On this episode, we’re joined by a true innovator: Michael Dodsworth. Michael is a launch expert with years of experience navigating the wild world of ticketing, product drops, and high-traffic, high-stakes online sales.
Michael hails from the UK and has carved a unique path in the tech and ticketing industries, working with major companies like Salesforce, Optimizely, and Ticketmaster. Frustrated with the chaos of bots, server crashes, and unfair queues that plague ticket sales and product launches, Michael founded Fanfare—a platform dedicated to making these moments fairer, more scalable, and rewarding for both brands and their fans.
Want to livestream and record podcasts like we do? Check out these links and build your empire!
Want to livestream and record podcasts like we do? Check out these links and build your empire!
Transistor FM - for podcast hosting
https://transistor.fm/?via=poduty
Castmagic - to make written content from your audio podcast
https://get.castmagic.io/ugp958dba02x
Streamyard - for livestreaming and recording podcast episodes
https://streamyard.com/pal/c/6282618417446912
Catch all back episodes of My Guest Tonight and hear a custom theme song for every guest!
https://myguesttonight.com/
https://transistor.fm/?via=poduty
Castmagic - to make written content from your audio podcast
https://get.castmagic.io/ugp958dba02x
Streamyard - for livestreaming and recording podcast episodes
https://streamyard.com/pal/c/6282618417446912
Catch all back episodes of My Guest Tonight and hear a custom theme song for every guest!
https://myguesttonight.com/
Episode Summary:
In our conversation, Michael shares the origin story behind Fanfare, starting from his early love for live events and the persistent challenges he faced whenever he tried to buy tickets to concerts or high-demand product releases. We discuss how the “death by a thousand cuts” of bad customer experiences inspired him to build technology that keeps servers running, filters out bots, and keeps die-hard fans from being left out in the cold.
Michael opens up about the hurdles he encountered—from the technical challenges of scaling for millions of users to the softer side of managing client anxieties as both “internet firefighter” and “launch therapist.” He reveals the importance of designing fair queuing systems, the value of analyzing who keeps showing up for your brand, and how brands can turn every drop—whether concert tickets or limited edition sneakers—into opportunities for meaningful fan engagement.
We also look ahead to the future of Fanfare, discussing how these fair, scalable solutions can empower not just streetwear brands or concert promoters, but any company that deals with surges in demand and scarcity. Michael’s vision is one where brands create memorable experiences for their most passionate fans rather than letting chaos—or bots—rule the show.
Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to check out the full episode for all the insights, stories, and even some heavy metal thunder in our custom theme song!
Stay hyped—done right—and see you next time on "My Guest Tonight"!
Check out all back episodes at:
https://myguesttonight.com/
Check out all back episodes at:
https://myguesttonight.com/