1 year since I started working at Hippo Events and what an exciting year it has been! Despite Steve’s well-crafted gradual development plan for me, I found myself diving headfirst into the thick of it right from the beginning. It feels like I blinked, and a whole year has passed!
Over the past year I have learnt more than I could put on paper, from how Venue Finding works and the details of basic AV equipment right through to using formulas on Excel (although arguably those formulas are still an area I need to work on!)
Having worked on the hotel operations side of events previously, my perception of an Event Agency has completely changed. I used to believe the agents who came on site didn’t really do that much more than show up on the day, eat the tasty break food with the delegates and then go home. Oh, how wrong I was!!
I now understand now that all events, whether a Conference, Gala Dinner, Drinks Reception or Roadshow (or any other event type) involves so much more than setting up a few tables and making sure there is some food out for guests.
Instead, the process involves the collective efforts of so many different people, working together and planning meticulously for months and months ahead, making sure everything from venue, AV and dietaries to music, content and seating plans are all correct ahead of the arrival of hundreds of attendees.
There has been many stand out moments from my first year at Hippo, both the events themselves and outside of these. We have held events at some amazing venues, including Claridge’s, Monkey Island, the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham and so on. However, the Gala Dinner we managed at the Natural History Museum surpassed all my expectations. Joining over halfway through the planning stages of this event and with a long-term client of Hippo meant it was a ‘sink or swim’ moment for me!
Organising an event in a venue that is open to the public during the day is no mean feat; I think I can speak for the team and myself when I say we genuinely did not know if the space could be turned around for 450+ guests in just over an hour! But it all came together seamlessly – of course. To be a part of an event in a building that I once visited on school trips and that holds such iconic domestic and international significance was incredibly special.
Outside of events, there have also been some fantastic moments. These include the amazing site visits we have been on, the menu tastings we have experienced, and the travel to cities I’d never been to before – as well as more comical moments such as being 4 hours late to an event due to the train delays that resulted in me spending 4 hours in an uber with strangers! Oh, and being mistaken for a B&Q employee while doing some last minute shopping for a client in my orange Hippo uniform!
In the last year, I have learnt more than I thought possible. Most importantly I have learnt the insane amount of work that goes into producing and planning events. There are so many people involved from client, AV, venues, caterers, entertainment, photographers, printing companies – the list goes on! The number of intricate details that have to be planned, shared, revised (multiple times!) and implemented all within a specific time period has given me a new found respect for the industry. Working alongside such a diverse group of clients, each with their own vision, ideas and often brilliant sense of humour, has made my first year a genuine joy!
I can’t wait to see what year 2 has in store for me!
Hippo offer Event Project Management and Global Venue Finding services. Contact us today on 01372 460 100 or events@hippoevents.co.uk to see how we can assist.