Pro to Pro

7 Questions with David Shulman: Why the Idea Can Only Go as Far as the Budget

As we gear up for the next XLIST, we’re revisiting members of last year’s class—taking a closer look at how they think, work and shape the industry. (You can stay in the loop on nominations and announcements here). XLISTER David Shulman refuses to pick a lane. A partner and CFO of Brilliant Work, a creative production studio working across LBEs, experiential entertainment, brand activations and corporate theater and an artist and fabricator whose work has landed in the Smithsonian, his ability to mix creativity and finance gives him a rare edge. He's as comfortable talking about the emotional intent of a project as he is about the budget to make it a reality. We talked to Shulman about what it actually takes to turn a bold idea into a bankable experience. Eve Riskind: You’re a welder and a CFO. How do you reconcile the two? David Shulman: Working in finance can be very creative when focused on deal structure, or when collaborating with creative and production teams to figure out how to deliver on a budget. But much of the work is routine: recurring monthly accounting closes, revenue recognition policies, insurance and compliance. My creative side can get bored.  That’s...