Thumbprint had a problem that no spreadsheet or cold outreach could fix. Their largest enterprise clients were responsible for millions in pipeline, yet the relationships were stretched thin. These were VPs, CMOs, and senior decision makers who spent all year planning experiences for others, but rarely had anyone create one for them.
The business needed more than a meeting.
They needed connection, trust, community, and a reason for clients to see Thumbprint as a long-term partner, not a commodity vendor.
Alec stepped in as the guide to design a high-touch experience that could deepen relationships, reveal real client needs, and unlock future growth.
At Thumbprint, we faced a unique challenge: we wanted to deepen relationships with our most valued enterprise clients, VPs, CMOs, the high-end decision-makers, while also making them feel truly appreciated. We needed an event that went beyond the usual client dinner, something that helped them connect with each other, understand our suppliers directly, and ultimately strengthen a $3+ million pipeline over time.
Alec did not plan an event. He architected an experience that made enterprise clients feel seen, valued, and part of something exclusive.
Curating the Right Environment
Alec and his team chose the Bottleworks Hotel in Indianapolis for a simple reason. It felt cinematic. Premium. Creative. A place where clients would instinctively open up. From the moment they arrived, every detail was intentional, personalized, and orchestrated.
Turning Clients Into Sharks
Instead of another showcase or vendor pitch, Alec built a participatory experience.
Clients became the Shark Tank judges. Suppliers became the founders pitching for the win.
This leveled the room. It brought suppliers and clients together with Alec as the experience director, moving people through a narrative instead of a schedule.
Crafting the Details That Make People Talk
Alec directed his team to design each touchpoint to reinforce value, surprise, and belonging. Menus matched themes. Notecards were personalized. Pitch materials were curated to reflect each client’s vertical.
Energy was crafted so the night felt effortless, although it took hundreds of small decisions to get there.
One VP looked around the room and said they could not believe a team of three people created an experience with such intention. These are people who produce events for a living. That moment confirmed the approach was working.
Engineering Serendipity
The most powerful scenes were not planned but were made possible because of the experience architecture Alec built.
In one session, a supplier who had actually pitched on Shark Tank presented a tech product line inspired by Back to the Future. Sitting across from him was a VP of marketing planning a Back to the Future themed brand relaunch.
The team had unknowingly created the perfect collision.
Right there in the hot seat, the VP closed a $50,000-$75,000 dollar deal on the spot. That moment would not have happened without the right people, in the right room, in the right format.
The experience created what Alec intended all along a community that produced revenue without feeling transactional.
Immediate Wins
The event consistently drove about one million dollars in post-event orders each year, especially as clients moved into holiday gifting.
Long-term Growth
Across three years, Thumbprint closed more than three million dollars in pipeline directly influenced by this experience. More importantly, clients stayed longer, invested deeper, and referred new business.
Brand Perception Shift
Clients walked away saying they had never been part of an event with this level of detail. Trust skyrocketed. Partnerships strengthened. The experience re-positioned Thumbprint as a strategic guide, not a vendor.
The Real Outcome
When done right, experiences do not just entertain. They unlock possibility. They create the kind of moments that close gaps, open doors, and accelerate deals that could have taken months or years. Alec designed an environment where those moments could flourish, naturally.
And the business grew because of it.
© Made by Alec Witham
