USP:Unique Selling Proposition or MUSP: MY Unique Selling Proposition

This evening, I found the time to jump on a free webinar hosted by a successful west coast event professional. She hosts webinars and seminars (some free and others not) quite frequently and I always have best intentions to participate but it was not until today (almost 3 years since I met her when she was speaking at The Special Event Conference in San Diego) that I got my tush in gear to login and hear what she had to say.

There were several things that stuck with me but the one that was most eye opening was USP: Unique Selling Proposition. While this is not a unique term (finding your niche, your specialty, the one thing that sets you apart from others in your field) what really got my heart beating faster was that I could finally figure out what my USP was!

I never realized it could be some skill set that I already had. (this just goes along with my linear way of thinking I suppose). I was always struggling to find that new spin, skill, idea, that I could offer that would set me apart from all of the other talented event professionals in the NYC area (and there are many).

During this webinar, she said, "if you are amazing at creating timelines, do it, if you make the tastiest cupcakes, sell it..."

I actually do make really thorough timelines and production schedules but would never have thought of this as a way to sell myself. One step further.. to market myself as someone who could just create your event/meeting timeline, perhaps that is something you need to kick start you for your event/meeting and then off you go confidently planning your event with your road map that I have just created for you...hmmm.

I thought a bit further about my staff training and preparation materials and how much I enjoy training staff for events (and the positive feedback I have received from the staff and client every time I am in the position to do this) and producing the most clear and thorough materials so that all staff are prepared. Wow, another skill set I have that I took for granted and never thought to use as a USP.

Ok, so for those of you who know me, this is likely a DUH, Jenn moment, but when you are so close to something, like yourself ;) you cannot always see things as closely as you would like.

Lastly for now, I am great at building relationships with vendors and non-profit committees (toot-toot). My goal when partnering with vendors is to really bring them in as a partner and have them feel as though they are a part of my team. With committees, well I am quite seasoned at managing their expectations, with over 10 years working with high net worth and high society boards and trustees, you either sink or swim.

So, how exciting, I did not have to look outside my current skill set to find my USP!
That does not mean I will not continue to seek something new and exciting in order to add another badge to my sash (girl scout reference). However, what a relief to see that it does not have to be something unique to make me unique (if you are following me).

Good way to end my day.

I'm still here, or perhaps I should say I am back

I know its been a while since my last post and for my huge contingent of, is it 5 followers?, I apologize. I just have not wanted to write or post anything unless it had some meaning or could be of interest.

A new chapter of my life was supposed to begin this year in Southern California. I flew cross country in the middle of March with all my belongings lagging behind on a truck. I was certainly nervous, but looking forward to a new beginning (and warm weather!). Little did I know that I would be driving cross country headed back east in early May.

What happened? Unexpected circumstances led to the difficult decision to come back East. Was it the right decision? I think so, but I have days when I question my choice. Will I go back West? Someday.

Since I have been back I have found myself reflecting quite a bit. I guess you can do that when you are unemployed and spending most of your days at the beach, a perfect place for that sort of thing. My new chapter feels like it is on hold until I am back in the working world contributing to society. Friends and family have repeatedly encouraged me to enjoy this time, and not push myself too hard to get back to work, but I have never been one to just sit around (unless there is sand or water nearby or a good movie to see or a book to read). But, having all of this time to think and connect with friends and colleagues has led to a new thought. I am beginning to realize that the first page of this new chapter can be whatever I choose it to be! Hmm...this is such an interesting thought and very freeing.


I can travel, move to any state I want, create a new business, start a entirely new career, take up a new hobby/sport, go back to school, reinvent myself. Of course a lot of these ideas take money, which when you don't have a job can present a problem, but alas, I have always been resourceful and one who can make things happen even under unlikely circumstances.

Will I do some or all of these things? You bet...I've already checked some of the smaller ones off my list. I shouldn't have needed it, but it took extreme circumstances for me to realize I am in charge of the book of my life, so what happens in the next chapter is entirely up to me...

What's Your Story: Elizabeth (Liz) Glover Wilson

Full name: Liz Glover Wilson, CMP, CSEP
Age: 36
Hometown: Yorktown Heights, NY
Current position: President and Founder, Elizabeth Rose Consulting, LLC
Education: B.A., Mercy College - Business Management
Years in the industry: 15

How I got to here in 10 words or less: Hard work, amazing opportunities and many blessings.

As a young artist, I aspired to be a fashion designer and headed to NYC to attend F.I.T. Very soon after arriving, I realized that the fashion industry was not for me. I did not know what else I wanted to do so I secured a job as an Administrative Assistant. In my early days as an Admin, I was always looking for creative projects to take on as an outlet for my creativity and to keep me from total boredom. I worked hard and gave all my projects a 110%.

My mom always taught us to do every task to the best of our ability and to remember that you never know "who is watching." Little did I know that would apply to that particular chapter in my life. After a couple of years in that role, the President of our company offered me a unique opportunity - to build an events department from the ground up. Now the fact was I had no actual professional event experience, but what I did have was a unique blend of strong instinct for events, a high level of work ethics, a load of creativity and good people skills.

I spent about 10 years building the corporate events department. Starting out was hard and I felt very isolated, as I was the only one in the company given this task and had no access to historical data or internal resources. I had to build it all by myself. The first thing I did was to broaden my education and scope of support so that I could be successful with my new task.
I signed up for a course at NYU and learned as much as I could about corporate event planning. Dianne Devitt was my first mentor and still a very valuable part of my life till this day.

Additionally, I volunteered for the local chapter of ISES (International Special Events Society) and quickly was elected to the board of directors as Director of Communications. I stayed on the Board for 10 Years and was President in 2007-2008. I learned so much from my fellow industry colleagues and from other board members. My experience and educations was truly priceless.

I worked hard. I studied everything and collected mentors. I volunteered and took classes. When I resigned my corporate job to start my own consulting firm, I was truly proud of the journey and the department I built. Till this day, the department is strong and my old team is just terrific.

Starting my own business has been a tremendous joy and I owe a lot of my current success to my years of building relationships, expanding my education and being willing to give back to the industry. I do not under-estimate the power of giving back. My new business, in fact, is all about that. I launched Elizabeth Rose Consulting which focuses on event management and fundraising support for non-profit organizations. Each day, we work to give to non-profits the support they need so they can give back to those in our community and world who need services. It is extremely fulfilling.

How I Believe Others Can Get There, Too
My journey is unique in someways, as being an event professional was not my original goal. I did not actively pursue it . . .the profession "found me." However, the most important advice I can give to others regardless of how their journey starts is to first be honest with yourself, then go out and volunteer, know your boundaries and then get ready to work hard for what you want. Oh and did I mention you must have patience.

Be Honest With Yourself - Why do you want to be in this profession? Be honest. Do you think it is glamorous? Do you think it will be fun? Do you think it will be like planning your wedding? Understand "why" you really want to do this. Then get some honest feedback from those inside the industry. Go in with eyes wide open.

Volunteer - I still volunteer these days. You can learn so much about different types of events,styles, processes, etc. You also can learn alot about yourself and explore your strengths and weaknesses. Just recently, I volunteered for CGI and realized that I enjoyed dealing with diplomats from other countries. Did not know that about myself!

Know Your Boundaries - Once you have dedicated yourself to this journey, it is important to know your boundaries both personally and professionally. They do not call the events industry the "burn out" industry for no reason. Many event professionals go at a fast pace for many years and just exhaust themselves. My advice is to set boundaries from the very beginning. For example, commit to taking at least one full day off a week - no blackberry - just shut down. Treat yourself to a spa once a month. Be committed to healthful eating and exercise. I know it sounds a bit extreme, but it can make a difference.

Working Hard - It is very simple to me. What you put in is what you will get out. I was not a success overnight. Years of hard work and dedication did pay off and I am proud of that.
Be Patient - To be a true expert in any field you have to build experience. It takes 10 years or 10,000 hours to be considered an expert, so get relaxed. . .it is going to be a long ride.

Skills you need: Strong instinct. Good writing and communication skills. Exceptional multi-tasking skills. Management ability. Highly organized.

Where you should start: There are planning jobs in every profession; non-profit, law firms, politics, sports, hospitals, corporations, hotels, venues, clubs, camps, parks and recreation, schools, places of worship, and more. Join a local networking groups, such as AFP, MPI, ISES, COPE, HSMAI and NYEP and look for volunteer opportunities and postings.

Best Advice: Luck is when opportunity meets preparation.

What's your Story: Joe St. Cyr

Full name: Joseph Todd St. Cyr
Age: 44
Hometown: South Newbury, New Hampshire
Current position: Director and Owner, JOSEPH TODD EVENTS LLC
Education: B. A., Connecticut College
Years in Industry: 20

How I got here in ten words or less: When opportunity knocked, I answered and walked through the open doors.

Beginning with my first summer job at the lake when I was 14, I have always been involved the hospitality industry in one way or another. From dishwasher to cook to server to bartender to host . . . you name it, I’ve done it. In college I was the organizer who made sure we had enough cups for the keg party and enough ice to satisfy the parched party-goers through the night. It was a thankless task, of course, but why be disappointed mid-party when a little advance planning will do the trick?

After college and a year-long, work-around-the-world voyage financed in part by my skills as a house painter, I landed in New York in June of 1989 without much of a plan. I was lucky enough to have friends to stay with in the city and quickly found a job as a waiter at an Italian restaurant called Fiasco! Within two weeks I was promoted to assistant manager. Six months later I took a job with the bartender’s friend as a public relations assistant. It seemed quite glamorous since my boss was a celebrity publicist for Grace Jones and other New York glitterati of the day. My duties, however, were not fulfilling as basically I procured my bosses drinks during events and fetched ungrateful B-list celebrities when they were late to the events held in their honor (which was always so they could increase the drama of their fabulous entrances, not.).

One day at the beach a bunch of college friends and I were scouring the want-ads in The New York Times looking for better jobs. I found a listing for a catering salesperson at a distinctive downtown boutique firm and decided that was the job for me. With no experience and a lot of charm and bluffing, I landed the job and had my first real gig in the event industry in Manhattan. After two years of working six days a week including a lot of late nights, I decided to strike out on my own with just one client -- a fast-growing advertising firm that was doubling its staff every year.

I started attending networking events, meeting vendors, and putting myself out there. One of the high-end caterers I had hired for my few and far-between events (mostly corporate holiday parties) offered me a job with benefits and I grabbed it, realizing I was not quite ready at the age of 27 to be on my own. I stayed there for three years as Sales Director and learned about every aspect of social and corporate event planning. Just after New Year’s Eve 1999 I was poached by the newly re-launched Russian Tea Room (RTR) as Senior Private Dining Manager which was a high-pressure, numbers-game sales position. I had tripled my salary with the move and was enjoying my new position uptown in a fancy office tower next to Carnegie Hall. Our team was cranking out $100,000-revenue nights with corporate clients taking over all four floors for swanky receptions featuring fine caviar, champagne, custom decor, and the works.

That dreamy scenario lasted until September 10, 2001 and soon after the Russian Tea Room fell into a swift decline as companies were loathe to fly their employees into New York and the locals were not in the mood to celebrate. My great job at the Russian Tea Room ended in late July 2002 when the owners very suddenly announced on a Friday afternoon they were filing for bankruptcy. By Saturday, I was out of work.

I decided to take the bull by the horns and go back out on my own with a sole proprietorship I had always kept registered. Referrals from RTR contacts and friends kept me going with both corporate and social clients. However, by 2007 my corporate referrals had dried up and I realized a need to revitalize and re-brand. For a reason I am still not quite sure of, I filed papers for the creation of Joseph Todd Events LLC, designed and launched my website, and took out print ads and on-line listings focusing solely on the upscale New York wedding market. I always liked the intimate relationships I formed with my social clients and they provided like-minded and qualified referrals. Do a great job for a bride and her family and they will tell two friends and so on. Inescapably, I was thrust into the Manhattan bar/bat mitzvah scene and these wonderful clients were even better at providing referrals. After several years with a home office, I finally leased my own space in June 2009 and knew that the social market was where I belonged. Lucky timing too, since the corporate event market suffered greatly after the financial meltdown in August 2008.

Skills you need: Event planning requires an eye for detail but that same eye has to see “the big picture” too. Of course, organizational and interpersonal skills are a must. Most planners have had the necessary skills from an early age . . . and a little OCD never hurts! As a child I was famous in my family for having an impeccably neat room and for spacing the hangers in my closet one inch apart. That sounds scary, I know, but that skill translates to tabletop precision in design. I can see a crooked place setting from 20 feet away.

Where you should start: Anywhere! Event planners come from all walks of life and all work disciplines. However, starting as a production assistant in catering or floral/event design is a way to learn a great deal quickly. Food and design are key elements at all events.

Best advice: Get any job in the event industry to get your foot in the door and then network, network, network. But remember it’s not just about selecting flowers and china patterns! Like anything worthwhile, event planning is a lot of hard work.

What's Your Story?

In my last post I shared my personal journey of how I became an event professional. I also offered some ideas for those with the desire to work in the industry either fresh out of school or as a career change. As promised, I wanted other event professionals to share their experiences as well. My hope with this "series" is that it is both enlightening and inspiring to those looking for a way "in" and hopefully interesting for everyone else.

My first guest blogger to share her "story" is a dear friend. She and I met and became fast friends in junior high school where we commanded the attention of our classmates with masterful Spanish class projects, took horseback riding lessons together and rung up customers in our polyester uniforms as proud Burger King employees! Without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to Vivian Santora of Santora, LLC.

Full name: Vivian Marie Santora
Age: 35
Hometown: Dix Hills, New York
Current position: President and Owner, Santora LLC
Education: B.A., University at Buffalo; M.P.A., American University
Years in the industry: 13

How I got to here in 10 words or less: Supportive friends and family, outstanding education, great mentors and seizing opportunities.

I had an interest in public policy and a realization that, one way of making sure the policies I believed in were pursued was to get candidates who shared my beliefs and values elected to higher office. Given my passion for public policy and the importance of progressive leadership in government, it made perfect sense to pursue are career in politics – behind the scenes of course!
While in grad school, I volunteered on the Clinton/Gore ‘96 Campaign and what happened for me was definitely serendipitous. I was working on a database project in the “volunteer pit” and the Deputy Finance Chair came through bruskly asking “who here has nice handwriting?” I quickly responded “I do” (I really didn’t have great handwriting, but I knew who he was and wanted the opportunity to get assigned a more interesting task). I realized how much I enjoyed the challenge of raising money, organizing logistics, and being sociable at the same time.

After grad school my professional experience began in political fundraising working for a statewide candidate in Massachussetts – Pat (Patricia) McGovern for Governor. A small, but talented team managed to raise something like $1.5 Million in increments of $1,000 or less. (Oh the joy of contribution limits!) Sadly, Pat lost the primary and I needed another job. I dabbled in non-profit fundraising for two years: American Cancer Society and the Boston Bar Foundation.

Shortly there-after, I had the honor and privilege to serve as a top aide to Senator Hillary Clinton where my positions included National Finance Director for Friends of Hillary and HILLPAC, the Senator’s Leadership Political Action Committee. As an integral part of so many public and private events for the Senator and the former President Clinton, I worked closely with dignitaries, celebrities, diverse personalities, and cultures over the years. The experience and knowledge I gained were invaluable. It allowed me to possess an understanding of event logistics and to develop priceless relationships. Through the years, I've developed a unique sense and skill of adaptation. This is one of the reasons I believe I’m so successful at event planning.
I raised money professionally for about 10 years. No matter what cause you raise funds for, it remains part art and part science. Event planning is very similar – it’s the art of décor, building themes, creating the perfect experience for attendees, and the science of making things run in order, logically, and with a strategy in mind (this is particularly true for corporations with specific business objectives in mind).

I'm thrilled to play a role in helping to create memorable occasions for people.

How I Believe Others Can Get There, Too


Skills you need: Event planners need to be organized, have an eye for detail, the ability to multi-task, and be problem solvers. I grew up the youngest of 7 kids in an Italian family – I learned the importance of a “to do list” at a very early age by watching my parents respond to the diverse personalities of each of their kids while juggling multiple tasks/responsibilities.

Where you should start: I believe event planners can be born out of any job. You might start in a catering hall or floral company; you might work at a company where responsibilities include meeting and conference planning, or like me - political fundraising.

Best Advice: Follow your passion – you’ll be successful and the best at whatever you do when you truly love it – it will hardly feel like work.

From Film school to Fundraising...say that 3 times fast

I've often been asked for tips on getting your foot in the door for the events industry, how I personally got into the industry and what I think about non-profit events (which is where I do most of my event work currently).

The short answer is volunteer, happenstance, and it can be tough but equally rewarding.

Now that can be the end of this blog, but it might be more interesting and possibly even helpful to my huge following of 4 people (insert sarcasm here) if I elaborate.

I wanted to be an actor but knowing the response I would get from my family I decided instead to work behind the camera, where maybe I would have a slightly better chance at earning a steady pay check. So, I studied film in college.

After college while I was working in film I unknowingly was gaining experience in producing and managing projects and events...whether it was a film premiere or an awards show. The film industry can be a tough biz and as a naive girl in her early 20's I was easily consumed and spit out. The web world was booming and start up companies were abound, so I got a job as a junior web designer at exactly the time all the companies were about to bust.

While collecting unemployment I thought long and hard about what I enjoyed doing. What I came up with was planning events. I reconfigured my resume so that the listings were by job type rather than chronological and landed a job at NYU planning Academic and Alumni events...during that time I also enrolled in NYU's continuing education program certificate program where I met mentors like Dianne Devitt and Richard Aaron who introduced me to ISES. I quickly joined and started to volunteer on any event that would have me. After a bit people started offering me compensation for my work (how cool was that). On the home front I saw an opportunity to advance at NYU and took at position in the development office managing fundraising events...a totally different animal. I learned quickly the art of asking for money, managing the expectations of board members, committee members, trustees and appeasing sponsors. Whoa, what a lot of letter writing...I would like to publicly apologize to all the trees and say that their lives were not taken in vain. The solicitation letters were pivotal in generating much needed funds for the many programs and treatments at the hospital.

I felt like I was hitting my stride, feeling good about events and getting more involved in ISES, (freelancing on other types of events as much as possible) eventually producing the Big Apple Awards Gala, joining the board and helping produce the NE Regional Education Conference (REC). During this time I was itching to grow and felt I had learned all I could at NYU. So after 6+ years I left one acronym for one that was a bit longer, MSKCC (Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center).

Two years later I am still managing events for The Society of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center...a one-of-a kind volunteer board with a more than 60 year history. During this time I garnered valuable exposure to high society, celebrities and high fashion (I wish I could say my wardrobe has improved accordingly). Simultaneously, I launched my own event company...Clockwork Events...that is just in the infant stage....I should also mention that I studied my tush off and achieved both the CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) and CSEP (Certified Special Event Professional) designations.--both well respected achievements in the meeting and event industry that I highly recommend obtaining.

Oddly enough, my personal trainer husband, wrote and independently produced (and starred in) a feature film that just wrapped shooting this summer. http://achieveyourdreamsatanycost.blogspot.com/ So I feel that I've come full circle from film to fundraising to film? Maybe, I wouldn't want to be a publicity assistant at Miramax Films again, but I'd be happy producing premieres or the Oscars or any event for a studio...bring it on, I can do it.

My suggestions...volunteer, join event organizations, subscribe to event publications most are online right now--(there are many...some of my favs are BizBash, Best Events, Event Solutions, Special Events), ...tweet, follow tweets, read blogs, volunteer, did I say volunteer? For me I'm not sure how much longer I will stay on the non-profit side of events, I feel I have been type cast, however, I do feel like I have priceless skills as a result and know that I can produce all types of events.

In my next post I hope to be able to share another event professional's story in how they got where they are today and their suggestions for "making it" in the industry.

I hope this is helpful.

Social Media Good or Bad?

I by no means am an expert when it comes to all the many ways to communicate and market one's self or product, however I do have an opinion I'd like to share about it.

I've heard many say they feel that with email, texting, etc this generation is less "connected" on a face to face level. Less of the real stuff, less face time.

I actually feel much more connected. I'll give you an example of why I feel this way. Very recently I had the honor of being on the cover of the premiere issue of Best Events Magazine. I posted this news with a copy of the article up on my facebook page. I received some really nice feedback from this post many comments were from people I have not spoken to since high school but we have "friended" each other on Facebook so that we can be virtual voyeurs of our lives. Wow, people from high school who I lost touch with and would likely never reconnect with are talking to me, sharing the excitement I feel for this great accomplishment. How cool is that?

Is multitasking a female thing?

If you want something done give it to a busy person. My husband has a hard time focusing his attention on more than one thing at a time. This has never been more apparent to me than since he started living his dream by shooting a film he wrote and independently produced. In fact, not only can he not focus on anything else, but if I try to get him to he now gets overwhelmed and sometimes upset.

I just have to chuckle at all of this because I would not have a career in events if this was my personality. Is this a Gemini thing? Let me look this up, hang on (not that I am a big believer in astrology but I can't resist). Let's see..astrology.com says, 'often restless, easily bored and can become frustrated by things moving too slowly,' yeah, that's him...there have been periods where I have come home stressed and he has said, please I can do you job... and I laugh thinking, no way could he do my job.

Multitasking=Event Planning. And not only must you be able to keep many balls in the air at the same time...you have make sure everything is precise. Done well, not just done.. Kapish? If you want many things done, give them to an event planner...not their husbands. :)

Productions big and small

My husband wrote a screenplay over three years ago. A couple of years ago he picked up the script, dusted it off, and decided to rewrite it into something he could make into a feature film.

Jonathan is a personal trainer with a master's degree in acting. In the entire time I have known him he has never gone on one audition or peformed anything other than kareoke (he does a mean "Whip It" by Devo). He still had the acting itch though and wanted to use his screenplay to scratch it.

Having gone to film school for my undergraduate degree and worked on the set of a major motion picture I have been witness to the complexity and downright insanity that working on a film set (either as the talent or the crew) can be. Similar to being an event planner, in order to be good at your job on set you need to be able to juggle mulitple tasks at once, manage a wide array of stakeholders and stay organized and cool the entire time. Sitting on the set of Jonathan's film I find planning events very similar to running a film production, minus all the film terminology like Best Boy and Key Grip.

So where am I going with this? Well in two directions, actually...the first I just mentioned, is my realization that the management of shooting a film is a lot like managing an event. A film production is a type of event. So it is interesting to see how my husband (who is not a multitasker--how many men are?) is handling this new job.

The second is just that I am amazed, in awe really, of him. Here is a guy who said I am going to do this...stuck with it against all odds...scraped together just enough $, didn't let the nay-sayers stop him (and there were many)...and now his dream is becoming a reality.

I should mention he is not Directing this film. He is the Executive Producer and one of the two lead characters. However, as the budget is so low...the crew is not that experienced and my husband has found that he must be constantly overseeing every step of the production. And getting more involved in the day to day production (ie. is the crew getting fed? is the cast being given the proper call times and wardrobe information) then he expected or for that matter wanted.

What's next? He, of course, would hope this film will be his road to bigger and better things...however, he has said, "if all that comes of this film is that I can get theater filled with all my friends and family to see it I will be happy".

For more information about his film project check out: http://www.moviemoney.biz/

Shameless plug: you can make a donation to the project directly from the website using Paypal. Every little bit counts.

Check out my website while you are at it: www.clockworkevents.biz

Overworked?

There was a documentary on the Sundance Channel today ( I only caught a bit of it) about overworked people in the U.S. It mentioned many careers, medical, airline, trucking, but focused a lot on the entertainment industry and the risks involved in overworking.



No one wants to be the complainer who says they cannot work more than 8 hours because there is a line of people right behind you that will work 12, 13, 14 or more hours without a peep. At the same time, working too many hours puts you at risk for illness, or worse (others) if you must first drive yourself home or oversee a patient when you are well into your second shift.



There was a woman on a film set who said something I thought was very clever. She mentioned how bar owners are responsible for their clientele if they leave their establishment drunk. Should anything happen to them they could be held responsible. She said if the same were true on a film production she thought she would see their 12 hour days reduced to 8.

Here I am...

Its hard to stay current with all the latest and ever changing technology. I used to think of myself as very tech savvy, but today I struggle to keep up. So here I am making my debut into the world of blogging. Will anyone ever read this? Who knows, but its can't hurt to try this out.

Happy Friday,

Jenn