Event Architects To Know in 2024 - Meredith Crockett Soper, Above and Beyond Creative
Meredith Crockett Soper, of Above and Beyond Creative, discusses how she builds and plans meetings and events in the evolving hospitality landscape of 2024.
Luke Whalin
Oct 31, 2024
Welcome to the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series, where we highlight event professionals making waves across the events industry to share lessons learned and raise awareness of their invaluable contributions.
Name: Meredith Crockett Soper
Company Name: Above and Beyond Creative
Job Title: Founder & Owner
Can you briefly tell us about your background in event planning and how you got started in the industry?
For the first decade post-grad, I was in property management for the Houston CRE (commercial real estate) industry. I assisted in managing Class A office buildings in central Houston. With that comes administering tenant leases, managing contract services, building an annual plan, and curating tenant relations programs and events. Well, I absolutely thrived in anything tenant-facing, i.e., tenant relations, and I really grew to love coming up with fun, innovative ways to get tenants excited about coming into the office, especially post-pandemic, where everyone wanted to work from home. I groomed myself to be adroit and artful in bringing new, exciting vendors into the building for one-time events. Tenant attendance skyrocketed as my team, and I planned more frequent smaller events. Seeing and hearing how much fun everyone was having "at the office" and how appreciative everyone was really made my heart swell, and I knew I had tapped into something special.
After almost 11 years in property management, I faced a crossroads and the age-old question, "Should I stay, or should I go now?" - cue drums. In Q4 2021, I decided it was time to put the second foot over the threshold and took a leap of faith out of property management and into the unknown. Entrepreneurship. Now, not wanting to negate a decade's worth of education, relationships, and intellectual property, I set out to fill a void in the commercial real estate industry: event planning. I made it my mission to assist property managers in curating and managing tenant events. Because let's face it, you either love event planning or kind of hate it. If you love it, you either know how to execute it or don't. If you hate it, you delegate the task to someone else. In both instances, you need help. Enter Above & Beyond Houston dba Above & Beyond Creative.
It's been about 2.5 years since the birth of my brainchild, Above & Beyond Creative, and it has been an absolute dream come true. Terrifying? Yes. Fun? Yes! Each day is a new opportunity to learn something new, meet someone new, and try something new. I used to cringe when my phone rang because I was technically a landlord, and no one called the Landlord to say, "Thank you for turning the lights on / HVAC is working properly / elevators are smooth and quiet today." Amiright? Now, my phone rings with a new client, a new deal, a new opportunity. I am very thankful for how my business has been going and growing, and I am only looking forward to the future.
How do you go about selecting the perfect hotel or venue? What factors weigh most heavily in your decision?
Selecting the perfect venue can make or break your event. Luckily, the venue is the building if you're dealing with clients like mine or commercial property managers. Whether it's the building lobby, the rooftop terrace, the street-level green space, or the floor conference center, you still have the opportunity to choose. In Houston, we don't have amazing weather most months, so more likely than not, your event will take place indoors (building lobby, the spacious conference center). the headcount also determines where you'll host - since typically you invite the entire building population to attend, you'll want a large space where people can move about comfortably. What type of activities (if any) will be present? What type of food will be served and how (buffet style, grab-n-go)?
If I am planning a private event, say a birthday party or a milestone, and the client has not already chosen a venue, the factors are merely the same as above. You take into account the headcount, the type of food and how it will be served, and the location (weather patterns) and go from there. The venue sets the tone for the event—the budget and the venue!
What does the initial planning phase of securing a venue look like for you? Could you walk us through your initial steps?
What common financial challenges often arise when organizing an event, what strategies do you use to mitigate them, and how do you avoid them?
Securing a venue is simple. Once you've decided the vibe for your event, you secure the venue with a deposit. Then you meet with the onsite team at the venue (if they have one). The planner (me) meets initially with them to set the tone and establish the relationship; otherwise, if the client gets too involved too quickly, there are too many cooks in the kitchen, and the client may end up communicating directly with the venue, which is never a good idea. If this happens, it could mean the client is too friendly and getting too involved, which confuses vendors as to who is in charge. It could also mean the client is losing trust in the planner.
Financial challenges could mean a variety of things - it could mean going over budget, increased costs after approving a proposal, or worse case, a client doesn't pay. One thing that will keep you in the black is GET A GOOD CONTRACT written up to protect yourself and your company, financially and legally speaking. I had my lawyer review a short-term service agreement contract that I can use for any event I am contracted to plan. It protects my company, myself, and my name from unfortunate circumstances. Think you don't have the means for a lawyer? Think again. There are many legal services out there free of charge or that charge very little (or at least can work with you on a payment plan) for their services. But just know, it is worth it to have protection than not to have it.
Written communication (email preferably, text/screenshots with time stamps) with anyone involved in the planning process (vendors, clients, subcontractors) will always be a tried-and-true practice to stave off any added costs or financial burdens. Any verbal agreement or conversation you have with a client or vendor should always be followed up with an email stating the agreed-upon terms.
Now, while you're actually planning the event or putting up decorations and you encounter certain financial challenges, it's usually people. Whether it's extra bodies to install decor, extra hands to serve food, or more bartenders because the headcount has increased, people are more expensive than things. Always know that. Again, get it in writing, too: what they'll be paid, who will be paying them, any overtime charges, etc.
How do you leverage technology to boost efficiency during the planning, execution, and post-event stages? What does your “event tech stack” look like? (For example, using Survey Monkey for surveying attendees post-event)
I like to use Google Drive to house all documentation, photos, proposals, etc.
and Excel for my budget spreadsheet. v and will send either Google Meet or Zoom links. I use Adobe InDesign and Canva to design flyers and inspiration boards as needed. I use Survey Monkey for any surveys sent out after events (mainly for my clients only, not attendees). I operate on a MacBook Pro and have 2 desktop monitors at my home office. I have an iPhone and all the chargers. I keep it fairly simple.
Do you use frameworks, templates, or other tools/documents to help you stay organized and manage the event planning process?
My tried-and-true tool is my budget detail template. It's a simple spreadsheet that itemizes costs and tracks vendors, payments, overages, and tasks. It's my organizing Bible.
Do you have any specific strategies or insights for enhancing the attendee experience at your events?
People love free food, so I always ensure snacks or food is available, even if it's not a "mealtime event". I am always very intentional about having local, small businesses present and represented at my events. Instead of a big one-stop-shop caterer, I contract local restaurants that are aching to get into the catering world, but no one is giving them a chance. The food is always so much better in quality, and I always hear people at the even complimenting the food. One event I had in particular, I just had chips and salsa catered from one of my favorite local eateries. I've never heard so many people rave about red salsa in my life. It's the little things! Yes, people love free food, but let's make it good free food.
Effective communication is crucial in any planning process. How do you ensure you and your event stakeholders are always on the same page?
I always meet with my clients, first-timers or veterans, in person before going into too many details. I like to get a feel for their vibe and the event's potential, and then communication becomes much easier after meeting someone in person. I make myself readily available to all my clients by phone or email 24/7. Respectfully, I've never received a call or text too late/early, but they know I will always respond. Also, for each event I plan, I create a separate shared drive folder for my clients and me to refer to drop inspiration images, proposals, etc... This helps the client visualize certain aesthetics, where their money is going, how I operate, etc.
How do you facilitate networking opportunities among attendees? Are there any specific tactics or strategies that you recommend?
What's your go-to plan for handling emergencies or unexpected situations during an event?
Can you share an example of a significant challenge you faced while planning an event conference and how you overcame it?
Unfortunately, in my experience, networking has developed somewhere of an ick factor to the word. Yes, each event I plan and host is a networking opportunity, but instead of viewing each as such, I let the event speak for itself. I always have business cards and my Dot QR code (virtual business card) ready for scanning. I've gotten many compliments and given my card out multiple times during events. However, I also get emails and DMs after the event from attendees or people who saw shared content from said events. It's an amazing feeling to get a reference from a client.
It's a little contradictory to have a go-to plan for unexpected situations, but in the sense of the question, I always just trust my gut and pull from my hat of tricks. It's never the same situation so it's never the same go-to plan. If I can be appreciative of anything in my career as an entrepreneur event planner that has truly been my saving grace...it's my network. The relationships I've built. It's not just what vendors I use; it's the people who make magic happen. They always come in clutch and understand the urgency of a situation because they've been there.
As mentioned before, Houston's weather can be quite unpredictable. Most recently, I was planning an outdoor event for a milestone birthday, which was taking place outside in a private residence's backyard. The day before the event, Houston was hit with astronomical wind and thunderstorm, equivalent to a tropical storm, and the entire backyard was in disarray, trees broken in half, leaves and branches everywhere, furniture cushions completely soaked, dirt and debris in the pool, and most heartbreakingly, the 20-ft by 20-ft steel poled tent erected the afternoon prior had snapped in half. I had never seen anything like it the steel poles literally snapped in half due to the terribly strong winds. My client was devastated and, quite honestly, freaking out as the entire city was suffering from power outages, collapsed foliage, blocked streets, and traffic lights completely dark. The cake baker had to cancel due to her power being out; the cupcakes were canceled, the tent company was as commitment-phobic as a 19-year-old fraternity boy, and decor companies weren't able to get to their warehouse to open the doors for me to pick up items. The event was still on, and I knew this was where I had to go truly above and beyond. I rolled up my metaphoric sleeves and got to work. I was the calm in the storm for my client, assuring her I would get everything cleaned and accounted for. I drove across town twice to pick up items, getting gate codes from vendors over the phone because they were trapped at home. I helped clean out the pool and squeeze cushions dry; the tent company finally came out to fix the tent around 3 pm, and then I was able to decorate just in time for the first guest to arrive at 5 pm.
It was an insane time, an insane day, an insane act of God, but the party was honestly one of my favorites. The decor was adorable, the activities went off without a hitch, the photos were epic, the birthday girl was excited the whole time, and my client, her mom, was happy. I am so happy, in fact, that she provided the largest tip I've ever received, and we are already working on future events together.
What are the typical steps you take in the post-event phase?
Typical steps for me in a post-event phase are simple. First, the event "ends" not when the last guest leaves but rather when the last piece of trash is picked up, the last piece of decor is removed, and the final bill is paid.
Post-event steps include taking a small breather, sleeping in (till 8 am or 8:30 am usually), hydrating, and then editing photos from the event. I always take pictures and videos of the event for my portfolio and client. You'd be surprised how often people DON'T take pictures or videos at their own events. I love that because it means they are enjoying themselves. But it also means they don't have anything to reminisce over, to share with their owners, or even share with their tenants via a website or newsletter. These are key factors in tenant relations programs because visuals are vital. Say it with me...VISUALS ARE VITAL. That's how people shop in today's world. You shop by perusing someone's website or social media, the products they offer, the "before & after "shots they provide, and real-time captured moments of an event or experience.
After editing the content, I uploaded it to the shared drive (Google) I created at the beginning of the contract for the client. I update the budget spreadsheet with real costs, showing how and where their dollars were allocated, and I always provide an outlet for my clients to share feedback via the survey link.
What key performance indicators (KPIs) do you use to evaluate the success of an event?
Is my client happy?
Did we come in under budget? If not, what caused us to go over budget, and was it a value add?
Was there talk of a "next event" between me and my client?
What advice would you offer someone just starting their career in the meetings and events industry?
Don't start small because you think you have to. The event planning industry is full of symbiotic relationships, and everyone is trying to make it to the next party. You'd be surprised at how often vendors send me business (because if I get new business as a planner, then vendors get new business). Know your mission and know it well. Your brand is yourself, so don't sell yourself short, and never compromise your worth.