Seth DolanPhoto: Courtesy of Gladiator Productions
How he got his start: Dolan started his career in theater, which led to working on various fundraising and theatrical events. "Eventually, I joined MAC Cosmetics when it was in its earlier expansion in the U.S.," he says. "I met my mentor, Phillip Ing—who I swear is the godfather of experiential, as we didn’t even have words for it then! I eventually was able to define and create the experiential path for MAC in North America and became their head of all events and experiences for that region. It was a real boots-on-the-ground, no two days are alike sort of world—but I was fortunate enough to have a great team working with me, and we created from scratch some of the biggest and most memorable events MAC did during that special time."
Eventually, Dolan was eager for a new challenge—which led to launching Gladiator Productions in 2019. "It was a big jump, and a big risk to go from the corporate world to building a company, but well worth it. No risk, no reward."
What innovation means to him: Dolan describes innovation as critical for the event industry. "All of us now have an average attention span of 8.25 seconds. We’re stimulated constantly," he says. "So if you don’t innovate, not only do your attendees get bored—but as creatives and producers, we get bored too!"
To him, innovation is about constantly challenging himself. "It’s not about comparing or contrasting others, but more about approaching a project and saying, 'OK, this is the objective, these are the creative guardrails—how do we make this extraordinary?' Keeping what you’ve done in the past as an educated foundation, but always trying to explore with fresh eyes." 
For the Shiny Pretty Things event in Florida, "We created a performance-driven event with a bold, immersive environment that told a story of diversity and inclusivity through bright, bold untraditional colors," says Dolan.Photo: Courtesy of Gladiator Productions
What sets his work apart: "Everyone always asks us, why the name ‘Gladiator?’ And it really has nothing to do with the film nor with blood, guts, or glory," Dolan explains. "It’s simply a way to convey excellence. Early on in my career, I think it was difficult to convey how hard a producer must work to continuously reinvent and grow creatively and operationally. There was something about the word Gladiator that stood out to me and felt right, and that’s what I called myself and those I worked with in jest. When it came time to create the company, Gladiator Productions was of course what it would be, and we are all Gladiators. We are completely bespoke, scenically and technologically driven, and never replicate the same thing twice."
How he stays inspired: Inspiration lives everywhere, says Dolan. While he describes museums and exhibitions as "inspiration hubs," he also stays open to inspiration in his everyday life. "I get it through conversations with my team and with strangers, by observing things on the street, in my neighborhood, while traveling, while scrolling. We truly live in an amazing world with so much in it. I find inspiration is as close as my front door and as far away as the stars." 
For Ole Henriksen's Dewtopia, Dolan and his team created an actual lagoon, ready for boat rides. See more: How This Brand Created a Whimsical, Surreal World Inspired By Its New ProductPhoto: Matt Petit Photography
Career highlights: Dolan reflects on an event called Shiny Pretty Things, which he says has a "special place in my heart." "We created a performance-driven event with a bold, immersive environment that told a story of diversity and inclusivity through bright, bold untraditional colors. It was staged at Walt Disney World in Florida and was up for two weeks—and during that time, people watched it and cried, marriage proposals happened, someone even meditated in the space as they said the energy was just so positive. It is a great memory," he says.
Dolan also cites his work creating the world of "Dewtopia" for the brand Ole Henriksen. "Their new product name just led us to such a world of creativity, and we built a whopping 21 experiences within one venue, which was a desert destination in the middle of nowhere," he explains. "It was a true transformation using scenic, lighting, and projections, and the combination was just out of this world."
His favorite thing about the event industry: "It is never boring, and not only are no two days ever alike, but no two hours are ever alike! As Tom Hanks says in A League of Their Own, 'It's supposed to be hard. If it weren’t hard, then everybody would do it.' And I love a good challenge." 
"It’s not about comparing or contrasting others, but more about approaching a project and saying, 'OK, this is the objective, these are the creative guardrails—how do we make this extraordinary?'" says Dolan on his approach to innovation.Photo: Courtesy of Gladiator Productions
This feature is sponsored by vFairs, your all-in-one event management platform for virtual, hybrid, and in-person events. Host epic events of all sizes using vFairs's event technology, including a customizable mobile app, virtual event platform, and on-site event tech.
