Exactly 3 months ago, Cart Basel was underway, and with it came my obsession with keeping my data-driven events running like a scientific machine.
What happened next taught me everything about true leadership and the power of equality in business environments.
Table of Contents
The Setup
The stakes were high that day. With just 10 minutes to go before our next VIP keynote session, our speaker—a billionaire brand founder—walked into our venue (The LAB Miami) just in the nick of time to go on stage.
After he was cleared by our armed security and checked in at our front desk, some small talk started with his small entourage in preparation for him to share his immeasurably valuable life story and advice about the world of Ecom/DTC/Shopify with our audience.
However, as he pivoted to head inside, I noticed something was off. That’s when I made what could have been a career-ending decision.
The Confrontation
I casually approached him and said, “Oh! Let me grab you a nametag real quick.”
“That’s ok, I’m not gonna wear one,” he replied.
My business partner, Ben Hirsch, watched on in horror as he shot me a look that clearly said, “What on earth are you doing, Ari?!?”
Despite the tension, I persisted: “We wear nametags at our event.”
“So I have to wear a nametag?” he asked.
“Everyone wears nametags at our event,” I said with a smile that was anything but friendly.
“Alright then,” he conceded.
“Thank you,” I replied.
I quickly darted off into the other room to take care of the unsettled crowd while Ben Hirsch prepared the billionaire’s nametag for him. (Thank you, Ben, for going into damage control mode once I exited the scene and explaining my philosophy to him.)
This exchange might seem like a power struggle, but it represented something much deeper—the enforcement of a principle I hold sacred.
The Philosophy
Here’s the philosophy that drives everything I do: Once you walk through my doors, everyone is equal—EVERYONE is a special guest, both GA and VIP. To create this sentiment, we put everyone on a level playing field.
Whether a founder has done $1B in sales or just made their first $10k, all guests receive a simple, handwritten nametag with JUST their first name.
No last name. No company. No title.
This approach fosters an environment of humility, making sure all guests feel welcomed and accepted regardless of their track record. It creates a space where anyone can step up, share their unique experiences in Ecom, and become a leader.
The psychology behind this system is powerful—when status symbols disappear, authentic connections emerge.
The Result
The billionaire showed exactly what it meant to be a humble leader. By accepting the nametag rule without further resistance, he demonstrated that true leadership isn’t about asserting status—it’s about adapting to environments that foster collective success.
When you create true equality in your business environment, magic happens. Status disappears, egos shrink, and authentic connections flourish. That simple nametag rule has generated over $1B in combined value through the relationships and partnerships formed at our events
Conclusion
The lesson here extends far beyond event management. In any business setting, the moment you strip away artificial hierarchies and create genuine equality, you unlock the potential for unprecedented collaboration and growth.
Here are the key takeaways that can transform how you approach business relationships.
- Equality breeds authenticity – When status symbols disappear, real connections emerge
- Consistency matters – Apply your principles universally, regardless of who’s involved
- Humility is leadership – True leaders adapt to environments that foster collective success
- Simple systems create profound impact – A nametag policy generated over $1B in combined value
- Level playing fields unlock potential – Remove artificial hierarchies to enable unprecedented collaboration