This post is part of the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series where HopSkip spotlight's 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: Kathleen McClemmy
Company Name: The Aesthetic Society
Job Title: Director of Meetings
Years of Experience: 30
How were you able to adapt during COVID-19 when the meeting and events industry got disrupted?
Covid-19 brought challenges to the industry that none of us were prepared to address. As an organization, we looked beyond and took chances. We took an impossible situation and made it possible by keeping it simple. March 2020 we cancelled our annual meeting and within 3 weeks had a virtual platform and produced a 2 day meeting. Was it perfect? No, but we didn't let fear stop us. Today we have already had an annual meeting in Miami with 700 attendees, 900 exhibitor reps and 500 virtual attendees. We will continue with a hybrid model through 2022.
As a planner, what was the number one thing you learned over the past year?
Over the past year, I have learned to change the definition of success and perfection. We learned that all our stakeholders need choices to accomplish their goals and while not perfect we are providing those choices.
Is there anything you are changing in your planning process moving forward as a result of the pandemic?
I would not say we are changing anything other than ensuring that we are able to make quick moves and changes by having safety nets in place in order to ensure that we position ourselves in the best possible way to provide our members and stakeholders what they need to succeed.
This post is part of the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series where HopSkip spotlight's 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.