Making it Happen
I am one of 12 million Americans working in the live events industry—it was the first industry to be placed on pause and it will be the last industry to restart when it is deemed safe by local, state and federal officials. Just to put this into perspective, before Covid-19, live events contributed approximately $1 trillion to the U.S. economy; now the industry is expected to lose up to 80% of overall revenue.
Challenge Connoisseurs This is devastating for event producers like myself and for the millions of professional businesses, contractors, and the entire events workforce of caterers, waitstaff, musicians, venue managers, florists and beyond. As event professionals we are used to handling challenges and can certainly share many stories from the front-lines. Perhaps a keynote speaker’s flight was late for a global sales meeting, or the venue’s power went out just as guests were arriving. We also have many stories to tell on how these disasters were deftly managed. Today, as we deal with this disaster and start to re-open, you need a professional’s help. For example, how will you manage capacity limits and flow? We are experts at understanding the protocols of major venues and how to flawlessly execute under these circumstances. We are challenge connoisseurs, put us to work for you.
Professionals to the Rescue What are you doing differently during this pandemic? For Make it Happen Management, it is our opportunity to service our clients and new customers in new, exciting and innovative ways. You could say we have gone from hosting heads of state to planning wedding dates—both are given Make it Happen’s legendary level of detail and promise to be exciting, educational, entertaining and empowering.
Keep Telling Your Story At the heart of every event, whether it is launching a new product or organizing an employee appreciation incentive or teambuilding, there is a story. And now more than ever, you need a professional’s help to tell and execute your story in a meaningful way. Getting married?
With the right production help, you could add a virtual or hybrid component to your wedding, that feels more like a professional film production with guests feeling engaged and involved. Many corporations are likely to be suffering from Zoom fatigue by now. Make it Happen Management can create exciting alternatives in the gaming space, for example, to keep employees motivated and to use as a client entertaining concept. Why not take someone on a virtual tour of an art museum with a personal docent, it’s a wonderful way to feel transported. Recently, a law firm approached us with the goal to create an experience that would celebrate Pride 2020, Black Lives Matter, and Black Trans Lives Matter. Make it Happen Management organized and orchestrated a live virtual drag show and virtual games hosted by a celebrated drag Queen. Proceeds from the games went to a Black Lives Matter charity. In March we introduced
Chill & ConnectTM, an exclusive Make it Happen Management Event where we produce wine tastings, mocktails + cocktails, with notable chefs and mixologists, as well as yoga sessions, all engaging your audience with an experience that’s edu-taining. Clearly a winner for keeping morale and spirits high.
Stand Up for Our Industry On July 31, a rainy Friday morning in New York City, over 200 special events workers and small business owners rallied in Time Square to demand more unemployment benefits and loans from the government. There were 48 tables set up, each table representing 250,000 unemployed workers in the live event industry. Participants held up signs reading: You Miss Live Meetings, We Miss Making Ends Meet; We Can’t Work Due to Safety, Help Us Survive; Update the Payroll Protection Program; and #WishIWasThere. The event was organized by the Live Coalition Events, created in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and committed to working with political leaders and other industry organizations to bring immediate relief to companies of all sizes. We need everyone to take action immediately—and to plan a Save the Date event for your needs--so that we can help save jobs and an industry that has contributed so much to the success of businesses and to the economy.
My Call to Action for You:
Book a complimentary half-hour session with Make it Happen Events Management—I want to provide solutions for your social, business, or non-profit event and create a virtual masterpiece. I can Make it Happen!
Subscribe to this blog and stay informed
Sign the Petition: Request U.S. Federal Action for Devastated Events Industry
Donate and/or join The Live Events Coalition www.liveeventscoalition.org
The Coalition has two immediate goals:
Leverage the power of our network to provide care, support and resources for the community that makes up the live events industry.
Call attention to the catastrophic effects of Covid-19 on the business of live events; and ensure that we’re included in the ongoing National conversation and supplemental Federal relief aid packages.
Today we’re asking the following government officials, some whom I have met with, to include support for hardworking people like us in the next stimulus bill:
Senator Chuck Schumer • Senator Mitt Romney • U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand • Senator Ben Cardin • Senator Marco Rubio • Senator Cory Booker • Senator Mitch McConnell • Senator Rand Paul • Senator John Kennedy • Senator Tim Scott's Office • Senator Joni Ernst • Senator Todd Young • Senator Josh Hawley • Senator Maria Cantwell • Senator Jeanne Shaheen • Senator Mazie K. Hirono • Senator Tammy Duckworth • Sen. Jacky Rosen • House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ⠀
I look forward to Making it Happen for your business or social engagement very soon.
@liveeventsco #wishiwasthere #saveevents
