VIP Summer Class of 2015

May 11
1

Hands-on Requires Letting Go.

By | junior event, mentoring, Millennials, VIP Summer Class of 2015, working with interns | No Comments

For interns, I firmly believe there is only so much you can read about event planning…at some point (I suggest, after six weeks), you just have to do it.

I have planned hundreds of events, of all shapes and sizes, since 2003 and I must admit, I learn something new with every single one.  Maybe we figured out the ballroom lights in Mercury Hall are on dimmers that sometimes self-adjust as if they are haunted…or that the loading dock at that one particular downtown hotel (you know the one) is a NIGHTMARE for load-in/out.  Or maybe we learned how best to communicate with that DJ who never seems to respond to any emails we send them…not one, not at all.

These are the true teaching moments.

And in these “finesse” moments, it truly tests your abilities to stay calm, cool and collected…and your true colors shine.

Can you think fast on your feet and do it with a smile?
(photo credit: Nadine Photography)

moments like these make wedding planning look easy – photo credit: Nadine Photography

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May 07
0

Where to Find the Very Best Interns

By | FAQ, SEPA, working with interns | 2 Comments
some of our very best Apprentices

some of our very best Apprentices over the years…

It’s all about getting the right people on the bus.

Let’s face it…you’ve got a small business to run, no time to lose, no time to slow down.  Especially in busy season, which is basically expanding to 10 months out of the year now, it seems.  Yup, I totally know that feeling.

There are times you’d much rather just keep your nose down and plow thru the ever-mounting work on your weekly to-do lists than even think about taking a step off the proverbial golden hamster wheel and taking time to weed thru resumes and interviewing candidates ad nauseam.

But hold the phone, for just a moment.

What if I could share with you my top 3 insider tips on where to find the very best interns, saving you time, making your life easier and helping to attract the right people to your team?

Well, here goes…  Read More

May 06
1

My Journey as a Mentor in the Events Industry

By | CSEP, eLearning, ISES, mentoring, VIP Summer Class of 2015, working with interns | 2 Comments

mbwHello, my name is Mary Baird-Wilcock, CSEP, Founder and CEO of The Simplifiers.  For those whom I haven’t met yet, howdy, hi, lovely to meet you!  My journey as a mentor in the events industry has been nothing sort of an epic global adventure, truly.

You see, I launched The Simplifiers back in 2003, as a full-service event planning company, based in Austin, Texas…in my pajamas, in my home office, as you do.  Spinning off from my 7+ years of experience working in commercial radio, producing large-scale concerts and community events, I decided to follow the way of my entrepreneurial parents and start my own small business.

It was my dream, after all… 

…planning events with passionate clients and amazing vendor partners who value my knack at staying super organized, always under budget and cultivating a collaborative, fun experience in the event design process.  Plus, I finally found a profession that truly APPRECIATED my attention to detail! (all the OCD gals in the crowd, holla!)

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