September 10, 2020

RESOURCES

Friendship, Partnership & Unity

with AK

Just because social distancing and restrictions on public places are set, it doesn’t mean love for one another has stopped. Due to lack of interactions and the slowing down of lives - many are taking this time to reflect, and spend time with their love. Whether couples are married, dating, living together or meeting up during this pandemic, it’s important to continue to support, acknowledge and remain grateful to your partner.

Many couples are finding new ways to celebrate friendship, partnership and unity. There are simple, yet thoughtful gestures to show affection and appreciation through this difficult time. The purpose of anniversaries is to recommit to your relationship, reflect on the relationship, and share goals for the future. Anniversaries are important milestones for many, and bring two people together in a special and thoughtful manner.

Tips for planning the perfect night in:
• Retell and remember important stories
• Share appreciation and gratitude in the present
• Reaffirm your commitment to each other
• Recreate special moments
• Light candles and dress up for dinner
• Get creative with gifts
• Learn something new

Relationships have been challenged to think outside the box and be creative in creating a day/night that is memorable, unique, spontaneous and fun!

Date ideas in:
• Movie night
• Board games and trivia night
• Outdoor tent set-up
• Bonfire and smores
• Cook and bake together
• Decorate the house
• Youtube dance lessons
• Make fun cocktails
• Pull out the wedding album and video

Show the one you love that you adore, admire and respect them - today, tomorrow and every day that follows. Continue to be eachothers best friend.

September 3, 2020

COVID-19 SERIES

Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Decor

with Chanelle Guilbeault

Tell us about yourself (i.e. name, occupation, hobbies and story, mental health)

My name is Chanelle Guilbeault. I work in the Cannabis industry and own my own small creative business called CS Crafty Creations. I enjoy hiking, biking and hosting events

What’s CS Crafty Creations mission and mandate?

To create quality, handmade decor for home use or events. CS Crafty Creations pledges to always put sustainability and eco-friendly practices at the forefront when creating pieces or events for clients. Each piece or event will be handcrafted and handmade to your specifications, wants and creative desires. Whatever you can imagine, I can create!

What led you to creating your own business - CS Crafty Creations? What was your biggest obstacle when launching your own decor business?

It was a series of unfortunate events that led me to creating my own business. In December of 2019 I was diagnosed and hospitalized with severe depression, anxiety and PTSD. While in hospital, I began to start making felt flowers as a creative outlet. After getting much admiration from nurses and patients, I started making custom pieces for staff and patients. When i left the hospital I started an instagram account @cs.crafty.creations where I posted photos of my work. Eventually I started to market myself and offer my creative services to the public and the business flourished.

My biggest obstacle starting my business was learning to get myself out there and proudly put my work out while balancing an outpatient program. The struggle with my mental health and healing made me often second guess my decision about creating a business, but at the same time allowed me the creative space and outlet to relieve my stresses on a personal level.

What is your connection between creating crafts and mental health/healing? How can art be used to help one heal and overcome obstacles? What advice would you give someone who is struggling and wants to find a hobby (i.e. crafts/decor)

As a woman who was used to the go, go, go lifestyle, crafting allowed me to take things one step at a time. It allowed me to be alone with my thoughts, and to express myself in other ways. If you're looking into taking up a hobby, just know that it takes time to perfect a craft. trial and error are a part of life and very much so a part of creating. Keep going because you'll never know where your efforts may take you.

How long have you been crafting for?

10 Months

What’s your signature design or a popular favourite?

I don't have a signature design as most of my pieces are custom made, but I do get a lot of traction with my paperwork and flowers.

As an event professional, I’ve seen a lot of decor being used for one time use and ending up in the garbage. What made you interested in eco-friendly decor? What’s the importance of eco-friendly and sustainable event decor? Do you find eco-friendly decor is becoming more in demand? What do you see being an obstacle in offering or promoting eco-friendly items?

I've hosted many events and am bothered by the disposable nature of the industry. I became interested in eco-friendly decor after hosting a baby shower for a friend. I was bothered by the fact that I invested so much money into a theme party that will likely not be used again. This bothered me to my core and so I decided to create themes and pieces that can be reused, repurposed or rented. I find eco friendly and sustainable decor to be more in demand. People generally don't want to add to the disposable nature of events and are happy to source items that they can rent for a comparable cost. The only issues I can foresee would be rented items in a covid world. There could be some obstacles ensuring clean, sanitized pieces.

What eco-friendly and sustainable materials do you regularly use? Is sustainable decor an affordable investment?

I use items I find on Facebook marketplace, Value Village and treasures found on the curb. I keep all of my scrap paper for second use on other items or I give the scraps to people who decoupage. I source my felt from a local Canadian felt company to support local businesses too. Sustainable decor can be an affordable investment! It just may take some time to put all the pieces together, that Is why I offer affordable, curated themes for rent.

Do you recommend any stores that provide a wide range of sustainable event supplies/decor? What kind of events do you provide your decor to? (i.e. weddings, conferences etc.)

I provide decor to smaller scale events, bridal and baby showers, birthdays and almost any occasion you want to celebrate!

About Chanelle:

Chanelle began her crafting journey in November of 2019. She always had a flare for the creative but could never find the time for it. She had an overly busy life and a time consuming job. She had been running around in circles for so long, until she was hospitalized for a month.

During her stay in the hospital she was allowed to do crafts. So everyday while her husband was visiting her, she would sit in her room and make flowers and succulents out of felt. After some consistent admiration, she started to make some for my nurses, as a sort of thank you.

As time went on, other patients began to admire them as well, so Chanelle started making more flowers for them too. Being used to the busy life - No self care, no time to do what you love, go, go, go - she found that somehow creating these little flowers taught her to slow down and take time for herself.

Eventually, the nurses allowed her to use an empty room between the hours of 6pm-10pm where she could have the space to make whatever she liked! Amazingly other patients and their visitors joined in and used the space to craft and share unabridged stories about their lives. It was truly art therapy.

After leaving, it felt like starting at day 1 all over again. Trying to learn how to live outside of hospital is not an easy feat. But thankfully Chanelle had an awesome medical team, a spouse that supports her and family and friends that have her back.

Chanelle used her time to create. Chanelle started making wall hangings for friends and succulents for family. She started her own Instagram page and sold pieces to raise money for art supplies for the hospital's Creative Expression patient group.

When Chanelle started to post her paper items on Instagram, her messages blew up! From that moment, Chanelle decided to start her own small business making and selling custom and premade pieces!

August 27, 2020

COVID-19 SERIES

Her Mind Is More

with Renée & Abi

About Her Mind Is More:

Her Mind is More is a female-run charity started by Abi and Renée. Abi and Renée are dedicated to exposing and ending gender-based injustices by sharing information through their Instagram, @hermindismore, and donating 100% of their clothing proceeds to organizations that support and empower women. When Her Mind is More initially launched in March of 2017, Abi and Renée focused their efforts on exposing the gender imbalance in politics. In addition to donating over $2,500 to Equal Voice—a Canadian organization dedicated to getting women into all levels of politics—we also walked across Hamilton. This was done to symbolize the difficult journey women have to take to get to the same level as men in politics (walking vs. driving). A year later Her Mind Is More raised over $700 for the Malala Fund which focuses on ensuring girls across the globe receive an education. Both of these fundraisers were supported by mostly friends, family, and fellow students of Abi and Renée who were both attending Western University at the time. Now that Abi and René are now back, they have no plans on hitting pause! All of Her Mind Is More ordering is now done on Instagram through alink in the bio; this has helped with reaching more people outside of our immediate circles. Since launching their Instagram in the last week of May, Abi and Renée have shared information on the rise of domestic violence cases since the beginning of the pandemic, as well as what to do if you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence. By the second week of June over $3,500 was raised for Women Shelters Canada. For Her Mind is More’s next round of sales the proceeds made will be going to the Native Women’s Association of Canada who fight for indigenous women and girls through legislative and policy reforms at national and international levels. Abi and Renée will be sharing information on the past and present treatment of indigenous women and ways the community can help their sisters.

August 20, 2020

COVID-19 SERIES

Be Bold

with Elaine Li

About Elaine:

Iremia Skincareis a Toronto-based, cruelty free, small batch skincare line created by corporate marketing veteran, Elaine Li, to manage her hypersensitive, rosacea and eczema prone skin. Formulated to soothe and calm the skin of those who struggle with discomfort as a result of environmental, physical and dietary skin reactions – Iremia Skincare offers a conscious solution for those with highly-sensitive skin.

August 6, 2020

RESOURCES

Get Crafty with Event Decor

with AK

As event-lovers, we all know that an event’s decor plays an essential role in the creation and storytelling of an event. Whether it be a wedding, conference, product launch or gala, decor helps create a look and feel for guests, that enhances the atmosphere and theme. The atmosphere can set the humor and orchestrate emotion and feeling. Well-thought out decor sheds more light on the purpose of the event. Decor also can be used to showcase guests the personality of the host, which is a unique way of engaging and amplifying the occasion.

It’s your time to get inspired and get crafty! Put your artistic ideas to the test, and DIY your own decor for future events, both big or intimate. You can order or pick up materials from your local Wal-Mart, Dollarama, grocery or convenience store. DIY projects not only are affordable and save money, but it’s a great activity to do with your team, family and friends - in this case virtually.

Some decoration ideas:
• Paper garland
• Hanging jar lantern
• Cupcake stand
• Drink coasters
• Graffiti wall
• Chicken wire installation
• Balloon backdrop
• Event invite
• Centerpieces

Check out 33 Easy DIY Decorating Ideas For Your Next Party for additional simple, easy and fun ideas.

By creating your own decor, you are adding your own subtle touch and flavour for your guests to experience, remember and cherish.

July 24, 2020

COVID-19 SERIES

Self Reflect Before Serving Others

with Megan Zingel

About Megan:

Megan is a community cultivator and human connection is what lights her up. She is driven by human connection and helping her community discover their potential and live a purpose driven life. ⁣She leads her life driven by her four core values; Community, Purpose, Growth and Contribution.

Over the past few years Megan became deeply invested in self-discovery, personal development and setting out the path to achieve her biggest and wildest ambitions. She founded her own business and coaching practice in 2020 where she mentors women on their own journey of self discovery and growth.

Megan is also a certified CrossFit Level 1 Coach and a 200H Registered Yoga Teacher. You can usually find her with her head down in a journal at the local coffee shop dreaming up big goals and the path to get there or sweating with her local community.

July 17, 2020

COVID-19 SERIES

Bringing Dance Into The I Do's

with Jordana Abitbol

About Jordana:

Jordana Abitbol is a curious and multi-passionate individual who loves to learn new skills. She has experience in the Events industry alongside the Digital Marketing realm. She is currently a Web and SEO Specialist at Qode Media, a digital marketing agency in Toronto. Jordana has recently started her own business Dance I Do Canada which exists to teach couples & wedding parties dance routines for them to perform on their special day. Jordana graduated from the Event Management Post Graduate program from Humber College. Previously she was a graduate of Western University’s Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies program, specializing in Consumer Behaviour.

July 9, 2020

COVID-19 SERIES

Making An Impact

with Karen Chan

How did you get involved in the event industry? What made you want to pursue this career?

After my bachelor’s degree, I studied Sport and Event Marketing for a postgrad degree because I wanted to get into a marketing position. The program had a co-op period that I thought would be beneficial to helping me get my foot in the door for a marketing agency or any type of marketing role. The role at The Princess Margaret came up, and while it wasn’t my first choice, I thought it was an interesting position and I ended up getting it. I kind of fell into the position, but I really enjoyed it and have continued with the role since.

How did you feel after accomplishing your first event from start to finish?

I was lucky in that I was able to help out with a large event we had right when I started and I pretty much got to see it from start to finish. I helped with participant recruitment, to marketing on social media, all the way to set-up and teardown. I remember the week leading up to the event was exhausting with a lot of last minute details to take care of, but being able to see the event unfold and seeing how happy participants were to take part was very fulfilling and satisfying.

When did you start working at The PMCF? What made you want to work in the not-for-profit Industry?

I started working at The PMCF in January of 2018. I knew I wanted to try to work, in any capacity, at a non-profit, because I wanted my work to be really meaningful. Cancer also has a personal effect on me, as many of my family members have unfortunately been affected by cancer. So, being able to work at a non-profit that’s raising funds to support cancer research and being part of that process means a lot to me.

Did you always want to work for a hospital foundation

I was always interested in working at a hospital foundation. Science is really interesting to me, in the first place, but I knew I never wanted to pursue it as a career. So being able to see science through a healthcare lens and in research is really interesting for me – without me being involved in the actual workings of science. It’s also really impactful working at a hospital foundation like The PMCF, where our office is right next to the hospital. So we’re really able to see the impact of our work in helping patients right next door.

What's your role and responsibilities at PMCF? What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

I am an events coordinator at The PMCF on the Community Events team. Most of my events are third-party events, so this is when people of the community host an event and they want their event to benefit our charity. My role is to help them as their Foundation representative, this can be as hands-off as simply assisting with tax receipts, or as hands-on as being there on event day to assist in any capacity I can. The most rewarding aspect of my role is being able to talk to event organizers who have been touched by cancer, either due to family members or they themselves being former patients and survivors of cancer. Seeing them want to give back and support cancer research because it has affected them is very impactful and touching to see.

What was your first event at PMCF? How did it go?

My first event was an event called Spin to Conquer Cancer. It was a two-day event with popular spin studios around Toronto. Participants registered to join the event and fundraised leading up to it. The event went really well. We sold out two out of our three spin sessions and everyone really enjoyed the event.

How has COVID-19 affected you and the PMCF? Are there any new initiatives that PMCF is running during this uncertain time? How have your loyal donors supported PMCF during this pandemic?

Similar to most offices, and especially event companies, The PMCF dealt with COVID-19 very similarly to other places. We all worked from home, and a lot of our events either became postponed or cancelled. We’ve been working hard at pivoting our events to go virtual, but we’ve also been working on engaging with our audience in different ways. One of the major things The PMCF did during this pandemic was creating the Conquer COVID for Cancer fund which will be supporting our frontline healthcare workers at the cancer centre, protecting our vulnerable cancer patients with the use of technology, and also launching clinical trials to stop COVID-19 and protect our patients and staff.

How has PMCF adapted to remote communication?

The PMCF was pretty lucky when this pandemic and quarantine first hit because the organization was slowly rolling out laptops for staff anyway, and there were talks about implementing work from home slowly, so we were able to coordinate it quite quickly when COVID-19 hit Ontario. There were the initial struggles in the first weeks, but I think everyone has settled into a routine as this continues to go on.

How do you think of the event industry impacted by the pandemic?

Obviously the event industry has taken a huge hit, and even now, it’s uncertain when we’ll be able to host even small-sized events. I’ve spent much of the last three months staying up-to-date with the events I’m responsible for because they’re constantly changing either in terms of date or in terms of how the event will work in a new format.

Has PMCF pivoted from in person fundraising events to virtual events? If so, what kind of virtual events is PMCF hosting? Have they been successful?

For the majority of our events during the 2020 events season, we’ve largely pivoted to virtual or have opted to postpone to 2021. There are a few events that happen later in the year that we’re still waiting to see if we’ll switch to virtual or not. It’s still pretty early in the season so none of our events have officially kicked off yet.

What are your thoughts on virtual events?

Just like the rest of the event industry, I think the biggest challenges with going virtual are trying to keep the participant experience similar. Especially working in a non-profit, we want to engage with our participants and still thank them for supporting us. Non-profit events are still going to continue trying to fundraise for their cause and being able to provide participants with an experience that they’re excited for is really important.

What has been the biggest challenge you've come across as the event industry is shifting to virtual events? Has PMCF had any major challenges when organizing virtual events?

I’m still learning about virtual events and how to engage with audiences, but I think a way to make a successful virtual event is knowing your audience. Being able to connect and engage with your audience whether that be through social media or e-mail or streaming or whatever method you choose, will be really important for making your virtual event a success.

Do you have any recommendations for individuals looking to host virtual events? e.g. platforms or tips.

I think the interesting thing is how events are trying to engage with their audience differently than how they’re used to. I think moving forward it will result in higher engagement with participants even after the pandemic is over – which is a good thing. Another interesting thing to come out of this will be how events will pivot in the nonprofit industry. Peer to peer fundraising is where most non-profits make their money, however it’s much harder to have those types of events now where participants solicit their networks for donations, and then the participant will go out and do a challenge (ex. The Heart and Stroke Ride for Heart). It’ll be interesting to see how fundraising changes and how as a result, events will change too.

How do you see the event industry pivoting in the next year, specifically fundraising events? How do you imagine fundraising events to look like following this current situation? e.g. protocols, standards.

Nonprofits are taking a hard hit during the pandemic. Events are already taking a hit, especially because some people may be expecting refunds and not understanding that often costs go directly to the event. For non-profits, that’s even more so because fundraising takes importance in it as well, and a lot of people might be feeling like it’s a hard time to solicit donations and funds. But at the same time, more people now want to give back than ever because they understand the time we’re in (this COVID-19 pandemic) requires external help too, and people want to give back to help the cause. People have been looking for unique ways to raise funds for organizations battling COVID-19, and even to help organizations stay afloat during these tough times. So I think there will definitely be a shift in the nonprofit industry, but it will be a learning opportunity and a chance for growth.

What advice would you give to individuals who want to pursue events as a career in the not-for-profit sector?

The advice I would have to give is for individuals to be willing to do anything and everything, obviously within your comfort levels, but there are so many opportunities to learn in the events industry in non-profit organizations. Often teams are much smaller, so you’ll be responsible for more tasks. It can get tiring and stressful, but at the end of the day, it’s really fulfilling to see all your hard work come to fruition.

How have you kept busy during this time? Have you started any new hobbies?

While this is our new normal, it’s definitely still stressful, so I’m trying to do things that help take my mind off of things. I’ve been playing video games, watching movies, and reading books that I haven’t been able to get around to. I’m just trying to relax when I can and try to get away from the stressors in life when I can.

About Karen:

Karen Chan is the Events Coordinator at The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. Karen currently works on the Community Events team where she works with community event organizers who host events in benefit to The Princess Margaret. KarenI holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Ryerson University and has also studied in the Sport and Event Marketing Post-Graduate program at George Brown College. Karen likes to travel, she paddles competitively on a dragon boat team, and likes talking about the MCU movies.

July 3, 2020

COVID-19 SERIES

Good Leaders Lead

with Emily Hachette

Please indicate where you work and your position.

I work at the City of Kingston as an assistant supervisor of special events!

How are you?

To be completely honest, I have been better! Some days are better than others, but I feel it’s normal to feel sad, stressed, or anxious during these times. Everyone reacts in different ways, it’s just so important that we look after ourselves. I’m fortunate to have a good support system around me.

What made you want to work in the event industry?

When I was much younger than I am now, I was a flower girl at my Uncle’s wedding. I took my role very seriously, as I knew this was such an important day for them, and I was so happy to be included. Ever since then, I’ve always had a desire to be a part of special days or special events in any capacity - whether that is dropping petals down the aisle, to physically setting up a room and putting in the manual labour to make the space, or even sitting behind a desk and contacting vendors and exhibitors. Any way I can help makes me happy, and I find it so fulfilling.

What do you enjoy the most about your workplace?

I thoroughly enjoy the level of trust that is instilled in me. It has provided me with such confidence and assurance that I am doing what I should be. When I first started, I never thought that I would be the lead on an event for over ten thousand people until well into my career, but here I am. My supervisor believes in me and my ideas so much, it only makes me push myself further and I don’t think I could do it without the support of my amazing team. We are small (only 3 of us who work directly on the internal events) but we are mighty!

How has COVID-19 affected you and the workplace?

Due to the extended closures and reduction of non-essential City services brought about due to the current pandemic, approximately 55 full-time employees are being impacted by this shortage of work. Many part-time staff have also suffered and student hiring will not be taking place this year. Many were able to be redeployed to other departments and assist where needed as restrictions lift, others are either being temporarily laid off or are going on declared emergency leave. Personally, I have been deployed to work at the Marinas as those have been allowed to re-open. I feel hopeful that more and more businesses and departments will be approved to open as we look forward to Stage 2 of re-opening in Ontario and that more of my fellow colleagues and friends will be able to return to work.

How has your workplace adapted to remote communication?

I found our department adapted very well. Accessing the VPN from home on a personal laptop was crucial, and our IS&T department worked very hard to ensure everyone with the City had proper access right from the start. My office line voice-mails were automatically forwarded to my email address and my work cell-phone has been super handy. As a team, we have continued our weekly team meetings on Zoom. We communicate over text, e-mail, phone, and Zoom often, so I’d say we’ve done pretty great with regards to staying connected as much as possible!

How do you think the event industry will survive the impact of COVID-19?

It is clear that the events industry has been strongly affected by the disruptive effects of COVID-19. Thousands of events have been cancelled all over the world and every day brings more cancellations or postponements. However, the industry is resilient and as planners, having a plan B and even plan C is what makes us so successful when it comes to conquering the unexpected. If planned accordingly and the original event is adaptable, virtual events are a great way to stay connected and as restrictions lift, more and more smaller gatherings and events will resume. And although our industry has been one of hardest hits, it will be the one that is needed and desired the most when things restart. Events are the most efficient way to build connections and everyone will be craving that connection in some way once quarantine is over.

How will the event industry shift and adapt for the next year? When do you think ‘live events’ will start again? What protocols do you think will be implemented at ‘live events’ for the public to feel safe?

It’s really hard to say when ‘live events’ will start again - that can differ vastly depending on what the event entails. In my role, since we host mass-gatherings for the city, I don’t believe we will have events until Victoria Day of 2021 and that’s only if a vaccine has been approved and rolled out. So, whenever the province allows these types of gatherings, there will no way of going around the serious precautions and more severe hygiene regulations. I can also see hybrid events, featuring a mix of live and virtual components, becoming more popular and something I see our department working towards.

What advice would you give to individuals who want to pursue events as a career?

The events industry is so broad, so I really recommend learning about the different areas in any way you can - whether that is an internship, job-shadowing, college program, networking at a social, or even connecting with someone interesting on LinkedIn. It helps you learn so much about your likes and dislikes, and yourself. And this can all change along the way, so don’t be afraid to make changes!

What are you looking forward to the most when events start back up again?

Of course I’m super excited to get back to work and plan events for my community - but aside from my career, I have tickets to see the Hella Mega tour and My Chemical Romance concert in Toronto and while they haven’t been postponed yet, I’ll be so thrilled to see them both!!

About Emily:

Emily Hatchette is an assistant supervisor of Special Events with the City of Kingston. She graduated from Queen’s University, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology in 2015. After graduation, Emily lived in Orlando, Florida and worked for the mouse making a year of magic before moving back to Toronto to study Event Management at Humber College. When she is not working, she loves snuggling with her dog, blasting old school punk music from her high school days, and cleaning house at Disney trivia.

June 25, 2020

RESOURCES

Work-Life Balance

with AK

During COVID-19, many have been tasked with figuring out how to balance their work and assignments within a home office environment, which is new and unfamiliar to those who normally did not have the opportunity to work from home before the pandemic.

Lots of people are trying to establish when to work, where to work and how to create boundaries between work and personal life. With this said, it's critical to build a new routine that not only creates a space for open conversation and adaptation, but also to give yourself time to focus on your well-being and personal goals.

When you are working from home, you can be so focused on the tasks at hand that you can forget to take a break or breather. It is important for your physical and mental well-being to take a break every so often. Not only does a break boost your productivity and mood, it will also reduce the strain on your eyes from your digital screens.

Here are some great (and simple) ways to manage your day:
• Maintain regular hours
• Create a morning routine
• Take scheduled breaks
• Keep a designated office space
• Take a walk during your coffee or lunch break
• Try some desk stretches in your home office
• Do a quick workout to get energized and refocused
• Breathing exercises, meditation, or yoga. Breathing exercises
• strengthen your lungs and make them work more efficiently
• Most importantly, try to remain positive during this strange time. You’re not alone.

June 18, 2020

COVID-19 SERIES

The Path Changes

with Mackenzie Perras

About Mackenzie:

Mackenzie was first introduced to Pilates and Yoga at a young age when she was training as a competitive dancer. With a passion for movement and wellness, Mackenzie began her certificate training in Classical Power Pilates, STOTT Reformer Pilates and Assistant Training for Power Yoga Canada.

Mackenzie incorporates classical ballet and pilates principles into her workout with the concept to move the body through full-range movement while building strength, control flexibility and mobility. Her power sequences build with foundational exercises that become more complex as you build deep abdominal strength and stability. Mackenzie’s classes are low impact and high power; you move fluidly through each exercise targeting deep core muscles, sculpting the legs, glutes and arms. Mackenzie’s movement method strengthens and lengthens the body while bringing awareness to the mind, body and breath connection. Mackenzie wants you to feel longer and stronger by the end of her power workout.

Mackenzie believes personal wellness is integrated with movement and encourages her community to live a healthy lifestyle; sharing wellness tips related to fitness, wellness beauty products and ways to maximize nutritional health.

June 11, 2020

COVID-19 SERIES

Experience is the Best Teacher

with Kara Gabriel

How did you get involved in the event industry? What made you want to pursue this career?

To be totally honest I never envisioned myself being as involved in events as I am today. I’ve done a lot of brand ambassador work in the past which lead to participating in many events. I’ve always had an interest in fundraising and have a history of extracurricular involvement in non-profit teams. Naturally, these areas involve a lot of events, which had a lot to do with me getting involved in them. I work in marketing full-time and there’s a lot of cross-over with events, which furthered my involvement.

How did you feel after accomplishing your first event from start to finish?

EXHAUSTED! Events require you to have Plans A-D, and the day of you always end up going with Plan E. One of the great things about events is being able to be on your toes and in the thick of things, but that almost always leads to feeling like you ran a marathon once an event is over. I feel like most people are attracted to the glamorous aspect of events, so the gritty bits of your first event is always a bit of a shock.

What do you enjoy the most about your workplace? What's your role and responsibilities?

I have a few different roles and enjoy different aspects of all of them! I work in sponsorship and marketing at a major financial institution, and am one of DUET Dance Company’s co-founders. They’re so different from each other and come with their own pros and cons. A common enjoyable aspect of these jobs is that I get to wear many hats and collaborate creatively with many different internal and external parties.

How did DUET form? What's its mission? How are events incorporated into your business plan?

DUET Dance Company is a Toronto-based dance company that I formed with my amazing friends Caroline and Catherine. We foster movement with meaning through using dance to support various charities. Caroline, Catherine and I share a passion for both dance and giving back – we realized through our past roles in volunteering and fundraising that there was a space in the non-profit world for affordable entertainment. Entertainment is a huge add to events, but a lot of non-profit groups may not have ample budget to spend on it without compromising donation dollars. We built DUET to provide professional level pro-bono dance entertainment for charitable events to help maximize their fundraising efforts. To further support charities, we also have our DUET Connects program, where we partner with other organizations in Toronto to put together small fundraising events such as workout classes, dance classes, meditation sessions, etc. So – events are a huge part of what we do!

How have companies pivoted during this current climate and adapted to remote communication?

Obviously, in-person events are out of the question but overall I’ve seen companies do a great job of engaging their audience digitally. As many others have done, we’ve moved pretty much everything online. We’ve been able to put on digital events through different platforms such as Instagram Live, or WebEx and we’re really happy with how that has gone.

I must say that we’re lucky this is happening in 2020. Could you imagine going through this without the communication capabilities our world has? We’re lucky to have social media, e-mail, and teleconferencing. It definitely makes communicating easier. One thing I’d say is that my teams have made an effort to almost over-communicate during this time, whether it be from a work or personal perspective. I think that’s really important to do until we can all see each other more regularly.

How do you think the event industry impacted by the pandemic? I think that if organizations weren’t well versed in the digital space before, they certainly are now. I read somewhere that COVID-19 advanced organizations’ digital capabilities by 7 years – haven’t gone out of my way to fact check that one but I definitely believe it!

What are your thoughts on virtual events? Has your workplace implemented any virtual events?

There are positives and negatives of virtual events for sure. I love that there’s more accurate and in-depth attendance metrics and data mining available now that we’re leveraging digital platforms more. I love that I can attend an event across the world, which would have been near impossible if it was being held in person. I think one you get through the kinks of technology, a virtual event is extremely low-lift in comparison to an in-person event – no coordination with the venue, no day-of logistics in terms of décor and registration and what not. This is all from a business, corporate perspective for the most part. While I have seen some really interesting platforms - for example, I’ve seen online conferences feature things like holding rooms for speakers, cocktail receptions, and multiple rooms for different presentations at the same time, a lot of the experiential aspect of events can be easily compromised when events move virtual. Seeing things like weddings and birthdays and graduations have to be hosted online…there just isn’t the same magic in that to me. It’s really difficult for virtual events to deliver the same sentimental value and personal touch as in-person ones.

What has been the biggest challenge you've come across as the event industry is shifting to virtual events?

I’d say one of the bigger challenges is technology. Depending on the size of your event, I’ve seen issues with having ample bandwidth to provide a seamless event experience to your audience. Zoom works really well but there’s also some contention on if it’s private or secure.

Do you have any recommendations for individuals looking to host virtual events?

I would say that events are largely going to be hosted online in the future – partly due to regulation, and partly because we’re discovering that there’s a lot of opportunity in the virtual space - so to take this opportunity to sharpen your familiarity with hosting them and expand your organization’s virtual capabilities as much as possible.

What advice would you give to individuals who want to pursue events as a career?

Experience is the best teacher, so just get out there and be involved in them as much as you can. If you’re just starting out, job shadow an agency, volunteer for a charity, pick up brand ambassador work, attend them a lot. I didn’t go to school for events, but would say that if you’re interested in that, there are great programs in Toronto for event planning/management.

How have you kept busy during this time? Have you started any new hobbies?

I’m such a busy person in “normal” life, and I fully expected my schedule to stay jam-packed. To my surprise, I’ve had a lot of space and down time. I started meditating twice a day, stretching more, reading. I’m addicted to the Property Brothers game. Nothing crazy. I think it’s ok to take advantage of this slow pace if that’s the vibe you are feeling.

What are you looking forward to the most when live events start back up again?

Honestly, I just can’t wait to shake someone’s hand haha. In events, you’re always meeting new people! I feel like it’s been so long since I met someone new and got to shake their hand.

What do you find is the most challenging aspect of organizing and executing an event?

The fact that, at the end of the day, despite how much you might try, you can’t control everything! I have yet to be part of an event where absolutely everything went 100 percent to plan. And that used to kill me. To be honest, it still does from time to time. But, in events and truthfully in life, I’m learning that you try your best, and you wing the rest haha.

What are your thoughts on the fundraising industry and the shift it will take post COVID-19? Do you believe companies and not-for-profits will have to shift to new revenue streams? If so, where?

It’s been extremely tough for non-profits/charities right now. Events are central to most fundraising models. Also, people’s financial situations are finicky right now due to layoffs and job losses - many may not be in a comfortable position to donate. Digital events are definitely worth looking into. Corporate sponsorship are and will continue to be be even more important for charities and non-profits. Government assistance for these organizations is also going to continue to be key.

What resources do you recommend helpful to those looking for event and fundraising guidance or tips?

I used LinkedIn Learning a lot during quarantine. They have so many courses on just about anything! I haven’t looked into SkillShare or Masterclass, but have heard that those are great resources as well. The Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada throws monthly breakfast panels – I’ve learned a lot from them on events, marketing, sponsorship across various industries. They obviously are not happening at the moment, but I’d definitely recommend looking into it once normalcy resumes.

About Kara:

Kara Gabriel is a marketing and events professional based in Toronto. She holds diverse experience across various industries including finance, non-profit, and technology. She currently works in marketing and sponsorships for a major financial institution and formerly for Bumble Canada as Toronto’s event manager. She also co-founded DUET Dance Company, a charity focused, performance-based dance company in Toronto.

Kara is a graduate of Western University’s Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies program, where she specialized in Consumer Behaviour.

May 28, 2020

COVID-19 SERIES

Don't Lose Hope

with Gabrielle Whittaker

About Gabrielle:

Gabrielle Whittaker is an Events Specialist living in Ottawa, Ontario. She has been working full-time in the events industry since 2017 after graduating from Humber college with a Postgraduate Certificate in Event Management. Gabrielle has worked both on the planner and supplier side of the industry, having worked in a hotel before landing in her current role as a corporate planner. She is an active member of the MPI Ottawa chapter volunteering on many committees and in July 2020 will be joining their board of directors. She is a passionate event professional with experience in weddings, conferences, trade shows, meetings and special events. In 2019, Gabrielle was recognized as Employee of the Year and was nominated for several awards through MPI. She loves connecting and collaborating with her industry peers and is always improving her skills through continuing education. When not at work she can be found travelling the world, cooking or spending time with her fur baby.