Are You Experienced?

Ep 11. Magic With Heart - Christian Lachel, BRC Imagination Arts

In this episode, I speak to Christian Lachel, Chief Creative Officer and partner at BRC Imagination Arts, one of the world’s most respected experience design firms. Christian has spent nearly three decades creating brand homes, cultural attractions and destination experiences around the world. We talk about BRC’s roots in EPCOT and World Expos, what makes a great brand home work, and why the best physical experiences are never just adverts. We also get into deep storytelling, the power of place, audience insight, creative process, and Christian’s belief in creating “magic with heart.” At its core, this is a conversation about how brands can use story, emotion and place to create experiences people pay for, remember and recommend.

Ep10. Capital, Community & the Future of Experiential - Wendy Heimann-Nunes, Nolan Heimann LLP

In this episode, I sit down with Wendy Heimann-Nunes. Wendy is co-founder and co-managing partner, leading the Location-Based (LBE), Immersive, and Experiential Entertainment group at specialist IP/Entertainment law firm Nolan Heimann. We talk about what sparked her passion for experiential and track how it’s moved from the sidelines of entertainment to the strategic core of brand and community building. We also tackle the harder commercial questions: why immersive is still capital-constrained, why investors struggle without clear metrics, and how greater rigour and shared standards could unlock growth without reducing creativity. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone as passionate, knowledgeable and future-facing than Wendy and it was a real privilege to hear first hand how she sees the changing shape of the experience economy.

Ep9. The Long Game of Live Experience - Veronica Hart, RWS Global

My guest this week is Veronica Hart, Chief Growth Officer at RWS Global and Chair of the Board of Directors at Licensing International.  Veronica has spent her career leading teams responsible for some of the world’s biggest entertainment brands and now masterminding the growth of RWS Global to help live experience producers create memorable moments at scale. In this conversation, we dig into the tension between short-term monetisation and long-term brand building, the hallmarks of an experience-ready IP, and why live sport is becoming as much about entertainment and atmosphere as it is about the game itself. If you care about the future of the experience economy — and how to build things that truly last — you’re going to enjoy this one!

Ep8. Form Follows Fiction - Mel McGowan, Storyland Studios

In this episode of Are You Experienced?, I sit down with Mel McGowan, the founder of Storyland Studios, to discuss the art of "spatial storytelling" and the future of the experience economy. * The Disney Foundation: Mel reflects on his ten years at Disney, emphasizing that "walking in the guest's shoes" (and even cleaning toilets in operations) is vital for any designer. True magic requires empathy for both the guest and the cast member. * The Three Pillars of Storyland: Mel breaks down his studio’s framework: * Strategic Storytelling: Defining the "why" and achieving consensus. * Spatial Storytelling: Creating physical worlds where "form follows fiction." * Interactive Storytelling: Using technology to augment reality and deepen connection. * "Soil-Specific" IP: A deep dive into Nate Land, the upcoming Nashville theme park with comedian Nate Bargatze. Mel explains why this project focuses on the "DNA of a place" rather than just licensing a movie brand. * The "Unplugged" Necessity: As digital addiction and "AI slop" rise, Mel argues that physical theme parks are a global necessity for human connection and "self-actualization." https://www.storylandstudios.com/ [https://www.storylandstudios.com/] https://www.themedattraction.com/themed-attraction-podcast/ [https://www.themedattraction.com/themed-attraction-podcast/]

Ep7. Building the Home of Immersive - Damian Norman, Immerse LDN

My guest this week is Damian Norman, founder of Immerse LDN, about the business realities behind immersive entertainment. We unpack why immersive shows succeed or fail commercially: infrastructure costs, operational risk, location strategy, and the brutal power of reviews in a young category. Damian explains how the ImmerseLDN project aims to remove friction for producers, protect margins, and allow creative teams to focus on what drives demand and repeat visitation. We also discuss the biggest threats to the sector and where the next wave of scalable, investable immersive formats could emerge.