Beyond My Job Title: Why Do Events Matter?
Lessons From A Decade of Planning and Attending Events As An Events Director and Ex-Chief of Staff
Event Directors do more than plan fancy parties. As well as, get absolutely “wrecked” during live events with 2 hours of sleep and metaphorical fires running rampant for however long the agenda states we’re alive and well.
I grew up with a very large family, and events have always run through my blood because when you have 27+ cousins and 50+ great nieces and nephews, you’re bound to learn something while planning your annual Christmas and Easter party.
But my career is now based around events and always has in some aspect even when I was a Chief of Staff for a Venture Capital fund based in San Diego. Why are events such a big part of our lives?
I’m closing in on my official 3-months at the Stella Foundation and wanted to share my authentic thoughts and lessons I’ve learned as I’ve transitioned into my title as Events Director.
Bold Experiences empower bold voices
Patience is the “key” even if the “door” is on fire with no door knob
My professional world revolves around people management and experiences. Whether it is sourcing speakers, confirming partners, working with sponsors, marketers, PR specialists etc. The way others respond to my requests are either a reflection of:
The level of trust they have for me
The level of understanding they have for what I’m requesting and why
Their bandwidth and ability to take on additional responsibilities
I used to be a door-to-door saleswoman and back then one of my biggest mistakes was taking rejection very personally. I would think, “I wish you’d just see the value I see”. Knowing when effort and persistence is needed to land a speaker or to confirm a partner takes a level of experience only acquired in the “trenches”. Yes, in the dirt with a gust of rain where the mud turns into quicksand and you’ve skipped the gym too many times to pull yourself out. So I’m learning to not have big reactions over small things because there is a solution for just about everything. (Notice how I used the present tense. It’s a journey lol.)
Especially with high visibility and high-networth individuals who’ve reached a level of public success. They get requests and asks every day. I understand how much pressure and energy it must require to tell people “no” simply because you are human and there are only so many hours in the day.
For me, with limited resources, my job is to get creative on how I can offer value to others. If they don’t see my vision, their rejection is rarely personal. They are busy and so are you. Life goes on.
2. Events are about touch points (with a hefty tablespoon of fun and memory-building).
I think there’s a threshold that networking-savvy individuals hit where they ask themselves, “Why do I show up to these events anymore?”
My answer to that is touchpoints. You never know who you’re going to meet and being able to reference back to a specific event like TechCrunch Disrupt, All Raise Summit, Women’s Venture Summit, Tech Week, or that volunteer event we did with the local animal shelter. All serve as a memory trigger and common ground for someone new that may be either helpful in the future, or you’re able to help them in the future.
One note I’d like to make is that not every conversation at an event has to be about business. It’s about learning about others, what they are passionate about, what makes them tick and whether or not you can be a part of that equation. To this day, I remember my experience at the Forbes Under 30 conference where me and a group of women talked about how we like to wear sneakers to conferences rather than heels (if you’re reading this, you know who you are and shoutout to you, you queens).
3. People remember the feeling behind their experiences. Make their experience one to remember!
I’m a huge fan of the quote from Maya Angelou, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
People know when you’re selling them on something. Especially those who spend there days overlooking deal after deal, each one selling them something they’ve seen before or can’t quite understand.I shared a bit more on this theme during my Baddies Mean Business episode with Tiffany Gil, Founder of Shezza.
When I think back on someone I only had a five-minute conversation with at an event, did I leave that conversation feeling like my full self and perhaps would like to do business with that person because I trust their values and judgment? Or do I feel like a cog in a machine? This is all part of the game of growth, but we currently live in a virtual world full of people searching for genuine and trustworthy connections.
Could you be that person they remember?
4. Structure can interfere with community building, if overused. Allow room for guests to make their experience their own.
I’m a fan of a well-set agenda with plans, systems, and checklists. On the other hand, I’ve observed how powerful free time is at a conference or event.
I’ve noticed post-pandemic that sometimes it’s hard for strangers to become friends because there were so many years where we lost that essential socializing practice. I can envision how the pandemic created a co-dependency with seclusion and comfort with isolation.
As an extrovert, I love a happy hour where I get to meet new people and fulfill the purpose of the event which is conversation. For conferences and summits, creating moments for memory building and open conversation. Especially, when planned after the early conference awkwardness has broken, and attendees have found their conference buddies.
5. Flow like water and adapt to the unpredictable
This is not the Last Airbender, but if hosting events has taught me one thing, it’s that almost nothing will go to plan and you’ll have to think quickly on your feet.
What do you do if the caterer only brought enough food for 100 but you have 200 people? Call up the restaurant down the street and order some tacos (with good ratings).
What about when a speaker cancels on you the day of the event? Start messaging your LinkedIn friends you met at that one conference who happens to be a well-known public speaker.
To understand the scale of this point, I’ll use examples from the Stella Foundation. Our Elevate Women’s Summit in Rochester, NY has 300 attendees, 42 speakers, 26 sponsors and in-kind donors, and 24 partners for a one-day summit. That’s over 100 people to coordinate personalized information for, and there will be situations in need of solutions. Not to mention our annual Women’s Venture Summit which has 500 attendees, 100 speakers, and over 100+ partners and sponsors for a 3-day conference. Is it fun? 110% yes.
Bonus: Befriend your event coordinators/directors. They know everyone😉
As a Chief of Staff, I met many other Chief of Staffs who started in events. I always told myself, “That sounds like a lot. That will never be me”. Well, here I am. In events. Want to know how I feel about it? I love the challenge, surprisingly enough. I feel fulfilled in my work, even with the hard days, and discovered that I love problem-solving and thinking quickly on my feet. It unleashes a sense of creativity beyond the traditional sense of the word.
It also has taught me about people. What people want, how they look for answers to their problems, and the common mistakes we all make when trying to establish trust with strangers.
I hope after reading this, you get the chance to relieve some event anxiety and are more open to attending in-person and virtual events (even completely solo).
I want to hear from you so don’t hesitate to to send me a message!
