If I told you that the other night I was in the front row leaning against a small stage at The Fillmore in San Francisco, watching John Mayer and Bob Weir from the Grateful Dead perform—together—while drinking a Moscow Mule cocktail and no one pushing me (or even touching me), would you believe me? That I also stood by Leon Bridges for half of the show as we both bobbed our heads in unison to "Your Body Is a Wonderland"? That I snacked on small bites like ahi tuna cones and peking duck mini tacos while Mayer made a joke about Tinder? That I then went to an after-party where Bridges performed for less than 100 people?
If you don't, I get it. But please do—because it happened. The event—hosted and organized by IfOnly, a company that provides access to "incredible experiences with top talent"—is just one of the over-the-top shindigs that they plan and execute.
"More and more, people are seeking experiences to enrich their lives. While there are plenty of places where one can go to buy beautiful things, nobody had ever curated a magical emporium for experiences. That seemed like a great opportunity to me," says IfOnly Founder and CEO Trevor Traina.
IfOnly operates in two capacities—consumer experiences (which you can purchase) and business events (where they'll whip up something special for your team).
"IfOnly.com and the IfOnly app allow people to explore and discover amazing experiences at every budget. People seeing access can also construct their own personal 'IfOnly' and send it in. We do our best to make it so!" says Traina. "Businesses and groups also seek the same kind of access and come to us all the time looking for ways to make events, incentives, or gifts more special. We use our same connections to talent to source bands, magicians, speakers, and even top locations to help the business reach its objectives."
Sample experiences include walking the red carpet with Chris Hemsworth and getting a makeover by Rachel Zoe. There are also more affordable options, like special city tours and dinners made by personal chefs.
"IfOnly is focused on unlocking every kind of experience and providing special access for everything from simple gifts to once-in-a-lifetime opportunities," says Traina. For me, my night was proof positive of that.
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