As one of Australia’s leading audio visual and production companies, AV 24/7 has built up almost 20 years’ of experience to deliver spectacular events for clients across various industries. Becoming the go-to company for creative solutions.
With creativity, technical excellence and industry-leading knowledge AV 24/7 take care of every aspect of events. AV 24/7’s belief that ‘Anything is possible’, is being tested during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are meeting that challenge head on and developed new products to deliver amazing experiences for their customers.
In this episode, General Manager Libbie Ray describes how AV24/7 are navigating through a crisis and altering their offerings to meet market needs.
Transcript
Murray Smith: Libbie Ray, welcome to Gripping Business Tales.
Libbie Ray: Great, thanks so much for having me.
Murray: No problem. Always good to have someone on who is a general manager, a gin lover, and a singer who uses Spotify regularly.
Libbie: Well, you know, there are some great things in there!
Murray: We usually start with two questions, Libbie. Can you tell us one personal success and one professional success you’ve had recently?
Libbie: Personally, I went to a real restaurant with real friends — in the flesh — on Saturday, and I tell you, it was amazing. Ten people in a restaurant, all to ourselves. I never thought that would be a personal milestone, but it was! Professionally, just surviving the last few months and still being here with a smile on my face is a pretty big feat.
Murray: That human connection is so valuable, and I think we’ll all appreciate it more in future. And professionally, surviving — especially in your industry — is huge. You’re the General Manager of AV24:7. When people hear what you do, they’ll be amazed that you’re still going. Tell us a bit about the business.
Libbie: Like many others, we have two stories — pre-COVID and during-COVID. Pre-COVID, we were a full-service audiovisual production company providing lighting, sound, staging, and vision for live events, exhibitions, conferences, and product launches — all 100% live. We have offices in Melbourne and Sydney, and a satellite in Queensland, but we support events nationwide.
We’ve got a passionate creative team. But on Friday the 13th of March 2020, everything changed. Everything was cancelled. It was surreal — we joked about needing to hire someone just to process cancellations. In just a few days, our entire calendar was wiped clean.
Murray: That’s massive.
Libbie: We had done some early scenario planning in February. I had forecast that maybe by June we’d lose 50% of our revenue. But that was completely surpassed within days. Every time we made a new plan, something would shift again and flip it all upside down. It was like being on a hamster wheel — sprint, stop, rethink.
Murray: So how did you respond?
Libbie: We moved quickly into the virtual space. Not just online, but we created physical broadcast studios in Sydney and Melbourne that follow COVID-safe guidelines. We started helping our clients communicate globally. We also launched a new business called The Virtual Event Box, where attendees receive a physical box — snacks, notepads, wine, cheese — to recreate the experience of live events from home.
And we built our own streaming platform to help brands deliver a more immersive, branded experience — something better than a basic Zoom call.
Murray: That’s innovative and smart. Now, one reason we brought you on is to talk about EOS — the Entrepreneurial Operating System. How did that help you through this?
Libbie: When we started EOS, we’d been on a really fast growth path. But with every stage of growth, you need to restructure — and in some ways, reshape your culture. We were at a crossroads. We had great intentions and loved our staff, but that didn’t always translate into consistent action.
EOS helped us structure things so that every person understood how their role impacts the business — and how valued they are. It forced us to walk the talk. At first, it was a bit daunting, but once we got rolling, the process really helped.
And in terms of surviving COVID — I honestly couldn’t imagine going through all this without what we’ve learned from EOS. It’s given us the structure and tools to act quickly, to regroup and relaunch with purpose.
Murray: What tools specifically helped the most?
Libbie: Structure and process. We were essentially starting a new business every few days. EOS gave us the ability to bring people together and build systems quickly. We switched from quarterly to monthly meetings, and from 90-day rocks to 30-day rocks. It just wasn’t realistic to plan for 90 days at a time — we needed to work in shorter sprints.
Murray: You said earlier that when you first took on EOS, you wanted to scale. What was the decision point that made you realise you needed help?
Libbie: I’m the integrator in the business — although I toggle between integrator and visionary. I knew what needed to happen, but I also knew my time was best spent working on the business. We wanted someone external — impartial, direct, someone who could guide us through it. That’s where our Implementer, Daniel Davis, was invaluable.
Over the years, we’ve worked with different coaches and systems, but EOS just really fit where we were and what we needed.
Murray: And now you’ve graduated from the program?
Libbie: We’re still working with Daniel. But yes, we’ve implemented it throughout the business.
Murray: What’s been the biggest impact?
Libbie: Discipline, structure, and accountability — but also clarity. I love the meeting structure. I hate waffle, so EOS meetings keep people focused and aligned.
Murray: Outside of EOS, what advice would you give other business owners who are struggling?
Libbie: A few things. First — don’t be attached to the past. Don’t wait for things to go back to “normal” — they might not. Second — mindset is everything. If you’re always worrying and focused on the negative, you won’t have the headspace to problem-solve. I try to remove emotion and just treat it like a really hard game that we need to win.
Murray: Love it. Now, for people who need AV support — live or virtual — how can they reach you?
Libbie: Visit our website at www.av24-7.com or find me on LinkedIn. Give me a call and we’ll chat.
Murray: We’ll add that to the show notes. Libbie, thank you for sharing your story. You’re a brilliant example of resilience and innovation — and I look forward to seeing what AV24:7 does next.
Libbie: Thanks so much, really appreciate it!
“We were never go going to give up. We were never going to stop.”