Back of House, Front of Mind
“Back of House, Front of Mind” is a podcast presented by Healthy Mind Menu, an industry-led initiative that aims to improve the lives and normalise conversations around mental health for those working in the hospitality industry.
Welcome, Alex Paioff
Join us as we sit down with Alex Paioff, Managing Director of MITP Agency & Pilerats, Part owner of music venues Jack Rabbit Slims and Lucy’s Love Shack. Alex’s work in these businesses has been recognsed in AMID’s Top 50 Most Powerful in the Australian Music and Entertainment Industry, where he was ranked No. 41, and as a finalist in the West Australian Young Achiever Awards.
Throughout his experience, Alex has owned and re-established music venues, executed several major music festivals, established a cultural website with over 150,000 unique visitors per month, progressed the UI of digital magazines, and built creative arms that output video, design, augmented reality, and comprehensive social media marketing campaigns.
Through his agency, Made in the Pile, Alex hopes to reshape the marketing space by producing campaigns that people love to share and providing genuine value and insight to each of the businesses they work with.
What is your current Occupation? Tell us how you spend your days.
I spend my days working alongside various teams to deliver projects for our partners. We work across multiple fields with a large part being hospitality and music related.
Tell us more about your experience in hospitality.
I started my career by founding an events company with some mates – Metric Events. We ran music festivals, club nights and a live music venue. This included – Cheek, Mother/ Father, Mondo Fridays, Family, Akuna Club, Village Weds, Frayed, Low Pitch, Wonderland, Circo, Castaway. This was out most nights a week and doing what was needed during the days. 24/7 on all the time. This was the most fun, but also some of the most challenging times of my life.
Can you tell us about your career and how you got to where you are today?
Started throwing events at uni, which naturally led to events outside of uni. We had a party at my parent’s house for a uni club we started, we made 10k and looked at each other amazed that making money could be this fun!
Explain the reasons why mental well-being has become important to you.
Mental health is super important to me.
I run several businesses which is stressful.
I have always had a voice in my head that seeds doubt, I wanted to learn how to use that and not let it hinder me.
I’ve had several significant life events that have led me to prioritise mental health. From relationships that left marks to performing CPR on my Dad to save his life from a Cardiac arrest. Life is full of curveballs and we need to be ready to hit them back!
How do you handle stress, negative thoughts, and emotions?
– Exercise
– Meditation
– Gratitude Journal
– Sleep
If I’m nailing 3/4 of the above then I’m giving myself the best chance at dealing with emotions rationally from the viewpoint of “only focus on what you can control”.
Can you tell us about a person who has had a significant impact on your life?
My most recommended book is ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ – the title is deceptive. This isn’t business advice, it’s advice on how to live a great life. The philosophies, habits, frames of view, and exercises are all insightful and eye-opening! This book changed my life!
How do you inspire wellbeing in those around you?
I promote vulnerability and openness in all conversations. I’m happy to admit I see a psychologist and think it’s one of the best investments in myself I have made. We’ve come a long way to accept these parts in others, however, I’m still surprised by the number of people who won’t take that step for themselves due to the stigma associated with it. Having an objective view of your actions and life is extremely valuable whether you think you need it or not.
