I've become…Average

Taking a step back allows you to gain a different perspective…but what happens when your perspective becomes average?

Its no secret, for a lot of years I was a champion for business events, happily leading the cheerleading squad, toting the benefits of the events industry and leading the rally cry for meeting, incentive and special event planners everywhere to join arms and be recognized. Folks that know me know that I am still passionate about the business events industry…but my perspective has been challenged.

For the past year, I've been rebuilding magazines for Business Information Group; namely Hardware Merchandising and Canadian Contractor. Heading into this fall, we are launching three conferences for Canadian Contractor and rebuilding an awards gala for Hardware Merchandising. I'm now your typical corporate meeting planner…organizing events part-time, not a member of any business event industry association, and deeply passionate about my non-event industries.

In short, I've become…average. My events this fall will be great, by my own measurements, and they will require no additional meeting planning education to accomplish said greatness. I will rely on my suppliers/partners to ensure my critical path doesn't go off the rails. I will likely beg a huge favour from someone for something I forgot, overlooked or underestimated. And after the events are done, I will retreat into the depths of my industries feeling safe and comfortable knowing I won't need to begin planning again for several months.

Being a part-time planner allows you to sit on the sidelines. You can easily justify not engaging in the "business events industry" because it is not "my" industry. In my own case, my industries are home improvement retail and residential renovations & construction. So what is the tipping point when someone gets off the sideline and engages? Is it when the percentage of their day job reaches a magic number? Is it a casual invitation from a supplier to come to function as their guest? Is it after an event goes horribly wrong and the individual gets on Google and learns there is a lot to learn about planning events? I would speculate the answer could be "all of the above".

Over the past year I have had a front row seat in rebuilding a business from the ground up; re-engaging an industry using print, online and face-to-face events. Now, going forward, I want to network and learn with fellow entrepreneurs how to be even better and continue to grow my businesses.

So I hereby give notice that I am getting off the sideline…see you soon!
Steve