"My most challenging event was a catered event requiring a large number of waitstaff and the caterer's scheduling problems caused a shortage in waitstaff for my event. I contacted a temporary staffing agency and within forty-five minutes of the luncheon serving time, I had enough waitstaff on-board. In anticipation of miscommunication, I assigned a team captain and debriefed two of my staff members to be points of contact for questions. It worked and I will keep temporary agencies in mind for the future."

"To find the perfect venue, I make a list of available venues that meet my client's cost, location, and capacity constraints. I look for accreditation of the facilities, catering capabilities, sustainability credentials, and customer service. The venue must align with my target audience, and I consider the amenities such as parking, other modes of transportation to and from the event, and technology capabilities."

"The event is a success when I have dedicated myself to the up-front planning detail and setting up a blog, maintaining interest, and making attendee goals. Two other success measures I use are meeting the objectives for revenue versus overhead costs and meeting planned sales numbers. The most significant measure is when the client is genuinely happy, is stress-free, sees his guests happy, and receives sponsor recognition."

"I would politely and professionally explain the situation to the client, including the circumstances of what happened and assure them that I would resolve it immediately. I would then work quickly to resolve any problem or situation regardless of whose fault it was. I would later meet with the person who caused the problem and discuss it with them some solutions to avoid future mistakes."

"I always put my customer first. I use a calm head, professionalism, and problem-solving skills while assuring the client that I see the issue from his perspective. It's my job to communicate and clarify the situation, and tell them my solution to resolve it. It's important to remain calm and behave like an adult because my reputation could be at stake."

"I once planned an outdoor art festival with a tight budget. It was challenging because the sponsoring group wanted live music. The festival had been running successfully as an annual event for 30 years, and the posters were collector's items, so I raised the cost of the posters for extra money to pay for some live music. I developed a new lecture series with a few well-known artists who would talk about their work. I sold tickets, asked local restaurants to provide free appetisers during the events to advertise their businesses, and sold beverages."

"Less than 24 hours before an event, my venue had suffered water damage and had to cancel. I had to find a new venue in less than 24 hours, within budget and suitable for the event. I had my team notify every company and the guest speakers that were attending the event to alert them to the situation. To notify attendees, I blasted all social media channels with a newsflash, worked all night printing maps, and disbursing urgent emails to attendees. I also set up a complimentary shuttle from the previous venue for anyone who'd already confirmed their transportation or parking arrangements."

"I see live translating becoming more of a need as we continue to work in a global environment and better ways to collect data to receive event feedback in real-time. I think hybrid versions of events will skyrocket. Also livestreaming for people who can't attend and might want to record events for later."

"I start with an overall budget, then add contingency funds. My experience has shown that it can be anywhere from 10% to 25%. Especially for some large hybrid events. I carry the budget with me everywhere so I can review and update it daily. I anticipate potential problems by paying close attention to the activities. For crisis occurrences and surprises out of my control, I resolve them quickly the best I can."

"First, I clearly express the goal of the event and what my vision is. I stay focused on the central goal and begin each day with a clear schedule of what to do based on deadlines and level of urgency. I pay attention to individual tasks and don't multi-task. I have experience with Eventbrite and most recently Bizzaboer's event management software."

"I have a Certified Special Event Professional certificate from ILEA and a Certificate in Meeting Management from the Meeting Professional International Association. I had six years experience before applying for certifications."

"I follow Candy Fun House blogs like Social Tables. I read Canadian Special Events Magazine, Stand Out magazines. Event planners I follow are Memento, Eventure Group, and International Man. To follow food trends I track Tulips & Maple. Other resources are Hollywood, Disney, and Corbin Ball."

“I've chosen entertainment based on the purpose of the event and the alignment between the type of entertainment, the goal of the event, and how it caters to my audience's preferences. Some decisions can be made based on sound and lighting, layouts, props, and licensing.”

"The vendor is in breach of contract and I will handle legalities after the event. To resolve the immediate problem, for entertainment I would contact a local orchestra, musical groups, theatre troupes, and sponsors of events in the same city. If the breach is with a caterer or technology set-up, I would find replacement companies and be prepared to pay extra for emergency services. If the breach concerns speakers and participants, I would try to find people among the attendees that could fill in."

“I start with provable evidence such as having planned and coordinated over 12 corporate events of up to 2,000 people, 15 weddings up to 1,000 people and public and charity events numbering thousands of people. After explaining that experience level, I show a portfolio of events and media samples. I typically use a laptop for presentations but also have a hard copy portfolio with photos. I end by telling the potential client that I have a number of ideas to make their event a success and ask when would they like to see them. I always leave information with them.”