Grow Your (Event) Career

Excerpts below from Intentional Event Design, Our Professional Opportunity (2017)

As an instructor, a seasoned industry veteran and mentor I am often asked to talk to people looking to enter the events industry, and the best routes to success. I also speak frequently with more experienced practitioners on ideas to grow their business. I think these tips can apply to nearly any job or growth opportunity, what do you think?

Be humble. You bring a fresh perspective and when you have opportunities to contribute, use them and voice your opinion. But, remember it is just that, one opinion. In an event design, you cannot be married to any one idea, but must remain open to how all the ideas fit together to make the best whole. You must support and follow the project leader.

Be curious. We all have an ability to be creative. Being curious is a necessary attribute. There are many avenues to creativity and contributing to events, and many of our strongest supplier partners are our chosen favorites because they are creative. Follow pop culture. Study history. Learn about human nature. Listen to a variety of musical styles. Research other cultures. Delve into your client’s culture. Go to concerts, galleries and museums. Attend other events in disciplines outside your comfort zone. Explore wherever you are and yes, use the internet.

Master the Basics. Learn how to budget. Understand contracts and clauses related to the work we do. Understand the importance of insurance for your business, and your supplier partners. Learn about risk management, our duty of care and event security. Master business language, in whatever your working language is. Practice presenting your ideas in a manner that gets buy-in. Understand the operations behind an event from the first load-in to the final strike. Don’t expect this happens all at once, continue to seek education and mentorship in your chosen area; join an industry association that matches your “lane”, and get involved!

Stay in your lane. When you have a job to do, focus on doing it well. As you grow your career, be open to sharing and you will find your contributions will go beyond a job title, so dig in and learn all as you find your own path. Do an assessment of your real, unique skill set. What are you best at and what do you still need to learn? What are you passionate about?

The picture above was at the Smart Meetings Women’s Summit in 2021 where I was fortunate to have been nominated as a Visionary in their 2021 awards program. This award means a lot because someone else took the time to nominate me and that means the world. Who will you show your support for? What are the large and small steps you can take to recognize your friends, support system, colleagues?