Startup Savvy: Young Entrepreneurs Griffin Harrington, Dylan Meyerson, Michael Devine Of Dionysus Share Their Secrets For Rapid Growth and Success
An Interview With Eden Gold
Operational Discipline: It’s not just about the big ideas — it’s about backend structure. We meticulously document, assign roles, and run Dionysus like a real company, not a “project.”
The entrepreneurial landscape is more vibrant and challenging than ever, with young entrepreneurs at the forefront, driving innovation and redefining the boundaries of success in the business world. These dynamic individuals are not only creating new products and services but also building sustainable business models that thrive in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven environment. Their journeys are filled with lessons of resilience, strategic innovation, and the relentless pursuit of growth. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Griffin Harrington, Dylan Meyerson, and Michael Devine.
Griffin Harrington shapes the Dionysus brand identity by leading all marketing, digital, and customer-facing initiatives. With a background in technology, database management, and media production, he bridges creativity and analytics to keep Dionysus at the forefront of experiential events. Griffin also plays a pivotal role in talent acquisition, artistic partnerships, and operational logistics. He holds a B.A. in Global Business and Finance from Fordham University.
Dylan Meyerson leads the strategic direction of Dionysus, overseeing event innovation, partnerships, operations, and overall company growth. With a background rooted in hospitality, Dylan previously served as Managing Partner at Short Stories and Director of Promotions at The Palace. A native New Yorker, he brings a deep network and extensive experience across industries to Dionysus’ vision. He holds a B.A. in History from Baruch College and studied Finance at Skidmore College.
Michael Devine directs the financial and legal operations of Dionysus, overseeing deal structuring, sponsorship negotiations, and strategic growth initiatives. With a background in private equity and real estate finance, he has closed over $300 million in investments at firms like PCCP, Madison International Realty, and LMF Commercial. Michael holds a B.S. in Real Estate Finance from New York University.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about cultural sensitivity, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
We started throwing our own events during college at the end of the pandemic when bars and clubs were reopening their doors. These venues didn’t have identity or a built-in crowd in this new age of nightlife, so they hired us to bring them the crowds.
Over time, however, we noticed that our attendees wanted something more than just the typical bar or club night — specifically our consumers were hungry for special non-traditional events. We shifted our business model away from bars and clubs, and towards activations in unique venues such as museums, courthouses and social clubs. What began as a side passion quickly became something much bigger once we realized there was a true gap in the market.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
At one of our early galas, a high-level exec from a major luxury brand attended anonymously. After the event, they reached out to us directly — not to talk sponsorships or deals, but just to say, “That was one of the best nights I’ve had in New York in years.” That was the moment we realized the depth of what we were building. It wasn’t just about events — it was about emotional resonance.
You are a successful individual. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
1. Resilience: Early on, we had events where ticket sales moved extremely slowly at first. We even lost a bit of money on our first few events. We even had issues on the venue side — where last minute there would be some major issue with the sound or the capacity that compromised the event. We always found ways to adapt — pivoting spaces, redesigning concepts, pulling off wins even under pressure.
2. Creativity: We build worlds first — immersive, surprising environments that stick with people long after the night ends. Every Dionysus event is rooted in the question: “Would people come and spend money even if there wasn’t a big-name DJ playing?” If the answer is yes, we would move ahead with the project.
3. Trust: Our team dynamic is everything. In the early days, when school, internships, and jobs overwhelmed us, we leaned on each other without hesitation. That trust has been the backbone of our ability to scale.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview about young entrepreneurs secrets to rapid growth and success. To start, how would you define success?
Success isn’t a single moment or a revenue number. It’s the feeling when a guest says, “I’ll remember this night forever,” or when a brand partner tells us we changed their perception of what an event partnership could be. For us, success is sustainable cultural impact.
What unconventional strategy did you employ that significantly contributed to your startup’s growth, and why do you think it was so effective?
While every other event organizer in Manhattan runs paid advertisements for their events, we refuse. Our brand grew 100% organically through word of mouth and viral Instagram reels that immersed ourselves in the community. If we were to run ads on our events, it would damage our brand. That built a foundation of authenticity and trust you simply can’t replicate with paid marketing.
Can you share a critical pivot point in your startup’s journey and how you navigated the decision-making process?
Our first real pivot was when we decided to invest our own capital into the business. Before 2023, all of our events were on the dime of a bar or club that hired us to bring crowds. Although this is a positive from a risk standpoint, it is a negative in terms of the product that we would deliver, as attendees wouldn’t get a truly special experience. When we put thousands of dollars down to program our first full-scale gala, it was a huge financial risk — but we believed in the experience we were building. We trusted the quality of our product, took the leap, and it opened the door to the larger events we now specialize in.
How do you balance the need for rapid growth with maintaining a sustainable and healthy company culture?
We don’t believe in growth at all costs. We only want to grow within communities and social circles that we want our brand to align with. Everything is relationship-first — whether that’s with our attendees, our hosts, or our brand partners. That mindset naturally filters the way we scale, ensuring that even as we grow, the essence of Dionysus remains intact.
In what ways has your personal definition of success evolved since the inception of your startup?
At the beginning, success was simple — put on a party, make hundreds of people show up, and maybe make some side money. Now, success is measured by the quality of experience that we provide for our attendees. We want our events to be an experience that people will remember their whole lives. We want our attendees to tell the stories of our events to their children, if they were ever to ask — “Mom, Dad, what was the coolest event you ever went to in New York?” We want the answer to be “‘The Dionysus Fall Gala’, or ‘The Dionysus Heaven and Hell Halloween.’”
Based on your experience and research, can you please share “5 Things You Need to Succeed as a Young Person in Business?”
1. Obsession: You have to dream about your business in your sleep. Surface-level passion won’t sustain you through setbacks.
2. Adaptability: Things will go wrong. The ones who win are the ones who adjust without losing momentum.
3. Community Building: Especially for Gen Z, brands are communities. If you’re not investing in genuine relationships, you’re not building something lasting.
4. Operational Discipline: It’s not just about the big ideas — it’s about backend structure. We meticulously document, assign roles, and run Dionysus like a real company, not a “project.”
5. Creative Integrity: Stay true to your creative north star. Trends change, but authenticity transcends. That’s how you build brand longevity.
What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring entrepreneur that you wish someone had given you at the start of your journey?
Focus equally on the unsexy stuff: operations, finances, contracts. The idea can be magic — but the execution is what scales it sustainably.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
We’d create a movement encouraging people to invest time and money into shared experiences rather than just products. Real connection, real community — because experiences live forever, and they change people.
How can our readers further follow you online?
You can follow us at: @dionysus.group on Instagram!
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
Startup Savvy: Young Entrepreneurs Griffin Harrington, Dylan Meyerson, Michael Devine Of Dionysus… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.