In August of 1994, something happened that was, at the time, somewhat ordinary. Yet in hindsight, it has proven to be incredibly important.
A man started a company.
Or, shall we say, turned his hobby into a company.
Nearing the end of a degree in accountancy, the man had been regularly volunteering his time, filming youth events at the Auckland Town Hall. Perhaps, in part, to offset the boredom of his studies. But mostly it was because he had a large heart, a love of cameras, and a desire to serve his community.
Now, this was back in the days of film tapes and cassettes, when digital video projection was only just beginning its conquest of the venerable overhead projector.
Occasionally this man would step in to fix said projectors, making the AV equipment at these events work without any prior knowledge. He just seemed to intuit how to use it; it made sense to his logical mind.
He was soon approached by one of the organisers of the youth events, asking if he would oversee the AV equipment for a small roadshow. This would be his first official paid gig. The first of many, it would turn out.
One roadshow led to a second, and then a third…
The jobs became more regular. The shows grew bigger.
He stopped hiring equipment and started buying it. He increased his clientele. Hired staff. Moved to a warehouse. Bought vehicles. Bought more equipment. Hired more staff.
The company was officially born and breathing deeply.
Initially, it was called YTV. But a few years after its genesis, the man decided to change the name, calling his company Audio Visual Events Limited. Or, as you may know it…
That man is Scott MacKenzie. And together with his wife, Shona, they just celebrated 30 years of business!
A lot has happened in three decades, more than I can write about in one newsletter.
But, to help you understand the company you see today, I think it is important to zone in on one thing in particular; a value that has marked AV Events from the beginning:
The sense of family.
In one way, this is literal. A truly family business, Scott and Shona have had many of their nephews and all three of their children work for them at various points.
But by family, I’m more speaking to the way that they have always cared deeply for their staff and clients.
Ours isn’t an easy industry to be in. It’s neither a 9-5 office job nor consistent, rostered shift work. It’s an awkward amalgamation of the two. Some weeks you are in the warehouse sweeping for hours on end. Others you are pulling back-to-back graveyard shifts, troubleshooting technology that simply refuses to cooperate.
True, there’s comradery that is built into the crew from this shared experience of difficulty. But the sense of family is more directly tied to the love and support that Scott and Shona bring.
Whether it was the regular company fishing trips on the MacKenzie boat, presenting gifts to their staff’s partners after long stretches away from home, or the tear-filled fight to keep staff on during the COVID pandemic, theirs has always been a genuine care.
Imperfect, yes. But undeniable. A constant heartbeat for the company.
So, we want to celebrate with them.
Here’s to thirty years of events! Thirty years of hard work. Thirty years of growth. Thirty years of helping New Zealand put on world-class celebrations, roadshows, conferences, live streams, and awards dinners. Wherever the road ahead will lead, the events landscape will forever be marked by the work of this couple and their business.
This is a milestone to celebrate.
Events in Recent Months
If you are reading this, you may be thinking to yourself that it has been a long time since our last newsletter. I do apologise for this. It’s just that in true events industry fashion, we have been kept busy by a plethora of events.
It has been so full that it is too much to share all at once. So, we plan to break it up. This edition of the newsletter has intentionally focussed on announcing the 30th celebration. After all, that is an important milestone.
But expect another one soon. In the coming weeks, I’ll take you through everything that has been going on.
Get in For Summer
We all know that summer is coming. The days are getting longer. The temperature is slowly rising.
The closer that we get to the end of the year, the fuller our schedule is looking. So, if you have not yet gotten around to booking those end-of-year celebrations or Christmas parties, please get in contact with us as soon as possible.
We want to help you! We want to celebrate with you. Let us. Get in touch now.