The Special Event, New Orleans: Our Top Takeaways
Taking time out of our hectic schedules to reflect on our business, gain a deeper understanding for our industry while of course staying on top of the trends is paramount to Red Carpet’s success. Earlier this year, we attended the The Special Event in New Orleans. Read below to see our top takeaways from this annual events industry conference.
1. Go Out and Adventure
The best event inspiration comes from real life. In an interior design events panel, Kristin Banta from Kristin Banta Events, Jordan Carbotti from Perfect Surroundings, Intl., and Ruben Gomez and Clint Upchurch from Extraordinary Events all emphasized how they find inspiration in diverse ways. The overarching theme was to find inspiration from life– from walking a new street in your hometown to eating at a new restaurant in an exotic locale, inspiration is everywhere! For example, we found this awesome little plant in tires while walking around New Orleans – we totally want to transform this into a centerpiece for an urban chic party now!
2. Create Community Experiences at Your Events
During a “Festivalization” session, Kent Underwood with Leo Events emphasized how music festivals (such as Kaboo, which he helped launch) are setting the trends in the events industry. One of the biggest aspects music festivals offer is that they foster community building for festival-goers – from apps that give people the information they need when they need it to one-of-a-kind excursions for VIPs to take surf lessons from a band. Get your guests connected to your event on a deeper level by fostering personalized experiences that leave them feeling like they weren’t just a spectator, but part of something bigger.
3. Creativity Requires Time & Space
Dustin Westling from One West Events gave a fantastic talk about his company’s journey to intentionally create a workspace environment that cultivates creativity. Our biggest take away from him is that you can’t rush creativity. At Red Carpet, we find that we are most creative and can provide our clients the best solutions when we are given the time to brainstorm as a team. Although clients are often on timelines, it is important to balance deadlines with planning to get the best result.
4. How You React is Everything
Events, like everything else in life, are imperfect. With so many moving parts, even the top event professionals in the industry (Kristin Banta, Clint Upchurch and Rick Turner) expressed how some aspect of an event will inevitably not go as planned in their “Make it Up, Make it Happen” session. Learning to accept this while also being prepared for the unplanned is essential. Ensuring that unplanned turns are addressed calmly and efficiently is key to ensuring that the show goes on.
Well there you have it! We can’t wait until the next TSE in San Diego next year!