Can a Song Launch a Business? ⋆ Michael DeMarco

The Unexpected Story Behind Celebrity Direct Inc.

Very frequently I see articles that coach business people how to “find opportunities” to start their own company. You hear things like, “solve a problem” or “reduce pain points.” I started a celebrity-level talent buying consultancy because of a song and this is my story.

More than two decades ago, I was already working as a talent agent in New York City, booking non-celebrity bands and ensembles at the city’s most prestigious venues—The Waldorf Astoria, The Plaza, The Pierre, and The St. Regis.

Every so often, a client would ask if I could secure a well-known celebrity to perform at a private corporate or nonprofit event.

While major talent agencies focused on publicly ticketed concerts and artist tours, there was no company dedicated solely to booking celebrity performers for private shows and non-publicly ticketed events. I saw an opportunity.

The moment that crystallized this vision happened at an event where I had booked Ashford & Simpson, the legendary husband-and-wife songwriting duo.

As they performed their song Ain’t No Mountain High Enough a guest on the dance floor just turned to me in sheer excitement and said,

“I can’t believe Ashford & Simpson are singing this live, right here!”

Then they launched into Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing, and it hit me—there really is nothing like the real thing.

No tribute act or cover band could ever replicate the magic of the original artist performing their own iconic songs, especially in an intimate private setting of a hotel ballroom where you are dancing just a few feet away.

In addition to Ain’t No Mountain High Enough and Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing, Ashford & Simpson had written I’m Every Woman which was a hit with Chaka Khan and then a blockbuster anthem with Whitney Houston. They had their own hits too with Solid as a Rock and You’re All I Need to Get By. They wrote lots of hits for so many, including Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles and Smokey Robinson.

They certainly didn’t need to perform, they loved to perform. And it was obvious.

Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing

From that moment, I knew that private celebrity performances could be once-in-a-lifetime experiences for guests, and I set out to create a company that specialized not only in booking and producing A-list artists for private corporate events but also in representing the buyer’s interests at every stage of the booking and production process.

Celebrity Direct Inc. was born.

Why We Represent the Buyer, Not the Artist

I knew from experience that corporate event planners were often paying double—or more—than the standard fee for a celebrity-level concert at a private corporate event. They were being ripped off royally, plain and simple.

Why? Because they didn’t know the artist’s price, maybe had never booked a celebrity before, or they only did so for a single convention-ending celebration annually, moving on to a new celebrity the following year—each time creating a fresh opportunity to be overcharged.

The best prices in the industry always go to the regular buyer, the one who books artists multiple times a year. If I could become that regular buyer, leveraging my repeat business to secure better pricing and passing those savings along to my clients, they would return to me year after year. And that’s exactly what happened.

Today, some of our corporate and nonprofit clients have been booking with us for over a decade, knowing that our industry expertise and buying power ensure they receive the best pricing possible.

BoyziiMen — BoyzIIMen on The Corporate Stage

Positioned as The Event Planners Advocate

From the start, unlike traditional talent agencies that prioritize the celebrity artist’s agenda at all times, Celebrity Direct Inc. was built to serve as the event planner’s advocate—ensuring fair pricing, seamless execution, and a performance that aligns perfectly with the client’s vision.

Beyond Price

Securing the best price was just the beginning. I wanted to be more than just a broker—I wanted to be a true advocate for event planners, ensuring they weren’t just getting a fair deal on the artist fee, but also avoiding unnecessary costs in every aspect of the performance.

That meant negotiating production elements, cutting excessive dressing room demands, and eliminating extravagant travel requests. The goal was always to keep the artist happy, but not to indulge every unnecessary request—because some artists (or their teams) test buyers just to see what they can get away with.

Sheryl Crow Performs for the Sesame Street Workshop Gala

From the very start, I built Celebrity Direct Inc. to provide unbiased guidance. If a client was comparing two different show options, I could give them an honest recommendation based on what was truly the best fit—not based on any allegiance to a particular artist.

I had the buying power to secure the best pricing, the expertise to push back on inflated production costs, and the experience to identify and eliminate wasteful expenses. My clients know that with one phone call to me, they’re getting a trusted partner who will:

Identify the best-fit artist for their event.
Secure the best possible performance fee.
Ensure they aren’t overpaying for production, travel, or unnecessary dressing room demands.
Be there on-site to see it all through.

That’s why some of the biggest corporate events and nonprofit galas nationwide have relied on us year after year.

How We Opened a New Stage for Celebrity Entertainment

Back then, I had found many artists had never considered performing for a corporate event or a private gathering. I was instrumental in helping them see the value in it, introducing major artists to a new performance market.

In fact, I’ve personally booked many artists for their very first private and corporate events. I helped rock artists access the corporate event world and, in turn, helped corporate event planners see the power of booking rock artists for their convention-ending galas. See Rock and the Corporate Message

Fast forward more than 20 years, and Celebrity Direct Inc. has booked and produced private shows with Sting, John Legend, Rihanna, Maroon 5, Alicia Keys, among many, many others.

We have produced events for the NFL, MLB, the US Open Tennis Championships, Wall Street firms, automotive new model launches, and fashion industry galas.

President & CEO, Cartier North America, Frederic de Narp looks on as singer Rihanna lights up the Empire State Building in honor of Cartier’s “Love Day” in New York. Rihanna and de Narp hosted the lighting of the Empire State building in festive Cartier Red.

I have brought celebrity talent to private events on stages at Marlins Stadium, the INDY 500 Speedway, The Consumer Electronics Show, The World Economic Forum, and even The White House.

Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler sings along and joins Intel CEO Craig Barrett during a keynote presentation

More Than a Performance: When a Song Tells the Story

Along the way, I’ve had the privilege of creating some truly unforgettable song tie-ins, where a performance becomes the defining moment of an event:

Lionel Richie leading financial executives in singing All Night Long
Lou Gramm of Foreigner rockin’ a firm’s 20th-anniversary celebration with Feels Like the First Time
Gloria Gaynor performing I Will Survive for a black-tie cancer fundraising gala
Tina Turner welcoming a CEO on stage while singing Simply the Best

As the corporate events industry evolved, I expanded what we offered, helping corporate event planners hire celebrity comedians like Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, and Dana Carvey. (I can only book clean comedians, but that’s another story)

Olympian Michael Phelps on stage at Texas Children’s Cancer Center Event

All of this led to booking celebrity speakers that have ranged from former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan to Uber co-founder Oscar Salazar. We also helped bring celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay and others into the corporate event world. Plus celebrity DJs too.

Avon Chairman and CEO, Andrea Jung and award winning singer from the Black Eyed Peas, Fergie celebrate AVON’s 125th Celebration at the Believe World Tour at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Fergie sings Happy Birthday.

What Sets Us Apart in Celebrity Bookings

The world of celebrity bookings is complex—full of hidden costs, unnecessary middlemen, and industry secrets that put buyers at a disadvantage. We exist to change that.

✅ We Represent the Buyer, Not the Artist.
Unlike traditional talent agencies that work on commission and push for higher fees to benefit the artist, we are always positioned as the buyer’s advocate—protecting your interests, not the artist’s.

✅ We Buy Directly – No Middlemen.
Most celebrity bookings involve multiple layers of agents, promoters, and third-party brokers who drive up costs. We negotiate directly with the celebrity or their personal management, eliminating unnecessary markups and securing the best deal for you.

✅ We Offer “Turn-Key” Pricing – No Last-Minute Surprises.
Booking a celebrity isn’t just about the performance fee—it includes travel, accommodations, and technical production. Many clients unknowingly commit to a contract without realizing the full cost. We eliminate this risk by offering fully inclusive, turn-key pricing, so you’ll never be surprised by last-minute expenses.

✅ We Negotiate the Production Rider – Saving Clients Thousands.
Most touring artists have 75+ page technical riders filled with high-end production demands meant for arenas, not conference center ballrooms. We know how to “talk tech” and negotiate these riders routinely saving our clients $10,000 or more on lighting and production costs alone.

Mary J Blige — Mary J. Blige Performs for General Motors

✅ We Know What Every Artist is Supposed to Cost – You’ll Never Overpay.
There are no rate sheets in the celebrity booking world. Prices fluctuate based on relationships, demand, and industry knowledge. With decades of experience, we know exactly what an artist should cost—ensuring our clients never overpay.

✅ We Have Over 20 Years of Trusted Relationships with Artists & Managers.
Because we specialize exclusively in private, non-ticketed events, artists and managers trust us to place them in the right environments. They know that when we book them, the event will be a success. Artists tend to accept our offers because they have a history with us.

✅ We Specialize in Private Shows, Not Public Concerts.
Most talent agencies focus on arena tours and public ticketed concerts—they treat private events as an afterthought. We specialize exclusively in private celebrity performances, understanding the needs of corporate event planners, nonprofit boards, and private clients better than anyone else.

More Celebrities and Brands

Where Private Celebrity Shows Go Next—We’ll Be There

When I started Celebrity Direct Inc., the concept of major celebrity performances at private corporate events was still in its infancy. Now, it’s an essential part of high-profile events worldwide.

We’ve helped shape this industry, and we continue to lead it.

One thing has been constant and will continue to be true,

Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing.