This post is part of the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series where HopSkip spotlights planners across the industry to bring awareness of how they adapted to COVID-19, communicating and lessons learned and sharing how they are viewing the meetings and events industry in a post-pandemic world.
Name: Katie Reese
Company Name: Tailscale
Job Title: Senior Events Manager
Years of Experience: 5
How did you get your start in the events industry? What made you pursue this role?
I started my career in the events industry when I moved to NYC and supported creative studios and agencies with their events. I have continued the pursuit of this career path because of its quick pace, the opportunity to balance online & offline work, and lessons learned that are applicable to many walks of life that may come in the future.
How would you describe your role or responsibilities as a professional event planner?
I am responsible for gathering people in a way that shows the status and trajectory of the business by delivering an in-person experience with a high level of polish and thoughtfulness.
How do you compare planning your first in-person event post-pandemic, to planning meetings/events pre- Covid? What was different and unique? What was similar?
Event planners must consider basic safety measures and sanitization protocols. They must also stay up-to-date with local and national health guidelines and regulations, and adjust their plans accordingly.
What challenges have you faced in your work as a meeting and event planner, when working with suppliers or sourcing a venue and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenges that I have faced as an event producer are task management, scope creep, and managing forces out of my control. Event production has expanded my capacity for patience and scale.
How do you determine which vendors are best suited for your stakeholder's needs while also finding those providing competitive services at affordable rates?
Every event requires a unique mix of vendors to pull off something delightful at such a scale. Vendors truly make or break the event. At a minimum, I am evaluating cost, communication skills, previous work, and familiarity with the venue and industry when deciding which vendor to work with. I specifically look for vendors who are helpful and jump in to close gaps that they identify. The right vendors are partners.
Are there any key lessons or insights that have shaped your approach to event planning over the years?
The devil is in the details.
With hotels short-staffed, and RFP lead time shortening, what is your advice to other planners to overcome these obstacles when requesting hotels for proposals?
Be as clear as possible when working with hotel staff. Document in advance exactly how you would like to work with them and to what extent. For smaller projects like team offsites or smaller gatherings, I prefer to work with boutique hotel chains and local businesses. I rely on more established and seasoned hotel chains that have access to more resources in terms of staffing, partners, and venue.
What is the biggest area of improvement that you think hotels can make when either responding to your RFPs or during the contract phase of your event?
Communication is truly everything. I am vetting their group reservations team for those skills from the first time I am on a direct line with them. Good hotels are more than venues - they are partners.
Due to the pandemic, our events community had to evolve, adapt, and grow. Many planners started to embrace new technologies as a result of the pandemic. What new tech are you using today in your planning process as a result?
ChatGPT has changed how I brainstorm and communicate information.
Since education and relationships are two major pillars in the meetings and events industry, any suggestions on how other planners can learn and network with their peers across the industry?
There are some great Slack groups for event planners out there! Event Professional Network is managed by Lisa Gregory, and that is the one I lean into the most.
This post is part of the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series where HopSkip spotlights planners across the industry to bring awareness of how they adapted to COVID-19, communicating and lessons learned and sharing how they are viewing the meetings and events industry in a post-pandemic w,orld.