Lessons Learned at the Annual Women Presidents Conference in Atlanta

April 30th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the annual conference for the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO), held in Atlanta. Every year I learn valuable lessons and gain tremendous insight from this dynamic group of successful women. Here are the take-away lessons from this year.

- Women are fearless and powerful in numbers!  This is something I notice every time I’m at this conference and this event was no disappointment.  The ladies who work at the WPO, including Dr. Marsha Firestone, work tirelessly to make each year special. And they did so again this year.

- Laurel Richie, President of WNBA: Transcend your product features. Focus on the hopes and dreams of your customers and you can’t go wrong. The work she’s done on the Girl Scouts rebranding has been fascinating. Studies have shown that many successful women entrepreneurs started out selling Girl Scout cookies.

 

- Geena Davis is much more than a pretty face. Her work on the Geena Davis Institute helps brings awareness to the inequality of the way women and girls are portrayed in the media — still! Only 17% of all roles go to woman and there is still work to be done to make the roles more realistic and inspiring.

“The U.S. ranks 90th for female representation in government globally. Try NAMING 89 countries!” – Geena Davis

 

 

- Jim Collins, whose book Great by Choice, has identified a commonality that makes great leaders truly great: fanatic discipline, empirical creativity and productive paranoia.

- Big idea: what would be missed if we weren’t here? That should be the golden rule of your business.

- Also: Great companies need to be great without you!

- When filling key positions in your company, make sure the candidates fit with your values when they walk in the door, that they have a passion for what you do and don’t need to be tightly managed, and that they don’t feel they have a job, but that they have responsibilities.

- Jim Horan talked about the one page business plan: what behavior needs to change in order to achieve your 3 to 5 year vision?

- Marylin Molbley of Edelman Public Relations: when crafting your story, think coverage and conversation. Reverberation often trumps circulation. Think about how to make your story reverberate.

- If you’re not on LinkedIn, you don’t exist!

- Only been 20 Beluga whales have given birth in captivity. We watched one about ready to give birth at the American Express Fastest Growing Women-owned Companies event at the Atlanta Aquarium. They gestate between 14 and 16 months, and divers need to take turns getting into the water to help because the baby whale has only two minutes to get to the surface or it will die.  The staff at the Aquarium has been on 24 hour around-the-clock watch for a month. I hope we hear about it in NYC!

The WPO conference never fails to inspire greatness!

Event Focus Friday with Jeff Guberman

April 27th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

Ever dream of traveling the world, going from wild beach parties to lavish far-flung resort celebrations to glittery awards dinners to glamorous VIP cocktail receptions? Well, short of being a world-famous actor or celebrity (or a paparazzo that follows them), you could be Jeff Guberman, owner of award-winning event production agency, Fourth Wall Events! Jeff and his staff have staged events literally all around the world and he has a robust roster of ecstatically satisfied clients and guests.  Let’s check in with Jeff on the “secret sauce” behind his success.

Describe your job in five words.

I work with amazing people.

What job or person gave you your first “big break?”

Too many to name them all, but Dennis Nothaft (of The Theme Team), Jim McNabb (McNabb Roick Events), Paul Gregory,  Patrick Sullivan, Ginny Joy Landi (ICANN), and on and on.

What is your company’s signature style or claim to fame?

[We] take pride in not having a signature style.  That is our client’s job.

Describe your ultimate dream client.

Rich, doesn’t know the value of money, and thinks that every word I say is like candy.

What takes an event from “good” to “great?”

Forgetting what has been done before, putting the needs of the event before the ego of the designer, lots of big moments surrounded by tiny little surprises.

What requests do you hear most from your corporate clients?

“Creative,” “out of the box,” “never before seen,” and “less money than last year.”

 How has the industry changed since you started?

The role of the middle man has become less defensible. [The] client has demanded that we all add value in many more tangible ways than ever before.

What’s been the best innovation in the event industry in the past 5 years?

LED lighting

If you had to change careers, what would you choose?

Mad scientist or inventor.

What event that you either planned or attended has had the greatest influence on your career?

Cirque du Soleil

Who or what inspires you?

People [who] love what they do.

Your next birthday: blowout bash or meditative retreat?

Coma.  Was that an option?

 

 

  About Jeff Guberman

In addition to serving as president of Dynamic Drape and Decor, Jeff is owner and president of NYC-based Fourth Wall Events, an event design and production company that specializes in creating extraordinary experiences based on a series of high-impact moments. Whether the event is domestic or international, they work in partnership with clients to create events that forge unforgettable connections between guests and their host.

Oh, Sugar! Wedding Wednesday Wisdom from Amy DeGiulio

April 25th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

What’s better than fresh, local, seasonal ingredients when it comes to wedding and event cakes?  Nothing! And cake maven Amy DeGiulio certainly knows this.  Her NYC-based Sugar Flower Cake Shop not only specializes in gorgeous custom creations specifically made for her clients, but her delectable designs are mostly sourced from her farmer and chef friends up in the green Hudson Valley.  Amy herself once cultivated a lush garden there, so when she got the idea to expand her penchant for making the most precious sugar flowers into cake design, she founded her business on the principle of only using the freshest, best tasting goods available. Amy recently took some time to share a bit of Wedding Wednesday Wisdom with us!

 

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

I love the opportunity to be doing something creative. My former careers as an actuary and a high school math teacher were rewarding for their own reasons, but in cake design and running a business, I get to use both sides of my brain. One minute, I’m using my Excel spreadsheets to calculate the exact amount of batter I need for each size cake we bake, and the next, I’m working with a client to replicate the fabric flower on her dress in sugar.

 

What are your “must-haves” when working an event?

None of the designers at Sugar Flower Cake Shop like creating the same cake twice.  We must have creative control over the final product, with lots of influence from the couple and tons of inspiration from the other event elements.  Please don’t come to us expecting a replica of someone else’s cake.

 

Is there a tool you wish you had, but don’t?  What would you invent to make your job easier?

When we are faced with needing a mold or feel limited by the cake decorating tools available, we look outside the industry, or simply create our own.  Our shop is made up of tools from sculptors, fashion designers, and even plumbers. Last year, a cutter that I really loved “died.” It was made of super cheap plastic that was literally taped together for far longer than it should have been.  The thing I loved about it is that it cut three petal shapes at once, saving us a ton of time! With its days numbered, I commissioned a metal worker to create a custom petal cutter for us [using the plastic one as a model].  This metal piece is incredibly resilient and definitely makes our jobs easier.

 

Cake or cupcakes?

My preference is definitely for cake.  There is a time and place for cupcakes, but I’m not a fan of them for weddings. One of the reasons I create cakes is to have a canvas on which to display my work (mind you, it’s a pretty tasty canvas!!).  This sometimes gets lost when a client chooses cupcakes, since many go down that route looking for a way to have something tasty while on a tighter budget.  However, to have something truly artistic, an intricate display for the cupcakes needs to be created, which can sometimes end up costing more than a cake.

 

Any “magic words” to help you manage when the stress is on?

Yes — it’s called “Step away from the cake!” There is nothing worse than approaching a creative process under stress. In my shop, when it’s time to finish a cake, I need to adopt an almost zen-like calm.  If I’m stressed, I put the spatula down, walk away, and pour myself a cup of tea.  In those few minutes, the head is cleared and I can go to work.

 

Amy DeGiulio is the owner of Sugar Flower Cake Shop, a successful cake design business in New York. DeGiulio’s wedding and other special design cakes have appeared in the pages of many bridal publications including Martha Stewart Weddings and Brides.  Sugar Flower Cake Shop has also been featured on the STYLE  and TVLand networks. The shop offers monthly cake tastings, as well as decorating techniques classes for instruction in confectionary flower making, piping and painting. Visit them on the web at www.sugarflowercakeshop.com or follow on Twitter @SugarFlowerShop.

5th Avenue Digital’s YouBooth Continues to Snap, Crackle and Pop!

April 23rd, 2012 by Beth Baynum | Share Blog

Our YouBooth photo booth keeps growing in popularity and it’s a huge hit for Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, birthday parties and corporate events.  This week, the YouBooth was in play at all three types of events!   The YouBooth was featured at an Event Planners Association event, a 30^th birthday party, a kids’ birthday party and a Bar Mitzvah.  Whew!  That’s a whole lotta snappin’ going on.

Check out the fun photos below!

 

Event Focus Friday and BJ Enright

April 20th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

A new addition to 5th Avenue Digital’s team, BJ has been shooting professionally since 2007, gaining a wealth of experience in weddings, engagements, portraits, events, concerts and commercial work.  Born and raised in the Detroit area, he started out second-shooting weddings in Chicago, then moved to Portland (for a girl…) where he spent two years growing his portfolio.  He married that girl last summer, and they moved to NYC in January, when he joined the 5^thAvenue Digital team.

What was the first event you photographed when you knew for sure: ‘This is what I want to do’?

My very first wedding, in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  It was a perfect late-summer day, with a backyard ceremony and a beautiful sunset reception at a venue right on the lakeshore.  I was a little nervous about it being my first wedding, but I was the third photographer and operator of the photo booth for the reception — so I was there mostly to learn.  But it was such a rush!  Being there to document such a special day and being witness to really intimate moments that most wedding guests never get to experience was electrifying.  It was both a thrill and an honor to take my skills and apply it to something truly beautiful. Read the rest of this entry »

Wedding Wednesday Wisdom from Danielle Bobish

April 18th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

 Do you use any “magic words” or mantras when the stress is on?

I don’t necessarily have any “magic words” or “mantras”, however, I tend to thrive in stressful situations.  I am incredibly focused on the task at hand.  I have heard from clients and others on several occasions “you’re so calm!”  I internalize the issue, face the problem head on and make the situation work.  After the event I will have a glass of champagne to distress and celebrate the accomplishment.

Cake or cupcakes?

PIE!!!  I love pie.  Think of all the different creative ways you could display it and have individual pies served at the table

If you could recommend one DIY project to a customer to stay on budget, what would it be?

Honestly?  I don’t recommend that. Read the rest of this entry »

Photography for a Marriage of Color and Location

April 16th, 2012 by Beth Baynum | Share Blog

It’s a rare and wonderful thing when a wedding’s theme, location and décor mesh perfectly to create a truly distinctive and memorable impression.  Shawn Rabideau, known as one of New York’s most innovative event planners and designers, demonstrated this perfectly at a recent wedding at Bridgewaters.

Playing off on Bridgewaters’ iconic New York location in the South Street Seaport area, Shawn paired the wedding couple’s signature colors of Spring Green, Dove Grey and Bright Orange with original artwork of the city’s landmark sites to create an impressively cohesive décor that everyone will remember.

Among the notable elements: floral arrangements of orange roses combined with orchids and other exotic blooms; and original sketches of New York locations for each table, such as the Brooklyn Bridge (visible beautifully lit outside the windows of Bridgewaters), Bethesda Fountain, the Empire State and Flatiron Buildings, carried out on the escort cards and table candles.

Shawn Rabideau is a master of the details, and at this wedding those distinctive elements were used in unique ways to create an elegant and personal wedding style.  The photos tell the story, and they may give you some ideas of your own!

Here is a link of all the fabulous photos from this decor shoot: click here

Event Focus Friday with Deb Roth

April 13th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

What request do you hear most from your corporate clients?

Since we do a lot of work with Fabric Structures our biggest requests from corporate clients has to do with design.  Often our corporate clients are looking for a stage set, an entryway, ceiling treatment or a full event design using our rental products.  Although cost and pricing is still an issue, our cost effective rental solutions are quite reasonable.

Our corporate clients also often want lighting from us, and we collaborate with lighting designers and production companies to make that happen.
 Did you start your career in corporate events and how did you land where you are?

Like many of us in the events community I landed here by accident.  My background is in fine arts and I became interested in design as an outgrowth of the arts.  Performance, dance, live theater and spectacle all interested me and became a part of my work with Pink Inc.  Sculpture and 3D objects and spatial relationships was always my strength, and I worked in many materials before FABRIC became my main medium.  I often have been heard saying – I didn’t pick fabric, it picked me!

When I started to work with fabric I was still in art school.  I was collaborating with other artists. As we began to work it naturally grew.  Everyone loved what we were doing and our play with the fabric took us to places around the world through fabric installations and performances. Festivals were the vehicle and that grew into events.  I am still here!  And I love it!

Read the rest of this entry »

Ever Wonder Who Originated #weddingwednesday On Twitter?

April 11th, 2012 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

I happen to have witnessed its arrival on the scene by a go-getter in the event industry named Danielle Garofalo.  We met on Twitter and soon found ourselves gravitating toward one another at any industry event we both attended. Wedding Wednesday brought us together and a lot of other wedding industry connections were made.

In honor of Danielle’s Wedding Wednesday, and with her blessings, we are going to be doing something similar on our blog, sharing wisdom from some of the most influential people in the wedding industry every Wednesday.  Expect tips, inspiration sources, DIY ideas and insight.  It is our hope that we can showcase more than just the talent these industry experts possess, but also what makes them fabulous.

We thought it only fitting to have the originator of Twitter’s #weddingwednesday, Danielle Garofalo be our first spotlight. Read the rest of this entry »

Whole Foods Uses Fun Photos to Promote their Red-Label Fish Ban

April 9th, 2012 by Beth Baynum | Share Blog

Marine environmentalists at the Blue Ocean Institute recently established a code system to let consumers know about the origins of the fish they buy.  Green means the fish is abundant and sustainably caught; yellow means some problems; red flags major problems: depleted supply, entailing high incidental kill of other species, or caught with habitat-damaging methods.

Supermarkets have been urged to use this coding to help their customers make informed decisions about buying fish.  Whole Foods was the first chain to display these seafood rankings in their stores.  Last week, Whole Foods announced that they won’t be selling any more red-rated seafood. They’ll be the first national grocer to do so.

To help promote this forward-thinking policy, Whole Foods sponsored an event for the International Association of Culinary Professionals, during their 34^th annual conference held last week.  Produced with the fantastic team at Sharp Communications, they provided food and fun while educating industry professionals about the red label ban.

A highlight of the event was the photography station 5^th Avenue Digital provided.  The background was custom-created to promote Whole Foods’ new policy and the photos were branded with their logo.  Inventive props gave everyone fun things to do for the camera – and made for fun photos. Read the rest of this entry »