Almost two years ago a good friend of mine gave me the idea of Brunch with Brittany. I immediately loved the concept but like most good ideas it faded away as an afterthought. I wrote it down and would occasionally mention hosting brunch but once again it always became an afterthought. Well October 2019, I was attending a small business expo and the vision of Brunch with Brittany came to me and it was so clear. I mean the clearest thing I had ever seen in my life.
Once I was able to gather my thoughts I wrote in my family group chat and told them that Brunch with Brittany was about to be a reality. I had a date, location, theme, etc. I pulled this off well almost pulled this off in exactly 3 months. The day before the event we had horrible weather and I had to postpone it. It is now rescheduled for February 1, 2020, click this link to RSVP! LBS!!
But along the way, I learned a lot of valuable lessons that I want to share with everyone who is not only planning events but betting on themselves. I wish I knew all of these things or really thought about all of these things before I started planning brunch. So please take notes!
1. When choosing your panelist make sure that they have a following. I mean a legit following that’s how you really get seats filled at your events. Especially if you are just starting out in the business. This will help you make a name for yourself. A partnership is key.
2. Most people want notoriety over authenticity! Show them something different at all costs. Many people have asked why didn’t I chose certain individuals for my panel. My response was simple I want genuine authentic people over fame. I will never comprise on that.
3. Sponsorship is the major key! Hosting events is expensive and time-consuming. Sponsorship will lighten the load on all fronts. You can do it alone but remember the goal is to work smarter not harder and to reach more people.
4. Promotion! Start promoting your event more than a month out. This is one of the biggest regrets that I had. I started promoting my brunch less than one month out. I would say at least 6 weeks in advance, especially if you are new to this.
5. Your Return on Investment may not be immediate! Let me say that again your return on investment may not be immediate!!! Events big or small cost way more than you can ever imagine. If you've ever heard the term expect the unexpected they were talking about event planning. There will be a ton of things you didn’t expect to pay for that come up and you have no choice but to take care of them. Money is one of the biggest stress factors for people out so be sure to have a contingency fund. Do your research to find out what your “must have” and “nice to have” items are. There are some things that you’ll need to invest in, such as banners and signage items that once you buy, you have for a long time. The major investments, in the beginning, can suck up nearly all the profits from your event.
6. Committees are not necessarily needed. Depending on the type of event you are having you may or may not need a team. For this particular event a committee wasn't needed. Now don't get me wrong its always good to bounce ideas off of people or have extra hands for the work but for the size of event I had I didn't need it. For me I had multiple people that I didn't utilize but got a free ticket to the my event. Now they are my peps so that's ok but once again depending on what you're doing 6 tickets maybe one too many for you. Just make sure if you have one that they work for you and that you utilize them. Don’t just have one to have one.
7. Remember that it is your event. If it fails that’s on you, if it succeeds that on you too. Stick to your vision and do what you feel is best no matter what other people may say. Heart check yourself and the people around you. Only take advice that is genuine and comes from a place of love. People will hate on you because they were too scared to bet on themselves and then try to tell you what to do and they will legit be mad at you for not allowing them to have a say. Don’t listen to them, stand firm in what you're doing and why you are doing it. The people closest to you will either be your biggest supports or your biggest haters. Don’t let them get to you. You aren’t doing this for them. You doing it for a greater cause. Keep pushing somebody is telling somebody how they know you.
Planning and hosting an event has been one of my biggest challenges. I am so grateful for the things I've learned and every opportunity it has created for me. I created a platform that allowed me to provide the table and decide who gets to sit at it. I chose faith over fear which allows me to do things they way God showed me. Please stay tuned, Brunch with Brittany is just the beginning.
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