In 2025, Advanced Staging Productions celebrated 40 years of excellence in the live events industry, recognized for its trusted expertise in audio, video, lighting, staging, and project management. As the company looked to scale and optimize its operations, it discovered IntelliEvent through the Events Production Network. This strategic connection quickly proved valuable, driving measurable improvements and supporting the company’s continued growth.
Bill McEwen, Vice President of Strategic Development, leads the company’s sales and marketing efforts and plays a key role in its ongoing expansion. He shared that his perspective on IntelliEvent Lighting is primarily from the financial segment, specifically in quoting and tracking labor assignments. For Advanced Staging, IntelliEvent became a critical tool for visibility and efficiency. “IntelliEvent is our inventory control, where we get to see what we have and what we need to rent, and it is connected to billing, where we’ve been very pleased with it.”
Bill also noted that IntelliEvent is very open to suggestions and ideas, something that has contributed to a collaborative and evolving partnership. He highlighted key differentiators on IntelliEvent Lighting, explaining that “the biggest solutions were a more seamless integration with our accounting system, Interface is more user-friendly and better than average and clean output on quoting.”
When Kyle Hilsey joined Advanced Staging, he began as a project manager and has since advanced to the role of Director of Marketing & Sales Strategy. Reflecting on their experience with IntelliEvent Lightning, Kyle emphasized how the platform’s inventory management tools have significantly improved day-to-day operations—particularly when managing multiple shows simultaneously. The ability to quickly check inventory availability, flag items requiring sub-rentals, and rely on the system’s intuitive color-coding features has helped the team double-check orders and ensure purchase accuracy, streamlining the overall workflow.
From a project management and data standpoint, IntelliEvent Lightning has also played a key role in strategic planning and sales tracking. Kyle noted that the IntelliEvent support team was instrumental in helping them pull customized reports based on specific data columns, making the import process more efficient. These reports have allowed Advanced Staging to monitor sales performance, track pacing toward monthly goals, and establish benchmarks using historical data—ultimately enabling the team to better anticipate needs and optimize planning across all departments.
Together, Advanced Staging Productions and IntelliEvent are advancing the future of event production—combining technology, collaboration, and shared goals to support operational excellence and long-term growth.
Check out the Advanced Staging podcast The Big Event episode with IntelliEvent.