Nancy Hays, President of Nancy Hays Entertainment, Inc., Virtual Celebrity Talent and Dance With Nancy, specializes in producing celebrity talent and speakers for meetings and events and dance programs for virtual participants. Nancy has a BS in Communications from University of Illinois-CU (Summa Cum Laude) and a Master’s in Advertising from Northwestern University. She was a Senior Account Manager/Entertainment at Jack Morton for nine years, prior to opening her own firm. Nancy’s products and services have received critical acclaim in major publications including LA Times, Washington Post, Variety, and others and she has made appearances as a guest on major network shows. In addition, Nancy has penned articles for multiple national publications in 2020 highlighting changes in the event industry and current trends. Nancy has appeared as a virtual moderator and guest speaker for MPI, TSE, The Motivation Show and others, specializing in the topics of Hybrid Meetings, Virtual Talent, Celebrity Talent and a variety of other topics.
Please tell us a little bit about your company – what is Nancy Hays Entertainment and Speakers, Inc. all about?
Nancy Hays Entertainment and Speakers, Inc. is a boutique production company that specializes in producing celebrity talent and speakers worldwide for private events. Nancy Hays Entertainment was founded in 1993, by Nancy Hays, a former Senior Account Manager and Director of Entertainment for Jack Morton Productions. We pride ourselves on providing innovative ideas and high-quality entertainment programs targeted to meet each client’s specific marketing and motivational goals. In addition to a great stable of established artists, we specialize in emerging acts that represent the rising talent of the future. In 2020, NHE, Inc. opened a new division of the company to serve the evolving needs of our clients seeking talent for virtual events.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company?
I have a Master’s degree in Advertising from Northwestern University. I have also worked as a professional entertainer since my teen years. I wanted to find a career where I could combine my business education with my passion for entertainment. Fortunately, I found the perfect profession that fits my skill set and interests. I also wanted to make my own products promoting music and dance and continue to perform as an artist myself and fortunately, I was able to do that also.
I started my company after I married and became pregnant with the second of my four children in 1993. My first child had special needs and I wanted to spend more time with her. I had another baby on the way (two more would follow). I also wanted to be able to perform and have less pressure to fulfill sales quotas and travel as extensively as I had been doing previously. When two different clients indicated they would be willing to go with me if I started my own consultative business, that was enough impetus for me to start my own firm.
What are your plans for the future, how do you plan to grow this company?
I plan to continue to grow my company by staying in touch with my client’s evolving needs and new virtual technologies. I plan to follow current trends and new artists on the horizon as well as established artists that have adapted to the “new normal”. The entertainment business was the first to shut down and will likely be the last to revive after Covid. When people feel safe enough to travel and gather again there will be some entertainment companies that will thrive and others that won’t. I believe we will be among the survivors. I plan to keep Nancy Hays Entertainment, Inc. learning and growing throughout the recovery because I want to help our clients be successful as they navigate the future of concerts and events. I also want to keep doing what I love and pursuing the career I believe I was called to do!
What were the top mistakes you made starting your business, and what did you learn from them?
My top mistakes were thinking because I was only going to have a few clients and would be working from home, that I would have lots of free time to spend with my kids and also perform myself. Instead, I learned that if I wanted to reach all of my goals, I had to delegate, multi-task, and sometimes just say “no” to keep my priorities in order. I learned that I would have to do some of my work after the kids went to bed instead of during normal work hours. There would be no more expense accounts or someone else paying the tab for me. Every expense would have an impact on my company’s bottom line.
How do you separate yourself from your competitors?
I separate myself from my competitors through relationships. I have been in the business long enough that I have personal friendships with most of the people at the top of the industry. If I need information about artists or availability, I can get it quickly for my clients, without dealing with middle men or gate keepers. I also separate myself by staying on top of competitors through education and associating with colleagues that inspire me. I have a huge amount of experience that is hard to match in my industry and I also have young assistants that keep me up to date on emerging trends. I think that balance offers the best of both worlds.
One other advantage of our company is that we have very diverse clients. We represent charitable and military groups as well as Fortune 500 companies. So when a celebrity’s manager or agent hears from us they don’t always assume our clients have unlimited budgets. That allows us to negotiate smart for our clients and deliver the most attractive price possible for the talent we book.
What is one thing that you do daily to grow as an entrepreneur?
The one thing I do to grow as an entrepreneur is to force myself to make cold calls every week seeking new opportunities. I don’t allow myself to be content with just servicing my current client base. I keep looking for others. That is a critical skill in a sales and service business. If you want to grow your business, you must keep planting new seeds. And you can’t be afraid to pick up the phone and be rejected until you find that new perfect client.
What are three books or courses would you recommend to entrepreneurs?
The books I would recommend for entrepreneurs are:
The Jack Morton Sales Guide by Jack Morton
My former late employer offered sales training in a short pamphlet that summarized the qualities of a superior salesperson and offered tips on how to become one yourself. I have used the advice Jack shared in this little book every day of my career since the very beginning. The first year I spent in the industry, I was a very successful rookie, so I know that following Jack Morton’s advice was the right advice for success, yesterday, today and tomorrow.
The Ria Story, Fearfully and Wonderfully Me, Narrated by Nancy Hays
Ria is an outstanding keynote TEDX speaker who hired me to narrate her leadership audiobook for women. I think her book is a fabulous guide for anyone, especially those who struggle with past challenges that have held them back from becoming the person they want to be personally and professionally. Ria’s personal story is also very motivational and inspiring.
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Stephen’s book has been around for years and his lessons offering solid business advice are still applicable today. He provides a road map on what is needed to become successful as an entrepreneur and as a person.
If you only had $100 dollars to start a new business, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
If I only had $100 to start my business, I would go to GoDaddy or another domain registration site and take out a strong company domain name. Then I would create a free website with that company name using Wix or Weebly. I would use the rest of the money to pay my phone bill for cold calling potential customers to tell them about my company and what my business could do for them.
How can we get in touch with you?
- Business: Nancy Hays Entertainment
- Email: Nancyhaysentertainment @ gmail.com
- Website: Virtual Celebrity Talent
- Website: Dance With Nancy
