In the second installment of our gratitude series, Event Production Manager Clare tells us about how she fell into the events industry and shares a few pivotal on-event moments in her life that spark gratitude. Especially when she’s knee-deep in pre-event spreadsheets and logistics!
When did you start at Event 360?
I started at Event 360 on November 29th, so my one-year anniversary is coming up soon.
What did you do before joining Event 360?
I was freelance for a long time in music festival production in New Orleans. A lot of my work previously was with the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, French Quarter Festival, and New Orleans Film Festival. I also worked with Spartan Race and South by Southwest. Before that, I was living in New York and working for a company on the experiential marketing team.
Did you always want to work within the events industry?
No, I was a French major in college! Events were not on my radar. I sort of fell into the industry when I got my first job out of college at a music and private events venue. On the topic of gratefulness, I’m grateful for my boss there, who was the first person to give me the kind of positive feedback that made me feel like—oh wow this is really within my skill set and that events are something I excel at. Her encouragement made me feel really at home with events in general. She helped me see my skill set in a more structured way, how they fit well into event production and how I could use them to be the most useful and effective in my role there. I remember thinking to myself, “Oh this is definitely a good fit.”
How did your roles previously help you transition to peer-to-peer fundraising events?
I’m grateful for the experiences I had before coming to Event 360. It helped me learn that the infrastructure of peer-to-peer events is very much the same as the musical festival I’d been working on, it’s just that a lot of the elements we’re dealing with are on a different scale.
How do you find gratitude in your day-to-day life as an event professional?
The piece that always brings me back to home base when I’m overwhelmed is impact. Working in festivals in particular, I developed a big sense of gratitude when you’re working together with people to create something. Creating positive experiences for every single person on event is important to me, all while creating an environment that’s respectful, collaborative and positive where everyone feels good about their role on the team. This experience should be great for more than just the participants — including vendors, staff, volunteers. It’s easy to lose perspective when you’re dealing with such a granular level putting the event together. When my eyes are crossing in a spreadsheet, remembering the impact of events is huge.
Do you have an event moment that you reflect on that made you grateful?
Most recently at a Shatterproof Rise Against Addiction Walk, I got super teared up. That is a cause that is closer to me than some of our clients. To see those folks who were impacted, I’m grateful for those reminders of just how much what we do matters. How an event can have an impact on somebody’s day, week, and entire life. Events have the ability to facilitate these pivotal moments in people’s lives. Especially now when everything is so digital.
Speaking more tangibly, what event production tools are you the most grateful for?
Snips, my phone holster and ratchet straps!
Check back next week to hear from another Event 360 teammate!
