We are honored to have celebrity event planner + designer Troy Williams of Simply Troy Lifestyle + Events sharing advice on entering the event planning industry, how to juggle multiple events and keeping positive during Covid-19. Read our interview below to help grow your own event planning business and be inspired by Troy!
1) What advice would you give to someone who is interested in becoming an event planner but doesn't know where to start?
Research. Research. Research. In today’s golden era of technology we have information at our fingertips. Aspiring event planners have so many tools available to learn more about their chosen field in an instant. Check out the “Best Of” lists for Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Brides, and BizBash to name a few. Look at the various event planner company names then do a deep dive into their websites and bios as well as exploring their events and what you like. If they list the vendors they used, then explore those websites also. All of this research will give you a comprehensive starting point to start reaching out and seeing if any of these companies have internships or entry-level positions open which might be a stepping stone for you.
2) Have you worked on multiple events at once? If so, how do you stay on track?
Working at Warner Bros. Pictures for 14 years doing Premieres and Special Events with our team kept me on my toes, always. I loved the diversity of films we did ongoing events for at all times. We juggled at least 3 to 5 or more film events at the same time and did more events each year than any other studio in Hollywood. Staying extremely organized and maintaining excellent communication with each other on the team were the top two ways to make sure we handled it professionally.
3) Covid-19 has really affected the event industry, what advice do you have for planners who may be unsure of the future of this industry? How do you stay positive?
No one has the magical answer to the Covid question and at times it can make you feel lost with not being able to control the situation (which we love to do as planners). What you can control is your attitude and focus on the positive aspects of your world. Give yourself projects to learn a new skill set and expand your own mind so when we do come out of this pandemic you have sharpened your skills. This will make you an even better artist at your craft. I’m building my own #bookstagram under my Instagram @simplytroy called #BookedBySimplyTroy which allows me to continue my passion for books and helps me with my photography and flat lay skills, sharpening my social media content creation skills, helps build community and best of all I read more books to expand my own world views and get to promote them to others to enjoy too. It’s a delightful win-win. I’m grateful for this time during the pandemic that has allowed me the space to rediscover and reignite my book-loving passion. Plus, it’s an authentic addition to the lifestyle aspect of my Simply Troy brand.
Also, this is an excellent time to explore another aspect of your field of expertise or try out an entirely new career path. Give yourself permission to explore. You never know what might motivate you to move forward with the next chapter of your life. Be okay with letting go of your “perfect career plans” and instead allow yourself to be open to the possibilities of finding happiness in other jobs.
Thank you, Troy for sharing your valuable advice and inspirational mindset. We appreciate your expertise and wish the event planning community much success moving forward!
Author: The Guest Table