How To Break Into The Events Industry

We were privileged to have Dani McCalla with us on the ninth episode of Boss Series. Dani is a freelance event professional, her credits include the Premier Gospel Awards and the UK leg of the Kevonstage Tour 2019. We used this opportunity to pick her brain on what it takes to break into the events industry and learn a bit more about her career to date. These are some lessons from the interview…

1) Be Organised

We have all been to shows or weddings that start late leaving everyone feeling anxious hungry and upset. Event professionals need to be extremely organised so things can run smoothly. With social media networks like Twitter prowling for the next viral moment, you don’t want something preventable ruining the reputation of your event. Dani mentioned that whilst a high level of organisation is a must you also need to be flexible.

2) Have Contingency Plans

You need a plan A, B and C. Things happen and the true professionals are prepared for any circumstance. One must consider the impact of extraneous variables and have viable solutions.

3) Move Fast

Events are fast paced and there are a lot of moving variables, event professionals need to be able to work quickly and execute. Events can be extremely unpredictable so you need to have a team you can trust to make sensible decisions. This may be where the thrill comes from.

4) Be Creative

Complicated problems sometimes require creative solutions. Can you dress a whole hall with a next to nothing budget for decorations? How can you leverage what is already in the hall to make sure it is visually appealing to guests? How do you create a great experience for people attending a concert from the point they purchase a ticket through to arrival and the actual show?

5) Stay Calm

There is never any use in showing panic, you need to stay calm and think clearly to manage every and any situation.

6. Think Ahead

To think ahead you need to also be in the moment so you can anticipate problems. If that artist starts 20 minutes late how is that going to impact artists scheduled for later sets?

7. Be Remembered

Dani mentioned how small the industry is and it’s important to always keep your name clean and do your best work. You may have to work with difficult people but those people don’t tend to last long.

Dani shared an example regarding an event where an artist needed to make a train ten minutes after their set, because they booked the wrong train. By the time they finished Dani had a car ready parked outside the venue and a route to smuggle the artist from back stage to avoid fans (Be Organised, Move Fast, Be Creative, Stay Calm). Dani located which platform their train was arriving on (Think Ahead) and managed to get them on the train with time to spare (Be Remembered). This story encapsulates all the lessons mentioned above.

A huge thank you to Dani for agreeing to be interviewed for the latest Boss Series episode. Make sure to follow her @Danimcevents.

For more information on the next Boss Series episode make sure to follow us on Instagram via @IAMedia.UK