Member Spotlight: Barry Jeffrey

IEBA Chairman of the Board
Vice President, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment
 
Can you tell us what's in store for IEBA's 40th anniversary?
 
For our 40th anniversary IEBA will continue to expand in all areas. Although specifics cannot be discussed at this time, one exciting announcement will be the creation of the IEBA Hall of Fame.
 
What would you tell a member who is worried about the financial investment to attend the IEBA conference?
 
Today's economy has affected everyone's life in some way or another. Our conference is not only the best value for the dollar, but our attendees are given the opportunity to spend invaluable time with leaders in our business and get a head start on buying talent for the following year.
 
The William Morris Agency merged last year with Endeavor Entertainment. Have any noticeable changes taken place at the company as a result?
 
A renewed sense of energy and excitement has come over the family at WME as the William Morris Agency and Endeavor Entertainment joined forces to become the most powerful talent agency in the industry. WME is about supporting our clients across all business platforms and opportunities.
 
The live entertainment industry is the focus of both your work with IEBA and your job as an agent with William Morris Endeavor Entertainment. What do you see as the biggest challenge in live entertainment today?
 
Connecting the artist with the ticket buying fan is definitely important to an agent. Equally as important is convincing a concert promoter or talent buyer of an artist's career success and value in the marketplace. Knowing each concert market and available venue, as well as the artist's worth in a specific market is often like assembling a jigsaw puzzle. When every piece comes together, the experience is beautiful.
 
Where do you see the live entertainment industry going in 10 years?
 
Live entertainment as it pertains to concerts and touring will continue to thrive and grow in the future, just as it does today. People want the experience of seeing an artist or band up close as it gives them ownership of the artist and memories to last a lifetime. There is nothing better than the energy that exudes from an artist and his or her fans during a live concert.
 
I have heard it said that when the economy is tanking people want to be entertained, and when the economy is doing great people want to be entertained. It seems the entertainment industry will always weather the storm and come out on top as long as we keep putting out great music.
 
What are some of your favorite success stories?
 
There is nothing sweeter for an agent than to be with an artist at the very beginning of his or her career and work to help them reach their dreams. For me, one of those clients is Brad Paisley. It was a privilege to share in the special moments of his career. I remember Brad hearing his debut single on the radio for the first time, as well as his first concert, first platinum album and his first major industry award. Brad continues his streak of consecutive #1 hits, platinum albums, multiple awards and sellouts at nearly every concert arena.
 
What are some of your personal career highlights?
 
I can vividly remember the day I was made an agent at WME and then again when it was announced I was made a vice president of the company. Both times were moments in my life when I realized hard work, focus and dedication (along with a little luck) paid off. I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I was in college and was determined to find a way to make it work. My father had a Dixieland band some 40 years ago that the William Morris Agency represented out of its Chicago office, and now all this time later, I am celebrating my 20th anniversary with the company that once represented my father's band.
 
Another highlight of my career was when two of my assistants were promoted to agent. To this day, it is truly one of my favorite memories.