Matt Ampolsky launched his first company during his senior year at the University of Arizona. Within a year, he had an office space and established relationships with the entertainment and sports industry’s top players.
What does his business offer? Confirmed360 (www.confirmed360.com) curates unique and notable experiences for its VIP clientele. If you desire a one-on-one meeting with the world’s most famous stars, you got it. Confirmed360 has arranged once-in-a-lifetime experiences with athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo and Cam Newton, singers Justin Bieber and Harry Styles, and legendary bands like U2 and the Rolling Stones to name a few. While his competitors offer cookie cutter ticket packages, Confirmed360 allows its users to customize their own experiences with A-list talent, athletes, and modern-day influencers at live events and will even produce an event just for you.
What sets his company apart is its reputation, says Ampolsky. “This is a relationship business. When you are working with the biggest talents in the world, there is an unprecedented trust factor involved. Talent managers are very picky. The expectation is that you bat 100%. There is no room for error.”
With offices in both New York and Los Angeles, Confirmed360 plans to expand to Las Vegas and London due to unprecedented success. Confirmed360 booked 10 private performances in 2016 and hopes to triple that number in 2017.
Ampolsky refers to his company as the industry’s best kept secret. “We have built something extraordinary and have become an extremely valuable resource for our clients and partners worldwide,” says Ampolsky. “The company has nearly doubled in revenue each of the last three years and we are just scratching the surface.”
With unique marketing tactics in addition to exceptional customer service, Confirmed360 built and scaled a business model based on exclusive access to an elite and private subculture. Ampolsky pinpointed early on that fans crave intimate experiences with their favorite celebrities. To some, these people are their heroes. And so he built his company on this premise.
Confirmed360 now serves clients in over 50 countries, and has established a solid reputation based on its ability to curate one-of-a-kind moments between fans and the talent, which creates an everlasting memory—a far superior experience than sitting in box seats with no ability to make any rapport with the star of the night.
Ampolsky attributes his success to collaborating. “Just like new artists, businesses can benefit from the right collabs.” When given the opportunity to perform material that is already cosigned by the audience’s favorite band or artist, the new artist automatically receives credibility and access to an existing fan base. The same is to be said in the corporate world.
“The reason we succeed is because we’ve created a platform that incentivizes the world’s greatest talents to connect with their fans in an intimate setting that is truly once-in-a-lifetime. Its a win-win. We also collaborate with the world’s biggest brands to provide their clientele with exclusive access and experiences.”
He adds, “I am so fortunate to have surrounded myself with such an incredible team at Confirmed360. Every person has a unique quality that adds to the dynamic. We pride ourselves on being the hardest working group in the game.”
Partners Lee Barkalow and Simon David have been crucial to the growth of Confirmed360. Barkalow transitioned from William Morris Endeavor, the biggest talent agency in the world, and instantly utilized his vast skills and substantial network to improve the company at large. Simon currently runs the New York headquarters and has made a significant impact on Confirmed360’s national reach.
Beyond his team, Ampolsky looks up to his grandfather as his role model. “My grandfather Henry Reich is my biggest hero. My grandparents are Holocaust survivors. They grew up in Poland and were separated from their families during the war.”
“He also claims to hold the record for surviving the most concentration camps, which is still undisputed,” says Ampolsky. “He came to America, and created a life for himself and his family out of nothing. His story inspires me to work hard and persist every day.”
Ironically, Ampolsky also encourages patience and temporary stagnation because “sometimes doing nothing is actually doing something, and that time is an entrepreneur’s most valuable resource so it needs to be allocated wisely.”
“I have been doing this for ten years and I still learn something new every day.” He adds “This is a ‘lifestyle’ for my team and we all love what we do and have fun with it. I seek people that love the hustle and enjoy the journey.”
Through his company’s work, millions of dollars have been donated to various causes, including generous gifts to his talent’s favorite causes in exchange for their participation.
Ampolsky and his wife, Whitney are dog lovers and support local charities through fostering homeless dogs in need.
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