My journey…so far! By Jacqui Kavanagh

I’ve been asked many times to share my journey through our wonderful industry. People often tell me that my story could inspire others – especially women.

My honest reaction has always been: what have I done to inspire anyone?
Most days I still feel like I’m figuring out what I want to be when I grow up!

But then I stopped and wondered – is this a woman thing? We are often the last people to build ourselves up. In fact, many of us do the opposite. We juggle so much that it can feel as though we’re never quite ahead of the game. And perhaps that’s true for many people, not just women.

So here is my story – my journey into entrepreneurship and innovation. I genuinely hope it inspires. But please know that I am very much still on the journey; I haven’t “arrived” yet.

Few founders start a business purely for profit. More often, they see a problem that needs solving and become completely focused on fixing it. Our industry is full of solution-solvers, yet we often lack the resources or technical capability to deliver the technology we truly need to move forward. The result is frequently one-size-fits-all systems or workarounds – understandable in such a diverse industry with complex customer journeys and many different needs.

Like many innovators, I am naturally curious and relentlessly persistent. Those traits have served me well as I work towards solutions I genuinely believe will help and support our industry.

We are all navigating a rapidly changing world: diverse brands, AI promising to deliver everything overnight, and a buyer community whose expectations evolve constantly.

And yes, like any entrepreneur, I have my detractors.

My vision focuses on reducing wasted human effort caused by low RFP conversion rates, sharing better data to enable meaningful search results, supporting buyers who want to purchase in ways that reflect how they live their daily lives, and empowering venues and suppliers to sell in ways that work for them – efficiently and cost-effectively.

I often wonder why these ideas face resistance. But in truth, I don’t mind. Debate creates conversation, and conversation moves industries forward. It probably says more about the resistance than the vision itself.

• Why wouldn’t we want to reduce cost of sale through better technology and smarter business practices?
• Why wouldn’t we want richer data to deliver meaningful inspiration and search experiences?
• Why shouldn’t buyers choose how they want to buy?
• And why shouldn’t venues and suppliers have the tools and data to tell their own stories and stand out?

Our industry is fragmented for a reason – every event is personal. Every booking matters. And it should.

Throughout my journey, I’ve often felt like the uninvited nerd in a nerd’s world, the woman in a male-dominated investment and finance environment, and certainly not the “expected” person – in age or appearance – to lead a company supported by an extraordinary team committed to delivering a bold vision for our industry.

I don’t feel I have anything to prove. My focus is simply on delivering solutions that give venues choice, especially those who have too often felt pushed into systems that remove their control.

I hope to share more of our story in the future, alongside the stories of the many characters who make this industry so special – from seasoned leaders to those discovering its magic for the first time.

If my story inspires even one person, then sharing it will have been worthwhile.

EDGE Venues will continue to support everyone in our industry as we move forward together. And I will continue to follow my curiosity, investing my energy – and yes, my resources – where I believe real progress can be made.

So my message is simple:

Be brave. Stay curious. Just start!

There is a wonderful world out there. You will find your tribe. And you will learn to ignore the detractors – who are often simply protecting what feels safe, even though true safety rarely comes from standing still.