8
February

Why I Affiliated with an Existing Meeting Management Company Rather Than Being Independent

The move to become a professional independent meeting planner has been the right career choice for me. I am often asked 1) why I decided to leave the safety and security of a corporate job and 2) why I affiliated with a brand versus being on my own.

There are many reasons that individuals decide to break out on their own in the hospitality industry. For me, I had the good fortune of getting exposed to the advantages of entrepreneurial life as an intrepreneur(a person within a large corporation who takes direct responsibility for turning an idea into a profitable finished product through assertive risk-taking and innovation). This showed me that it was possible and reinforced the dream within me to one day be on my own. As my friend and fellow entrepreneur, Andy Glick, says: “If you want to control your destiny and create wealth, you probably need to own something. You can make a decent living as a salaried employee – no complaints here -, but if you have the nerve and you think big, starting a business offers the possibility of significant rewards.”

Based on this belief, I went searching for facts. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), there are approximately 28 million small businesses in the U.S., which translates to 1,162 small businesses for every one corporation in the country. Additionally, the SBA estimates that small businesses account for 44% of the U.S. payroll – and 70% of those businesses are owned and operated by a single person. So independent business owners are an important part of the economy and can be proud of what they do each and every day. More importantly, it confirmed my belief that if all of these other small businesses can do it…we can do it!

Once I made the decision that I wanted to be on my own, I evaluated all of my options:

  1. Start my own meeting planning company
  2. Affiliate with an established brand
  3. Buy an existing business

I chose to affiliate with an established and respected global brand in the industry for the following reasons:

  1.  It’s the industry I know, love and have 25 years of experience working in.
  2.  Turnkey Start-up- established and proven systems, processes and procedures.
  3. Brand Recognition- established relationships/numerous networking opportunities.
  4. State of the art technology available for conducting site searches, registration and housing services.
  5. Full service resource for customers- conference management, registration, housing, site selection, contract negotiation, strategic meeting management.
  6. Corporate office staff for training, support, back up and dedicated accounting support.
  7. Marketing Collateral such as business cards, letterhead, brochures, email and a website already created.
  8. Assigned a Team Director – a personal mentor, coach and advisor to make sure success is achieved.
  9. Hotel Contracts offering pre negotiated terms with major hotel chains and independent hotels.Dedicated Global Sales Organization (and often on-property) representation for the brand

Business experts state that to be successful as an independent business owner you must be:

  • Dedicated- a passion and desire to achieve
  • Persistent- the ability to never give up
  • Well-organized
  • Confident
  • Risk tolerant
  • Self-reliant
  • Flexible
  • Able to maintain a positive outlook

I felt good that I had some of the qualities above and by being a part of a known brand; I had the support needed to ensure success…the best of both worlds. For these reasons, I made the leap to being on my own and felt that being affiliated with a known brand was the right match for me.

There is no doubt that I work hard as an independent meeting planner, but every moment I spend on my business, is my choice. Have you explored these options? If so, do you have lessons to share?

 If you found this article valuable, you might also be interested in ”Hospitality Professionals – Is Being an Independent Meeting Planner and Event Planner Right For You?”

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20
January

Independent Meeting Planner Enjoys Freedom to Thrive

She may have started her hospitality career under traditional employment, but today, Melissa Ronacher enjoys independence and freedom to build her own business as an independent meeting planner.

During her career, Melissa has worked with Marriott International in various direct sales and leadership roles in Texas, Oklahoma, and Colorado. As a global account manager, she handled the association, corporate and extended-stay markets as a single point of contact for site selection in placing conferences worldwide at all Marriott, Renaissance, and Ritz Carlton Hotels.

While Melissa’s career was going well, there was a point where she was ready for a change: “I wanted to take charge of my own destiny in a changing environment. We are in the business because of relationships we develop. Many times, when reorganization happens, you start over with different territories and need to build new relationships.”

These reorganization periods called for Melissa to establish new relationships which she found frustrating as she worked so hard at establishing the previous relationships; she didn’t want to scrap those and start over again.

Melissa decided that working as an independent meeting planner would allow her to cultivate and strengthen those good relationships she had already established. To make that change, she chose to become an independent meeting planner with ConferenceDirect.

As an independent meeting professional, Melissa provides meeting solutions to her clients such as site selection, contract negotiations, conference management and acts as a liaison to help provide services her clients need (registration, housing, exhibit sales, sponsorship sales and attendee marketing).

When asked why she chose ConferenceDirect, Melisa stated, “I liked ConferenceDirect because it’s a quality organization that places emphasis on hiring people with experience. Not a lot of third party meeting planning companies have an experience requirement.” Melissa was impressed that ConferenceDirect preferred to hire professionals who had worked in the field for a number of years. “I wanted to be affiliated with quality and experienced people, professionals,” she says.

Once she had decided to make the switch, Melissa felt comfortable working with Doug Baarman, whom she had worked with previously through Marriott: “I had experience with him and enjoyed his leadership style and his motivation and passion he shares with the team. He is focused on our success and contributes to the team success.”

Being an independent meeting planner is not for everyone, however. Melissa gives this advice for those thinking about making the transition: “Make sure you have established relationships in the industry already with planners that might be interested in working with you. You cannot just make a cold call and the prospect will start working with you.” Melissa has found that relationships are key to an independent meeting planner’s success. “People want to work with people they trust.”

One of the challenges an independent meeting planner can face is income structure. “If you’ve never worked under a commission-only structure, it can be challenging learning how to manage revenues, managing expenses and flow of revenue until you get established,” Melissa advises. She recommends keeping a nest egg that will help through the building period or seasons that are a little slow. Melissa advises that, “It takes time to ramp up.” It’s not uncommon to work hard for six months before an independent meeting planner starts to see a reliable revenue stream. “You need to work with discipline, being proactive and dedicated.”

For Melissa, her first accounts came from relationships she had already established through her work in the industry. “Not everyone will use you, but some will.” After five years with ConferenceDirect, Melissa’s business has grown, allowing her to hire a coordinator who assists with many of the details of running her business, such as monitoring hotel pickups, sending out RFPs, and arranging site visits.

Melissa says she truly enjoys running her own business. “I have the ability to build it to the level I want, to manage it day in and day out.” But she’s not alone in her endeavor. The ConferenceDirect team is an important aspect. “It’s nice to have a support group,” she confides.

If you would like to know more about becoming an independent meeting planner, download your free report “Take Charge of Your Hospitality Career and YOUR Income”.  Fill out the form to the right for immediate download.

 

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12
January

Hospitality Career: 7 Tips to Start The Year Strong

First Thing Every Morning by Lewis Timberlake
If you had a bank that credited your account each morning with $86,400 – with no balance carried from day to day forcing you to spend it – what would you do? Well, you do have such a bank… time.

Every morning it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it rules off as “lost” whatever you have failed to use toward good purposes. It carries over no balances and allows no overdrafts. You can’t hoard it, save it, store it, loan it or invest it. You can only use it – time.

This is an excellent message as we kick off the new year… and for each and every day. Use the time we are given each day wisely so that you can reach your goals. Below are a few ideas on what you can do to get your year off to a great start.

  1. Establish Your Annual Goal
    It is not an easy task to put together a written plan for the year… but it is essential. If we do not have a plan, then we are planning to fail. As Zig Zaglar famously said, “If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.”
  2. Break Your Goal up into an Action Steps
    It is important to break your goal into quarterly objectives. Spell out what activities you need to focus on daily, weekly and monthly to achieve your desired result.
  3. Listen to (and follow) your best advice
    In my daily coaching with my team, over 30 entrepreneurs, and through the articles I write, I need to be honest with myself. Do I always practice what I preach? I need to put the advice I give into action. Are you listening to (and following) the excellent advice that you are giving?
  4. Create a short list of big things you will accomplish this year and publicly commit to doing one thing
    Keep things very simple. I believe that a short list wins (you can always add more). Personally I am working to be more ‘green’ and ‘paper-free’ in 2013. I have moved to using my iPad more effectively and reducing my dependency on paper. What one thing are you going to announce publicly?
  5. Reach out to 5 potential new customers from your list of contacts
    Go through all of your contacts (those that have done business with you and those who have not). Ask them how things are going with their current provider. You may uncover an opportunity and the timing may be right to give you a try.
  6. Call Your Customers
    Call all of your current customers and thank them for doing business with you. Do not ask them for anything… just say thanks. You will be amazed at some of the reactions that you get.
  7. Dedicate time to research your top competitor
    Take some time as we begin the new year to research what your top competitor is doing. Do an honest assessment, what are they doing better than you? What can you learn from them? What are you doing better?

Finally, I am sharing a tool I use on a daily basis to keep me on track – Focus For Today. We know it is impossible to get everything done in a day… so let’s focus and get the important ones done!

Focus for Today

Priority (must do first): ____________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________

Tips:

  • Make Certain that these activities tie into the overall goals you need to achieve.
  • Block time on your calendar to complete these tasks.
  • Reward yourself for completing these tasks.

Let’s use every one of our 86,400 seconds we are given each day productively and start 2013 strong!

If you enjoyed this article, you may also be interested in “Holiday Networking for Hospitality Industry Professionals”.

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26
December

Hospitality Professionals Say So Long, 2012

On To 2013 and Achieving Our Dreams!


We are winding down another year that many would describe as challenging and others would label as modestly successful. The world economies continue to struggle which has a trickle-down effect on the hospitality industry making it interesting for those of us in the meetings and events business.
We are now facing the ‘fiscal cliff’ and the fear of falling back into a recession. However, we need to keep in mind the positive impact our industry has on the economy. In the US, travel, tourism & hospitality is among the nation’s largest services export industries, and one of America’s largest employers. It ranks as one of the top 10 largest industries in the US:

  •  1.7 million direct and an additional 4.6 million indirect jobs
  • Pays $194.6 billion in wages and salaries
  • 1.8 million meetings and events annually
  • $263 billion in direct spending
  • $106 billion contribution to the GDP (larger than the auto manufacturing industry)
  • $124 billion in federal, state and local taxes

As we close out 2012, we also want to focus on the good things that happened…I am sure you will be surprised at how many you can come up with. Please take a few minutes to list your successes over the past year:
1. _________________________________________
2. _________________________________________
3. _________________________________________

Now let’s move on to how we can make 2013 a successful one for each of us. As you prepare for the New Year, ask yourself the following questions:

  • What is my dream for the future?
  • Do I have clear goals that will help me achieve my dream?
  • Do I have a game plan to help me stay on track?

Once you have answered these questions, you should be focused on:

  • Planning your work/working your plan
  • Holding yourself accountable with consequences and rewards
  • Being involved in your industry and community
  • Helping others achieve their goals
  • Giving back- whether it be time or money
  • Having fun!
  • Let’s move on to achieving our dreams in 2013!

Want to take your career to the next level?  Sign up for our free report “Take Charge of Your Hosptality Career and Your Income”.  Sign up with the form you see on the right side of this page.

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14
December

Hospitality Professionals Ask: So What?

The final weeks of the year typically bring a flurry of communication and activity between meeting planners and hotels. This busy season makes it difficult to navigate through all of the information and determine the necessary action steps. This reminds me of a radio ad for a local organization that bases its message around the question- So What? This simple question applies to us in the meetings, events and hospitality industry as well.

We all think what we have to say about our product or service is worthy of the attention of others. The person we are communicating with is saying- so what? What is in it for me? The challenge is making the connection for them between the products or service that we are offering and the benefit they receive. I would encourage you to always give your message the ‘So What?’ test.

  • Before you send out the RFP to your hotel partners, read it one more time and ask – So What? Does your RFP cover all of the event details? Does it tell about the organization, and highlight the hot buttons and decision factors enabling the hotel to submit their best proposal?
  • Before you send out your proposal to your customer, read it one more time and ask – So What? Did your proposal address the needs of your customer and tie together the benefit of using your product or service?
  • Before you send out the contract to your customer, read it again and ask – So What? Are all the pertinent details included? Are the dates, number of guest rooms, meeting space needs, etc. correct?
  • Before you finalize the agenda for your upcoming meeting, does it answer the question – So What? Is there a clear purpose for the meeting and is this message carried throughout the entire meeting/event?

In this day of information overload, make sure that your messages are clear, concise and offer valuable information to answer the question – So What is in it for me?

 

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8
December

Holiday Networking for Hospitality Industry Professionals

“Networking is simply the cultivating of mutually beneficial, give and take, win-win relationships. It works best, however, when emphasizing the ‘give’ part.”      - Bob Burg, Author and Speaker

We are in full holiday season and hospitality industry party mode – hard to believe that 2012 is coming to a close. Since networking is critical for all of us, I am sharing some tips from my Business Coach, Angie Segal with ActionCOACH (www.actioncoach.com/angiesegal ).

The Holiday season is here and it is a great time to build your business.  Opportunities for forging relationships and making new connections abound.

 Here are 7 tips for holiday networking:
1. Accept all invitations – invited to an event or party where you don’t know anyone?  What a great opportunity to meet new people.

2. Seek out events to attend – there are lots of parties, events and galas starting in early November and continuing into January.  Look for them.

3. Have a goal for quality connections – how many good connections are you hoping to make at each event?  Don’t just greet and move on, spend a few minutes talking with the people you want to know better.

4. Have a system for follow up – you need to follow up with everyone you want to know better.  How do you plan to do this?

5. Have a good time – fun is important and it shows in your attitude.

6. Embrace abundance and serendipity – know that there is plenty of business for everyone and that your good deeds will come back to you in some way.

7. Don’t eat or drink too much – but I am guessing you already knew that one!

Have a great Holiday season and I hope that everyone takes the time to reflect on the goodness of the previous year and the potential of the upcoming year.

These are some great tips that will help make the next few weeks not only fun…but productive. Happy Networking!

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19
November

Hospitality Professionals: Giving Thanks

thank youAs we prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, it is time to pause for a moment and give thanks for all that we have and for the ability to pursue an exciting and rewarding career in the hospitality industry.

Over the past year, I have been reminded of all the value that can be provided to our customers and the rewards we receive from building a successful career as an independent meeting planner. For many of us, we are thankful for our:

  • Improved Lifestyle
  • Independence to Pursue our Dream
  • Financial Freedom

I am also reminded that we cannot achieve success on our own. There are many who have helped each of us throughout our careers and enabled us to reach this point. There are also those who are working with you and helping you today- take the time to let them know you appreciate them and their contribution.

Your challenge for this holiday week is to personally call (not emails, letters or notes) all of these people ‘just to say thanks’. There is a difference between giving thanks and saying thanks and on these calls you are going to say thanks. You will be amazed at the reactions and responses you receive.

I also want to personally thank you for subscribing to my blog and taking the time to read my messages. I am very thankful for your support and encourage you to share any ideas or suggestions in the comments section. Wishing you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving!

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9
November

Independent Hospitality Professionals – Do You Need a Coach?

Independent Hospitality Professionals- Do You Need a Coach?

“A good coach will make his players see what they can be rather than what they are.”
Ara Parasheghian – Former Notre Dame Football Coach

A major part of my responsibilities include coaching and mentoring each of the independent meeting planners that have joined my team. I love being a leader, trusted advisor and mentor helping individuals build their businesses and achieve their desired success. But sometimes, the coach also needs to be coached…so I engaged a business coach.

Many of the best athletes, business people, politicians and entertainers are surrounded by coaches and advisors. They know they need help along the way to ensure their success. As the world continues to move faster and get more competitive, it’s difficult for us to keep up with the hospitality industry transformations and the innovations in event planning, sales, marketing and business strategies.

Continuing with the sports analogy, let’s compare a business or professional coach to a golf caddie. The few times that I have been fortunate enough to golf with a caddie, it has been an amazing experience. I had someone standing next to me, looking over my shoulder, giving me advice on what club to use and how to best make the shot. Imagine if you had this person assisting you in the business world, helping you stay on track and making the right decisions. A business coach can be your ‘professional caddie’.

Maybe you are still on the fence….is hiring a coach the right decision for you? Let me give you some reasons why YOU may want to consider a business coach:

Your Business Coach Will:

  1. Be there for you personally to support and inspire you.
  2. Help you clearly define your goals.
  3. Identify roadblocks in advance and help you work through them.
  4. Provide a roadmap to ensure your daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly activities are facilitating your biggest priorities and ultimately achieving your goals.
  5. Share a wealth of ideas, knowledge, expertise, tools and resources. They will help you brainstorm on how to solve the challenges of your business.
  6. Be honest and help you overcome your fears and doubts. Your coach won’t judge you and will be an objective listener.
  7. Pick you up when you fall short and celebrate with you when you reach the finish line.

Engage Your Business Coach When:

  1. You want to grow your business.
  2. You want to improve your systems and operations.
  3. You are developing your business and marketing plan.
  4. You want to work ‘on’ your business and not ‘in’ your business.

You have a dream of a better life, freedom and the rewards of being an independent business owner in the hospitality industry, but you may need help. For all the reasons previously mentioned and the burning desire to achieve my dream, I engaged a business coach! Imagine what you would accomplish this year with the support of a coach…are you ready to change your life?

“I never cease to be amazed at the power of the coaching process to draw out the skills or talent that was previously hidden within an individual, and which invariably finds a way to solve a problem previously thought unsolvable.”
John Russell

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31
October

Hospitality Professional: 8 Ways to Make Your Dream a Reality

Do you have a dream? Do you know how to make your dream a reality? It is proven that those who have a dream and a plan for how to reach it are more successful than their counterparts. The following are 8 ways for you to set goals that ensure your dream becomes a reality.
1. Set clear, specific goals with deadlines – Your mental preparation is important and you need to visualize your goals. What exactly do you want? When do you want it by? How are you going to get it?
2. Write them down – What steps do you need to take to make it happen? You will need to create a strategic plan of action. It is a fact that if you write your goals down, it cements the desire in your brain and achieving them becomes more likely.
3. Share your goal with someone – If you talk about your goal, it will help you to stay encouraged and excited. It will also encourage those you tell to help you in any way they can.
4. Take action – Achievers are dreamers and doers. Do not let obstacles prevent you from taking action. Decide to move forward…and go for it!
5. Take small steps and BIG strides every day – take consistent steps each day to move you in the right direction. Set time periods for achieving each of them. Once you have a few small wins, start to stretch yourself by taking bigger steps.
6. Track your results – track your starting point, your ending point and where you are versus your goal. Evaluate your strategies and tactics. Are you getting the results expected or desired? If not make adjustments along the way.
7. Team up with a coach or mentor – find someone that will be your ‘buddy’ and keep you on track. A mentor may be a caring and trusting friend or colleague who listens to you and your concerns. A mentor is someone who may believe in you more than you do yourself….inspiring you to achieve more than you believed possible.
8. Celebrate your successes – every time that you reach a milestone, reward your accomplishments. It will keep your spirits high and help you stay focused on what you need to do to reach your desired results.

Reaching your dream is the desired outcome; keep moving toward it, even if you face setbacks and challenges. It is time for me to sign off and get moving forward toward my goals. Are you going to work on yours?

 If you found this article valuable, you might also be interested in ”Hospitality Professionals – Is Being an Independent Meeting Planner and Event Planner Right For You?”

 

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22
October

The Freedom of Being an Independent Meeting Planner

Many of us have chosen to be independent meeting planners within the hospitality industry which is an exciting, challenging and rewarding career choice. For those of us in this profession and for those considering it, I came across the following data which shows that we are in good company as an independent contractor.

There are 16 million independent workers in the United States today.
More than 20 million are forecast to be independent in 2013.

  • Source:MBO Partners

Alternative workers accounted for approximately $626 billion in personal income in 2010, or about one in every eight dollars earned.

82.3 percent of independent contractors prefer an independent or alternative work arrangement to being an employee.

9.1 percent would prefer an employment management.

  • Source:The Bureau of Labor Statistics

Who Are They?
47% Male
53% Female

48% Gen X (7,772,347)
30% Boomers (4,746,228)
12 % Gen Y (1,895,306)
10% Matures (1,513,059)

Average age of 30-49; nearly half have a college degree.

  • Source:MBO Partners

Why Do They Do It?

Self employed workers are “significantly more satisfied with their jobs than other workers. They’re also more likely to work because they want to and not because they need a paycheck.”

  • Source:Pew Research Center

58% of independent workers are highly satisfied. Here’s why:

  • 75% say doing something they like is more important to them than making the most money.
  • 74% say they like an occupation where it is easy to tell when they’re making a difference for someone.
  • 67% say flexibility is more important to them than making the most money.

In addition, independent contracting often serves as a steppingstone to entrepreneurship and small business formation.

  • Source:MBO Partners

Being an independent meeting planner, business owner and entrepreneur offers the greatest privilege of all – FREEDOM. People start their own business for many reasons…but mainly it is the freedom of working on your own, having more time to spend with family and friends, financial freedom and just the freedom of knowing you are in charge of your own life. Freedom seems to be the main motivator.

What do you enjoy about being an independent meeting planner?

 

Have you had a chance to download your free guide “Taking Charge of Your Hospitality Career and Your Income”?  If you haven’t, all you have to do is sign up on the right side of this page and you will immediately receive your copy.

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