Episode 413: Olly Morgan talks about persistence over scale, staying true to the culture, and adapting the operations to the technology

Looking for daily inspiration?  Get a quote from the top leaders in the industry in your inbox every morning.   What’s the one premier event that brings the global attractions industry together? IAAPA Expo 2025, happening in Orlando, Florida, from November 17th through 21st. From breakthrough technology to world-class networking and immersive education, IAAPA Expo 2025 is where you find possible.  And, just for our audience, you’ll save $10 when you register at IAAPA.org/IAAPAExpo and use promo code EXPOAPROSTEN. Don’t miss it — we won’t!   Olly Morgan is the Founder and CEO of Ventrata. With a background in software engineering, Olly entered the travel and attractions industry by building a ticketing system for an online travel agency before founding Ventrata. What started as a necessity after a job loss evolved into a decade-long journey to develop an enterprise-level ticketing solution tailored for large attractions, tour operators, and museums. Ventrata now powers mission-critical systems across the globe, all while being built organically without large rounds of funding. In this interview, Olly talks about persistence over scale, staying true to the culture, and adapting the operations to the technology. Persistence over scale “There’s never been any kind of grand strategic plan or chess move. It’s just been persistence, honestly, on that path.” Rather than pursuing aggressive scaling or courting large-scale venture capital, Olly built Ventrata by focusing on solving real problems in the industry. In the early days, he lived and worked like a monk in the Czech Republic, coding relentlessly with a small team. That laser focus on product development, not scaling for the sake of growth, allowed the company to form a strong foundation. Even during the pandemic, when the travel industry was severely impacted, Ventrata found momentum by offering modern, cloud-based alternatives to legacy systems. The company’s growth came not from massive investment but from consistent progress, deliberate decision-making, and building technology that could truly serve enterprise needs. Staying true to the culture “You’ve got to stay true to your people and your culture… The second you forget that and try to be something else, it never goes well.” As Ventrata scaled to over 120 employees, Olly remained committed to cultivating a culture rooted in shared values and a unified vision. The team has remarkably low turnover, with only five employees leaving in the company’s 10-year history. Olly attributes this to a clear focus on mission-driven work and hiring individuals who care more about purpose than prestige. Instead of hiring flashy executives from big-name companies, Ventrata has relied on the original team and those aligned with the culture. This approach has allowed them to navigate growth pains—like introducing structure and hierarchy—without sacrificing the familial bond that formed in the company’s earliest days. Adapting the operations to the technology “Align yourself really closely to the strengths of a platform that closely matches your requirements—and then completely leverage that.” Olly challenges a common approach in the attractions industry: creating long, rigid lists of tech requirements and expecting software companies to conform. Instead, he advocates for attractions to choose a tech partner whose product direction they trust, and then adapt internal operations to align with the software’s strengths. This philosophy, illustrated through Ventrata’s partnership with Big Bus Tours, allowed for a transformative change during the pandemic. Rather than over-customizing, Big Bus adopted the system’s approach, which led to more efficient implementation and better long-term results. Olly emphasizes that success comes not from Frankenstein-style customization but from mutual alignment and a willingness to embrace change, with technology providers playing an active consulting role during implementation. For more information about Ventrata or to contact Olly directly, you can email him at [email protected]. To learn more about the company and its offerings, visit ventrata.com.   This podcast wouldn't be possible without the incredible work of our faaaaaantastic team:   Scheduling and correspondence by Kristen Karaliunas   To connect with AttractionPros: AttractionPros.com [email protected] AttractionPros on Facebook AttractionPros on LinkedIn AttractionPros on Instagram AttractionPros on Twitter (X)