Showpass’s Founder Puts Trust at the Core of Ticketing

Lucas McCarthy is steering the Calgary‑based Showpass with a focus on reliability over rose‑petal rhetoric.

From Bootstrapped Scraps to a Platform Supporting Everything

• Showpass launched with enough cash to survive, not to chase revenue.
• It now powers music festivals, berry‑picking events and curling bonspiels.

What Made the Company Stand Out Initially

Showpass built trust by:
• Taking smarter risks
• Keeping cash flowing without chasing invoices
• Putting real people on the phone when things went wrong

Showpass’s Present and Future

• It is developing a smarter recommendation engine to help patrons discover local happenings.
• Showpass is financing events that larger players might overlook.
• It hires teams designed for long‑term commitment, reducing turnover.

Impact on Alberta’s Tech Scene

Showpass shows how an established company can continuously evolve to support local culture, small businesses and the unseen people working behind the scenes.

Lucas McCarthy: Visionary Leader of Showpass

Lucas McCarthy stands at the forefront of Showpass as its Founder and Chief Executive Officer, steering the company toward a future filled with innovation and growth.

Key Highlights of Lucas McCarthy’s Role

• Founder & CEO: Responsible for establishing Showpass and guiding its strategic direction.
• Strategic Vision: Focused on expanding the company’s reach and enhancing user experience.
• Industry Influence: Recognized as a leading figure in the event technology space.

Photographic Credit

Photo by Jennifer Friesen, Digital Journal

How to keep the lights on and the risks in check

ShowPass: A Ticketing Platform That Prioritizes Cash Flow Over Big Funding Rounds

ShowPass was conceived years ago as a solution to sustain consistent revenue streams while supporting event organizers who might lack alternative funding sources.

Cash Flow: The Cornerstone of ShowPass’s Growth Strategy

• Ticketing is distinct because ticket buyers pay in advance.
• There is no need for an accounts‑receivable department; money comes in immediately.
• ShowPass capitalized on this structure, allowing the company to address genuine challenges faced by small event teams that manage massive ticket volumes with limited staff.

Beyond Vendor: ShowPass’s Partnership Approach

ShowPass acted as a true business partner by placing real people on the phone and onsite to resolve problems instantly. This approach remains a cornerstone for thousands of events today.

Financing Events: ShowPass’s Risk‑Sharing Philosophy

Using years of ticket data, ShowPass identifies trends that banks or traditional investors might overlook. McCarthy explains that the platform will back ideas that might otherwise never materialize.

“If you can reasonably estimate how something will perform, and then you fail to support and create it, you’re disserving our organizers,” McCarthy says.

The Ups and Downs of Risk‑Sharing

ShowPass’s bets sometimes pay off and sometimes don’t. McCarthy believes that sharing risk is preferable to allowing new experiences to die.

Watch the Full Interview Below

Lucas McCarthy Leads Showpass as Founder & CEO

The dynamic entrepreneur Lucas McCarthy is steering Showpass, an innovative platform designed to streamline access to live events and concerts. With a strong vision for transforming entertainment, he walks the company as its Founder and Chief Executive Officer.

Vision & Strategy

• Mission – Deliver seamless ticket purchasing and event discovery for audiences worldwide.
• Growth Plan – Expand event listings, partner with venues, and enhance user experience.
• Leadership Style – Hands‑on, data‑driven, and focused on building a community of fans and organizers.

Background & Expertise

Prior to Showpass, Lucas accumulated deep experience in the tech and entertainment sectors, launching multiple successful ventures. His passion for technology and customer delight has positioned him as a pivotal figure in the live‑event ecosystem.

Future Outlook

Under McCarthy’s guidance, Showpass looks to further exploit emerging technologies, strengthen venue partnerships, and broaden its footprint across international markets.

Making ‘things to do’ easier to find

Showpass Aims to Deliver More Than a Seamless Checkout

Showpass thinks fans expect an experience that knows everything happening in a city and offers help if anything goes wrong.

What Showpass Isn’t Just a Ticket Platform

• Showpass is building a recommendation engine that matches a tattoo expo fan to an art show or a family festival.
• The same user might want very different things each day of the week—a sporting fan on Tuesday, a Rosé enthusiast on Friday.

Local Tastes Drive the Engine’s Logic

Showpass’s engine knows local preferences to make meaningful connections, making it a local-first recommendation system.

Showpass’s Community‑Pop‑Up Experiments

• Tests community pop‑ups in unlikely places, such as hosting conversations in breweries or using underused spaces for niche events.
• If the community wants it but an organizer can’t afford it, Showpass may step in with financing or production support.

Showpass’s Broad Mission

Showpass’s central goal creates more opportunities for people to do things. It calls this category simply “things to do”—a broad, inclusive business focus.

— Watch the full video interview below

Lucas McCarthy Leads Showpass

As the founder and chief executive officer of Showpass, Lucas McCarthy directs the company’s vision, strategy, and expansion.

• Founder: Initiated Showpass’s establishment and growth.
• CEO: Oversees operations, talent, and partnerships.
• Vision: Guides the platform’s innovation and market positioning.

— Photographed by Jennifer Friesen for Digital Journal.

In it for the long run

People-First Philosophy Drives Company Culture

Long-Term Recruitment Strategy

• Recruits for lifetime collaboration.
• Targets partners for future ventures.

Resilience During COVID

Approach guided risk and growth decisions.

Critical Role of Trust

Events rely on stability as much as platform features.

Alberta’s Innovation Insight

Building enduring value means taking pace, staying local, and valuing everyone involved.

Watch the interview: