“If you want to be successful in what you do personally or professionally, you’ve got to manage relationships because the show goes on. You need strong relationships with contractors and suppliers that you know can deliver.” - Matt Mehler, President of PROcurement Solutions Have you ever wondered what it is like to manage procurement for a large, high-profile venue? According to Matt Mehler, former VP of Procurement for Madison Square Garden, it’s exciting, but there’s also a tremendous amount of pressure. Madison Square Garden is a large corporate entity that hosts hundreds of sporting and entertainment events per year, welcoming millions of people to its facilities, which also include entertainment venues off site and even in other cities. In this podcast episode, the opening session of Categorypalooza 2023, Kelly Barner interviews Matt about the complexities and challenges that come along with managing procurement for a large venue with many different types of services. They discuss topics like: How to manage services procurement in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment The pivotal role relationships play in large-scale services spend management Managing expectations and measuring success in a complex organization with multiple stakeholders Navigating the nuances of supplier relationship and performance management in an advertiser- or sponsor-supported organization Links: Matt Mehler on LinkedIn Watch on demand: Categorypalooza 2023 Subscribe to This Week in Procurement