". . .but is he really happy?" Fr. Ed Larkin

The New Yorker has a great story this week, "Money on the Wall." A profile of someone who might just be the best salesperson ever. (by Patrick Radden Keefe, author of "Say Nothing." Great book.) The profile is of art dealer Larry Gagosian. His galleries do an estimated $1BN in sales.
How does Gagosian do it? One way is group marketing. Get multiple buyers in the room with the product, current customers . . .and supermodels.
"Gagosian vets each guest list with the vigilance of a night-club bouncer. Of the Memorial Day festivities, he said, 'There's nobody invited that I didn't approve.' The crowd, he explained, would consist of 'billionaires, artists, neighbors–mostly people I really know and am close to.' A pause, a wolfish grin. 'Or want to be close to.' Derek Blasberg, a writer and fashion editor who has held a staff position at Gagosian's gallery since 2014, told me, 'Larry is a full-time gallerist and a part-time casting agent. He knows how to pull the right mix of people from worlds that are financially lucrative and creatively inspiring.' . . . too many billionaires and it'll be dull as Davos; too many artists and celebrities and who's going to buy the art?"
(I'm not kidding about the supermodels. Gagosian once said they are important because they look good at a dinner table. Noted.)
It's not easy to put events together, but it's effective. Successful events have three pieces: the audience, the topic, and venue. Any one of those can increase the value of the event, but from experience I will tell you, "who is going to be there?" is the most powerful question on the minds of potential attendees. It's one reason why famous people command a premium on the lecture circuit. And collect even more when they promise to stick around and hobnob with the hoi polloi, signing books.
I'm guessing that besides throwing a great party, Gagosian does a lot of things right. A billion in sales is a big number. I'm just saying it's probably made easier when billionaires are fighting each other to get invites to your parties.
(A priest I knew, when he heard anecdotes of successful people used to joke, ". . .but are they really happy?" Funny man, that Fr. Ed. Of course Larry G is happy. Of course, he is.)
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