W hat does it really take to produce one of the UK's biggest pantomime businesses?
In this episode of The Business Takeaway Podcast, Ben Payne sits down with Steve Boden, Joint CEO of Imagine Theatre, to explore the commercial reality behind one of Britain's oldest and most successful entertainment industries.
From managing 21 simultaneous productions and pioneering digital pantomime, to navigating the financial impact of COVID and balancing creativity with commercial decisions, Steve shares the lessons every business owner, entrepreneur and leader can learn from building a thriving creative business.
Whether you're interested in business growth, leadership, innovation, theatre, live events or entrepreneurship, this conversation is packed with practical takeaways that extend far beyond the stage.
In this episode you'll learn:
- How Imagine Theatre grew into one of the UK's largest pantomime producers.
- Why innovation is essential—even in traditional industries.
- The commercial risks behind every creative decision.
- How digital technology transformed modern pantomime.
- Why empowering your team is critical as your business scales.
- How COVID forced the company to rethink its future.
- Steve Boden's leadership philosophy and biggest business takeaway.
Time Codes
00:00 Introduction
02:15 Steve's journey into the pantomime business
09:46 Growing from a small company to 21 productions
11:05 Reinventing pantomime with digital technology
16:45 Why digital sets changed the audience experience
17:42 Taking a major commercial risk on innovation
32:20 Why pantomime keeps theatres financially alive
33:20 How theatres and producers work together
46:02 Why great storytelling beats expensive technology
47:32 Balancing creativity with commercial reality
55:47 What Steve would do differently if he started again
57:04 Steve's ultimate business takeaway
Key Takeaways
- Build a business that is bigger than its founders.
- Innovation should enhance tradition, not replace it.
- Great products always come before expensive production values.
- Every creative decision needs commercial discipline.
- Empower talented people rather than trying to do everything yourself.
Resources & Links:
Similar Episodes
Keywords
Business Podcast, Leadership Podcast, Steve Boden, Imagine Theatre, Pantomime, Theatre Business, Entrepreneurship, Business Growth, Leadership, Creative Industries, Innovation, Commercial Strategy, Live Events, Business Owner, CEO Interview, Business Lessons, Business Takeaway Podcast.
