When Paul Rosenberg was walking through a music festival 14 years ago in rural NSW, he stumbled on something that left an indelible mark on him forever. Amid the starry skies, glowing lights, and eclectic outfits, he saw a group of people having the time of their lives, dancing to what appeared to be silence.
Looking closer, he saw that they were all outfitted with the same style of headphones, and everything became clear. It was the first time he saw – or even heard about – a silent disco and he instantly became enamoured with the concept.
“I saw these people dancing under the stars and enjoying themselves without having any impact on the people around them,” Rosenberg says. “I just thought it was such an amazing experience and shouldn’t only happen once a year at a music festival.”
After volunteering at the festival for a couple of years, Rosenberg founded Party Higher to bring silent disco experiences to more people around the country. As an industry pioneer, he wanted to innovate and push the boundaries of what was possible with wireless headphone-based entertainment.
“We started developing a range of kids' party programs, with various games, activities, and music delivered over the headsets,” Rosenberg says. “That struck a chord, so we started doing school dances and birthday parties. We developed themes like flying carpet meditation, a sports option where they box to rocky music and an art theme where they draw to music.”
As Rosenberg built his knowledge, Party Higher brought unique headphone-based experiences to even more settings, like corporate conferences, silent team building and even yoga. The technology’s ability to help a wide range of people participate in activities resonated strongly and fuelled a passion to make a difference.
“I’ve seen kids who used to hate dancing come out of their shell after a silent disco, and now they love it,” Rosenberg explains. “We also had an experience with a little boy with a Cochlear implant. He ordinarily can’t join in because the music is too loud, but we adjusted the volume, and he was the life of the party.”
A helping hand in a tough period
While Party Higher’s reputation grew over the years, the business faced significant challenges when the lockdown hit. Restrictions meant that Rosenberg had to let almost all his 60 staff go, prompting him to enter the American Express Rare Birds mentorship competition.
After being selected as a winner, he connected with entrepreneur and business coach Dianna Schinella, a brilliant innovator with decades of experience and expertise.
“I could tell straight away that Paul was passionate,” Schinella says. “I love working with mentees and clients who positively impact their communities, and it was clear that Paul had created a heart-centred, purposeful business that he was deeply invested in. We had to reset and push through a difficult period for the entire industry.”
The first challenge Schinella helped Rosenberg address was staffing. While the business had a trove of great leads, it didn’t have the staff to support its goals. As things reopened, the entire industry was looking for great talent. Schinella helped Rosenberg take a step back, consider the type of talent the business wanted, and lead with purpose when bringing them into the business.
“Paul was doing everything himself, working in the business as opposed to on the business,”
Schinella says. “We needed to bring people in so he could delegate some of this work and spend his time on business growth and strategy. That started by looking at business fundamentals, ensuring that position descriptions in job ads were exciting and reflected Party Higher’s incredible values. We also reassessed remuneration packages to ensure they were attractive and competitive.”
This was part of a recruitment strategy that brought a team of great people back through the door, starting with Melbourne and expanding nationwide. With the scale it needed to facilitate growth, the next priority was developing revenue streams.
“An opportunity came up to buy a mechanical ride-on-animal business,” Rosenberg explains. “We were already working with some of their clients and had just bought a venue in Melbourne. Dianna helped us determine the potential return on investment, and we took on the business.
“It’s hugely complementary, as we do a lot of events for young kids, and the animals help us utilise the venue a bit more. We also integrated the headphones playing jungle animal noises and educational material.”
One of the business’s biggest recent achievements came when Rosenberg and Schinella came across haptic vest technology, which delivers immersive, tactile sensory experiences that enable hearing-impaired people to feel the music being played essentially. Party Higher invested in the vests and developed a world-first audio-tactile offering dubbed “Feel the Beat”.
“It’s an amazing piece of technology for the deaf community, using subsonic frequencies that you don’t hear but feel,” Rosenberg says. “The response has been amazing. The City of Melbourne just booked us for New Year's Eve across four locations and we’re doing the Opera House on Australia Day, with a hearing impaired choir wearing the vests and signing while feeling the music.”
A bright future for an industry leader
Rosenberg and Schinella’s fantastic work has fostered a strong period for Party Higher, with 43 per cent year-on-year growth in 2023.
Rosenberg’s more strategic focus has enabled him to expand his expertise and become a real leader and consultant, paving the way for an innovative future for the business.
“Paul is one of the most respected voices in this field,” Dianna says. “He consults clients on what they need or what they’re missing out on. He knows where the opportunities are, and he confidently pitches his ideas with conviction.”
Rosenberg's story with American Express and Rare Birds is a beacon for other entrepreneurs, proving that, with the right mentorship, a unique vision can soar to new heights. He says business leaders who embrace learning and seek support will be better prepared for the future.
“You don’t know what you don’t know,” he says. “You don’t always have to be the smartest person in the room. When you have an opportunity to look to someone you admire, whether it’s a mentor or even a friend or family member, it’s important that you listen and learn from them. It will help you avoid making the mistakes others have made and gives you a huge advantage.”