Interviews
Read how Melissa Tighe, Executive Vice President & CFO of IMN Solutions, is viewing the meetings and events industry in a post-pandemic world.
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: Melissa Tighe
Company Name: IMN Solutions
Job Title: EVP & CFO
Location: Arlington, VA
Years of Experience: 15
How were you able to adapt during COVID-19 when the meeting and events industry got disrupted?
IMN Solutions has always been a client-centric company. One of our Association clients has been with us for over 20 years. As the pandemic hit, we immediately started strategically working with our industry partners to quickly shift our client's conferences to future open years. We then leveraged our team's individual skills to quickly adapt to the changing needs of our clients. With a diverse team on staff, we filled many Association needs with virtual strategy and execution, sales, education management, financial strategy management, accounting services, and more. Our team operated with a startup mentality, willing to fill any need our clients had as a result of the impacts of COVID.
As a planner, what was the number one thing you learned over the past year?
This past year, I learned I could stretch outside of my comfortable skill set more than I ever thought possible or desired to do. The pandemic forced me to learn skills that I would have never acquired in what I thought would be my professional trajectory. I also learned our team is resilient, agile, and truly Rock Stars!
Finally, we learned how loyal our clients are to IMN and this family that has been built over the years. The past 18 months have certainly been a struggle for this entire industry, but as we start to see the light, we are confident that the relationships and skills we have built over this time at home will help our industry and business clients see great success.
Is there anything you are changing in your planning process moving forward as a result of the pandemic?
We are working with our clients to question everything. This is the perfect time to make changes and identify the true purpose of each experience and program offered. We are considering content delivery methods, diversified revenue streams, touchpoint frequency, and experiential connections. Prior to the pandemic and more so than ever we are focused on minimizing liability for our clients.
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.