Balancing flawless sound with a tight schedule is like walking a tightrope—one misstep and everything drops. First, I lock down the core gear and routing before the crew even arrives; having a proven signal chain that never changes is the safety net. Then I run a full dry‑run of the set‑up the day before, checking levels, latency, and cue mixes. That’s the critical element: rehearsing the workflow so the actual show feels like a second skin. I also keep a “kill‑switch” plan—simple, fail‑safe paths that can be engaged instantly if something hiccups. Finally, I trust the team to know their spots, but I’m there in the booth, tweaking in real time. It’s the combination of pre‑planning, rehearsed workflow, and a quick fail‑safe that keeps the system running smooth when the clock is ticking.