Nov 13, 2025
From Lotteries to Luxury Experiences: How Derek Gwaltney Built Atlas Experiences into a Top-Tier Brand Experience Company 🎯
In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with Derek Gwaltney, founder and CEO of Atlas Experiences, to explore the art of creating unforgettable brand moments that spark emotion, connection, and loyalty.
Derek shares his remarkable journey from the lottery and gaming industry to leading one of the fastest-growing experiential marketing companies in America, earning a spot on the Inc. 5000 list (#33 overall). Today, Atlas Experiences is known for producing world-class destination events, incentive trips, and brand activations that blend entertainment with purpose.
In this powerful conversation,
Derek and Mark dive into:
🔥 How to design once-in-a-lifetime experiences that elevate
brands
💡 Lessons from the lottery world that shaped Atlas’ creative
strategy
🚀 Building a resilient business through major industry disruption
(COVID & beyond)
🎯 Why human emotion is the most valuable currency in
marketing
💼 What it takes to scale a service-based company with authenticity
and vision
Derek also opens up about leadership, creative risk-taking, and what it means to “be first” in an industry that’s constantly evolving.
Whether you’re a founder, marketer, or brand strategist, this episode will challenge how you think about connection, creativity, and the power of unforgettable brand experiences.
🎙️ The Necessary Entrepreneur, hosted by Mark Perkins, features authentic conversations with founders and leaders who’ve built businesses worth studying.
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