Give Them What They Need
As one who has lobbied hard for some brave soul or souls to create a soundstage in Kansas City, I am thrilled that StagePort has opened just across the street from T2 +Back Alley Films. And I’m not alone – all the local film makers, productions houses and agencies – in and outside the Crossroads Art District have welcomed this new addition.
Jeff Owens, a genius set designer and veteran member of the film community was responsible for building out the 12,500 sq. ft at the back end of the building that houses OfficePort and JavaPort. There is no one better than Jeff to take this on – and his involvement will guarantee StagePort’s financial success. He will be working alongside Jon Trozzolo in managing the facility that includes one large stage and two smaller ones. Jon and Jeff are co-owners of the facility, along with real estate partners Michael Edmondson and Shaul Jolles.
Lots of folks have considered this undertaking – but it was hard to make the numbers work when you consider the investment in the build-out, which is why it made such sense to get Jeff Owens involved. He is not only well connected and well respected within the film community, but he has the “chops” to do the work himself. It took a little longer for Jeff to take on such a large role in the construction process, but it made the investment more palatable. And Jeff got the community involved before the construction began – by contacting a large number of the people who would use it and asking them what they wanted in a soundstage. He brought in the best people to advise on acoustics, lighting, etc. – took that information and created a facility that would meet the needs of the customers who would use it. Pretty smart – pretty impressive.
That kind of homework – focusing on user experience and listening to customers and potential customers and building or creating what they need, instead of what you want – is really a critical component of business success today. I applaud their efforts and wish them much success.
StagePort is located at 208 W. 19th Street, in Kansas City, MO. For more details about StagePort, there’s a great article in the Kansas City Star. And, if you want to find them on Facebook or stalk them on Twitter, I’m sure they’d love the attention.
