, house party vibe as if you’re chilling in your homies living room while drinking and listening to music.
FS: You and Josh recently graduated then began this business. What are the most valuable skills you took from your studies?
Melissa: One of the most valuable skills I would say we took from our studies is that the people you include in your business can make or break you. It’s so important to find people to work with that have the same vision as you. Josh and I put together our first event as a graduation party. Our friends attended that saw our vision and wanted to be a part of what we are creating.
These people are some of my best friends that I know I can depend on for anything! They want to be as successful and get our names out there just as much as I do. Since I’ve worked with them at different events I know how hard of workers they are and what kind of work ethic they have. It was a no brainer to include them in on this. It’s awesome having a team that you can depend on. Each individual is unique and has their strong points that make this team unstoppable.
FS: Is there any advice you can give to those interested in throwing local shows and getting involved?
Melissa: Just do it and don’t limit yourself! One thing I’ve realized about this industry is that it’s hard and people will always try to put you down. However, if you stay focused and keep believing in yourself then you can truly achieve anything. Just can’t give up when things go wrong.
FS: What can we expect to see from Inspired Entertainment in the future?
Melissa: You can expect to see us involved in more shows whether it’s just in designing staging or being involved on the hospitality side of things. You can also expect to see us hosting more events and evolving along the way. This is just the beginning.
If you’re in the Orlando area keep your eyes out for Inspired Entertainment events! These events are affordable and attendees definitely get their moneys worth and so much more. There are extremely talented artists and creatives in Orlando. These events are the perfect place to meet them. Keep up to date with Inspired Entertainment on their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/InspiredEntertaimentIE/
One last positive nugget of wisdom:
“You don’t have to know exactly where it’s going to take you, you just need to start with one thing that feels right and keep following right-feeling things and see where they lead. Most answers reveal themselves through doing, not thinking.”
Jen Sincero