A large portion of my early career as an event planner was spent producing large scale trade shows. The work that goes into exhibiting at a trade show can be immense but they can also be incredibly effective initiatives for many businesses. One of the biggest advantages to trade shows is their exceptional targeting power. They’re almost always industry specific which means your ideal customers are not only in the room but they’ve

What I love about events is how multi-layered they are. As a guest you’re simply there to enjoy the experience but no one ever considers the details or the level of planning required to ensure the most basic needs of each guest is met. The thought that goes into things like room flow or table set up or the event schedule is immense and often takes a diverse team to pull it off. I’m fortunate to work with some of the best event

When I started in the event business 17 years ago, I had come out of a career in film and television and I was immediately struck with the number of unexpected similarities there were in these two industries. This was particularly apparent with regards to how the whole process of creating a finished product is structured. In film there are production assistants, production coordinators, production managers and film producers. In the

Believe it or not it’s almost Stampede time! Yay! Each year The Greatest Show on Earth, takes over our city and we all don our cowboy hats to network, mingle and show off our country roots. Corporate stampede events are some of my favorites! They’re always designed around fun and are full of

Working as an event planner is my dream job. I get to create amazing experiences and work with some of the best people in the business. But what I’ve come to truly appreciate lately is the diversity of this incredible industry. This career can be perfectly suited to so many different personality types and educational backgrounds. It’s a career built around flexibility and adaptation but it’s important to know how your own skillset fits

Spring is finally here and with it comes Trade show season! I talk a lot about corporate events on my blog but the truth is I’ve also produced over a dozen large scale trade shows in Calgary so I have a soft spot for all the springtime shows that seem to take over the city every weekend. The work that goes into both producing and exhibiting at a trade show can be immense but they can also be incredibly effective initiatives for many

Years ago I worked with a client who was struggling with how to reinvigorate a holiday event that they’d been struggling with for years. They invested a substantial amount of time and effort into the event – and certainly weren’t stingy with their budget but their list of complaints continued year and after year. The space they were working limited them to 500 guests at rounds of 10 with little wiggle room and they were bored of the

When I began my career in event planning, the idea of managing budgets seemed a little overwhelming. It was never covered in any of the event management classes I took and, despite being a vital aspect of every event, it seems to be a bit of an industry secret. So, this week let’s talk about some of the nuances of building an event budget. It’s time to share what no one else seems to talk about! The Framework

Over the past 15 years working as an event planner, I have had the opportunity to produce a number of public events, tradeshows, and fundraisers; outside of my normal corporate social events. It was through these initiatives that I discovered the fascinating effect psychology can play in effectively pricing your events. I’ve recently been invited to a public Opening Gala event here in Calgary for the opening of a large public

It may only be October but in the world of events, corporate holiday party planning is well underway, which means now is the perfect opportunity to discuss how best to invest your event dollars this season. Whether your budget is modest or extravagant there are wonderful options at every price point that are sure to impress your guests – as long as you know where to find the best bang for your buck. 1. Menu