Hospitality Lifestyles

Event Meeting Planners: Time for a Change?

by Doug Baarman | September 28, 2026 | Hospitality | 0 Comments

When another year passes with a small raise — or none at all. When you realize your hard work is building someone else’s dream instead of your own. You’ve wondered what it would be like to own your business. To be in charge. To build something that is yours. But the...

5 Steps to Go From Paycheck to Profitable Hospitality Entrepreneur

by Doug Baarman | February 2, 2026 | Business, Entrepreneur Advice | 0 Comments

Chat with Doug: From Paycheck to Profitable Entrepreneur: How to Replace Your Salary as an Independent Consultant For many hospitality professionals, the ‘dream’ is clear: trading the corporate grind for the freedom of being independent. But then reality sets in. You...

The Importance of Building a Support Group in the Hospitality Industry

by Doug Baarman | January 19, 2026 | Self-Improvement Tips | 0 Comments

Chat with Doug: The Importance of Building a Support Group It is important to join an organization that provides the support services needed to achieve success while also creating your own! The key to success is YOU…you are creating your own circumstances,...

How Do I Find My First Client When Starting My Meeting Planning Business?

by Doug Baarman | December 2, 2025 | Business Development Tips, Entrepreneur Advice, New Business Development | 0 Comments

Here are five steps that are a part of the blueprint we use to guide you in landing that all-important first client.

Onboarding and Training for Independent Meeting Planning Consultants

by Doug Baarman | November 6, 2025 | Entrepreneur Advice, Hospitality | 0 Comments

Chat with Doug: Will There Be Onboarding and Ongoing Training? As I was exploring my options to make the transition from employee to independent meeting planning consultant, I wanted to make sure I affiliated with an organization that provided both onboarding support...

Why I Affiliated With an Existing Meeting Management Company

by Doug Baarman | October 19, 2025 | Career Transition Tips, Entrepreneur Advice, Independent Business Owner Tips | 0 Comments

Chatting With Doug As we move through the series of questions on becoming an independent meeting planner in the hospitality industry, I want to answer the two I receive most often on why this has been the right career choice for me. Why I decided to leave the safety...

Ask Doug About the Hospitality Industry – With Team Baarman@ConferenceDirect

by Doug Baarman | October 12, 2025 | Entrepreneur Advice | 0 Comments

Over the next few weeks, I am going to answer a series of frequently-asked questions I get when people reach out to me about pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities in the hospitality industry and potentially joining Team Baarman @ConferenceDirect.

Freedom, Flexibility and the Gig Economy for the Hospitality Independent Professional

by Doug Baarman | September 23, 2025 | Entrepreneur Advice, Hospitality | 0 Comments

The latest job reports may tell us how many positions were created or lost, but they don’t answer a more important question: are people satisfied with how they work and live? For many professionals, the traditional 9-to-5 and having to be in the office no longer provides the flexibility or fulfillment they’re looking for.

Thinking About Becoming an Independent Meeting Professional?

by Doug Baarman | September 5, 2025 | Business, Career Transition Tips, Entrepreneur Advice, Independent Business Owner Tips | 0 Comments

If you’re considering a path to business ownership in the hospitality industry but are not sure where to begin, you deserve a simple blueprint and a guide who helps you make the right decision.

Open to Work? 3 Steps to Creating Your Dream Hospitality Career

by Doug Baarman | August 19, 2025 | Career Transition Tips, Hospitality | 0 Comments

Have you ever dreamed of running your own business in the hospitality industry? Lately, we’ve seen many professionals post that they’re “open to work.” But here’s the truth: being open is only the first step. To land the opportunity you really want — the one that...

Hospitality Professionals – Growing Through New Opportunities

by Doug Baarman | Dec 30, 2020

I am not going to mention all the usual terms being overused right now, but it goes without saying that the hospitality industry is experiencing a challenging time. Recently, I had the opportunity to get to know Gabbie Riley. She shared her story that was picked up by...

Hospitality Professionals Need to Seize the Opportunity

by Doug Baarman | Dec 2, 2020

This message was inspired by an article shared in the PCMA Convene Magazine addressing the current state of our industry for hospitality professionals. “If we’ve been waiting for the COVID-19 crisis to pass to go back to business as usual, we’ve missed a rare...

Overcoming Times of Adversity in the Hospitality Industry

by Doug Baarman | Sep 19, 2020

As we maneuver through this challenging time, we can choose to ignore all that is going on around us or we can turn this setback into an opportunity. As for myself and the team I lead, we know we will rise again and are preparing ourselves for the ‘new’ future. In May...

5 Things To Look For In A Hospitality Industry Career Opportunity

by Doug Baarman | Sep 11, 2020

If you are looking for a career change in the hospitality industry, make sure you focus on an opportunity that will offer you the 5 P’s. Whether you choose to work for an organization or within the independent model, you must first remain focused on your ‘big why’,...

Making A Career Change In The Hospitality Industry

by Doug Baarman | Sep 3, 2020

Is now the right time for you to make a career change within the hospitality industry? Do you have someone that will guide you through the process on how to successfully make the transition? I am again reading the book, “An Attitude of Excellence” by Willie Jolley....

Making The Transition From Employee to Hospitality Industry Business Owner

by Doug Baarman | Aug 26, 2020

So, you have decided (or it has been decided for you) to act on your dream and move from being an employee to an entrepreneur / small business owner in the hospitality industry. First, I would encourage you to do some reading. I have two books you may want to read:...

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