Conversations with Johnny Demirjian

Today we’d like to introduce you to Johnny Demirjian.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My family moved to the States from Armenia when I was six. I grew up in Hollywood, CA, during the 90s, and I started showing interest in technology in my early teens when my parents purchased our first computer. I spent one summer interning at a local computer shop when I was 17 years old, and this is where my interest turned into an obsession. I ended up working at this same shop, and after two years, I left to start my own IT consulting business with my friend and business partner. We had an office in Hollywood, CA, serving companies throughout Los Angeles with all IT needs. We provided server and computer support, managed backups, and set up wired and wireless networking, security cameras, VOIP systems, and anything IT-related for our clients. My knowledge and experience during these years led me to Shadik Technologies, a managed services provider in LA. The company is an outsourced IT consulting firm serving businesses throughout Los Angeles. I quickly moved up the ranks here and spent the next ten years honing my craft and working on the most complex issues imaginable. I was a road warrior, traveling to businesses to work and manage all IT systems and providing remote support. My years of experience and hard work have brought me to Madison Square Garden / Sphere, my current employer. I worked on the Sphere project in Vegas, jumping on board before opening and working with a fantastic team to see the opening of Sphere and beyond. I am a Senior Executive IT Engineer at the Sphere headquarters in Burbank, CA. I support and assist the office of the Chairman and all our executives on staff. I set up and maintain graphic design systems for our Creative Design, Real-Time Software, and Interactive gaming teams. I’ve been in IT for 23 years, enjoy working under pressure, and always seek the next challenging project.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wish I could say it was a smooth road, but there were definitely some hurdles along the way. I had dropped out of school because of how much time the business was taking from me. We worked a lot during the day and after hours as many of the Servers and infrastructure could not be worked on during business hours. This made it difficult for me to commit to a class schedule. After working and managing the business for six years, I decided I wanted to go back to school, but to do so, I needed a set schedule. My business partner and I decided to pursue different avenues in our lives. I got a job at Shadik Technologies, which gave me an 8 to 5 schedule, and I returned to school full-time online. Since I had completed many courses at Pasadena Community College, I was able to transfer my credits to my current University. Many nights and days were spent in coffee shops and libraries for my studies and school work. I completed my Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems in 3 years while working full-time. It was a gratifying and accomplished feeling to achieve my educational goals.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work at Sphere Studios in Burbank, the headquarters for all creative aspects of the Sphere in Vegas. The Sphere is the new technologically advanced concert venue in Las Vegas, which opened in 2023 with U2’s residency as its opening gig. The venue is truly one of a kind! It is a modern marvel from the 16k screen inside and the exosphere on the outside.

I support our executive leadership here at Sphere Studios in Burbank, CA. I work closely with our software development teams to support all graphic design systems and licensing servers. My attitude and hard work ethic set me apart. I have 20+ years of IT experience, which means I have been in the ditches and have worked in the most complex situations. I enjoy solving problems and usually work better when there is a bit of pressure.

What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is my career growth and development. I’m constantly learning new things, and especially in the technology field, I must stay ahead of the curve with the latest hardware and software being released. I’ve worked in IT since the early 2000s, and technology constantly changes. We must be able to adapt and learn new things along the way. Change is inevitable, and we need to be ready for it.

Contact Info:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnydemirjian/