5 minute read
Education
by Nicole Filippo, CMP
For many meeting professionals, 2020 involved reflection and change.
Mekeda Johnson-Brooks
Steve Kinsley Several now find themselves wondering about the next chapter in their careers . During the MPI-CC March meeting education session “What do I do now: Start a new business, reskill or specialize?” Steve Kinsley, president of Kinsley Meetings, and Mekeda JohnsonBrooks, chief client experience architect of MJ Design and Company, shared their journeys as small business owners, and gave advice for those who are thinking of forming a business, changing jobs or looking to make themselves more marketable .
Johnson-Brooks recommended the audience look to combine skills they do well with what they love . Starting her own company provided her with the opportunity to work on “things that bring me joy” and “things that I feel make a difference in the world with people that I’m excited to work with .”
For people looking to start a business, Kinsley advised the following: • Create an LLC to have a corporate veil to protect your personal assets • Learn how to read a balance sheet and understand cash flow
• Hire a bookkeeper, a CPA and an insurance broker
“Step out the door with the whole team or at least know where you can go for those resources,” Johnson-Brooks added, referring to finances, taxes and insurance .
Kinsley also shared advice he received from his father: Create a relationship with a banker . He noted how his relationship with his bank helped his company secure a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan this past year . Not being seen as just a number to a national bank was important in the loan process, he explained .
Johnson-Brooks and Kinsley, both members of the MPI Independent
& Small Business
Owners community, encouraged the audience to think beyond the title of “event planner,” noting planners are also project managers, creative thinkers and meeting architects .
“Think in terms of ‘this is what I do’ as opposed to ‘I’m an event planner,’ and you’ll have more options open to you,” Kinsley said . “We’re more than just meeting planners . ”
“Don’t diminish your work,” Johnson-Brooks urged . “The world in 2020 realized…the impact that our work has . People never realized how important coming together was until we couldn’t do it . We make that happen . We help people come together safely to learn, connect and grow . It’s a big job . It sounds simple, but it’s not .” n
Nicole Filippo, CMP Elon University MPI-CC VP of Program Development
ENGAGING
by nature
WE ARE KIAWAH ISLAND
Moving Forward& Reconnecting
Getting back to in-person meetings has never been more important. When you are ready, we are here to help in moving forward and reconnecting.
Convention Center & Visitors Bureau Sarah Davis, CMP, Director of Sales & Marketing 828.322.1335 Sarah@hickorymetro.com www.visithickorymetro.com
Work has never looked so
PROUD HOST
800.576.1585 • KiawahMeetings.com
Plan your next event at our newly renovated facility and you’ll find all the amenities you need for a new way of doing business.
203 S Front Street New Bern, NC (252) 637-1551 www.RiverfrontConventionCenter.com
NETWORKING UPTOWN STYLE Another hidden gem
Beyond our modern meeting spaces and networking-friendly hotels, you’ll discover legendary Eastern NC whole hog BBQ and a vibrant Uptown District. We’re ready to host your corporate event, trade show or reunion whenever you are. NC’s Emerald City is filled with countless hidden gems.
See you soon at VisitGreenvilleNC.com
WE’RE READY FOR YOU.
VisitGreensboroNC.com
Welcome
The Gastonia Conference Center, located in the revitalized downtown and adjacent to the boutique Esquire Hotel, is a state-of-the-art facility providing 30,000 square feet of tech-savvy space accommodating groups of up to 450 and located only minutes from the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
GoGastonNC.org
704-825-4044 | @GoGastonNC
Education for July: ReThinking & ReDesigning Event F&B
by Nicole Filippo, CMP
As we begin to hold live events again, COVID-19 has highlighted the need/want of new guidelines and considerations we will have to consider, especially with food and beverage functions . It is an opportunity to rethink and redesign event food and beverage service and presentation . The need for greater transparency in food safety, food preparation and service will be at the forefront . What does that look like? What information do we need to know and share? Who is responsible for managing and overseeing the changes? How and what will attendees want to eat after 18 months at home? How should F&B be handled differently at events than it had before the pandemic?
• Understand the duty of care we hold in food safety and COVID-19
• Learn questions to ask about food safety for the front and back of the house
• Feast on the food and beverage trends attendees will expect
We’ll also discuss what it takes to order, prepare, and deliver delicious, safe, and inclusive food and beverage experiences everyone will be raving about after the event .
Speaker info:
Tracy Stuckrath, CSEP, CMM, CHC thrive! meetings & events
As the dietary needs expert, a food safety trainer, and a Certified Special Events Professional, Tracy Stuckrath works with organizations worldwide to create safe, inclusive and sustainable F&B events that deliver experiences where everyone feels valued . Through her speaking engagements, Eating at a Meeting podcast and Every Meal Matters online course, she brings expertise and real-world strategies to help event professionals establish best practices, mitigate risk, improve experiences, and increase profit with the food and beverage they serve .
For the full schedule click here . n
Nicole Filippo, CMP Elon University MPI-CC VP of Program Development
Being an MPI member doesn’t just give you the tools and resources to become a great event professional— it gives you the opportunity to become a great leader. Discover your leadership potential by joining MPI today!
