Specialty Fabrics Review interviews Bryan Loane, president of Loane Brothers Inc.

Interview by Sigrid Tornquist

You do quite a lot of work that supports nonprofit events. How do you decide how much to adjust your rates?

If we can help out a worthwhile nonprofit without losing money, that’s what we do. Sometimes they have to pay the full amount if their event needs to be during a peak time, but if they can schedule during a slower time and we can help them make money without hurting our business, we will.

How do you help clients achieve their vision of an event while staying within budget?

Sometimes clients don’t really have a budget; they just need to keep the spending to a minimum. And if they’re saving money that makes them happy. I show them more elaborate, complex and expensive versions as well as something more simple and affordable. Also, if you can place the tent where it might not require a floor, that is a big savings. A floor can be far more expensive than the tent, and isn’t something most guests will remember.

Sigrid Tornquist is a freelance author and editor based in St. Paul, Minn. She is also the associate editor of InTents magazine, a publication of the Industrial Fabrics Association International.