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10 Essential Business Practices for the Self-Employed

Here are 10 valuable business practices I’ve learned over years of owning and operating businesses. These little tidbits have helped with my company’s exposure and name recognition, and took my event planning business from six figures to over seven figures.

Small things can make a big difference in your business, especially if you are working from home. Make sure you keep your mind sharp and your face out there for your vendors and clients to remember you.

1) Be a partner to your clients.

Your client hired you to help with a project, idea or specific task. Your job is to make them look good to someone who is important to them whether it be a boss, colleagues, event participants, or their clients. Make sure you consider yourself a part of their team to succeed.  Being a valuable team member makes it less likely you will be replaced.

2) Keep up with fresh ideas and the newest technology.

You’re the expert in your field; your clients look to you for fresh ideas and what is happening in that field that they don’t have time to track. Knowing what’s new and cutting edge will keep you on their minds when they need innovative ideas and a new approach for their problems or opportunities. Being well-versed has led me to many upsell situations, and can happen to you as well.

3) Read and absorb industry material.

What event industry magazines, blogs, and newsletters are you reading? What podcasts are you listening to? Are you checking in on your competitors? What are they offering that you aren’t? Are they contributing to the industry news?

With easy, instant access to new and exciting information in your industry, make sure you can introduce your clients to new and exciting offerings that fit their needs. They are hiring you for your ideas and inspirations. Make sure you have something to offer.

4) Document ideas that fit your clients’ needs as you come across them.

You’re out and about, talking to people and learning what others have done in the industry. If you’re attending trade shows, networking with other professionals in your line of work, or attending conventions, you’ll probably run across information you think would be great to pass along to your clients.

Make a note on your phone, tablet, or laptop so that you have that information next time you have the opportunity to chat with your client. This will give you information to share as well as a great way to get in front of your client to sign the next contract.

Networking for Your Business 

5) Communicate with past and present clients to stay on top of their mind.

Once I got an event from a client just because he had a need and his previous provider didn’t stay in touch. OUCH! This left an opening that I was able to walk in and close.

Make sure you are reaching out to your clients periodically; this ensures your name isn’t forgotten and your card isn’t lost in a sea of other similar businesses, but rather stays at the top of the pile.

6) Become friends with your clients.

I had a client for several years and I knew little about her story but was careful not to share my own. One day we both happened to be sitting together watching our daughters play volleyball and got into a conversation that we both connected on.

This made the sales process, meetings and events so much easier. We now had connecting points and shared experiences on a personal level, not just business. Be careful that you remain positive when visiting with your clients. Don’t slip into nagging or complaining. And NEVER talk about other clients in a negative way—this will make you look bad, not the client.

7) Hire experts in areas you don’t excel in.

The age-old difficulty for the business owner… letting go and delegating! Don’t’ worry, you are not alone, but the quicker you learn to let go of tasks that someone else can fulfill for you, the faster you will grow.

Take me for example; taking six hours out of my week to mow the lawn just doesn’t seem financially sound. Consider this…what is your hourly rate? Can you hire someone to do it for less than what it would “cost” you?

If you don’t enjoy it, don’t have the best equipment, or get frustrated and pull away from where you make your money to handle a task, delegate it out! When I finally learned this lesson (one I heard over and over throughout the years) my business doubled!

Know your strengths and weaknesses; play to your strengths and hire to fulfill your weaknesses. This saves you time and frustration.

Finding the Perfect Vendors for Your Corporate Event

8) Become an information resource.

Do you have one person you can call when you just can’t find what you’re looking for? That one person who knows where to find the impossible? Be that person for your clients and vendors.

You know you have the connections and it really doesn’t take much time, but knowing where to find the unusual—who can make it and how to make it—has been a wonderful way to keep my name and number handy for my clients and vendors.

I had an experience where the meeting planner requested something from the hotel and the hotel event manager agreed to provide, but then didn’t know how to provide what they had agreed to…they called me, and I ended up with an excellent client for 10 years. And the hotel looked like a genius for being able to provide the request.

9) Surround yourself with like-minded people.

One of my favorite groups I belong to is a group called South Side Masterminds. It’s a group of entrepreneurs from different industries that get together once a month and discuss business challenges, ideas and solutions.

We are a very small and closed group, we laugh throughout the whole meeting, and the ideas and businesses that have come out of this group have been amazing. I highly suggest you find your own think tank to get involved with. This keeps you active in the community (especially if you are a solopreneur!) and exposes you to new ideas and thought processes.

10) Contribute to the community.

Online or in your neighborhood, being involved in your community is a great way of sharing your passion, giving back, and getting to know others. It’s not all about gaining new clients or finding your next big event, though on occasion it might lead to that.

For me, I have always enjoyed helping others achieve their goals and putting their best foot forward for their clients, donors, etc. It feels good to help create an event that everyone benefits from.

I pick two or three events a year to donate my time and resources to, and do my best to make sure their event goes off without a hitch. I have a few very cool events that I’ve had the opportunity to have an impact on, and there is nothing more rewarding. The relationships I’ve built through these organizations have been priceless!

Wrapping It Up

These are a few of the very important tips we as entrepreneurs need to keep on top of our minds each and every day to make sure our business, and you, stay in the limelight.

Remember the roofing guy you met at the 4th of July party? Probably not, because he didn’t connect with you following that one-time meeting, so you probably won’t think of his name next time someone is mentioning how they need their roof redone.

We are all human and each busy in our lives; if our face isn’t seen by those who can recommend us, than we are losing out on business connections that could come our way. They say the best opportunity to sell is when someone else has recommended you. Get out there and be seen!

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Networking for Your Events Business

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Attending events, conferences, and meetings you are not working is a great way to network and meet contacts who may be looking for event planning services in the future. Networking can be a productive source for future business if done right. However, it can also reflect negatively on your company or be a waste of time if you go about it the wrong way.

As an event planner, you need to hone your networking skills as this is one of the most important types of “advertising” that you will use.  Meeting and greeting people and making a positive, lasting first impression is imperative to running a successful event planning business.

Following these simple guidelines and brushing up on your skills will help ensure that any time you meet a potential client, you make the best use of the time you have with them. If nothing else, you will leave a favorable impression on them.

1. Know your audience.  If your specialty is planning events for top level executives, focus on networking in that arena.  However, if you are new to networking or not confident, attend some lower-value events first to practice before trying to work a room full of business leaders.

Of course it doesn’t hurt to network in other areas, but establish yourself in your niche market first and then expand.  If you work better with less formal events, such as proms or parties, start there until you are confident enough to try a different market.

2. Do your research.  Find out who will be attending an event so you know how you will want to properly position yourself and your company.  You don’t want to discuss prom decorations while networking with corporate executives, or vice versa.

3. Rehearse what you will say about who you are and what your company does.  Develop and practice your elevator pitch so you can be confident in what you say and know what you are talking about.  Be able to answer follow-up questions should you connect with a potential client who wants more details.  Don’t leave a future customer questioning if you are an expert in your field.

Know how you will respond if you don’t have an answer.  “I’ll have to talk with my lighting person to get his/her advice and get back to you on that.” is a much better answer than “I don’t know but I’ll find out.”  And most importantly, follow up with an answer that day or the next.

4. Follow up.  Once you have met a possible future customer or even just an interesting connection, don’t let the opportunity go.  Connect with him/her, make a sales pitch if appropriate, meet for coffee to discuss possible future events, or just keep in touch to keep your name top of mind so they can easily recall it when they have an event to plan.

5. Keep it fresh.  Have a variety of ways of introducing yourself and explaining your business.  You may meet one person who chooses to introduce you to someone else, and you don’t want to sound like a robot repeating the exact thing you just said to the first contact.  Be flexible and keep it interesting.

6. Be helpful.  If during a conversation, you realize that you have a contact that may be beneficial to them, make the introduction.  Take the initiative to help others if you can.

By all means, keep yourself in the loop as much as possible by following up with both parties.  By introducing two contacts to each other, you will expand your network. By showing that you are interested enough to follow up, you will hopefully benefit from the matchmaking that you’ve done.

7. Make the person you are speaking with the center of your attention.  We’ve all experienced a conversation where the person you are speaking with is obviously anxious to move on and talk with someone else.  Chances are you didn’t work too hard to speak with that person again.  Use common courtesy and be respectful to the person you are talking with at the moment.

Networking can be a highly productive source of leads for your business.  If you aren’t experienced at networking, practice with a co-worker or friend or in front of a mirror.  If you find it uncomfortable or hard to do at first, remember that it will get easier with time. The more people you meet, the better you will get.

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How to Write an Elevator Pitch

Imagine this: the VIP at a very large company you would like to partner with or work for asks about your organization, company, or work. You only have two minutes to impress them before they leave for their next important meeting. GO!

Did you get the importance and mission of your work across? Or did you clam up as millions of thoughts flooded your mind?

Missing this opportunity is like letting the one eligible person at speed dating get away because you couldn’t make a connection before the bell rang. Well, it isn’t quite the same… but you get the point: it’s vital to have a pitch or speech well prepared when a similar situation arises.

Short, informative, and persuasive speeches such as these are known as elevator speeches or elevator pitches. Their name comes from the idea of being in an elevator with someone and getting a convincing message across from the time it takes to get from the lobby to your destination point.

 

An elevator pitch or speech should be used as a brief, persuasive speech that sparks the interest of the person you are sharing it with. Follow the five steps below to write your own elevator speech:

1) Identify the goal of your speech.

Identify whom you wish to convey your message to and what idea or message you want to share before you begin writing.

2) Explain what you do and what makes you unique.

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Finding a Business Coach

It’s hard to decide when to hire a business coach because there is no objective way to assess when it is time to hire one.   And more often than not, when it is time to hire one; you are too busy to do your homework to determine if it is a going to be a good fit.

This is a big decision.  Do not take it lightly.

This is because business coaches will help you:  focus, make more money, experience less stress, have better relationships with employees and loved ones, keep your sanity while your business expands, give you peace of mind, and help you learn to trust yourself to make the right decisions at every turn.

Who doesn’t want to experience all of that?

Key #1:  Find a business coach who is the right fit for you personally and professionally.

When you hire a business coach, it’s been proven in case studies that you will get the best results when you like and respect your coach (Manchester, 2001).  In addition, it will help tremendously if they have the expertise in the area of development that you need or want to address.   In other words, you must be both objective and subjective when choosing who you want to hire as your business coach.

Key #2:    Timing is everything.

If you are experiencing any of the following, it is time to consider the bottom-line impact that hiring a coach will have on the following:

  • Overcoming burn-out for you and/or your employees
  • Overcoming the lack of growth (or worse, a decrease in revenue)
  • Learning how to effectively deal with rapid growth
  • Taking the time to effectively prepare and plan to intentionally grow your business
  • Overcoming and ultimately avoiding low performance from staff members
  • Creating hierarchy and/or structure
  • Creating clear job descriptions
  • Creating a culture on purpose vs. by default
  • Creating a more effective sales process: branding, marketing, pitching, onboarding customers, managing customer relationship,  etc.

With that being said, it is equally (if not more) important to assess whether you are coachable and willing to invest the necessary time in your development to get the results you seek. If not, do not throw money at your problem. It will be a waste.

Key #3:   Give it time!

The results you want to experience are going to come if you hired the right professional.  With that being said, they don’t have a magic wand.  If you expect magic, hire a magician. NOT a coach.

Key #4:  Spending more money on coaching doesn’t equate to better or faster results.

This doesn’t mean that you are going to get to hire someone who is cheap, either.   In order to make this make sense financially, you need to assess the financial impact that your developmental gaps will have on the bottom-line.  After you do this, logically decide how much you are willing to spend and then commit to spending it.

This is important because if you hire a coach, you need to commit to the relationship for at least six months.  If you are financially strapped due to hiring a coach, it can create the opposite of what you want to achieve.  This is not what you want!

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How to Present Your Event Proposal Professionally

A lot of things happen behind the scenes of an event. Largely the months of planning and preparation that occur for that one night or several days event.

When individuals think about becoming an event planner, they often picture themselves enjoying time with the client picking out color swatches or even mingling while the party takes place. While these are some perks to being an event planner, there is a lot of hard work that goes into pulling off a successful party or event.

Before you can even get started planning an event, you must be selected as the planner of choice. Sometimes that means competing against other planners. The “competition process” can include presenting your proposal to the potential client, which is the topic we will be addressing here. This process might be called the RFP (Request for Proposal) process and many times the client will give you an outline of what they are looking for.

If you have made it this far in the selection process, there are some tips you’ll want to follow to make sure you are presenting in a professional manner and are able to make the most of this important face-to-face time with the client.

Below are five tips to presenting your event proposal professionally:

1) Dress to Impress

Don’t show up in yoga pants and your favorite black t-shirt. Although you may wear that in your home office, it’s not what you should wear for your presentation.
If this is your first face-to-face meeting with the client, you’ll want to use your attire to make a good first impression. I’d suggest wearing dress slacks and a business formal top or even a pencil skirt and dress sweater. Think of what you’d wear to an interview and go from there.

As you narrow down your outfit options, make sure you eliminate any options that could be too distracting. You don’t want the client focused on the clang of your bangle bracelets or brightly patterned tie.

2) Use Professional Body Language

While you are presenting, make sure your body language is positive and professional. Don’t slouch, grimace, or look closed off by crossing your arms the entire time.

It is important that you stand up straight, use open body language, and avoid doing any nervous tick behaviors if possible. Things like swaying and tapping your foot can be distracting and take away from the presentation. Ask your close friends, coworkers, or family members if you have any nervous habits you need to work on.

3) Practice Beforehand

If this is your first rodeo or a big presentation you’re feeling nervous about, practices in front of a small crowd or even the mirror beforehand. This is a great way to become aware of body language errors we previously mentioned. It is also a chance to refine your message and time your presentation.

4) Bring along a team member

I always like to have someone with me when I go to present a proposal. Not only does it allow someone to watch the clients’ reactions to ideas I’m presenting more closely, but it allows someone else within our company to be knowledgeable on the event details. This can be important for emergency situations. If you were unable to complete the event planning or be there the day of the event, your associate can seamlessly take over.

Another benefit is their ability to take notes for later and alert you if the client gives any non-verbal cues about disliking an idea or catch little nuances that you might have missed.

5)Practice your redirection skills

When your teammate gives you a silent cue of the client not liking an idea, or if you are able to notice it yourself, make sure you are able to redirect your client to the ideas they did like. This can be tough but with practice and more events, it will come naturally.

When presenting by yourself, watch the facial reactions to your ideas. If something isn’t clicking for the person you are presenting to, turn the meeting around and start asking questions. If you listen closely, the potential client will tell you exactly what they want and how much they are willing to spend.

Presenting your proposal professionally is an important step in getting selected as the planner of choice for an event. Going in with a negative attitude or making the mistake of chewing gum while presenting are things that can make or break your business. You may not get future calls to present if they feel you don’t take your job seriously.

There are also fun ways to spice up your presentation and leave an impression, which I share in full detail in our event planning membership.

I’d love to hear what you do to prepare for presentations. Share in the comments below!

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5 Fears of Starting Your Own Event Planning Business

Starting an event planning business can be intimidating, even scary. You may fear the perceived risks that are involved and question whether you can handle them. However, once we release what fear really means “False Evidence Appearing Real” (by: unknown) we have the opportunity to overcome.

Just remember this: “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” – Suzy Kassem

I love this quote and its nudge toward jumping all in. Who are you starting an event planning business for anyway? That’s right, for Y-O-U, you!

Does Fear Go Away Once I’ve Started?

Fear and doubt are part of going beyond your comfort zone and growing. Fear still exists as an entrepreneur, even when you’ve been in business for as long as I have. You know what I fear? I fear doing Facebook live. It is a real stretch for me. For some reason, I can’t get past this.

I can talk on the phone, do face-to-face meetings, speak in front of a crowd and many other things, but Facebook Live gets me all the time. However, when I go face my fears and do, whatever it is that I fear, it usually is really rewarding; it’s just a matter of a little practice. And yes, I need to do more Facebook Live.

When Others Add to Your Fears

Often family and friends will discourage you from going into business on our own. They think they are giving you advice that will help you, but it can be discouraging when you’ve decided to ‘do your own thing’. I remember when my parents told me I needed to get a ‘real job’ as if what I did was a hobby.

You’re Not Alone

Many people are in the same position as you. Trust me when I say you are not alone. Let’s examine the top five fears commonly found among those wanting to start an event planning business and how Event Heroes can help:


1. Not Enough Money

When isn’t money presenting itself as an obstacle? Money is a tricky thing, isn’t it? We work for an income to support ourselves and our families so that we can do things we enjoy. Did you know that if you work full time from ages 18-67, you will have worked 92,120 hours (source) during that time? That’s A LOT!

Wouldn’t you rather spend that timed doing something you LOVE?!

What I’m trying to say is that investing in yourself and your event planning dream is worth it.

With our Event Heroes training, you are paying for quality training that will get you jump started in your business. When you follow our business practices, you’ll make back your investment with a couple of events.


2. Overall Fear

Fear can be several things. Whether it’s fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of not being good enough… Just let go of them! Fear can be paralyzing. The more you dwell on it, the more you second-guess yourself. This is all wasting time when you could be out there growing your business!

With the support found in the Event Heroes community, you can ask questions as you begin your journey. This helps alleviate any fears that may arise. We want to be with you every step of the way.


3. Not Enough Time

I just finished attending a group where we talked about making the most of our fringe hours. Those are the hours in between activities or daily tasks where you can spend time on things you enjoy.

You will never find time for things you enjoy; you must make time. Sometimes the dirty laundry and dishes can wait, put your passions first. If you love event planning, make time for it.


4. Lack of Support

If you find that you don’t have emotional support from your friends or family, it can be hard to pursue your dreams. I personally find that if others doubt my abilities, I’m more motivated to succeed. Just tell me I can’t and watch me make it happen, just to prove you wrong.

If you’re looking for support in the form of mentorship, motivations, and cheerleading, let the Event Heroes community fill that role for you.

5. Inexperience

We all start somewhere, and my guess is that you DO have some experience under you belt. Most people who come to me for event planning advice found their interest sparked while planning a party, wedding, or event for a friend or family member.

Sometimes you may surprise yourself if you sit down and write out all your experiences related to event planning. There’s probably a lot more there than you thought!

If lack of business or formal customer service experience is a fear of yours, then know that we have a system in place to address this! We interview many professionals in the event and business world to help you know how to best operate your business.

Putting Your Fears Behind You

I’ve always taken my business seriously and have been able to raise my kids while doing what I love. Now, that’s not to say you should quit your job and jump in with both feet. You can make a great side-hustle income working in the evenings and weekends until this does take over and become your full-time business if you so choose.

However, if you can jump in with both feet, there is nothing like “fail or succeed entirely” to motivate you to do what you what to do. And it’s harder to let yourself down, because you know you can do it – you’re awesome after all!

How to Get Started Confidently

Starting a business alone can be scary and time consuming as you learn the ropes. Let us help you overcome your fears and minimize the learning curve to get you scheduling and planning events sooner than later! Heck, our system will even save you time and MONEY in the long run. You’ll be up and running and ready to tackle events in no time.

Ready to start your Event Hero membership? Sign up today.

Watch for me to do more Facebook live soon as I face my fears!

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How to Stay Sane as a Solopreneur

As a solo entrepreneur (solopreneur) sometimes it’s hard to stay sane. If you are like me, you might find yourself in front of your computer working away and the days just fly by. I sometimes forget to eat lunch and may not see another human or talk on the phone for a full day. I have worked this way for years.

Even though I own a business with a handful of other people involved, I’ve chosen to work from my home in my nice cozy home office. Frankly, I enjoy it that way and find I get so much more work done than I do in a social work environment.

Honestly, if you aren’t communicating with a human outside your family or pets for a few days in a row, your brain starts to turn to mush! So how can you stay connected with the outside world as a solopreneur? Here are 7 ways, I’ve found to stay connected:

#1 – Attend networking events

 

I love to network and meet new people. There are so many ways you can get out and network. In my city, there is a magazine that holds an event once every quarter to release their new magazine. I attend these unveiling events as often as I can for several reasons. Those who attend often includes many of my clients, so it’s a great chance to connect outside of our usual atmosphere and stay connected. It’s also nice to jump out of my casual work clothes and into something dressier. Lastly, it brings me a lot of joy to have intelligent conversations that stimulate my brain.

I really can’t say enough about how important networking is for your business. Being seen at an event will remind people that you have a business and that you are still active. Bring a friend along and take turns introducing each other to people you know. After a while, walking in to a networking event will be easier because you will know a ton of the people there. Yes, I know it’s hard to go alone, but after one or two short and sweet conversations, you’ll get in the groove and be ready to take on the networking challenge.

#2 – Get involved in a non-profit fundraiser

This is perfect for those of you looking to become Event Heroes. There are many organizations that can use your event planning skills to help make their event super fantastic, and they will welcome you with open arms to their organization. Make sure you have the time and energy to handle taking on a charity.

This is one of the best ways to get your company off the ground and get the exposure you are looking for. Ask the committee, one on one, it they know anyone planning an event, getting married, etc. that they could introduce you to. Use these well-connected individuals to help you build your business. Be subtle when asking, but know that most committees have community leaders that will be happy to introduce you to someone that has needs for your business.

#3 – Stay active in online chats

Although this is still in front of the computer, tucked away in your cozy office, it can sometimes feel like face-to-face communication. Read a blog, then comment on the blog (It’s another way to get your company noticed); not only are you having a ‘conversation’ with someone that shares similar business or life interests, but you are exposing your name and business name to the public. Haven’t you clicked over to see what the person replying does? Connected with them on LinkedIn or other social media outlets? I have.

#4 – Set morning meetings

It doesn’t matter if you like coffee or tea or a full-on breakfast, make your meetings for first thing in the morning. Nine AM is my favorite meeting time frame to get my day started. This gives me some computer time before I head out. If anything comes up during the meeting, I also have time to research and respond to it the rest of the day.

This is also a great way to meet with other solopreneurs and discuss what you might do together to create business for both of you. Coffee is an easy way to meet; there are few expectations, both of you are relaxed, and the conversation flows easily. Who knows what kind of scheme might arise.

#5 – Start a mastermind group

I love mastermind groups, masterminding is based on a theory by Napoleon Hill’s book Think and Grow Rich. In the book Napoleon states that a mastermind is created when two or more people come together with a collective objective. He goes on to say that when this happens, a third invisible, intangible force likened to a third mind is created.

Some fellow entrepreneurs and I started a mastermind group after a highly motivating morning coffee meeting. It has now run for 5 years. Most of the original members are still with the group. Mastermind group building has some rules and you can find our outline for the group here.

#6 – Join a gym

I’m lousy at this one. I love my home office so much, sometimes I really don’t want to leave, especially in the cold, dark winter. Not even to go to bed. But this doesn’t fulfill my need to get some human interaction.

I need to make sure I exercise in the early mornings, like 5:30 AM If I can drag myself out of bed. Then I can be showered and ready for my office by 7:30. In all honesty, this really doesn’t happen as often as it should. I’m not a huge fan of exercising when I first get started, but after exercising a few weeks it gets easier. Yoga is really my thing, so I joined an early morning yoga studio with a few clients to help get me motivated.

#7 – Join a Meetup

A Meetup is like networking, but the group is based around a common interest. For example, a canoeing meetup or a book club, just make sure you are joining one that others have similar interests as you.

In my city, we have a group of meeting planners that meet up. They swap stories, ideas and even sometimes clients. (it’s a great group and if they are too busy, they pass the client on to someone else, what a great way to get along with your competitors) Check online to find were your local meetups are happening.

Overall, there are hundreds of ways for you to get that social craving met, but you have to look for it. Join in and serve as an asset to the group. Make sure you don’t eat into your work and family time too much and target some your groups to where your clients might hang out. Don’t be afraid to network with many groups to see where you fit best and to change when the usefulness of one group no longer fits your needs. This is a great way to combine advertising your business and getting your socialization all in one.

Are you starting an event planning business and looking for someone to guide you along the way? Look no further as I work with you to get you started and teach you all the lessons, tips, and tricks I wish I would have learned when I started 30 years ago. Being a solopreneur doesn’t have to be hard, join my VIP Membership Program to learn how I’ve done it successfully.

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Event Heroes Training Program

You’re interested in starting your own event planning business and you’ve decided to start looking into a training program. There are several on the market to choose from so how do you decide which one is the best for you. Or perhaps, you’ve taken event planning classes in school and feel confident that you have mastered the lessons and technical information required to plan an event. But what do you do with all that information now? How do you take everything you’ve learned and turn it into an actual business with paying jobs?

This is where the Event Heroes stands out from other event planner learning systems. The Event Heroes coaching system was developed by Tracy Fuller-White, owner of InnovativEvents a successful 7-figure event planning business based in the mid-west as a way to help budding entrepreneurs move from conceptualization to actualization.

With over 30 years in the business, and years of training and mentoring interns and students, Tracy and her staff at Event Heroes have developed a program that takes the traditional training program a degree further by providing step-by-step directions beginning with taking the first phone call from a potential client all the way through producing an event. And it doesn’t stop there! As part of the Event Hero program we also focus on customer service and retention. And we’ll discuss the importance of following up with your client several months to a year after their event is over.

“We’ve added extra features to the Event Heroes program to make it a complete coaching package for those interested in becoming an event planner and starting their own business.” says Fuller-White.

So, what do you get when you enroll in Event Heroes? Not only do you get full step-by-step coaching on how to plan an event that will provide the WOW! factor all event planners hope to achieve but we also include a full library of downloadable, supporting documents you will use to create your own personalized event planning guidebook.

In addition to the lessons and the library of specialized forms, worksheets and templates we also provide our members with access to our invaluable, curated list of Black Book Partners. These industry professionals are fully vetted and trusted vendors who have agreed to support our Event Hero graduates and offer them additional assistance and guidance as they begin their careers.

As every seasoned event planner knows, finding trustworthy partners and vendors is key to producing a successful event. Being able to start your business with an already established team of partners can save hundreds of hours of shopping and comparing and the nerve wracking hit and miss trials most new business owner experience as they grow their company from the ground up.

Event Heroes also includes 20 Do-It-Yourself Theme Packages. These packages feature detailed overviews for creating the atmosphere and step-by-step instructions and checklist for successful themed parties that will impress even the most discerning clients.

And, perhaps the most valuable part of the Event Heroes coaching program is the live support we offer all of our members! One day per week, we host a live webinar available to all active Event Hero members. These in-depth session will provide additional targeted training on special subjects and an open question and answer session. They will also provide a ‘think tank’ venue for Event Heroes to share ideas and learn from others in the industry.

At Event Heroes, your coaching doesn’t stop the minute you finish our course. We are here to support you as you get started in the business, and as you build your client base and your reputation. We believe that learning is a lifelong activity and the more we share with others, the more we learn. Following that philosophy, our webinars will be dynamic in nature. In addition to targeted topics, we will look to our members for input on ways we can further support them as they grow from new business owners to established, reputable Event Hero planners.

Please feel free to reach out to us here with any questions and we look forward to teaching the Event Heroes way!

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Event Spotlight: Tracy Fuller-White

There is a lot that goes into becoming an event professional, and for today’s event spotlight we want to focus on Tracy Fuller-White the founder and CEO of Event Heroes!

We talked with her about her start to her career, her inspiration and what she is doing now with her event planning business.

1. Tracy, first tell us how you got your start into the Event Planning world?

Through tragedy comes perseverance and figuring out how to recover from loss sent me to create something bigger than me and somewhere I could put grief in the background. So I started a little company called Happy Occasions. This was the start of a much bigger company that came along a few years later when I started working with event producers, lighting directors and learning about the production world and how to work with Corporate America.

2. Did you have any training in Event Planning before starting your own company, InnovativEvents, Inc.?

Training wasn’t really available for events at that time. We were at the beginning of what is now a great industry with lots of opportunity for training and education. In fact in the last few years, many colleges have started degree programs for events and event planning.

3. Why did you start Event Heroes?

I started Event Heroes after several people came to me asking to ‘pick my brain’ on how to get started in the business. Not only was it the décor business and event planning business, but even musicians were asking how to get started in business. I create Event Heroes to help others get into this business I have loved and still enjoy working in.

4. How did you scale your business to grow it into a seven-figure operation?

This is tricky, good word of mouth has been my blessing. I network in the community a lot and have become members of several organizations and this has been a great way to build my business. Also, doing a great job for my clients creates year over year events. Having a client for as long as 20 years can help in your planning and keep your business going year after year.

5. What are some of the companies that have hired you, and where have some of those events taken place?

We’ve worked with all kinds of companies and many Fortune 500 companies. Companies such as Google, Allstate Insurance, Meredith Corporation and many others. These events have taken us all over the US and occasionally overseas.

6. What is one important lesson you have learned from your event experience?

Treat everyone with respect. Getting to know and respect everyone you come in contact with is the best way to ensure you can pull a rabbit out of your hat when you need to. Need a ladder? Better be nice to the person that can get that for you! Need the trash emptied? Well, that person is as important as your client to you at that moment but if you are rude, they won’t help you out. So be nice!

7. What do you think people can learn from using the resources at Event Heroes?

At Event Heroes, we want to cut down the learning curve of doing WOW events. We want to help make sure our Event Heroes have access to the best providers in the industry so they look like the hero to their clients and can build a business where their clients come back year after year. We want to help Event Heroes be the Hero for their clients.Tracy Fuller-White is a great example of how hard work and a good attitude can make you a top event professional!

To learn more about her or Event Heroes, contact us here!

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Event Heroes – The WHY

Tracy Fuller-White, owner of Event Heroes and InnovativEvents, a successful event management company based in Des Moines and Ames, Iowa can’t count the number of times she has been approached by people interested in starting their own event planning business. They all seem to have the same questions for her: “What advice can you give me if I want to start my own event planning company?” and “How did you get your start in the business?”.

After years of answering those and countless other questions, having lunches and coffee with people who just wanted to pick her brain, Tracy began to see a need for a program that would help those who are interested in taking the plunge and starting their own event planning business.

That’s when she and her team came up with the idea for Event Heroes, an event planning business training system. This system not only teaches its students how to start and build their own business, but is one that also provides them with the information, tips, and secrets for success that she and her team have culminated in their more than 30 years in the business.

During their brainstorming sessions and interviews with interested students and interns, the Event Hero team began to recognize a need for a program that would not only provide the typical “textbook” or “online” type of teaching program, but one that would take that training a step further. Tracy consulted with other planners and industry professionals and all agreed this was a need that wasn’t being filled by programs on the market.

So, Tracy and the team conducted more research and evaluated the feedback they received from everyone she has mentored over the years. Based on the findings, they developed Event Heroes as a program to teach and mentor those who are interested in starting their own event planning business.

The main goal of Event Heroes is to assist the new business owner get a solid start in the event business without having to go through the lean years of starting from scratch and without having to learn the ropes by trial and error or through working for someone else. Event Heroes is designed to be a self-paced, learning program that basically “holds your hand” throughout the process of answering your first phone call to selling, planning and producing amazing events that deliver a WOW!

The one thing that sets Event Heroes apart from other event planning programs is that it provides the piece of the puzzle that Tracy has been constantly asked about most over the years: How to apply the knowledge that is taught in the standard event planner training program and use it to get a business up and running. Knowing that was the missing link, inspired Tracy to focus on not just the knowledge but also the practical application of the knowledge and supplying the students with the ready-made business forms, templates and worksheets they need to hit the ground running.

Tracy’s style of teaching and working with people is extremely warm and personable. She and her team also consider themselves experts in customer service and make sure they emphasize this in all of their lessons. Tracy’s parents taught her at an early age “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar” and this has been her lifelong motto for dealing with everyone she encounters in her personal and professional life.

The success of Event Heroes and the parent company InnovativEvents can be directly related to that personal motto and also to her belief in always giving your best. Tracy holds the belief that every successful business is driven by a dream or a purpose and living up to the high standards and goals of your vision is what keeps you going even when things get tough.

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