So You Plan Parties For A Living??

Although many tourism professionals know that the meeting and event industry is a multi million dollar industry that is populated with some seriously talented, unique and very inspiring individual … to others it seems to be an industry of mystery.  I get asked almost regularly how I even got into event planning in the first place.  As cheesy as this may sound I have never really felt like event planning is something that I chose, I feel as though it is something that chose me.  It just came naturally to me to always be planning things and putting events together.  It started with get-togethers with friends, then helping with charity events and before I knew it I was just DOING IT! Doing it identified something that I liked which I chose to educate myself further in.

Many people think that being a “party planner” is so easy, that all you do is put together a bunch of parties.  Let me tell you honestly that there is so much more to it than just that.  That party or event that you spent 4 hours of your evening at, took a team of highly skilled professionals months to plan.  Each event is like a production and has so many moving parts, there are countless hours that no one knows about where an event planner is mapping things out, organizing things, drafting concepts and keeping all of the balls up in the air.  These hundreds of countless hours by many different people are what put together that one event that you enjoyed. My point is there is much more than what meets the eye.  Keep that in mind at the next event you go to….

They say that if you truly love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.  I really don't know who they are and although I think that’s a great theory I call bulls**t (sorry but it’s true).  Don't get me wrong, I love what I do. I love it so much that I have a full time job doing it, I do it in my spare time for my own company and now I am even starting a blog about it …with the time most people use to sleep apparently.   Yes I love what I do but I also acknowledge that it is HARD WORK.  I work my butt off on a regular basis and I am ok with that.  I know the industry I chose and being able to be part of putting together an experience and then watching people truly enjoy themselves is a feeling that is beyond words for me.   I fully believe that success doesn't just drop into your lap, you have to hustle and work hard for it … stay tuned for more on my view on success in a future blog post!