Shows
SignalPricing Science, Walk-Up Revenue, and Why Attractions Undersell Themselves with Harry Tomasides & Tom Chiarella of DigonexIf you're not dynamically pricing your walk-up window, you're probably leaving money on the table.In this episode of Signal, hosts John Pendergrast and Tim Samson sit down with Harry Tomasides, Chief Revenue Officer, and Tom Chiarella, Chief Product & Technology Officer, at Digonex—one of the industry's most established names in pricing science.With a team of PhD economists who don't just run algorithms but provide human-supervised price recommendations, Digonex has spent over a decade helping attractions, performing arts venues, and live entertainment organizations rethink their approach to pricing. What makes their approach different? Operators ca...
2025-12-221h 05
The NeuroLeadership EdgeNo One’s Coming to Fix It—Because You’re It with Sophie LammersTopics Covered:The moment Sophie realized she was the one she’d been waiting forWhy external “fixes” don’t create internal peaceUsing self-awareness and stillness as leadership toolsThe trap of performing leadership vs. being a leaderWhat “being it” looks like day to day, especially under pressureHow to take back agency when you're spiralingWhy naming things out loud is a neuroscience-backed power moveClaire’s GLOW method as a daily self-command toolReal examples of shifting out of reactivity using the brain's rewiring processThe role of clarity, compassion, and choice in leadership Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction and the real question: wh...
2025-12-1724 min
SignalActivating Guest Data with the RFM Framework for Attractions with TJ Christensen, CEO & Founding Partner of BlueGatorIf McDonald's can turn a $3 coffee customer into a breakfast regular, why can't you turn your "stroller brigade" into lunch customers?In this episode of Signal, hosts John Pendergrast and Tim Samson sit down with TJ Christensen, CEO and Founding Partner of BlueGator, a Salesforce consulting firm helping zoos, museums, aquariums, and theme parks turn guest data into unforgettable experiences.With over 20 years in attractions—including roles at Disney, Wyndham, and a decade leading product strategy at Accesso—TJ has seen firsthand why most attractions are drowning in data but starving for insights. His solution? Appl...
2025-12-101h 05
SignalGetting Guests to Do One More Thing at Morey’s Piers with Tyler JacobsWhat if loyalty wasn't about coupons—but about getting guests to do just one more thing?In this episode of Signal, hosts John Pendergrast and Tim Samson sit down with Tyler Jacobs, Director of Guest Engagement & Analytics at Morey’s Piers & Resorts, to break down how one of America’s most beloved seaside destinations is modernizing guest engagement without losing its soul.In just four months with a core team of three, Tyler and his colleagues launched Morey’s FAM Club—Morey's first-ever loyalty program. They integrated multiple systems, cleaned years of guest data, and rolled out...
2025-11-261h 02
SignalBuilding Culture That Lasts by Design with Shaun McKeogh, CEO & Founder of Attractions AcademyEvery operator knows culture matters—but few know how to design one that survives when half the team turns over every season.In this episode of Signal, hosts John Pendergrast and Tim Samson sit down with Shaun McKeogh, ICAE, Founder and CEO of Attractions Academy. With more than two decades leading organizational development and cultural transformation across 30-plus countries, Shaun has helped brands like Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Gardens by the Bay Singapore, Village Roadshow Theme Parks, and the Saudi Vision 2030 initiative turn culture from a slogan into a system.Shaun shares what most leaders ov...
2025-11-121h 07
SignalPricing Confidence, Parity, and Behavioral Strategy with Evan Reece, CEO of Truest.me, former CEO Liftopia, CatalateWhat if pricing wasn’t just about numbers—but about shaping behavior?In this episode of Signal, hosts John Pendergrast and Tim Samson sit down with Evan Reece, best known as the former CEO of Liftopia and Catalate, where he pioneered dynamic pricing and ecommerce strategies that transformed how attractions and ski resorts sell experiences.Now CEO of Truest.me and a retained advisor to attractions, marketplaces, and reservation technology platforms, Evan shares why pricing hygiene—consistency, transparency, and organizational alignment—matters more than any algorithm. With over $1.2B in bookings powered by his pricing models...
2025-10-291h 12
SignalTurning Viral Videos into Waterpark Visitors with Alex Ojeda, TIME100 Creator & Attractions ConsultantWhat does it take to turn viral content into real-world revenue for attractions? In this episode of Signal, hosts John Pendergrast and Tim Samson sit down with Alex Ojeda, a first-generation Mexican-American creator, consultant, and industry superfan whose high-energy content reaches over 15 million followers and generates more than two billion annual impressions every year.Named to the TIME100 Creators list as one of the world’s most influential digital voices, Alex is best known for his thrilling first-person videos spotlighting the planet’s most cutting-edge waterparks and attractions—from the U.S. and UAE to China, Brazil, and be...
2025-10-151h 05
SignalBuilding Joy at Scale with Sara Schiller, Co-CEO of Sloomoo InstituteIn this episode, John and Tim sit down with Sara Schiller, co-founder and co-CEO of Sloomoo Institute — America’s beloved slime museum and sensory experience. What started as a spark of joy between friends has grown into a national phenomenon: five flagship locations, 2 million guests, and over $40M in revenue.Sara shares her remarkable journey of transforming adversity into creativity and explains why immersive experiences are reshaping both attractions and retail. From redefining “play” for adults to pioneering an inclusion-first workforce, Sara and her team are proving that joy is not just a feeling — it’s a business mod...
2025-10-011h 09
SignalThe Experience Economy, Tech’s Role, and the Biggest Blind Spot in AttractionsIn this debut episode of Signal, hosts John Pendergrast and Tim Samson set the stage for what this podcast is all about: candid, forward-looking conversations for leaders in the attractions industry.John and Tim share their unconventional journeys—from roller coasters at Cedar Point to early software builds for reservation systems—and why operators today need more spaces to talk openly about the challenges shaping guest experiences.This conversation covers four key industry trends and digs into why technology must serve guests first, why standardization matters, and where operators are most at risk of falling behi...
2025-09-161h 00
Coach2Scale: How Modern Leaders Build A Coaching CultureTrust Builds Teams. Coaching Builds Careers with Sean HarveyIn this episode, Sean Harvey, CRO at RocketRez, shares a practical framework for building coaching cultures that actually stick. He explains why trust, not tactics, is the starting point for real performance, and how coaching must move beyond pipeline reviews and into intentional skill development. From his early Oracle training to leading teams through hypergrowth and private equity scale-ups, Sean outlines the lessons that shaped his belief in coaching as both a performance lever and a retention strategy.If you’re still coaching “on the fly” or stuck playing super-rep, this conversation will challenge your assumptions. Sean covers...
2025-09-0943 min
Coach2Scale: How Modern Leaders Build A Coaching CultureEmpowering Your Team’s Professional Growth - Sean Harvey - Coach2Scale - Episode # 001Today’s guest is an extremely passionate leader and mentor that has built out amazing sales organizations while simultaneously closing large enterprise deals for high-growth startups. Sean Harvey is the Vice President of Sales at RocketRez. Sean joins Host Matt Benelli for a discussion on instilling cultural changes that stick, the importance of trust in coaching, and why sales leaders need to think long-term.Takeaways:Incorporating coaching into a company’s culture is simplest when implemented with a “top-down” approach. The buy-in of top leaders is critical to building this culture and it must be...
2023-08-0743 min
Built2Solve | How Tech Startups Start and ScaleHow 10 Recently Funded Technology Companies, VETRO, Togal AI, Mercator AI, StructShare, Unlearn AI, Engrain Disclo, Levels, Nobl9 and RocketRez are Solving Today's Challenging Business ProblemsIn this episode, we’re highlighting 10 recently funded companies solving today’s challenging business problems, in industries such as data visualization, enterprise software, IT, construction, real estate, health and wellness, mapping services, life science, big data, business intelligence, market research, e-commerce, and more.
The companies highlighted in today's episode are:
1- VETRO FiberMap | A fiber management GIS mapping platform that develops software to help internet providers manage their network. Learn more at
vetrofibermap.com
2- Togal AI | The fastest construction estimating takeoff software powered by deep machine learning. Learn more at t...
2023-03-2307 min
The Brown Sign ProjectThe Brown Sign Project - Customer Journey Mapping - Episode 2Customer Journey Mapping Episode 2 - You've got their interest and possibly their money, what now? with Kelly Molson and Joe Robinson
We've had a bit of a break but are back with a new series and this time we're looking at customer journey mapping. What is it? Why is it useful? When should I be working on it? All the important stuff gets discussed as we follow our customers through their journey to having a great experience in an attraction.
From buying tickets online and joining the queue to signing up for your newsletter and l...
2021-08-2744 min
Tourpreneur Tour Business PodcastMeet the Restech – Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours tells us why they picked RocketRez to power their online bookings.RocketRez's Joe Robinson and Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours' Kim Wark join us today to share the story of RocketRez and describe what the RocketRez experience is like from the tour and attraction’s operator point of view. Joe reveals the benefits of using an all-in-one booking, inventory, and sales solution. He highlights the onboarding experience for clients and shares how the pricing model works. Kim discusses the platform's customization options and reveals what it is like to update rates, schedules, and locations. We also discuss the tour and attraction websites where you can see the RocketRez services and solutions at...
2021-02-0345 min