Meet Emily Saunar | Owner & Founder of Luxe Llama Productions

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Saunar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
My decision to believe and trust in myself was probably the most important decision that contributed to my success. I’ve always wanted to run my own entertainment company, but taking that kind of step is scary. There are always obstacles, and it’s easy to doubt yourself when you’re risking failure. When I thought I was ready to launch my own company, I had the experience, the knowledge, the talent, and the support of colleagues, friends, and family, but when obstacles fell in my path, I realized I still needed to learn some lessons. I especially needed to learn compassion for myself and to value and trust myself and my talent. In doing so, I also gained an awareness of the importance of valuing others. Learning that and deciding I wanted to be someone who lifts myself and others up will set Luxe Llama Productions apart from other companies, and I believe it’s the reason we have amazingly talented artists and will, as a result, achieve great things together.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It hasn’t been easy to get to where I am. It’s a tough market. It can be political, ageist, sexist, and at its worst, all of those things and then some. Each of the challenges I have faced has taught me the importance of staying positive, being tenacious, and standing up for myself and others in the face of these obstacles. Especially in this industry, something that sets me apart is that I want to help other artists and creative people meet their goals. Instead of stepping on others, I reach out to pull them up and help them find their strength. One way I do this is by raising the bar of the level of professionalism, respect, and collaborative artistry in the social and corporate world of entertainment. Far too often, I see artists being taken advantage of, disrespected, and simply not being valued. Changing this unacceptable norm is a core value of mine, and although I know that change does not come easily, holding others in the industry to a higher standard and respecting and valuing artists is a principle that underpins all of the work we do at Luxe Llama Productions.

Additionally, we are not just another entertainment company. We design productions that create experiences. I’ve worked in the entertainment industry practically my entire life, and have noticed the lack of large-scale productions that make the audience want to be a part of the moment. Not that there aren’t great bands and DJs available for events, but our goal is to create experiences for private parties and corporate events similar to attending a Broadway show or seeing your favorite band in concert. I tell the artists that work with Luxe Llama Productions to “think bigger and be bolder!” This is also true for clients. Changing the way entertainment for social and corporate events is viewed and delivered is no easy task. It starts with the vision and the talent, but then you have to educate your audiences and clients so they understand the difference between a Luxe Llama production and a local variety band. There is a drastic difference. What I’ve learned is that people want those experiences. They want to be able to share the story with their friends and family, and later hope that they too can experience the same thing. Our lives are built around millions of memories, but some stand out more than others, and that is my goal with Luxe Llama Productions. Our productions create those lasting memories.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I was born and raised in Colorado, so I have a long list of restaurants and places I love to go to. If I had a friend visiting for a week-long trip, I can guarantee you that they would gain some weight because the restaurants in Denver are fantastic! Devil’s Food, Lucile’s Creole Cafe, and Snooze are great brunch spots. My Brother’s Bar on 15th and Platte, not to be confused with Brother’s Bar, has been one of my favorite spots to go for a grilled cheese sandwich and a drink since I was 18, except now I drink whiskey when I go there! If you love whiskey, Stranahan’s is my absolute favorite whiskey, and I highly recommend that anyone visiting Colorado swing by for a cocktail or a tour of the distillery. Recently, I stumbled upon Daughter Thai, which has made my monthly rotation of spots to eat out. The food and presentation are like no other Thai restaurant in Denver. Kochi Cafe is my favorite place to grab a London Fog and sometimes a peanut butter cookie for a little downtime, journaling, reading, or working. They also serve a variety of Maria Empanada’s breakfast empanadas and quiches. Yum! I could go on forever, but the last few spots that I would recommend are Taki Sushi for a casual spot with great food and fantastic service, Cart Driver for killer pizza and oysters, and since half of my family is from Buffalo, New York, The Piper Inn for the best buffalo wings in town.

After all those indulgences, my favorite gym, yoga, or dance classes are at Lifetime Fitness or Denver Dance. Of course, depending on the season, I also love being in the mountains and there are all sorts of activities to do up there. My favorite is paddling down the river with friends or hitting the hot springs around the different resorts.

I also enjoy going out and supporting local artists at the many music venues around the city. A must-see artist is my friend, David Henning who plays at several spots around Denver. His voice is magical and always a great way to spend a chill evening. For a totally different sound, I frequently hit local bars to hear my son’s bands play out, including High Dive, Lost Lake, The Squire, The Summit, and Seventh Circle Music Collective.

Overall, Denver is a great city with great food and great music, and having mountain resorts to escape to on the weekends makes Colorado the perfect place to live!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I wouldn’t be where I am without the love and support of my mother. She is not one to seek out the spotlight, but her humility, love, faith, and amazing work ethic, have deeply influenced who I am as an artist, mentor, business owner, and mother. I started dancing at the age of three and a half and followed that passion all through high school, but my sophomore year I couldn’t figure out what elective I wanted to take. , My mother recommended that I take choir. Who knew this was the beginning of a lifelong career? From that moment on, she has been in the background doing so much to support my career. She has helped me financially and emotionally as I have navigated an industry that is demanding on many levels. She also played a big role in helping me raise my son because my work required a lot of late nights and travel for gigs.

Which brings me to my kid, Seth Saunar, who is all grown up now, and who also deserves a lot of recognition. For most of his life, he grew up in the crazy life of a single-mother musician, and he handled it with grace and class. Starting when he was about a year old, I started performing on a regular basis in the Denver music scene. I also attended school full-time and worked a full-time day job. Seth not only put up with me working a LOT, but he never complained about our busy schedules, having to stay with family or go to church with his grandmother while I was at a gig. I don’t know how, but I guess my family and I did something right because he is now a fantastic human being, and a killer musician, who is pursuing his own musical projects, and I am so proud of him.

In addition to my mother encouraging me to stick with singing, one of my choir directors, Susan Draus, encouraged me to stay in choir when I was considering dropping the class, and that conversation is what ultimately set my career in motion. Over the next three years, I went from a shy sophomore to being an often-featured soloist in the top two choirs of my school. I made All-State Choir, and ultimately nailed an audition that led to my first professional singing gig. Susna’s encouragement is a large part of what set my career in motion.

My friends, both old and new, encourage me, believe in me, and keep me humble. They uplift me, collaborate with me, and I am incredibly grateful for having their loving support in my life.

I wouldn’t be where I am without Jerry Barnett of Moments Notice Entertainment, who allowed me to sing for his company for eighteen years. I learned a lot about the industry from him and grew as an artist because of the opportunities he opened up for me. I cherish the memories of countless performances and lifelong friendships built during that time.

On a more personal level, Dan Perkins deserves a lot of credit for believing in me and reminding me that I can do this when I’m second-guessing myself. His faith in me, and sometimes his pushiness, has helped me in my moments of self-doubt and fear. Yes, remaining confident and taking risks in the music industry is still difficult and scary sometimes, even after all of these years!

In addition, I want to acknowledge the musicians and artists I have performed with the last twenty-five years. Every one of them has played a role in my growth and success, and every time I step on a stage, I remember who’s literally behind me, supporting me, and helping me do what I love so much!

Website: www.LuxeLlamaProductions.com

Instagram: Luxe Llama Productions

Youtube: Luxe Llama Productions

Other: Instagram: @ColoradoGigLife @EmilySaunar @LuxeLlamaProductions @YachtyGotBack @LuxeLegends Facebook: Emily Saunar

Image Credits
David Henning Katie Gifford Rise Images