How long have you worked in the industry? 3.5 years
Provide a brief overview of what it is you do in your work?
I help people that live in a world of despair. They are not using Ungerboeck. They have no fun in their life. Everything is gray and dark. They need to be rescued from their misery, their captivity within a world of bad software. When they find themselves at the end of the line, when there is no escape in sight and all hope is gone – that´s when I come in. I am the bright light in the void. The silver lining. Today, still wanted by the government, I survive as soldier of fortune. If you have a problem... if no one else can help... and if you can find me... maybe you can hire... The A-Team… uh… me, I meant me.
How and why did you end up working in the events industry?
Events and gatherings are a purely good and positive thing because it keeps people talking. And as long as people talk to each other, conflict is always another day off. To facilitate communication among people will leads to arguments fought with words and not with fists. When you talking to other people you´ll be exposed to other standpoints and reevaluate your own. It´s the natural opposite to conflict, stubbornness and even – when you follow that line of thought – to violence. To bring people together and to unite humans all over the world whether in commercial, scientific or cultural interests is a massively strong signal against the forces that want to build walls and that believe in tribes and nations. It´s one world, one humankind. And the event industry is the engine that keeps those billions of lines of communications running.
Is there a specific project you’ve worked on in your career that you’re most proud of?
It was a recent convention center project. There was no inquiry on their side. No e-mail, no phone call, no Request for Proposal. I cold called them and went with them all the way. It proved to me all the things that I believe about sales. You can generate interest where there is none, you can meet with people that don’t see the need to meet and you can close a deal you initiated all by yourself.
What relationships have meant the most to you over your career?
Too many to mention. A lot of my colleagues and clients have become friends – good ones.
Tell me a bit about what you like most about working for Ungerboeck?
Again, it´s the people. The opportunity to work with people of all kind of backgrounds, of different cultures. And, I guess, the trust. I feel like my colleagues and bosses trust me and let me work like I need to work.
What are 3 words to describe Ungerboeck?
Open, true, eventful 😉
What advice would you have for someone going into the events industry?
Don´t be shy, there is much to be won.
What’s one thing most people don’t know about you?
You´d think I´d like to tell that. And somehow it´s tempting, but also not. It´s a really, really hard decision. It reminds me of a choice I had to make when I was working with an oil rigging team on an asteroid that was heading for earth. It was down to me or Ben Affleck to ignite the thermo nuclear warhead to blow the deathly rock to pieces. In the end, Ben and I decided together, it´d be best for him and the movie industry to stay back and push the button.
If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
On the Sunny Side of the Street: https://go.ungerboeck.com/ThorstensSong
Gillespie, Dizzy and Rollins, Sonny and Stitt, Sonny (1959). On the Sunny Side of the Street. On Sonny Side Up. Los Angeles, CA: Verve Record Label.