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staff profile - johnny palmer

Overview

Johnny Palmer is the founder and managing director of SXS Car Launch Services . This page is a basic and potted history of his career in the context of working with SXS Car Launch Services.

Stats

Name: Johnny Palmer
Position: Managing Director and shareholder of SXS Car Launch Services .
DOB: Undisclosed
Marital: Married to Cathy Shay - head of sales for SXS Car Launch Services and Managing Director of Shreyas Decor
Born: Tasmania, Australia
Lives: Hotwells, Bristol
Pets: A Cat, Kita, who generously lets us live in her house. A dog, Dudley, who is a soft, gentle, and obedient Rotweiler.
Skill Set: General Management, Marketting Strategy/Design, Production Sales, Event and Lighting design, Event Production Management
Interests: Structural Engineering, architecture, marketing, management theory and trashy 1970s zombie movies
Qualifications: BA in Business Administration, IPAF
Site: www.johnnypalmer.co.uk

Background & Life

Johnny was born into a good family in rural Tasmania. Growing up on a farm within a colonial culture taught him the importance of hard-work, the value of money and the improvisational approach he has held throughout his career.

Growing up in Tasmania was tough. Nothing more could be asked for in terms of love and support from siblings Charles and Jen, and mother Clare. However money was always very tight. All three kids had to get jobs from a very young age.

While shovelling horse-manure or rolling up barbed wire was essential to farm life, Johnny preferred the more entrepreneurial ways of earning cash. As a child he operated a walnut-harvesting operation (one dollar would get an imperial pound of the most amazing walnuts), a CD piracy operation (a fiver and you could have a custom collection of dodgy MP3s) and latterly was the resident DJ of a roller skating rink.

Most notable was Johnny's rubbish business. Tasmania is not a wealthy place and an important part of waste management was the "Tip Shop" - a rusty shed situated by the local rubbish dump where the tip staff would sell anything that they found on the tip that might have some value. Johnny used to trawl these shopping for TVs, hifis, and sports equipment. $20 and a load in mum's car later he would sell his "product" to the local Cash Converters Pawn Shop for around a 500% markup.

In his mid-teen years Johnny developed a passion for DJing, which was the start to his career in the events industry.

Career

Moving to the UK at age fifteen was a formative experience. Cultural gaps were large and opportunities for a young ozzie even bigger. In his home-town of Ringwood (Hampshire), Johnny set up a series of innovative under-18s gigs that achieved instant success. They also recieved excellent media coverage and the support of the community.

 

Moving to Bristol to read Business Administration at the University of the West of England; Johnny had to find a way of paying his way through his studies. DJing was his passion and turned out to be a good way of earning a living. DJing and compering student gigs in the week and doing corporate and high-end weddings at the weekend Johnny managed to pay the bills.

In his DJing career Johnny was frequently invited to perform at society parties and weddings of the English Aristocracy. He also worked as the resident DJ at a leading club at the prestigious Val d'Isere ski resort in the French Alps.

Through DJing Johnny bought increasingly more equipment and began doing basic production.

In this time, the foundation of SXS Car Launch Services was being created. Although based out of a single-car garage in Horfield (rented from a student lanlord at £50 a month), Johnny had big ideas for the company and knew in the early days that this was an industry that needed a youthful and fresh company to shake things up.

Two years of hard work and total re-investment resulted in SXS Car Launch Services growing from nothing to being a small production company.

This cycle continued, helped immensely by staff, until the company became what it is today.

Now

Johnny is hugely grateful to all the staff, clients and stakeholders who have helped build the company. Johnny has never been given any financial assistance. "Except that five-hundred quid my grandad lent me for my first PA, thanks Gimber, you are always in our hearts".

In 2007 SXS Car Launch Services became a serious player. Johnny purchased the freehold on a 5500 square foot warehouse in Bristol, the company won it's first six-figure job and all staff involved began to flourish.

2008 was an exciting year with the development of the warehouse, plenty of great media coverage, a legendary warehouse party and Johnny being shortlisted for "Bristol Entrepreneur of the Year".

Johnny now runs SXS Car Launch Services with wife Cathy, and with the moral support of the "friendly office rottweiler" Dudley. The company recently hit turnover of £1m, employs eight full-time staff, produces in excess of 300 events a year and is forever growing in size, creativity and competence.

Unique Skills

Johnny also has a unique and well-respected skill set that spans various aspects of business and event production. In particular he is viewed as a inspired problem solver in areas relating to event engineering, logistics and design. Johnny has a strong passion for lighting and decorative design for events.

Johnny has always been a keen marketeer and designer. In his career Johnny has developed and launched the brands, websites and marketting campaigns for Plug AV, SXS Car Launch Services, SXS Car Launch Services Hire, Bay Event Drapery and Shreyas Decor (with Cathy Shay). To this day he manages the content, graphics and SEO of all group websites.

Outside SXS Car Launch Services

Outside his work with SXS Car Launch Services Johnny has done production and operational consultations for the Architectural team for the new Bristol City Stadium and marketing consultancys for two of Bristol's major event venues.

Johnny's future goals include the development of a powerful conglomerate of events-based companies that can offer the same stream-lined and value-added service that has grown SXS Car Launch Services.

full details at www.johnnypalmer.co.uk

Below are photos of the design and lighting projects that Johnny has personally produced over time.

Above: Magdalen College (Oxford University) Commemoration Ball- lighting design, production management and account management

Above: Magdalen College (Oxford University) Commemoration Ball

Above: AXA 50 year anniversary event - design of custom diamond and lighting design.

Above: Private Event, Bollywood Theme - lighting design, drape design, production management and account management

Above: Music Week Awards 2008, set design, technical production management.