We spoke to another one of our amazing backers from The Apprentice Program Kickstarter campaign – Josie Littlepage, CSEP – Owner and producer at Cosmopolitan Events.

Josie believes in The Apprentice Program. She’s helping us achieve our mission, while using her time more efficiently and helping her company become more profitable.

We’re on a mission to revolutionize the events industry: We want to STOP horrible internships.

With over two decades experience of planning and producing events, Josie has a passion for creating beautiful and lasting memories. She has also dedicated many years on the board of the International Special Events Society – St. Louis chapter, where she has held several positions including Chapter President.

We discover what she’s learned as Owner of an event planning firm, her best life hack tips and what the biggest reason was she decided to support The Apprentice Program by The Simplifiers!

So Josie, what led you to a career in the events industry?

As many people my age, I fell into it by accident.  After being accepted into law school I saw a job opportunity to travel the world operating programs for an incentive travel company.  I deferred a year and then another and after that I was “bitten” by the event bug.

What do you think are the most important skills you need as a mentor for event interns?

Creating a space of communication for the interns to be able to talk to me and our team about anything which can be feedback for our business or their future.

Typically, what tasks do you delegate to your interns, either during the week or onsite at your client events?

Interns in our office are responsible for typing up handwritten meeting agendas, event day schedules, and time lines. During off-season they are also creating organizational paths to create more efficient strategies for the office team. At the events, the interns assist with set up, follow the timeline, move the guests and are positioned to help the flow of the event.

Can you give us your very best life hack tip you’ve learned along the way as an event planner/small business owner?

Be accessible!  This can pertain to interviews with media sources or available for your client to get in touch with you quickly – being accessible in all respects makes you approachable and more apt to get the business or to get published.

What is the biggest reason you became a backer for The Apprentice Program by The Simplifiers?

I believe in Mary and have seen how her ideas have grown and flourished, so that opened the door for me.  Then I listened to the idea and thought that this could work for me and perhaps there is something in this idea that could lower my labor hours spent on training – which in turn makes us a more profitable company if my time is spent more efficiently.

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We need help from other backers like Josie and like Erica, if we’re ever going to achieve our mission! We’re now 60% funded, so still have a way to go to reach our target… we need YOUR help if we are going to stop horrible internships, improving the experience for interns and mentors alike.

You can support our Kickstarter at whatever level works best for you, whether it’s $5 or $500.

We even have some exclusive Kickstarter deals… including a licence for LIFETIME access to the program for just $100 (a whopping savings of $3300!) Be quick because this is limited to the first 100 backers at that level.

Let’s do this.