The adventures of being an event planner and emcee: Event Horror Stories [Episode 1]
EventLand’s brand new podcast series, Event Horror Stories, hosted by Marian Volkwyn, aims to be transparent and humanize the events industry by sharing real-life event stories. No-holds-barred – we want to share the good, the bad, and the ugly.
In our first installment of EventLand’s podcast series, powered by InEvent, we invited Courtney Stanley, a keynote speaker, event emcee, and podcaster, to share her stories on hosting and attending impactful events.
Listen to the full episode:
Courtney started as an event marketer, but as time went by, she found her voice – quite literally – and realized she was destined to speak. Her portfolio ranges from being a keynote speaker at conferences to conducting interviews and hosting podcasts and other events. Courtney decided to go beyond and turn her side hustle into a full-time role as an entrepreneur.
Courageously, Courtney weathered the storm and decided to launch her business right at the beginning of the pandemic and admits that it might have been the worst time to start a business. But true to form, Courtney saw the silver lining and believes that starting at a challenging time was the best opportunity to grow as an entrepreneur.
From an event planner to a full-time emcee
As an event planner, you’re managing and interacting with speakers. “I had a lot of experience in program design and experiential design, but I had never created content until volunteering to speak at industry conferences. At many events, there were opportunities to submit proposals to present your ideas. It was a good way for me to practice my love of speaking and also share my knowledge. It was also an excellent opportunity to be present at those industry events and network with other planners, suppliers, and industry leaders,” says Courtney.
Courtney’s Event Horror Story
At a hybrid event rehearsal, the event venue’s internet connection was not working. With an expected virtual audience of 1000+ paid attendees, Courtney had to get creative to find a solution. The production team, alongside Courtney, used their initiative, and their audience had no idea that they were experiencing technical difficulties at all.
Find out how Courtney and her production team managed to find a solution in “The Adventures of Being an Event Planner and Emcee”:
What Courtney learned from this event horror story
- Always have an event rehearsal and make sure that you have a contingency plan in the pipeline.
- There are moments where things are out of your control, even when you love to be in control. In those moments, go with the flow.
- Sharpen your level of confidence. Confidence is not something you’re born with; it’s something you learn, especially when things are challenging. Learn from those experiences.
- Be flexible. In this past year, we have learned that being agile and thinking on your feet are vital.
- Slow down. If things don’t go according to plan, take a step back, take a breath and reassess what makes the most sense for you to move forward. This will make you more confident in your next steps and help you make sure that the following steps are, in fact, the appropriate steps.
This episode of Event Horror Stories was brought to you by InEvent.Tune in for more podcast episodes by EventLand, by following EventLand on Spotify.
About the Author / Akeem Okunola
