Jon Noonan: The Forecast Is Zero And Real Resilience

"The forecast is zero." That's the blunt reality Jon Noonan shares as we talk about what happens to the events industry when geopolitics, travel advisories and confidence collide. 

In this week's episode of EventNewsDXB, -45dB Founder and Managing Director, Jon Noonan, and host Ian Carless, unpack the gap between perception and reality, and why government guidance and travel insurance create a standstill no supplier or organiser can solve alone. 

But it's not all doom and gloom as Jon shares a genuine watershed moment with the signing of an exclusive contract between -45dB and DWTC - proof, he argues, that you simply can't do business in this region by flying in and out. 

Recording in one of their sound reduced structures at Dubai World Trade Centre, featuring a bespoke podcast studio, Jon explains the long road behind a major partnership and what it took to earn trust in the GCC. We also take a peak behind the scenes on running two substantial operations across the Middle East and UK, Thorns Group momentum, plus a hiring mindset shift from pure performance to culture. 

Production Credits:

Presented by: Ian Carless
Studio Engineer & Editor: Manny Penamora
Executive Producers: Ian Carless & Joe Morrison
Produced by: EventNewsDXB & Poddworx Dubai

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Transcript

Back Again And Revenue Hits Zero

Ian Carless 0:09

John, welcome back to the podcast. It's been a while.

Jon Noonan 0:12

Yeah, how many months it's been over a year, hasn't it, Ali?

Ian Carless 0:15

Oh, God, I hope not. If it has, then we've been really remiss.

Jon Noonan 0:18

I think the heat feels like it was probably similar sort of time last year then. Yeah. Yeah, it feels like it's been a while. But yeah, it's good to be back.

Ian Carless 0:26

Good. And I know you've been uh globe trotting and you've got you've got a lot to bring us up to date on. But I am gonna kick off, I think, with um with where we left off when we last spoke. And that was on the podcast that we did around obviously the conflict that's been going on uh with Iran and the US at the moment, and obviously the effect on the event industry in the region. And you gave one, I think as soon as you said it, I was like, oh, that's the quote of the day. I think it was something along the lines of um I've got a very accurate forecast for revenue over the next three or four months, and that number is zero. Yes. I mean, we jested, but obviously there's a serious sentiment behind it. I mean, where do you think we're at at the moment? We're obviously what, three months in?

Jon Noonan 1:08

100 days, I think.

Ian Carless 1:10

So um where do you think we're at?

Jon Noonan 1:12

Well, the number's still zero. Sadly. Pretty accurate on that number. Yeah. I think it's it's hard to say. I think um the I think the sentiment or the will is there from everybody. I mean, in region, obviously I'm I'm out uh flown out today um for for another week. And again, similar to when uh we spoke recently and I was out a few weeks ago, and everybody that you speak to, everybody wants the same thing. And similar to, I think the I hate sort of referring back to COVID, but it's the only similar thing that we can really sort of take as the sort of benchmark where nobody really knew what was going on then, everybody hoped for the best, planned for the worst, and it feels like it's like under that 2.0. I think the difference with this is because it's regional, which probably has less impact on the broader world, obviously, although downstream from what's going on is obviously impacting the rest of the world. But I think there's a sentiment that come back end of this year, everybody's hoping September that um that things will happen. But I think the truth be told, nobody knows. Um, so we're planning. I think as time goes by, I think what's certain is that it's less certain than we think. Um, we're still planning for September, hoping for September, um, but doing some other planning that it might be as late as January, you know, February, March next year. So we don't know. I mean, all everybody in in region is you know that you're speaking to is saying, yeah, back end this year is gonna be amazing. Um what are we with it beginning to middle of June and still sort of no clear resolution in sight?

Ian Carless 2:54

So and I think that's the frustration for everybody, isn't it? That so much, I mean, all of this is really out of all of our control that we're we're at the you know, we're at the whim and mercy of uh one or possibly a couple of other people. And like you say, I think you know the feedback that I've had from talking to a lot of colleagues and you know friends in the industry as well is yes, I think you know, hope is is probably the accurate word, isn't it? We're all hoping that the industry kicks back into deer into gear this this September and October. I think the reality is perhaps a little less certain than that, isn't it?

Jon Noonan 3:25

Yeah, and I think that what is evident when it does, I think the way that things are out in this region, it will happen. So I think there is a lot of people um at senior level within, you know, who are way more informed than you and I. There's so many conversations that are going on there um uh at senior level where um when it does happen, that every everything, every resource available to the government they will put into events because I mean it's built it's built on events, right? So um I think there's a confidence, there's an underlying confidence from everybody that I speak to that when it does, uh the you know, the requisite amount of funding or whatever it might be will be out there. And interestingly, the DET did um release um something a couple of days ago about the the number of events that are going on, the more consumer side of things, you know, so the festivals and the sort of that live music side of things that's happening through the summer and up to sort of September, October. So it's obviously at the forefront because they need to you know make it happen. Yeah, um, I'm not sure the same confidence would be had in other places, certainly in the UK. Obviously, the uh I I don't think that confidence with the government would be there to be able to make that happen, but it's certainly everybody that I speak to here who's really behind um what the the senior leadership are planning and and have belief in it.

Ian Carless 4:47

Well, I think that was

Perception Gaps And Travel Advisories

Ian Carless 4:48

one of the key things. I mean, you just mentioned it there, confidence. And I think that was one of the key things that arose from you know the podcast that we did last time about the whole conflict, and and and tied into that, of course, is perception, isn't it? You know, we we were chatting earlier, as as I'm sure many are, you know, the the difference in in what's happening here in reality on the ground and what other people in other countries think are happening. You know, what was it? Tell tell us that you mentioned the story when you were you're coming through the airport.

Jon Noonan 5:14

Yeah, and I got a uh a text message from my auntie saying uh are you okay? I was like, Yeah, I mean why? I hear uh DXB's just been hit by a load of missiles. I was like, I hope not because I've just walked through it and I didn't see any damage. So um, but yeah, that perception is reality, and that's sort of like it's that is the Western media, you know, sort of um portraying what they want to portray out here, and as you know, like life is in all intents like for for local people, uh residents, yeah. Residents is I mean life as usual, yeah, it's continuous. Yeah, absolutely. So, but that doesn't take away from the fact that every single government globally is not you know is a non-travel mandate. And I think until that changes, and I don't think a lot of that well, no business is going to send people here until that, you know, confidence.

Ian Carless 6:03

Yeah, you preempted me there. I was gonna mention that because I think that that's a a really highly significant thing, isn't it? That that for governments to be able to move that travel advisory, you know. I mean, it's just just little things, isn't it, isn't it? Like a I believe uh and everybody can correct me if I'm wrong here, but uh, you know, with the travel advisory, your travel insurance is nullified. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you you're really, you know, you're on your own. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

Jon Noonan 6:25

Yeah.

Ian Carless 6:26

So great to be back. Yeah, I know. And but that just speaks to again, it's just another one of those those elements of this whole scenario that again are outside of our control. None of us really have gone. I mean, unless you've got a you know a direct line into Keir Starmer, then you're not going to trade the travel advisory anytime soon. And I think that's the frustration of everybody in this market.

Jon Noonan 6:47

Yeah, and particularly because I think since uh so it's not been a notification, you know, alarm since I think the 4th of May. So that's another whole month with nothing. Yeah. So, and even before that, I think it was a few weeks before that that there was uh, you know, a um uh an alarm. So, really, in region that's been sort of six or seven weeks of nothing. So, understandably, it's a bit frustrating when life's normal for you know a couple of months and nothing's changing, you know. So it's that stalemate that we need to get past.

Ian Carless 7:17

And this is the difficulty though, isn't it? Because I mean you there's there's nothing happening here, but obviously incidents in neighbouring countries don't help the situation.

Jon Noonan 7:24

Well, even overnight, yeah. I mean, so on the flight I was taking off last night, saw start getting ping low stuff from QA and saying to the flight, everything okay. Oh, yeah, it's fine. Yeah, it's like yeah.

Ian Carless 7:36

I mean, well, clearly you and I are not going to solve uh the geopolitical crisis sat here. So let's let's move on to to happier

Signing The DWTC Studio Partnership

Ian Carless 7:43

things. We're we're sat at the moment in our lovely new studio in uh DWTC, uh, and uh that's the result of some of some good developments on your side, isn't it?

Jon Noonan 7:53

Yeah, so this is um this is a couple of years of hard work, really. So um I was saying earlier that my first meeting was here. Um so I jumped on a plane with uh you know full of full of gusto with my lovely new products saying I'm gonna take over the the world. Uh landed here. First meeting I had was in in DWTC, literally over the road in that in that restaurant. Yeah. And um two years later, here we are with um you know officially signing the uh the uh exclusive contract with DWTC for here and DEC with Mahia um in the venue. Um it's a bit of a uh long journey, but one that's um hopefully seeing the sort of a real step forward, I suppose, in in sort of in the region. Um so yeah, very, very exciting week for us, actually.

Ian Carless 8:48

And you must be pleased as well, because it in fact it's been longer than two years, isn't it? Because you've been working on the on this whole on the whole structural thing and getting getting the actual design right for much longer than that, haven't you?

Jon Noonan 8:58

Yeah, so it's yeah, it's probably eight or nine years now, yeah. So it's kind of um yeah, I mean it's uh it's a bit of a watershed moment, you know. It's uh it's great. And I'm sure I think what's really interesting about this venue particularly is the way that they're structured and they really get it. Like they're so commercially focused and so commercially minded that when you sign up to something like this, obviously proofs and the pudding, but everything to this point has been really, really positive, and it feels like it it is a strategic partnership as opposed to sort of supplier venue um relationship. So we're hoping that um you know the biggest exhibition centre in the world and you know 250,000 square meters of exhibition space, um pretty impressive across two two venues. Um so really excited about it, yeah.

Ian Carless 9:42

And we talk a lot uh uh you know in this region about the strength of relationships and and everything, and and and I know you and I have talked about this. How much of today and what you've what you've obviously the deal that you've done today, would you say uh you could attribute to actually being here in the market, to actually you know taking that decision to set up minus 45 dB in the market versus flying in and

Why Being In Region Wins Deals

Ian Carless 10:05

out?

Jon Noonan 10:05

Uh all of it. Yeah. Um I tried, I tried for 12 months um to um operate from the UK and get somebody to confirm in region. So, you know, it's fundamentally to hedge it, you know. Let's be no, it's business, right? So I didn't want to have to try and sign on the dotted line until I had confirmed orders and all that sort of thing. I tried and tried and tried for 12 months, and everyone's like, Yeah, yeah, of course, yeah, of course we'll we'll book. Yeah, of course, yeah. I was like, where are the bookings? Um and then as you sort of uh as you peel back the layers and you understand the culture and you understand um, you know, the the difference of way business is done, you realize that that's never going to happen. And you know, it's kind of like of course people want to see that you're in region and not just a shell company that's you know in region. They want to, you know, they want to see you, they want to see that you've got a premises here, they want to see you know, you've got your trade license, that you've done the hard yards, that you've got a stock in region, that you manufacture, they want to see all of that because they know you're committed. Um, and likewise, you know, we we are committed to the region, we're right in the middle of um renewals of everything because we've been in region officially set up for a year. Where housing comes up in the next four weeks, timing couldn't be worse because there's no guarantees of anything, you know, we don't know where we're at with anything, but um, you know, we're committed to the region, so and and I think people see it, you know, it's evident people see it because as soon as we landed in region, the bookings came. And if we weren't in region, this wouldn't happen. I mean, it's so everything's down to being here, which you know, in hindsight, you look at it and you think, well, why wouldn't they? Oh, because they want to know that you're you're here.

Ian Carless 11:43

I think it's a great, I think, listen, I think it's a great not only sort of success story, but a great illustration. I mean, you know, I think it's very easy for for you know for all of us to sit here and say, Oh, relationships matter, you know, it's all about relationships, and it sounds very cliche, doesn't it, sometimes? But actually, you know, your and minus 45 dp is living proof.

Jon Noonan 12:03

Well, interestingly, we the one of the first people that we that I met here was in the structure a moment ago, and we were talking about how two years ago, two bit years ago, two nearly two and a half years ago, how we were on a show floor in London, and he came in, he went, Wow, we need this over there. And it was the first conversation, oh, we'll book it and we'll come. It was like, Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, yeah, I mean that that relationship has been two two and a half, you know, two and a half years, and it's um you know it's come to obviously a bit of a slow burn, but yeah, it feels like we're here now.

Ian Carless 12:35

Look, current situation aside, obviously. I mean, you mentioned you've been you've been operational now here for 12 months. What have been some of the um sort of learning curves that you've experienced along the way from doing business perhaps in this part of the region versus back in the UK?

Fast Timelines And Dubai Energy

Jon Noonan 12:51

Yeah, in some ways it's a lot harder. But in an awful lot of ways it's a lot easier, and I think that so time frames, obviously, everybody mentions it. I didn't really understand that, and you know, because I was like, Well, I mean exhibitions are every year, and you know that an event's going ahead, so what do you mean timelines? You know, it's like but then it was um it was Tom Clemens from Maestru said no, John, but they confirmed that. I was like, right, okay, so that you know, so it's like okay, yeah, that makes complete sense. So some of those timelines is is challenging, but and it gives some of the the the people in the UK a heart attack because you know, similarly like this event that we've done here was turned around in sort of 10 days. It's quite long for our here, you know, and we're we're sort of sat back there going, Oh, is it gonna be okay? Yeah, it is gonna be okay. It's kind of you just get used to it. Whereas in the UK, you kind of get a little bit antsy about it. Yeah, a lot longer lead times, yeah. I mean, on the whole, yeah. Um so in one regard, that's kind of a negative per se, because everyone keeps on delivering to that, but also that's the energy, and it's kind of like so the positives here, the energy here is on it's like nowhere else. Um, and perversely, even when it's like like it is now with with the conflict, the energy is still here. So I'm so excited to see what it's like when it comes back because I've not been around for that. I mean, you it's so imagine it for you when the COVID sort came back, you were you were around for that, but I've not been so I dread to think what that energy is going to be like. I'm it's so excited to to be around for that. So that's gonna be exciting. But then there's challenges in other ways, you know, sort of like you're tied to red tape in the UK. Well, that gives you a bit of comfort because you know that things will take time and you've got a bit of time to react. Whereas out here you're not, so things just happen. You've got to react, you've got to respond, you've got to be quick, you've got to be nimble. Um, depends how you frame it, I suppose. It's kind of like everything could be a challenge or it can be an opportunity, and we sort of try and frame stuff that it's an opportunity as opposed to challenges.

Ian Carless 14:51

But

Expansion Plans And The GCC Bet

Ian Carless 14:52

what about other parts of the world? Are you looking to branch out anywhere else?

Jon Noonan 14:56

Yeah, we were looking at America, but um one of those individuals we were talking about earlier might have uh put a bit of a stop to that. Yeah, uh sorry, he's only got two years to go. Yeah, well, that's a long time. So we were looking at that. There's um there's a couple of markets like India, um, Nigeria, which seem to be um some would say that they are no longer sleeping giants, that they are coming through and that you know they're they're established markets. My view is different. I think that they still a way to go with those, but it certainly seems like that's where there could be a lot of um lot of growth. Europe, I'm quite quite excited about because we managed to get supply chain sort of there. So the team back in in the UK has been doing an awful lot of work about trying to make it more competitive in Europe, so that's really exciting for us now because they managed to get supply chain to a place where it can be a lot more competitive, so that's exciting. Um, and fundamentally we'll go where the business is. Um it's um I think for this year it's make sure, and maybe even next year it's make sure that the Middle East works for us because GCC for us is I see this as my view hasn't changed over the last you know two, three years. Is this is uh it sounds like Peter K, you know, the future, you know, garlic bread. But it is a future. It's it's this is a this is a bump in the road, I think. Um and this region over the next 10-20 years is I think is where the world of events is.

Ian Carless 16:24

And I think that's really encouraging to hear because I mean, you know, look, not perhaps not surprisingly, um, you know, there have been entities, companies that have both been here for a long period of time and also who may have just started up in the kind of the similar to kind of time frame as you as you have and haven't weathered this storm. Um, you know, people talk a lot about the positivity here here in in Dubai and the region. Um and I think that's I think it's great that you know many would have been tempted in your shoes, I think, to kind of go, oh well that's it, let's pull the plug. And uh maybe we'll look at it later, or maybe we won't.

Jon Noonan 17:00

Yeah, I mean it's difficult. Isn't like it's not um about shoe case, really difficult times. I mean it's kind of like you know, we've gone from the.

Ian Carless 17:06

I don't think anybody's under any illusions there. I mean, I know we all we all put on a brave face on LinkedIn, but uh underneath, I think it's difficult.

Jon Noonan 17:13

We aren't the only ones, you know. It's kind of like the bigger the business you are, you know, the the bigger the zeros are, right? So it's kind of like you know, bigger the overhead is, the bigger fixed cost is. So, you know, everyone's everyone's struggling and challenging, which is why I think that hope is kind of like so so um sort of at the fore. Um, but it's difficult, you know, it's really challenging. You know, if it wasn't for the other business, um, the other businesses in the UK that have it it wouldn't be possible, you know, it wouldn't be possible. So if that was your sole income, I mean what's the way through? Like if you're not making money and you've got fixed there's one way, isn't there?

Ian Carless 17:45

Yeah, so yeah, really difficult times, which is a good segue, actually, because I was gonna say obviously minus 45 dB isn't the only string to your bro to your bow in the UK.

UK Growth And A New Luxury Offer

Ian Carless 17:55

You've got the Thorns Group. Um, obviously very different scenario in the UK right now. So, how how's the whole how's the industry there and in particular the Thorns Group going?

Jon Noonan 18:03

Yeah, it's flying, yeah. So Thorns Group's doing really well. I've just set up a new um sort of um entity to Thorns Group called uh Curated Collection, which is a more elevated um furniture offering, so really sort of high-end um furniture for high-end hospitality or film studio work. Um so our first event is um at the Vale at Silverstone Grand Prix. Um, so that is in just under a month's time. Um, and then out the back of that, we will be doing um we will do all of the um sort of the launch to market, really. But um that's I think is really exciting. Films group's doing really well, picked up some really nice contracts um for the summer, um, and that's going from strength to strength. Um minus 45 dB in UK and Europe's in a really good position, done some fantastic events, and the team back there are doing amazing. We've um we've been bit through a bit of a transition this year around, I suppose, stabilising, restructuring, and and building foundations for growth around the team, particularly. Um, so we've done some really good appointments with regards to we've got Karino Malley, who's ex um head of any services for XL London, who's come on to really sort of build out our planning function, which comes with challenges because it's operating ways we haven't operated, hugely frustration, huge frustrations from her and the wider team around how we aren't operating in specific ways, which is like I find it really beneficial and I like it. I'm thinking I'm thinking I'm the only person in the business that likes it, but it means it's pushing it forward, you know. Everyone else is pulling their hair out, and don't get me wrong, like we're we we're all talking about pulling their hair out, but it's really like it's driving the business forward. So, um, so that's been a really critical appointment for us. Um, made some more appointments out here actually in in the middle of the conflict, so we've got a new head of operations out here. So trying to make sure that um they're all functioning well to support here, obviously. Um, but when it does come back here, that we can sort of um scale.

Ian Carless 20:02

How do you juggle your

Hiring For People Over Process

Ian Carless 20:03

time? Because I mean you've got the two businesses, obviously, both uh pretty pretty sizable entities, yeah, and you've got a family as well, you've got kids. How do you juggle your time?

Jon Noonan 20:09

Yeah, it's challenging, and my wife's got a pretty big job as well. But um, so I think it's priorities and and truth be told, it's a team, like really, it's kind of like I know it's sort of an age old, but I have fantastic people uh in all of my businesses, and it's um it's them, like really. I mean, it's uh they do such an amazing job on so many levels, and really and I suppose it's the it's the right appointments at the right time for the right you know, you know, it's very easy to appoint uh very junior people because of costs, but you get the wrong things. So the team is incredible. Like Thorns Group is an unbelievable machine. We've got 55 people who are really dedicated to it, who make sure that everything runs smoothly. That scales up to five. So we've got 500 people on site at the moment, you know. We're doing 7,000 lorry movements a year, we're doing 210 a week for the next eight weeks. So that team's incredible. Um, and then similarly with minus 45 dB, both in the UK and Europe, uh in and out here, is that those guys are amazing. I I genuinely think I know probably every business owner says it, but I genuinely think we've got the best team. How do you approach your hiring then?

Ian Carless 21:24

What what have you got a process in place? Do you have a is it is it word of mouth? Is it people you've you come into contact within the industry or referrals?

Jon Noonan 21:32

Yeah, it's a bit of a um yeah, it's a bit of a hybrid approach, really. Interestingly, with mines 45 dB, we get approached quite a lot of from people who want to work with a business.

Ian Carless 21:43

Okay.

Jon Noonan 21:43

The last couple of appointments, um, so Corrine, for instance, we've known each other for years and she's always been a sounding board for minus 45 dB. So I've gone to her and said, if it could do this, would it be? And she said, Yeah, but if it could do this. So that's been years and years of Backwards and forwards of you know, integral into the development of a product because obviously running such a big venue, her expertise is is amazing. Um, others is people um that I've worked with or referrals or so it's kind of a bit of a hybrid. What I do quite like I quite like to know the people.

Ian Carless 22:20

I was just gonna say, where do you weight it? Where do you weight personality and and compatibility versus experience?

Jon Noonan 22:27

So historically, it was all about can you do the job? So when I used to run sales teams and things like that, it was all about numbers. So what's it like on a spreadsheet? Are you hitting your numbers? Now it's all it for me, it's all about the people. And I would take people over um process every day. You can teach process, yeah. And and it's it's hard to get to that place because you want people to come in, you want people to perform instantly because obviously it's a cost, and I'm a lot softer on that now. I will give people time now where I never used to. Like it used to be come in, hit the ground running, or you know, you get six months type thing. It's not like that now for me. Um, and maybe it's because other people are appointing people that are more like that, and culture takes time, and uh so for me it's more about the people because I want to run a fun company, I want to run an engaging, you know, I want people to be engaged. I I don't like that high pressure boiler room approach, but maybe it's because I'm getting older, I don't know, but um I don't think people respond well to it. And I and I and I it's not just people internally, I don't think clients respond well to it, I don't think people like being sold to you. I don't think so. For me, that culture piece of the individual's much I I want to be able to have conversations with people, but it's not about work with people who I work with. How does that translate how I mean obviously at the end of the day, you do have to look at the bottom line.

Ian Carless 23:48

How do how do you think that approach translates to the bottom line?

Jon Noonan 23:50

It's awful, yeah. Long journey work, it's awful. But we have a great crack. Yeah, I think the and that's where the balance comes, isn't it? So um sometimes you've got to make decisions, you know, you'd like to think that it works. Um so far it has, uh, on the whole. Um there's always gonna be anomalies, there's always gonna be um, you know, either right hives for the right time. You remember this isn't when you're building like an established business is very different to building a business, and there's right hives for the right time, you know. It's kind of like they can get you to a certain point, and then it's you know it needs change or whatever it might be. So as it stands, um it's been good today. Um we'll always make mistakes, and that's okay. I mean, as long as you make the the necessary changes, I feel, and and it's done in the right way. I'm very a firm believer of um I don't want anybody to feel like they are um they're unaware of whether they're performing or not, you know, and I think that's adults having grown-up conversations about it and making informed decisions on it.

Control The Controllables Under Pressure

Ian Carless 25:02

Um so well, we're about what, we're almost halfway through 2026 at the moment. What's top of your to-do list for the for the rest of the year?

Jon Noonan 25:11

Uh so I need to fly to DC. I need to get uh Donald Trump and no no no. Um no. Um I think that this year has been somewhat derailed. Um frustratingly, obviously. I think it was on for a very, very good year this year. This year is about consolidate.

Ian Carless 25:32

Um do you stress about things like that as a as an indiv as a person? Do you think it's hard not to do that? Do you do you do you not do you lose sleep over things like that? Or are you a little bit more pragmatic and sort of, you know, like I mean, I'm kind of the with a lot of things, it I I kind of feel if it's not it within my sphere of influence, you know, don't worry about it too much. Yeah, I think without being flippant, if you know.

Jon Noonan 25:52

Yeah, no, I I I agree. Um I'm a firm believer control are controllables, and anything that's it's outside of that is futile worrying about it, but there is inherently a you know, this is people's livelihoods, careers, um you know, personal money, you know, all of that on the line. So it's hard not to. You've got to make business decisions on things, you know. Part of the reason why my this week is what's the right decision for the business for the next 12-24 months is that moving warehouse, staying warehouse. Well, what does all of that? How does that all impact? How does that all affect the PL? How does it all affect margin? How does it all all of that has to happen? Um, but only within what I can control. Um it's hard not to lose sleep when you've gone from a business which is due to do X and has gone to zero, and also not having again out of control of when it's coming, you know, if you knew that on this date, yeah, that you know you can plan for it. But the amount of planning, replanning, and then oh, it could be this, and then you realise that a show in November's move to a different you're like, oh well, that's a bit of a surprise. I thought it was gonna be so But it I've that's the if it was easy, everyone would do it, and that's the nature of running businesses, right? I mean, it's a lot of the time you're not in control of an awful lot of the elements, particularly when you're operating in multiple regions. If we weren't here, everything would be fine. Yeah, but we are here and it's not. So on a personal level, what what's what's on your to-do list for the

Daft Punk Redemption And Closing

Jon Noonan 27:20

rest of the year? So I was actually thinking about maybe doing a and I've not done it today, but maybe doing something like a very long distance run or one of those ultra, what they call ultra marathon. Yeah, but something maybe in the desert or something like that. But we shall see.

Ian Carless 27:37

Well, before we wrap up, I'm gonna give you a a chance of redemption because I know on the first podcast we talked about music, didn't we? We did. And you said your what was it your favourite uh musical experience? Not gonna have to repeat it. No, no, you went for you too, but actually that wasn't your your uh your favourite one, was it?

Jon Noonan 27:52

No, it wasn't, and it was uh it wasn't until uh I mean I was absolutely mortified when uh when that wasn't dropped on me, and then it wasn't uh it wasn't until I heard memoirs um um from THA old um Electra Um about a live 2007 Daft Punk. I was like, that was the one, that was the one. And it I messaged him after he said it and I was like, I'm I messed up, and he got it absolutely bang on. It's like absolutely incredible. That was the the event of events. I mean, it's absolutely to see those guys perform live, which is impossible as it was, yeah, uh it was absolutely unreal. So, yeah, definitely that over uh some horrible U2 song, but hey we live.

Ian Carless 28:36

Well, John, thanks for being on the podcast again. It's been a it's been a joy.

Jon Noonan 28:39

Brilliant. Cheers.