From the Editors
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In January, a lighting designer invited me to a breakfast with a few other event industry friends at one of the best-reviewed restaurants in New York. I agreed—he’s always funny and insightful, and the food would be excellent— although, on the night before, when I calculated how early I’d have to wake up to trek from Brooklyn to the uptown restaurant, I’ll confess to grumbling to myself. When I arrived, I found beautiful food This New York event and—even better—terrific got us talking around company. In addition to the office. The dog the lighting designer, our lovers on staff liked hosts were a top-notch how Purina used mini caterer and an endlessly hedges to keep canine inventive designer, both guests separated as people I have enjoyed they tried its Chef meals with in the past. Michael’s line of The rest of the table of 11 gourmet pet food in February. More photos was a mix of producers are on BizBash.com. and vendors I had met a few times and had been meaning to catch up with, plus others whose years under his belt, and they compared notes names and work I knew, but hadn’t actually met about their banks. Several producers commiserin person yet. ated over the tightening of credit—how much The hosts explained that even though they tougher it can be to charge several thousand work with different people all the time, there dollars worth of materials for a client. In this were lots of prominent people in the industry relatively ego-free zone, I was reminded that they somehow had never met. While, for some of the best people in the field—by my example, caterers encounter various designers sights—are also some of the nicest. (Funny how and rental companies on jobs, they rarely have those things can go hand in hand, isn’t it?) reason to talk to other caterers. But who better Connecting people who work on events— to compare notes with—if you can put aside across markets, industries, and experience your competitive feelings? levels—has been one of the founding principles So we chatted. They were all nice and smart, of BizBash since we launched 10 years ago. and occasionally a little braggy (what would you And we’re working on a new site that will help expect?), but more often candid. Everyone was people share information online in an even positive, even while acknowledging the rocky more direct way. economy. It would have been deeply ironic, For lack of a better description, this part in our gilded private room, over truffled eggs of BizBash.com will combine elements of the served by waiters summoned unusually early Huffington Post, Facebook, and Twitter to (the place isn’t normally open for breakfast), create a new platform to exchange ideas, tips, for anyone to admit to financial trouble—and commentary—whatever you want to pass along not especially smart if you didn’t want word to to colleagues. (And we won’t make you get up spread quickly. early to do it.) As we go to press, the project What I found most interesting was a certain is still in development, but I expect it might generosity of spirit as they shared lessons be live by the time you read this, or shortly learned. The host caterer, with a couple decades thereafter. Stop by and join in the conversation, of experience, sat next to a caterer with fewer won’t you? —Chad Kaydo
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