Get to Know… Sebastien Centner of Eatertainment Events & Catering

So how’d you get started?

It was sort of by accident. My parents were both economists who ‘accidentally’ fell into the restaurant business so I grew up in and around restaurants, working from a young age and while I was heading for a career in tech, I got drawn back into the hospitality business for what I thought would be a short time. I never really loved the restaurant business as I found it too repetitive so when I had the chance to get a taste for the event business, where we are doing something different and new each time, I knew I had found my passion.

When did you get your first big break? 

My parents moved into a condo and one of their neighbours was in the event business. They became friends and the neighbour (Jeff Roick) started giving us catering jobs. He was one of our first clients and we were able to be a part of some really cool events.

What was the hardest part of starting your own business?

I think the hardest part about starting your own business is realizing that no matter how big your company gets or how many amazing people you work with, your responsibility just increases. A lot of people take for granted all the things a business owner needs to worry about like cash-flow, infrastructure, systems, profitability, etc. It can get lonely so it’s important you talk to other entrepreneurs and business owners since they will understand the challenges you face. 

How did covid affect our business? What have you had to change since? 

Covid devastated our business and in those years we lost 70% of our team and 90% of our revenues. We were fortunate to be able to make it through with the help of our remaining team members that were still with us. Another saving grace was that we had been financially prudent in the years leading up to the pandemic so we weren’t saddled with debt. 

Coming out of the pandemic, we have been able to rebuild our business even surpassing our pre-pandemic profitability. We took a hard look at how we used to do things and implemented some efficiencies. Change is hard and most people and companies avoid it unless they are forced to change, and that’s exactly what covid did for us.

Learning from failure is a valuable and inevitable part of most entrepreneurial journeys. What was your “best failure” that taught you the most? 

Failures can indeed be great learning experiences and any entrepreneur will encounter failures along the way. I would say my “Best Failure” was not relying enough on my team until I had no other choice. I spent the first 15 years of my career wanting to manage every aspect of every project myself. It was hard to let go and allow other people to take the lead since they invariably would not do things exactly the way I would. Finally I realized that by hiring the right people, training them to meet my expectations, and empowering them to become accountable for results, it provided me the freedom to spend time growing the business instead of just managing it. 

In retrospect, I now realize that taking on too much myself caused me to inevitably rush from task to task, unintentionally creating stress for myself and everyone around me. Eventually, I realized that we were not delivering the results that I knew we could achieve otherwise.

What’s one of the secrets to your success? 

Like I tell my kids – find something you love and turn it into a career. There is no job where everyday is perfect but if you love what you do, it will make the hard days easier and the good days will far outweigh the bad ones!

What drives you to keep pushing further?

The passion I have for what I do. I like to push myself and our events beyond what we’ve done in the past which is what keeps things fresh and exciting! Often it’s easier to just ‘rinse and repeat’ but where’s the fun in that?.

What do you look for when hiring a new employee?

Long term potential! Typically, it takes a new hire 6 months to get comfortable in the role. From there, they hit their stride in the first 12-18 months. To sustain this long ramp up period, you need people who have long term potential with the goal of having them become key members of the team for many years to come. 

What makes you passionate about your profession/the special events industry?

There are few industries that allow for as much creative expression as ours. It’s this part of the professional that helps make every day and every project new and exciting! 

What’s one big tip you would give to up-and-comers in the industry?

Ask lots of questions and don’t be afraid to say when you’re out of your depth. Listen, take notes, offer ideas (sometimes the best ideas come from the most junior person in the room) and show everyone how much you care about everything you do. For example, when it comes to proposals and emails, simple things like spell check and grammar check, consistent font sizes, and aligned photos, are all micro-representations of your attention to detail which is a must in this business.

And now for the Bonus Round…

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up (and how does it relate to what you do now)?’

Evil Kneivel – a stuntman who used to perform the craziest stunts. I even had an Evil Kneivel costume I wore everyday for almost a year when I was about 7 years old. Right before a big event, it often feels analogous to hurling towards a ramp to jump 100 cars … great risk … great reward!

What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen or done in your life?

I’ve taken a group of BMW executives shark diving with great whites (twice) – ask me for the video – it’s one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had and I dream of taking my sons back to do this with me.

Most ridiculous thing that’s landed you in the hospital?

Trying to perfect a barrel roll (windsurfing)

What was one of your less glamorous jobs you had when you were younger?

When I was 13, I helped clean houses in France in the summer. Mostly because I had a crush on the 18 year old French girl who I worked for.

Favourite vacation spot?

St Tropez – been going there for over 40 years and have only missed one summer.