Every company has a culture – the unspoken rhythm of how people treat each other, solve problems, and get things done. Check out my previous blog about culture: Culture in the Creative Workplace!

If you really want to see that culture in action, don’t just look at a staff meeting or a group email chain. Look backstage at a live event! This is where timing is critical, everyone has a role, and smooth coordination can make all the difference.

When your production team – executive producers, account managers, live event directors, video editors, client assistants, audiovisual team, vendors, show callers, and stage managers – all hit “go,” they’re doing much more than producing an event. They’re performing the culture they live every day at work, moving together like a dialed-in pit crew under pressure.

Whether it’s a national sales meeting, awards ceremony, product launch, or annual conference, that’s where a company’s culture takes the wheel. You can feel it in the control room hum, the production chatter on comms, and the 2 a.m. laughter (or groans!) over last-minute edits.

At The B2Group, we’ve seen firsthand how much the culture you create at the office follows you to the ballroom, the stage deck, or the broadcast booth.

On show site, there’s no time for silos or ego. The best teams operate like a pit crew – fast, focused, and fully in sync.

Someone’s adjusting the lighting cues while another’s calming a nervous presenter. The show caller has one eye on the script, one ear on the comms, and a sixth sense for potential chaos.

In moments like these, a positive culture shines. It’s not just “Let’s fix this,” it’s “We’ve got this.” Respect, trust, and humor turn what could be stressful into something almost…fun (in that “controlled chaos” kind of way).

It’s a lot like Ricky Bobby’s Shake ‘n Bake from Talladega Nights: in the movie, Ricky leads while his teammate drafts closely behind, then gives a perfectly timed nudge to help him speed past competitors. It’s chaotic, high-stakes, and requires total trust and timing – like a production team handling last-minute changes, split-second cues, and the unpredictable moments of a live event. One team sets the pace, the other matches it, and together they pull off what seems impossible!

It’s not just the in-house team that carries the culture forward – your vendors are part of the rhythm too. When relationships with caterers, the AV crew, rental companies, venue staff, destination management companies and tech partners are built on trust, respect, and clear communication, they operate like an extension of your crew.

During the show, those relationships become critical: a lighting tech who knows your team’s cues instinctively, a decorator who can pivot on a last-minute stage change, a sound engineer who anticipates a presenter’s timing – all of it flows seamlessly because the culture is shared. While your team handles split-second decisions, your vendors’ alignment with your culture also helps keep the event moving along on schedule, ensuring every element crosses the finish line flawlessly.

While the on-site team is living on caffeine and adrenaline, the home team is just as critical.

Back in the office, the video editors are fine-tuning sizzle reels so they hit just right – trimming frames, sweetening sound, and polishing those last few transitions. Graphic artists are tackling a round of last-minute client updates. We’ve had requests the day before the show, like changing the voiceover on a video, adding a handful of new slides the client created last night, and yes, creating and working a morph transition into the keynote speaker’s deck. Meanwhile, account managers are fielding these requests, clarifying details, and relaying updates in real time to the show floor, where every change feels like a high-speed relay.

They may not be in the ballroom, but make no mistake about it – they’re in the show! They’re working quickly and efficiently behind the scenes, keeping everything running smoothly and ready for the next lap. While the on-site team is in the spotlight, the off-site crew is right there in sync – sending updated files, fixing timing issues, and making sure every element is ready to roll.

They’re tethered to the front line by a flurry of texts, emails, video uploads, and the occasional “HELP!” Slack ping that always gets answered within seconds. Quick, steady, and dependable, they keep the show moving forward – no pit stops wasted, no momentum lost.

And here’s the key: that connection only works when the culture supports it. When communication is clear, respect is mutual, and trust runs deep, the team back home doesn’t feel like backup – they feel like part of the performance. They’re the ones keeping the show moving, quietly cueing the next piece while the lights shine on stage.

In a strong, supportive culture, everyone knows they’re essential – whether they’re calling cues from the control booth or exporting a new version of the opening video from hundreds of miles away. It’s one team, one rhythm, one shared heartbeat – and that’s what makes the show truly sing.