It’s hard to believe but 2020 is almost upon us and as this year comes to a close it’s so satisfying to remember all the amazing experiences I was fortunate enough to be involved in throughout the past year.
I began 2019 at a special events conference in San Diego where I had the chance connect and learn from some of the most successful event professionals in the business. It was a trip full of new ideas and one that inspired me to continue to build upon my own skillset and push myself further than I ever had before. Now, almost a year later I find myself reflecting on the years’ accomplishments and all the amazing initiatives I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of. Here are some of my favourites:
Inspirational Keynote
If you’ve never heard of Chris Koch, you need to google him immediately. I’ve worked with all kinds of keynotes over the years and Chris may be one of the most well received speakers I’ve ever had the privilege of listening to – and he’s a local to boot! We brought him in for one of our biggest conferences of the year and he was absolutely fantastic. His story of living the life he loves and embracing each obstacle as an opportunity is truly inspirational. If you’re looking for some motivation his story is definitely worth the read.
Amazing Talent
Each year brings new star power to many of our events but one of this year’s performances was a milestone moment as I watched legendary Canadian Country music star Paul Brandt step onto our stage. I’ve worked with countless amazing artists over the years but Paul and his team go above and beyond. Not only is he every bit as lovely as you imagine him to be but he’s also devoted to making the world a better and safer place. His charity #NotInMyCity works tirelessly to help raise awareness and put a stop to human trafficking – a cause he is truly passionate about and one that every one of us needs to learn more about.
Making a difference
Working on fundraising events is always a fulfilling part of my job. Every cause has a admirable mission but this year It’s worth highlighting some particularly amazing people at Classroom Champions. I was lucky enough to work with this organization twice this year and remain completely blown away at the amazing work they do.
Classroom Champions connects under served classrooms with world class mentors to help support student mental health, wellness and academic achievement. They host fundraising events throughout the year to support these programs but donations are always welcome – so I’ll leave their weblink right here – just in case you’re looking for an excuse to be extra charitable this holiday season. The difference they’re making is truly remarkable.
Taking a leap
As this year’s events came to a close, I was thrilled to end a note of growth for one of my long time clients. Change is often hard in the corporate world. When things are generally running smoothly it’s difficult to take a leap and shake things up but, to my delight, that’s exactly what happened at a recent holiday party. After years of traditional sit down dinners, we finally got the chance to engage our guests with a whole new cocktail style experience. This may not seem revolutionary but this kind of departure was huge for this group and received rave reviews. I couldn’t have been happier to be a part of it.
This was certainly a banner year full of highs at Jennifer James Events and next year is already full of promising new endeavors and events to remember. Keep your eyes peeled for some exciting new content coming soon!
Wishing you all the best in 2020.
– Jen
