Day 1 - The Special Event 2009

Can anyone say, JET LAG? Holy cow, my body can't seem to adjust to this three-hour time change. Jenn and I were ready to hit-the-hay at 6:00pm California time last night! Serious loser, I know!

Yesterday was a good day. No, a great day! One of the things I took away yesterday was affirmation that, as a business owner, I am on the right track. I have in place all the things the speakers say are necessary for the health and success of an event planning firm. This was wonderful to hear and soak in.

I attended a number of great, great classes yesterday and so as to not bore you, will briefly tell you what I took away from each. Here goes:

Color Couture - Sasha Souza

• In economic down times, people tend to gravitate toward dark colors. However, this is the time when we should help clients select mood lifting and inspirational colors.
• Lighting should always be a dimension in your color design...no room is complete without the introduction of lighting.
• Red = demands attention, courageous, successful, passionate, dynamic.
• Pink= affectionate, caring, strong, individual
• Orange= cheerful, exciting, playful
• Yellow= enlightened, virtuous, warmth, joyous, vitality
• Green= tranquility, fresh, security, restful, calm
• Violet= sensuality, passion, luxury, depth
• Blue = tranquility, soothing, comfort, cooling, orderly, serenity
• Some color trends for 2009 are mauve, shades of blue becoming the new green, 'greyed out' browns as the new neutrals and mixed metals, especially copper.

Wedding Reality TV: To Do or Not To Do - Barbara Wallace

I decided to attend this class because my publicist has asked me to consider appearing on an upcoming television show. I have mixed feelings about this and wanted to learn more about the process as well as the pros and cons.

The thing I loved most about this class were the people in it! I recognized so many of them from Platinum Weddings and Who's Wedding is it Anyways?. Each one described their experiences on the different shows and how it impacted their lives and their businesses.

For me, this class gave great insight into how the process works and everything that's involved. It was a great lesson in what not to do and how one slip-up could be broadcast over, and over and over again!

Oops! Five Mistakes Businesses Make and Fail - Tracee Wright

Here they are:

1. No comprehensive plan. No ultimate goal or vision
2. No capital
3. No marketing plan
4. No program manual
5. No support in assistance for the business

The one nugget that stuck in my mind for this speaker was to treat your business like a franchise. When you go to McDonald's, you know what you're going to get and you know what you can expect. One must run an event planning business the same way. This, of course, will look different for each planning firm, but consistency is the KING!

The Difference between a Planner and a GOOD Planner - Elisa MacKenzie

• Good planners create teams
• Good planners don't tell people what to do but aren't afraid to take charge when needed
• Good planners are always willing to back up their decisions and able to 'take it in the nose' if need be
• Good planners don't need to be in the limelight because it's not about you, it's about the team
• Good planners don't bite off more than they can chew; they know when to walk away
• Good planners network because it can never go far enough

The one topic that was discussed in this class was getting rid of the term, 'Day Of Coordination'. In Any Event does not offer this service for a reason. And my reasoning was supported and justified in this lively debate. I know there are many, many planners who base their business on DOC work and truly love it. But this class challenged everyone to reconsider naming this service, 'Month-of Coordination,' to better describe the tasks it truly involves.

I'm attending another class this afternoon on this very topic and I can't wait to share more of what I've learned. It's sure to be a lively discussion and one that I don't want to miss!

~Jodi