Best quote this week

"I dont know how to use a mouse!!! I am in sales, I am not an administrative assistant!!!"

ok, then ma'am.....let me just walk you how to register for your meeting. click on the mouse on the right to open the link.....

days this job really sucks.......

Moving and Meeting Planning dont mix

So, moving sounded like a great idea. New baby on the way, bigger house, more room space place for little Brady to play!!! Well, not when you have my job. Moving day comes a week before a large CEO Meeting which today, YES DURING MY MOVE, they decided to completely change the agenda on me. Ok so now I am anticipating about 20 room reservation changes and attendance changes and updates that I am going to need to make to ALL OF MY VENDORS for a meeting that is in 5 days. Great. This in addition to a 250 person conference in San Diego I need to finalize pack up for that I fly to next week. And I can basically sit here as people pack boxes around me and type away at emails to make all these changes occur. This all in addition to my mother getting sick today who was going to watch our 18 month old son so we could tend to the move which stressed the day more since as I type and make calls, and run after a toddler, all amongst the packing of boxes and furniture delivery appointments.....I may die!!!!!

To top it off... Audit for the company regarding all meetings and events NOW is calling me because they need to review all of the documentation they just spent collecting from me over the past 2 months. Today???? Really??????????? I think the end of the world may be here.

Happy Holidays for the Meeting Planner!!!

MEETING PLANNER 2011 HOLIDAY POEM

Wow, 2011 was an absolute blur
Added responsibilities, doing more with less
But I continue to "raise the bar"
And in the process, elevate my stress

It's not easy to think about next year

I am on overload with business solutions
Which gives me the perfect excuse
To ignore those unrealistic New Year resolutions

I am planning my 2012 meeting agenda

Achieving team goals and objectives a must
Collaborating with all meeting stakeholders
Growing partnerships, building confidence and trust

Evaluating and selecting the perfect hotel is critical
The key to success, as everyone knows
And the best solution is to get on the phone
And call the Incentives & Promotions Department pros

There must be good weather
And lots of fun, you know
And if there's not championship golf
Our chairman won't show

I love managing a meeting with big ROI
It is fulfilling and really gives me a thrill
But I always get a big time headache
Thinking about reconciling the hotel's massive bill

I am consumed with hotel contract negotiation details
Reducing my company's risk is what will appeal
Always hammering out fair & balanced performance clauses
Let's just call it "The Art of the Deal"

My managers expect more meeting value and ROI
I guess post-recession, this is the trend
So I'm implementing my SMM action plan
Which will drive meeting consolidation & leverage spend

I must rework my meeting budgets
And find innovative ways to save
And my big picture goal
Is to make our company CEO rave

I can't succeed without my wonderful industry partners
A team oriented focus is where we all stand
Our collaboration delivers high impact outcomes
And I continue to grow my own personal "Brand"

Senior management's expectations are off the chart
And being a "Super Star" planner takes a lot of work
So, a few extra days off during the holidays
Is a well-deserved perk

Oh, my gosh, it's time to go shopping
Yes, gotta get ready for Christmas Day
So, need to catch-up on all my meeting projects
And start putting all my meeting planning notes away

It's time to focus on family & friends
And enjoy holiday cheer
And I will defer my thoughts of meetings
Until early next year

It's time to enjoy the gift of life and count our blessings
Let's give thanks, reflect and have a grateful point of view
And on behalf of our entire Incentives & Promotions Team
"Good Health, Happiness and Merry Christmas" to you!

Meeting Planner emerges from the rubble...

So I took a little hiatus from blogging because of an enormous load of work, travel and just overall stress!!!

Since August work has taken me to....

Honolulu-nice view

Key West-not a bad view again.....wish I could sit outside and enjoy it.

Chicago-wearing boas in light of the evening dinner theme.

Baltimore

Maui- how cute are we in our leis....


and San Antonio-yup thats me on a longhorn...

Its not all fun and games folks. Day starts off typically with an early morning flight and you hit the ground running either running an event or conducting a site inspection in which you are in back to back meetings with hotel, vendors etc to finalize plans or make some decisions on where you plan to negotiate the final contracts for your meetings and events. Your feet typically end up blistered and bleeding by the end. Sounds so glamorous folks I know.

Since August I have also lost a planner hired a new one and am now searching for another planner for another one I am losing again. Am I working these people too hard??? No....one had to move to kansas and the other is going to be a full time mom. So....its back to the drawing board to get another team member hired and trained in superman time before I leave on maternity.

Yes folks.....I am expecting a little girl in March and I think we are crazy!!!!! But we are excited and looking forward to her arrival in March.

In a nutshell.......thats whats been going on since August and if I really went into detail this blog would be a book so I promise not to be gone so long again as I share more of my stories from my life as a meeting planner and mom as I know it.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!!

Quebec City Day 1 and 2

In Quebec for a meeting for our top sales performers. So the trip started non eventful....left sunday afternoon and arrived at almost midnight in order to get to the hotel before most of my attendees and set up, meet with vendors and verify all the events for the upcoming week. Set up Hospitality Desk. Aren't I hospitable looking???

Anyway, my desk was literally at the base of the stairwell where the Fairmont Chateaux Frontenac ends all of their historical hotel tours. Yeah for me. I had to fight off small children, non english speaking europeans and crazy tourists who would make a B-line to my bottled waters and cookies for my attendees as if they thought for sure that sign that reads "this break is only for this company attendees" doesnt apply to me. Stay away from my bottled water you people!!!! Those are expensive and I have a budget I have to answer to!!! One guy actually ran up to the desk took a cookie and ran off. Really people???? Really??????

The first night went well with a nice casual buffet dinner overlooking the St Lawrence River from the hotel. Pretty Room.

I had this horrible dream that night that my CEO's driver that was picking him up at 4:15 the next morning in order to fly to New York for a board meeting forgot him. Well....at 4:17...my nightmare became a reality and got a call that the driver never showed and he was taking a cab!!! Ugh I almost died. I called the company to find out that some guy came downstairs at 4 am and when my driver asked if he was my CEO the guy said yes and STOLE my CEO's ride to the airport!!!!! When we called the driver to ask where the hell he was he said he had the CEO in the car and was on the way to the airport...the "theif" started to laugh......I just have to say that I hope that guy suffers some major injury soon. Who does that?????

Then I show up to the breakfast for my group in the reserved section we had prearranged the day before. All the waiters looked at me like I was crazy and they had no idea about the section we had reserved. Honestly...when I come down the day before and do a walk through with the restaurant manager I kind of expect your employees to have the information provided. lord....

That morning was a bit scary because of a major storm that blew threw. Apparently it hasnt rained in the area like this all summer. Grand.......my luck

But it cleared up pretty nice for our group tour around the area. We started at the falls.

then wine tasting at a local cave a vin....spectacular views!!

a little shopping at a local gallery and then tasting some locally produced mustards ciders and jams from the region. yum!!!!! maple mustard!!!!

We ended the night at a nice restaurant in the area. Some of my more....lets say "meat and potatoes" type attendees didnt quite appreciate the food but hey....cant please everyone all the time.

Lets hope Day 3 goes better. I am ready to get home to my little Brady who just turned ONE YEAR old on Friday!!!!! I cant believe it!!!! Travelling has definately become harder as he gets older!

I need a drink!!!

52 executives/ceos in one board meeting tomorrow and Friday...... 15 presentations and 52 sets stuffed and restuffed again because people keep sending changes (sorry trees).......power strips laid out and taped down to floors so each attendee can use laptops during meetings.........table tents placed and political standing for each of the 52 people taken into consideration as not to "offend" such 52 executives/ceos......changed rooming list 5 times in one day because of "changes".......... booked canceled rebooked and cancelled again sidebar meeting room for exec who wanted to have a breakout meeting.......tested Audio Visual in room....reconfirmed dinner counts.... reconfirmed transportation again.......took calls from executive admins asking questions all day long.......security badges secured from security team...... I NEED A DRINK........................

MOVING DAY!!!!!

For the past 11.5 years at my job, I have had to move department/office locations probably every 2 or so years. We just completed moving again this past week. What a nightmare. I know our department is small on paper 5 total people, but if they only knew how much space we all took up.... I mean......the shipping/receiving area alone is HUGE!!! and dont even get me started on our promotional merchandise closet. I have my suspicions that these moves are just a random source of income for the property managment people....but hey.....who am I to say anything.......

Here are some pics of the pack up. Yes......this is only a fraction of what we had to move....



here is our brand new shipping and receiving/packet stuffing area.


And....the all famous promotional merchandise closet. This one is under lock and key.....we have alot of people who like to come and shop for their clients and meetings here.... : ) coffee mug anyone?


And of course.......ta da......my brand new office. Or as I like to call it "organized chaos".

Well now that we are somewhat settled in.....on to the next meeting.....