Who is it?

Gerry Cottle

What was this episode about? 

Gerry Cottle has always been an entertainer from a young age. His father owned a famous circus where he performed as a clown, juggler, and fire breather. He also used to craft unique events for his friends back in college.

He then decided to get some education and experience by working for other people in London in the PR, marketing, and events industry before venturing on his own.

Being a lifelong lover of classic movies combined with his event planning skills, he came up with the idea of a rooftop cinema. 

Gerry is pioneering social cinema in an outdoor setting and breathing new life into cult classics and new energy into new movies.

What is Rooftop Cinema all about? 

Rooftop cinema is a very different experience from normal movies. The big screen is on a rooftop, offering movie lovers the experience of watching the sunset and the views of the city at night. You’ll watch the movie while wearing headphones that allow you to control your experience.

His company has grown exponentially from several rooftops in London to multiple locations in the United States.

The secret, according to Gerry, is listening to his customers and offering them the ultimate open-air cinema experience.

Rooftop Cinema Club is on course to become a globally recognized brand. But as you’ll hear Gerry share, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. He had to overcome the challenges that come with scaling a team.

In this episode, he shares his entrepreneurial journey, wins, challenges, and advice to other entrepreneurs.

Check it out!

Key Takeaways

  • The idea behind rooftop movie cinema (01:50)
  • Biggest challenge Gerry had to overcome (03:15)
  • Bringing the community back to film (09:52)
  • Business lessons from the circus (13:29)
  • The two most important things about entrepreneurship that get overlooked (19:45)
  • Ability to pivot and adjust and listen (21:52)
  • Scaling a team as the business grows (23:37)
  • What is one item on Gerry’s personal bucket list (25:57)

Additional Resources

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