Gatemaster Blog
Venue AI: Hyper-Personalized Guest Experiences Today
Venue AI: Hyper-Personalized Guest Experiences Today In this episode of Live with Sondra, Maris Ensing, founder of MAD Systems, shares how AI-powered environments are helping attractions personalize experiences, improve operations, and increase guest engagement. The...
Halloween Special: Unleashing Peak Scares & Digital Hype
LinkedIn Growth: Secrets for Attraction Leaders Norman Gidney, owner of HorrorBuzz.com, joined Sondra Shannon to discuss the future of haunted attractions and what separates the industry's standout experiences from the rest. The big takeaway: attractions that combine...
LinkedIn Growth: Secrets for Attraction Leaders
LinkedIn Growth: Secrets for Attraction Leaders Patrick Kling, founder of VI Studios and the Big Break Foundation, joined Sondra Shannon to discuss why personal branding has become a critical growth strategy for modern business leaders. His core message: visibility...
Built on Relationships: Roger Currie of WTI on the WWA & the Future of Water Parks
Live With Sondra In StudioBuilt on Relationships: Roger Currie of WTI on the WWA & the Future of Water Parks Roger Currie, Director of Business Development at Water Technology Inc.This in-studio episode—recorded on location at the WWA (World Waterpark Association)...
Leading Without Burnout: A New Strategy for Attraction Owners
Leading Without Burnout: A New Strategy for Attraction Owners Danny Gruening, founder of Action Lab Leadership, joins Sondra Shannon to discuss how leaders can grow their organizations without sacrificing their health, relationships, or effectiveness. The...
Attractions Culture: Creating Teams Where Service Stays Alive
Attractions Culture: Creating Teams Where Service Stays Aliv In this episode of Live with Sondra, Gatemaster Technology CEO Sondra Shannon sits down with Ryan Minton, author, speaker, and founder of Thanks for Coming in Today, to explore the direct connection between...
From Saigon to Storyland: 25 Years of Spatial Storytelling
Live With Sondra In StudioFrom Saigon to Storyland: 25 Years of Spatial Storytelling & the Power of Purpose-Driven Design Ft. Mel McGowan, Co-Founder & Chief Creative Officer of StorylandThis in-studio episode features Mel McGowan — co-founder and Chief...
From Battlefield to Stadium: Empathy, AI & Inclusive Design
Live With Sondra In StudioFrom Battlefield to Stadium: Empathy, AI & the Trillion-Dollar Case for Inclusive Design Ft. Emmanuel Kelly, Founder of Outlier & MusicianThis in-studio episode features Emmanuel Kelly — musician, founder of Outlier, and the first...
Tourism Collaboration Strategies: Unlocking Co-opetitive Growth
Tourism Collaboration Strategies: Unlocking Co-opetitive Growth Nicole Mahoney, CEO of Travel Alliance Partnership, joined Sondra Shannon to discuss how attractions, destinations, and tourism organizations can accelerate growth through strategic collaboration. Rather...
The $1B Bloomin’ Onion: Inside Outback’s 1,450-Location Global Empire
The $1B Bloomin’ Onion: Inside Outback’s 1,450-Location Global Empire On Live with Sondra, Tim Gannon, co-founder of Outback Steakhouse, shared the leadership principles that helped grow the brand from a single restaurant into a global hospitality powerhouse with more...
Leisure Spending 2026: What Consumers Actually Want
Leisure Spending 2026: What Consumers Actually Want Stephen Davis, Managing Partner at Integrated Insights, joined Sondra Shannon to discuss key findings from the 2026 Leisure Consumer Survey and what they mean for attraction operators. The conversation centered on...
Laser Tag: Winning the Membership Game
Laser Tag: Winning the Membership Game In this episode of Live with Sondra, Sondra Shannon sits down with Mitchell Robertson, Marketing and Sales Manager at Delta Strike International, to explore how laser tag is evolving into a powerful driver of memberships, repeat...
