Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Srubas.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started my career working as a commissioned sales rep for a company that sold corporate hospitality packages at major sporting events. I excelled in this role and was promoted rapidly and sent around the globe to expand their reach. I moved to cities like Sydney, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur to help these offices hire sales staff and train them on proper sales methodology. But most importantly, I was there to lead by example and sit on the sales floor making calls, to show them how to do it in real time. The company then expanded into conferences, congresses and business intelligence focused events. While I enjoyed the accolades and financial resources this company afforded, I knew I had gone as far as I could go with this firm and that there was something more waiting for me out there.
I left to go to a startup owned by some former colleagues/friends of mine. They were a three-person company competing with our previous firm, who by this time had 2,500 employees in 25 offices around the globe. This is where I got my first taste of entrepreneurship, as they allowed me the freedom to work with customers to create custom experiences- quite a paradigm shift from selling from inventory. We grew tremendously, having several offices, nearly 30 employees and more than quadrupling sales.
After nearly five years, I found myself hitting another wall and in need of a new challenge. I went to work for another old friend, whom I had encouraged to launch his own firm several years earlier. Here I was exposed to a broader array of corporate meetings & events, including big brand product launches, trade shows, experiential, mobile, live action and more. We partnered with some of the largest brands in the world, working alongside some of the most talented marketers you’ll find anywhere. I had finally found work that challenged me and brought out the best of my creativity.
Looking for a new home away from the harsh winters of Chicago, my wife and I decided to move our family to Atlanta in 2011. For longer than I care to admit, I struggled mightily to find a job that was the right fit for where I wanted to go with my career. I had always considered myself an entrepreneur, however I came to realize I had spent my 20-year career running and growing businesses for other people. In the end, it was during this difficult transition time that I decided to push all my chips in and finally start betting on myself. I couldn’t find the right job, so I decided to make it.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was rough at the beginning, because I was uncertain of the direction I wanted to go with Momentus. I had to continually remind myself that I was good at this and to keep striving. I had doubts every single day, but I forced myself to continue pressing forward.
Please tell us about Momentus.
Momentus is a corporate events management agency that helps large companies accelerate relationships through live events. About half our business comes from sports marketing programs and the balance comes from meetings and events.
I’m most proud of the evolution of the relationships we have cultivated with our customers. We started out with each client on one engagement and each relationship has grown organically based on the results.
We bill with open books and charge a preset management fee for each project, meaning we show clients the true cost of all components of an event. Once a client works with us, and sees behind the curtain, it’s really hard for them to not want to work that way in the future. There is no incentive for us to recommend components where we make more margin- because we make no margin. Momentus makes the same amount of money either way, so that clears the path for us to truly offer them solutions that best suit the needs & budget of their specific project.
For example, if we were managing a Super Bowl incentive program and we were able to save the client $20,000 by sitting their group one section over and one row up, we allow them to make that choice- and in turn, those savings go back to them. Virtually none of our competitors operate this way, and most would make that switch and pocket the profits- with nobody being the wiser. That’s been the industry standard for years, which is why it’s been so easy for us to become a vital partner to our customers.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
It’s tough to narrow down to one specific memory, but what comes back most is just the way our neighborhood came together around sports. I was raised by a single mother who worked three jobs, so my older brother and I were your typical latch-key kids. Almost every day, we’d get off the bus, throw our backpacks in the house and 20-30 of us would meet at the park. The time of the year dictated if we played football, baseball, basketball or hockey. The sport didn’t matter to us, we just loved to be around each other and compete. That’s what I miss most, the community we created with all the kids in the neighborhood.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.momentus-corp.com
- Phone: (404) 270-9820
- Email: csrubas@momentus-corp.com
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