Success Built on a Lifetime of Trust

Alana Muller 0:09
Welcome to Enterprise.ing, a podcast from Enterprise Bank & Trust that's empowering business leaders one conversation at a time. We'll hear from different business leaders about how they found success in cultivating their professional networks and keeping them healthy and strong. I'm your host Alana Muller, an entrepreneurial executive leader whose primary focus is to connect, inspire and empower community. We at Enterprise Bank & Trust thank you for tuning in to another episode.

Alana Muller 0:41
Hello listeners, welcome back to Enterprise.ing podcast. It turns out that what happens in Vegas does not always stay in Vegas, listeners hold on to your hats. Today we're going to delve into the world of live entertainment and trade show production with the leaders of two companies, LVE and Pompey Entertainment, both of which were started in Las Vegas, Nevada, but have grown beyond the four walls of the city and are now conducting business around the United States. LVE is an exposition company offering comprehensive tradeshow services in every major North American market. Pompey Entertainment provides focused expertise in all areas of entertainment to multiple artists, shows and venues. With that as the backdrop, join me in welcoming business associates, Nicholas Cordaro and Damian Costa. Guys, welcome to Enterprise.ing podcast.

Damian Costa 1:29
Thank you for having us.

Nicholas Cordaro 1:30
Thanks, Alana. That's awesome. We're excited to be here.

Alana Muller 1:33
Well, I'm thrilled to have you. So to start the conversation, tell us how the two of you first met and what led you to work with one another on LVE and Pompey Entertainment. Nick, let's start with you.

Nicholas Cordaro 1:44
Wow. So, gotta go back quite a while to come up with that story. So, let's see, we were in the third grade. I was relatively new to Las Vegas, and my mother was a catechism teacher. And Damian was in the catechism class. And me and Damian immediately became friends. And since the third grade until now, one of the unique things about us is my last name is C-O-R. His last name is C-O-S. So, every elementary school line, every locker assigned to you, anything we did in our lives through high school, was always in name order. So, we were basically stuck together whether we liked it or not. Luckily, I had him as the person next to me all the time and he’s such a great person. So, it made it really easy to become instant friends.

Nicholas Cordaro 2:33
We've been friends really since then, you know, normal friends, you normally have your ups and downs in relationships. You know, you go through high school, elementary school, you kind of disappear as you go into your career life. And Damian and I, lucky enough, we kept in contact. So, we always communicated. But what was weird, is one day me and my wife decided to buy a new house. And so we bought this house and I moved in. I go, "I think Damian lives over here somewhere." She goes, "Call him to find out where." So I give him a call on his phone. He's like, "Where are you exactly?" And I'm like, "I made a left here, right here." He's like, "Go outside." Damian ended up being about five or six houses down the street.

Alana Muller 3:08
No.

Nicholas Cordaro 3:08
Yeah.

Alana Muller 3:09
No way. Ok, I love that. You guys are fated to be in one another's lives, right?

Nicholas Cordaro 3:15
We really are. And it was very unique. Another unique part of it is, I have four kids, Damian had three, and they were all alternating ages. So we would start with an elementary school and end up in seventh grade, right? We'd have second, third, no fourth, a fifth, sixth, and seventh, and eighth, right? So, we had the kids all the way through the spectrum. So, all of our kids grew up as best friends, hanging out, traveling, family trips. And Damian always had his career, I had my career, but the family time was our time together.

Alana Muller 3:45
That's really, really nice. Damian, what would you add to that?

Damian Costa 3:47
Just family vacations and the away time that we get. It was probably the most memorable time. You ask our kids any of their favorite times away and it's not, you know, any of the events or any of the mega productions that we put together in our business, like but it's getting the, we used to have to rent like these mini buses, like trams, to put all of us, because it's a big family when we when we both get together. And, you know, go renting a place or go traveling up into the woods somewhere. I think that's kind of what makes our relationship most special, is the family time we were able to spend together and the fact that our kids feel the same way.

Alana Muller 4:23
I just... What a great story. I just love it. I just love it. Well, and Damian, you talked a little bit about, kind of these, mega stars, mega events that you've been able to put on. How did you get into the live entertainment space and what's the biggest event that Pompey Entertainment has produced?

Damian Costa 4:38
Well, I fell into it accidentally and been all the way from the Thomas & Mack Center days where I was a parking lot attendant, waving cars to tell them what spot was open, to being head of marketing departments, creating major marketing initiatives for different companies, to designing arenas, to operating arenas… really kind of the biggest stars in the world I've had, I've been blessed with being able to have a part in their story and they've had a part in mine.

Damian Costa 5:10
Working for Caesars Entertainment was obviously life changing in the amount of entertainers and entertainment I got to work with as a professional. And really preparing myself for this opportunity to work with my best friend, and start something on our own, which is, you know — you want to come to that with all the experience and confidence that you can, because you don't want to expose a friendship to a "maybe." You want to expose a friendship to a "can do."

Damian Costa 5:35
And when we had the opportunity to work with Jimmy Kimmel, and operating Jimmy Kimmel's Comedy Club, I would say that's probably one of the most life-changing experiences in entertainment, in my entertainment field. Putting on the 70th anniversary of the wedding capital of the world at Caesar's Palace, for all of the entertainers in Las Vegas. And really doing it for the county and doing it for the city, and the multiple millions of dollars of views that we've gotten through publicity on an event like that, is probably the biggest thing that Pompey has done to date. When you produce over 100 shows a month, as a brand new entertainment company, it's humbling. So, to pick one of them is tough. So, I think we just have to look at the numbers to be able to pick that one.

Alana Muller 6:18
Yeah, that's very cool. And Nick, I know that LVE was originally started by your father, Robert, and that it's grown from two full-time employees with 4,500 square feet of warehouse space, to now nearly 100 employees with more than 145,000 square feet of warehouse space. What does the company do? And what do you do to keep yourself grounded and maintain those family business values of integrity, hard work, loyalty and passion that your dad launched the business with?

Nicholas Cordaro 6:48
Well, so, I mean, I don't want to take credit for all the growth. So, when I came on board with my father, we had about 17 employees, and we were in about 20,000 square foot of space. So, I was actually in the banking realm. And that's where my background comes from. And my father had come to me and said, "Hey, I'd like to retire one day. So, you should probably learn this business." And I didn't know if it was for me. Growing up as a kid, my father was working 20, 21, 22, 23 hours a day. I rarely saw him. And I'm like, I don't know if I want that lifestyle. And, you know, really, in hindsight, he was laying the groundwork of what we could do as a family going forward. So, as I stepped into it, I mean, I don't even think I was here a week with him, when I realized this is my calling. I absolutely love this side of the business and what we do, and we're an event production company on the special event, trade show and exhibit side of it. So, we help customers’ dreams come to reality. The message that they're trying to say to their client, we help them achieve it.

Nicholas Cordaro 7:45
And one of the really unique things about the business and one of the strategies for growth, but is also the strategy of keeping the small family, intimate relationships, is our customers really, truly become our friends. So, as we're growing, and we're becoming a big business, there's still an individual behind that. And those individuals become close to us. To the point when we're traveling, if we don't call them when we're in their market, they get upset. But we also get a buy-in as a company. I want to see the success of their events, because I have a buy-in; this is my friend's event. And that's really driven us to go, "Wow, These aren't just relationships and clients. These are, for lack of better words, family members,” and that's how we consider them. And the biggest thing I would say with that, in keeping with that loyalty and the integrity aspect of it, it's just really one simple thing. And it's just doing what you say you're going to do. And my father said that for years, that I always beat that mantra in with... “beat” is a bad word... but I push that mantra in with my employees, "Just do what you say you're going to do." If you make the commitment, make the commitment, whether you're going to make money on it, whether you're going to lose money, you said it, you agreed to do it, do it, do the right thing. And as long as you keep that as your driving force of what you're trying to accomplish and things, to me, there's not a lot of wrong that can come out of it.

Alana Muller 8:59
That's such a great response. Well, and Damian, you talked about this notion of, you didn't want to jump into business with your close friend and on a "maybe." And so how do your businesses work together? Do they... are you always part and parcel of one another's projects? Or are you also doing work independently? How does that work?

Damian Costa 9:19
Well, they're definitely different businesses that involve one another. I'm very proud of the work that I'm able to do with Nick sitting on the board of LVE and you know, the growth that I, if I can be a part of anything that Nick's company is a part of. In the entertainment world, it's very similar to the expo world. You know, we're kind of sitting with an artist or with a venue that is ours, that we're operating long term, right? Where those relationships are with us, or those people are with us every day. And so it differs a little bit in just the way that we staff. And but the personal touch that Nick talks about is what keeps us, I think, very similar. Because the same things that Nick just said, on the LVE side of it is the same thing that he said, "If I'm going to get involved with you, we have to make sure that these are the pillars of principle that we follow. And it's, you know, to treat people right first, and to always do what it is that we say we're going to do." And I sat, and I thought, "Man, our businesses must be exactly the same, because that's what we want to do."

Nicholas Cordaro 10:31
With the entertainment side of it and the expo side of it, what ends up coming, as we started building them together and building these two lines of business, we realized our customers are the same, the clients are the same, the attendees are the same. So, even though they're completely different fathomable businesses, the end all be all of what we were accomplishing was together. And there's been so many times that we've started to grow an edge or an item on Pompey's side, that he's like, "Hey, we need the expo involved to finish producing this event." And vice versa, we'll have clients come to us and say, "Hey, you don't have a chance to know how to get a hold of these people to set up, you know, this special musician or, or this type of artists?" And all of a sudden, we realize these two businesses were forever... they should have always been together. And it was just something that was out in the waiting. So...

Alana Muller 11:14
Love that. Very cool. Very cool.

Damian Costa 11:19
I love Nick's perspective on how our businesses are so similar and how they work in unison with one another. It inspires me every time to hear him say exactly why we're doing this.

Alana Muller 11:29
Yeah, yeah, I think that's great. Well, I want to stay on this relationship piece. Talk a little bit about what ways your relationship base, so just the people in your lives. And, Nick, you talked a little bit about, kind of your clients becoming like friends and family, but talk about how your relationship bases have played a role in the success of driving both of your businesses, and really yourselves.

Nicholas Cordaro 11:52
What I'll say is really, the important thing about the relationship, especially between me and Damian, is it's all built on trust. And you know, and I know Damian was nice enough to talk about my involvement in the Pompey side, and Damian's involvement in the LVE side. But honestly, there's times I feel like I don't give Damian as much support as I should be giving him. But, that's the really nice thing about our relationship. He doesn't need my support to be successful. He wants my support to be successful. And it's the same thing on the LVE side. So if there's days, I can't make it because I'm slammed or busy or things I can't attend, there's no question. There's no pressure. He's doing his, I'm doing mine. But our goals are exactly the same.

Nicholas Cordaro 12:35
And it's pretty unique that I can say that, you know, and people tell me I'm a liar when I say this every time, but we've never had an argument. And we've been friends for 40 years, and we've never gotten into a disagreement and argument, and we've been business partners. And that's usually the next question people come across, "How did you guys go this far as you're in your relationship, and not once have a disagreement or argument?" And the reality is, is because we utterly trust each other. There's nobody in this world I trust more than Damian, and I know, he's said the same to me. I don't worry about things he's doing and he’s not worried about what I'm doing. And we know that we keep a common foundation and a common goal. And if you can't have that type of relationship, it's hard to have a business partnership.

Alana Muller 13:11
Fabulous.

Damian Costa 13:14
Our pillars of principle are the same. You know, we believe, we have the same core beliefs, treating people right, treating each other right. And the trust could not be deeper and evident. And every day, I think we show that to one another.

Alana Muller 13:27
So great. Really, really fabulous. Well, so what's something that you two are working on now that you're especially excited about? Nick, why don't you start?

Nicholas Cordaro 13:34
Oh, there's so much going on right now. But I think one of the things that we're really, really excited about is the Composer's Room. It's a new venue that we opened up in Las Vegas. And it's really special in the aspect of is it's in the old commercial center area of Las Vegas. That's an area that's kind of been hit with the times. It's been around a really long time. But we're starting to help work with the county, work with the city and starting a redevelopment in the area. And we're kind of the launching point for them on the redevelopment. And what's really special about it is this space is something close to Damian's heart with his family. So, the Composer's Room, as it says in the name, is about composers, the development of music, where did music come from, what was music in Las Vegas. And so, we were lucky enough to get an establishment that was, actually, used to be called the “Commercial Deli.” And it's where the Rat Pack actually used to play all the time. And so we've had the experience to go in there, led by Damian, to redevelop this amazing facility. And then we, even Damian ripped down a wall and found the original glass from the Commercial Deli that’s still hand-painted from you know, you're talking the ‘60s and ‘70s. Just some amazing things about it. And there's a lot of family ties to Damian and Damian's family in music, in Las Vegas, in composing and being part of things. And so it's just a really special movement for me because I know it's special to him and I love seeing that growth. So, that's something that really stands out as something special in life.

Alana Muller 15:00
So, Damian, add to that, what's the family connection? And how did that come about?

Damian Costa 15:07
Well, it's kind of exciting to have this stuff fall into place, like Nick calling me and saying, "Hey, buddy, where do you live? "And you know, to go back to finding our adult lives and our kids growing up together, this place has done the same thing for us. It fell into an opportunity. And Nick has always said, "How, not why," on what it is we're going to be doing next. How is it that we can be successful at this adventure, and to have him so wholeheartedly understand that I have some family ties in this part of the industry and to see the support and care and compassion that he gives to that, it's you know, it's not about anyone's business name, it's very much about what it is that helps the legacy of Las Vegas, My grandfather — we just had Elvis's birthday here a few days ago — my grandfather actually toured with Elvis, he's in Elvis's movies. And a lot of the others, right? This is one of my unique connections to Donny Osmond and Andy Williams and some of the greats that played Las Vegas back years ago. So, my grandfather is now attributed in the Composer's Room. We have his sheet music memorialized on the walls and on the ceiling in gold flake. Another one of my grandfathers was a conductor, vocal arranger for Vic Damone and Shecky Greene. You know, we just lost Shecky Greene at 97 years old. And I had pictures of Shecky Greene and my grandfather on the wall of this place to kind of show what it is, how it is that we got here, and how important it is to remember the past as we look to build the entertainment of the future. So, that's a little bit of the tie ins and why it's so special for our particular partnership to be supporting a redevelopment location like Commercial Center, and the Composer's Room.>/p>

Alana Muller 17:00
Oh, that's fabulous. When is the venue opening? Approximately.

Damian Costa 17:04
It's been open for seven weeks.

Alana Muller 17:06
Oh, great.

Damian Costa 17:17
I owe Nick a call because we just hit 100 shows. In only seven weeks, we've already had 100 performances here. Anything from a brunch, a Sunday brunch, to a piano party, these are just the hits, the ‘70s throwback parties, always at parties, concerts, you know, a great, great dinner menu. We will have gaming in the venue soon. And multiple stages and just a great time you can explore the facility and experience different elements of music without ever having to leave or go next door.

Alana Muller 17:41
Oh, well. So, you know, continuing kind of on this thread, I want to talk a little bit about entrepreneurship and innovation. So what advice, Damian, do you have for entrepreneurs who face challenges in their work? And how have you overcome some of the obstacles that you faced in your business and emerged as a stronger leader?

Damian Costa 18:00
I was saying that I know, it's not very popular with certain amount of generations. And I told Gene Simmons it was going to be the title of my book. And he told me it's negative, so don't use it. I actually think it's a positive. It's called "Work harder, not smarter."

Alana Muller 18:15
Yeah.

Damian Costa 18:16
And like I get it, we all have to work smart. We all have to be attentive and of course [use] logic. But really, working harder is my brand. To Nick's point, watching his father build LVE for all those years, people who are entrepreneurs put in the work. They put in the work because others are expected to put in work also. And how is it that we can ask anyone to do something we wouldn’t be willing to do ourselves? So I really believe that being surrounded by the smartest people you can be surrounded by and putting the work in that's necessary is a key to persevering through being an entrepreneur.

Alana Muller 18:56
That's so great. Nick, how about you? Any specific advice you would have for entrepreneurs as they undertake their dreams and come up with, you know, the challenges that they inevitably face?

Nicholas Cordaro 19:10
You know, I, it really goes back to the mantra that my father, I mean, I'm gonna push back on that of just doing what you say you're gonna do. If you're gonna go out on a path and you're gonna make a commitment, stick to that commitment. Stick to doing what you say you're gonna do. And you know, they're not always easy. It's not always simple to say, “Hey, let's open a venue,” and then you know, turn my back and it's open, right? We don't all have Damians around, you know. So, you have those commitments, you have those conversations and making sure that you know, when you start building a client base and you're going to work through something, whether it's an hourly job, whether it's a daily work job, just do what you're gonna do, fill that commitment, you know, and a lot of times just doing what you say you're gonna do is not enough. Do more, try to push yourself a little bit beyond. And you know, you under promise and over deliver and live by that.

Nicholas Cordaro 20:00
And that's what to me is so unique and I say this to Damian… when you said, "Hey, when's the venue gonna open?" And he says, "seven weeks." I probably couldn't tell you seven weeks off the top of my head. And that's a part that I hold close is, you know, we're running an expo business on my side that is very fast paced. There's a lot going on, we've had a lot of busy quarters. And so as we're compiling on the expo side, Damian's working diligently with his team to get these things open and running, and me, I want to be there and I want to experience it, but haven't had the opportunity to really spend the time there that I would love to. So, even between the Composer's Room, Jimmy Kimmel's Comedy Club, different venues that we've operated, the Magic Room that we have, as well, you know, I, unfortunately, don't spend the elaborate amount of time there. But the time that I do spend there is so much more special, because it's something that I've built with someone that you know, honestly is one of my idols the way he is, as a person is just second to none. And I appreciate it.

Alana Muller 20:53
So great, so great. Well, so you have each other, which I think is incredible. You know, so few, I mean, if you go back and you look at not just research, but just in everyday life, you can see that partnerships, business partnerships, don't usually work out, you know, at least 50% of them fail. And yet the two of you have really been able to stick together and grow some very impressive businesses. Talk a little bit about your mentors, and if there are people in your lives who have had a particularly meaningful impact on your career and personal journeys, and if there's a bit of advice that any of them have given to you that you've really carried through. I know, Nick, you've talked a lot about your father. But, do you find that you have other mentors in your life who are helping to provide that guidance to you?

Nicholas Cordaro 21:45
You know, that's a tough one. I mean, I really, I talk a lot about my father, because we have a unique relationship. My father, like I do with Damian, my father is actually my best friend. I spend every minute I can with my father. We travel together, we talk work together, we hang out together, and we watch Bills games together because we’re big Buffalo fans. So, we have this mantra of things that me and my father do, and it really has shaped who I am as a person. I do have family ties in this business. My sister works here by my side as well, which I'm very close. So, family is extremely important to me. On the outskirts of that, you know, and it's not a one person, it's really a structure that is, I would say more than anything.

Nicholas Cordaro 22:32
And I know that's tough to say as an idol. The structure of what I took from the bank, I worked at Citibank, I worked at Bank of America for many years. And I realized the necessity of having a very stringent kind of corporate structure when it comes to development, growth, employees and working together. And it's allowed me to build an executive team, which Damian sits on, of like-minded individuals that do work within the business, but it's really a group of people I admire for different traits.

Nicholas Cordaro 22:57
And you don't have to be an executive to be on this executive team, even though we call it that. It's people that bring unique perspectives to environments. You know, we have somebody that is incredible with customer service and dealing with people, someone that has an amazing business acumen, someone that's incredible with numbers, and crazy, random trivia. Everybody has these different things that they bring to the table and this is a place that we're able to sit and talk and really kind of push the future of the business and all of them in different ways are idols of mine in the way that they handle themselves. And I try to make myself as well-rounded as possible and learn and take pieces from everybody.

Alana Muller 23:29
Yeah, you know, I've talked with a lot of guests about this notion of a kind of a “personal board of directors,” whether it's formalized or not. And that's kind of what you're describing is that you've been able to amass a group of sort of a support structure or support system, people that you can go to at the times that you need them. So, I actually think that, that works, that works very, very well. And I like the fact that you've been able to sort of bring more people to your team, not just one person. Damian, how about you? How have you sort of engaged with mentors or personal advisors to help you grow your business and advance your journey?

Damian Costa 24:05
Yeah, I would be nowhere without what I call life coaches. And we've got a lot figured out in our, in our minds already. I think successful people probably inner-communicate more with themselves than the average person. And sometimes you need to have that person to say, "Yeah, don't worry about it, man. You're good. You're on the right path,” or maybe, “Consider this path." My life coaches come from my work history, people that I've worked with, and have always aspired to be or aspire to model my life after. Pat Christenson, who is the guy who brought rock concerts to Las Vegas originally, who was responsible for operating, you know, the first arena in town. He was a wrestling coach, and they were like, "Hey, you need to go run the arena now.” And it just always inspired me to think, "Hang on, I can actually do something that is meaningful and impactful, and it helps people and, and brings entertainment to the world?"

Damian Costa 25:07
So Pat Christenson, and the gentleman who also runs arenas named Steve Stallworth, and to round that off has always been my buddy here, Nick Cordaro. Those are my life coaches, always have been. I think what's really interesting in my life right now is that I pull my son into that conversation as well. All of my adult children, whether I like it or not, coach me. And they're so smart. They're so right about most of what they bring to me, and right? I'm so blessed to have that, you know, the life coaches, the people that are willing to say, "Hey, this is what's happening. And keep going,” or maybe, “Slow down a little bit."

Alana Muller 25:50
I love that. Yeah, well, and I love it that your kids are among your life coaching crew.

Damian Costa 25:53
It's amazing, right, Nick?

Alana Muller 25:55
I feel the same way. I have a 20-year-old son. And I always say that he's kind of the adult in the house. So my husband and I are lucky to have him as our life coach. So, I totally am with you on that. I totally — I hear you.

Damian Costa 26:06
I love it. I love it. It's, I would have never thought that that would be what life is about. And it's like, wow, this is amazing, right, Nick?

Nicholas Cordaro 26:14
Oh, it's so true. And we, I mean, we have a slew of them, as we told you.

Alana Muller 26:15
Yeah.

Nicholas Cordaro 26:18
So I mean, you know, over the age of 20, we got seven between the two of us. So there's a lot of life coaching going on there. And it's unique because there's so many amazing successes and weddings and babies and, you know, just things that happen.

Damian Costa 26:31
Hey, I have six, you have four, pal. That's 10.

Nicholas Cordaro 26:34
Yeah, so Damian, Damian recently and I did put this on my notes. So, Damian being an idol, like he is, decided that he couldn't be under me on the number of children. So, he went from three to five.

Alana Muller 26:46
Oh?

Nicholas Cordaro 26:47
And really like five and a half? Six. Right.

Damian Costa 26:51
And then six, yeah.

Nicholas Cordaro 26:53
Yeah, so six, and I'm still staying steady at four. So, it's a good balance. So, but you know, having a nice round 10 children between the two of us is pretty interesting.

Alana Muller 27:05
I'd say it sounds like it, sounds like it. I think that's great.

Nicholas Cordaro 27:10
It's nice to have a big, it's good to have a big family and I will share… my, the road for me is a little different than a lot of people. So my wife, actually — we've been married for 20 years — was actually in a pretty bad car accident about, God, it's been 12 years ago. So she's been through 30 back surgeries, morphine pump, knee replacement, hip — she's been through the gamut. And so, my life was about the kids, raising my kids, taking care of my wife, but also becoming an entrepreneur and doing what I've done. And without somebody like Damian and Damian's family, and Gina and his kids, I don't think I could have made it through those years of my life. So, it's a special time and we still struggle with things as we go through. But you know, that support system, that bringing together — people look at me all the time, like, “How did you get through that? How did you do that?” And I couldn't tell you specifically, other than the support system around me allowed me to do it, which is Damian, Damian's family, and my family, my parents, my sister. So, that's why everything I do is always in a thought for those people that have made my life what it is today.

Alana Muller 28:17
Incredible story. Incredible. Thank you for sharing that. You know, I have loved talking with both of you. I love the connection that the two of you so clearly have and that you've been so successful. I always ask my guests a final question and I have to ask it of each of you as well. And the question is this: if you could meet and have coffee with one person living, not living, fictional, nonfictional, who would it be and why? Damian, let's start with you. Who would you have coffee with?

Damian Costa 28:45
Oh no, living or not living and why? I have to say this in case Gina is listening to us. She doesn't drink coffee. So, I don't have to call out Gina for this one. Look, probably Abraham Lincoln.

Alana Muller 28:57
Oh, I love it.

Damian Costa 28:59
I just want to know, I want to know like, do we... Is our world really so different today? Is it our perspective? Is it our moment in time? Is it the lens that we're looking through? Or are we caught up in the moment and really, we have a responsibility to be as good as we can? To do the best that we can even with all of the struggles and you know, that doesn't seem like this is going to work sometimes, you know, in life and it's not under our control. And I think Abraham Lincoln had an interesting perspective, given the fact he was doing things he didn't really want to be doing in a position he didn't really want, but he had to do the betterment of mankind from how we live today.

Alana Muller 29:43
I love that, it's a great answer, Nick, how about you? Who would you have coffee with?

Nicholas Cordaro 29:48
Wow, I don't have an answer that good, Damian. Thanks. That's a tough one for me. And I, you know, I try to think through the times and, you know, and who and what and, you know, the cliche sides of it, but I actually have a great grandfather, his name was Grandpa Nute. And he actually passed away the day before I was born. And I've just heard stories over the years, about what an amazing man he was, a jack of all trades.

Nicholas Cordaro 30:21
He was a photographer, he was a woodworker, he was just so many different things. And I find a lot of, you know, good with his hands. And he would work on things and electrician and plumbing and just being that kind of jack-of-all-trades person and it just is exciting to get to know somebody like that. Because that's, that's really how people describe me. I'm very similar. I'm a hands-on… I feel like things come very easy to me mentally, I'm able to kind of figure things out and work through challenges, work through problems, or through fun, different projects. And me and Damian have ripped apart cars and built houses and done roofing and floors and it's always been something that interests me and it would be really cool to be able to say, "Hey, tell me about myself.” Because I feel like there's, “you know more about me than I even know about myself."

Alana Muller 31:03
Well, he sounds like he's a part of you. So that's great. I love that, great answer. Well, such a lovely conversation with the two of you. Thank you so much for being on Enterprise.ing podcast, Nicholas Cordaro and Damian Costa. Where can our listeners go to learn a bit more about the two of you and your companies, LVE and Pompey Entertainment? Damian, you tell us first.

Damian Costa 31:23
Well, Pompey Entertainment, pompey.com is the best place. Jimmy Kimmel's Comedy Club or the Composer’s Room, if you're looking for a schedule of events.

Alana Muller 31:32
That's great. And Nick, how about you? Where can our listeners go to learn more about you and your company?

Nicholas Cordaro 31:38
I'm gonna say first when we say Pompey, P-O-M-P-E-Y.com, Pompey.com. And then for me, it's L-V-E-X-P-O, lvexpo.com. And that'll tell you all about everything to do with the expo-tradeshow side of the world.

Alana Muller 31:50
Great talking with you both. Thank you for being on Enterprise.ing podcast.

Nicholas Cordaro 31:54
Thanks for having us.

Damian Costa 31:55
Thank you.

Alana Muller 31:57
Thanks for joining us this week on Enterprise.ing. Be sure to visit our website, enterprisebank.com/podcast, to subscribe so you'll never miss an episode. If you found value in today's program, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or telling a friend about us. Enterprise.ing: powering business leaders, one conversation at a time.

Alana Muller 32:22
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