I'm spearheading our company's efforts at our 2011 Australasian Expo this year, from the USA perspective. Honestly, the heavy lifting is being done by our experts in Australia, my role this year is to mesh what the corporate team needs to see happen with what's really occurring on the ground in Australia. I love doing these events, I consider it like a chess match. My job is to keep a few moves ahead of the attendees and their conference experience, a few moves ahead of our USA team who will arrive and expect everything to be just right, and a few moves in front of any potential pitfalls or goof ups that could arise. Challenges include:
- Budgeting, forecasting and paying for the event.
- Arranging the education to match with what our franchisees consider valuable.
- Putting suppliers and attendees (our customers!) needs and wants in persepective.
- Learning about the venue and possibilities from 12,000 miles away. Once I arrive, I'll have maybe a day to make changes if necessary, then it's showtime.
- Filling the event with levity and fun. I fear if I wasn't involved, it would swing to "all work, no play," not what our franchisees are looking for. Allow me to add the sugar.
- Putting together a presentation on social, mobile and trends for our attendees.
- Getting mentor shirts for everyone in our mentor program before the event. And have them arrive in Australia on time.
- Bringing all the proper goodies to make the event smooth: projectors, converters, passport, winter clothes!
- Taking too many pictures, as I'm known to do at these things.
- Arranging pertinent and fun coffee break and intro music.
- Organizing some kind of start up - launch for the event.
- Dinner with our mentor chairpersons once in Melbourne.
These things are not really all challenges, they are things I have to consider, arrange and conquer before the end of the month. Plan Ahead Events is one of our franchise brands, I'm back doing what started this concept in the first place. And I love the prospects of getting it all right.