Life & Work with Taylor Jeffs

Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Jeffs.

Hi Taylor, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Growing up in Southern California, I knew with certainty since early childhood that I wanted to be a creator of entertainment. Even with that hyper-focus and plenty of drive, it was completely unthinkable that someday I might own and lead one of the world’s preeminent entertainment design and production companies.

Looking to get things going in the late 90’s, at 15 years old I found a loophole that allowed me to work with Disneyland’s Market Research department for High School credits instead of money. Spending years doing nothing but listening to park guests break down every detail of their experience was invaluable in terms of learning how an audience perceives and uses an entertainment product. It formed the foundation for everything that’s come since.

I entered the creation side at a very unique time. It was in the wake of 9/11, and the entire entertainment landscape was in the process of transformation. In 2002, Gary Goddard generously gave me first shot, just as he did for many of the current leaders in the Location Based Entertainment sector. It was a creative partnership that would last for over 15 years until the MeToo movement changed the entire landscape once again.

The journey has been a wild and sprawling one, spanning six continents and seeing the creation of virtually every kind of entertainment project in all corners of the globe. From Casinos in Macau, Theme Parks in Korea and Aquariums in Vietnam, it’s certainly all been more than the young kid from Orange County could have ever imagined. One particular highlight has been my creative collaboration with Cirque du Soleil beginning in 2013. Having been a lifelong fan of the iconic brand, spending a good deal of time with Guy Laliberte (Founder) and Daniel Lamarre (CEO) felt like a groupie being invited onto the tour bus.

While Theme Parks have been my bread and butter, I also dabble in Live Entertainment as often as possible. Whether it be design (including the largest stage ever erected in North America for Insomniac’s Electric Daisy Carnival) or the production side (Broadway’s Hair, The Encounter, Reasons to be Pretty, among others), I love it all. Outside of Legacy, I’m at work on a slate of original stage musicals with friends and creative collaborators Benoit Jutras (of Cirque du Soleil renown) and Harris Shper.

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?
Calling the journey a roller coaster ride would be apt.

Our most significant ongoing challenge is the inability to accurately forecast our business. With design services being our core offering, we are particularly susceptible to market conditions. The workload can wildly fluctuate from year to year, making it extremely challenging to plan in any meaningful way. As a result, it is imperative that we remain agile and nimble, able to adapt on a moment’s notice.

Perhaps our greatest challenge, which I’m glad to say is now far in the past, came in the form of survival and subsequent rebranding when our prior owner was implicated in a MeToo situation. In the Winter of 2017, you may recall that impacted entertainment companies were folding on literally a daily basis. Navigating those turbulent waters while trying to keep team members employed and families fed is something I would never wish upon anyone. Fortunately, in the end, we emerged stronger than ever before.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Legacy Entertainment, the company I own along with my partners Barry Kemper, Marcus King, and Eric Carnagey, is one of the world’s leading entertainment design firms. Since 2002, we’ve designed and produced over 50 major projects ranging all across the entertainment spectrum. Our portfolio includes Theme Parks, Water Parks, Malls, Hotels, Aquariums, Casinos, Broadway & Off-Broadway Shows, and everything else you can imagine. We are very fortunate to be the market leader in Asia, with a stronghold in places like South Korea, China, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

Our long-term strategy has been to position ourselves as the high-end leader. If our competitors are a Hilton, we’re a Four Seasons. I’m happy to say that its an approach has been not only fruitful but also self-fulfilling. By going strictly after serious clients focused on building quality projects, those projects then get built and put us on the radar of other quality clients. Once you work with Legacy, it’s impossible to go back.

I’m deeply humbled that I’m in a position where my passion ultimately takes the form tangible place or experience crafted to delight audiences. Every single day, over 250,000 people around the world experience my work firsthand. In the end, my only hope is that their lives are a little better for it.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.legacyentertainment.com