The Event Planner's Guide Book

New Ideas & What To Do With Them

by Kylie Carlson

If you’re like me then you will have a head full of ideas all claiming to be the next best thing. My ideas can sometimes come to me at the most awkward of moments. There is nothing worse than sitting in a meeting or chatting with a friend when inspiration hits you and you can’t do anything about it. The other problem with ideas is that they can be very distracting, especially if you are doing something you don’t like doing it's very easy to be seduced by the beginnings of a great idea.

I think this is a common problem with many people so I thought I would share a few little tips with you. Ways I have found to combat this problem.

Tip No 1
Buy a funky little notebook. You should always have an ideas book with you wherever you go. As I said earlier you never know when inspiration is going to strike so you need to be prepared. The reason I say funky is that the book needs to inspire you when you look at it. Do not buy a regular black spiral bound notebook. It is not going to be the place to house all your creative ideas.

Tip No 2
Invest in a Dictaphone. Some of my best inspiration comes when I am driving so I can’t write it down. This is annoying as none of my ideas ever cement themselves firmly in my mind until I have written them down. So to combat that problem I have a Dictaphone in my glove compartment where I can record any little gems that pop into my mind whilst behind the wheel.

Tip No 3
Keep a whiteboard in your office just above your desk. There is nothing like having a visual board of ideas that are right in front of you. They help to inspire you when you are lacking in creativity or simply ‘having one of those days’.

Tip No 4
Know when to use them. Ideas are just that – ideas. They are not on your To Do List and they aren’t real yet. There has to be a time and a place when you bring them out, spend time on them and play with them. Don’t let them distract you from the tasks at hand. Schedule yourself a few hours in your diary for brainstorming. Not with anyone else just with yourself. This might mean taking time out to go to your favorite Starbucks, order a nice coffee and cake and sit with your notebook and pen and peruse your ideas to see which are viable and which are not. It might mean putting on soft mood music, pouring a glass of red wine and just letting the ideas take on a life of their own. Whatever it is you need to set aside some time to do it. Time when it is allowed and won’t be deemed as idle day dreaming.

I love ideas and they are what make me tick. I have often been accused of being an ideas person. My perfect job would be to come up with ideas for different companies who needed some inspiration. As that isn’t likely to happen any time soon I have had to restrict myself, and my mind, and be strong with all those ideas that are constantly tapping on my head and asking to be let out. Don’t ever lose your ideas, but don’t let them control you either. Have fun and remember day dreaming is a legitimate past time.

Tell us what you do with your ideas by clicking comment below...

About Kylie Carlson:
Kylie Carlson is the dynamic founder of the Australian Academy of Wedding & Event Planning (AAWEP) and the UK Academy of Wedding & Event Planning (UKAWEP).  The industry leader of wedding and event training and certification in the UK, Australia and New Zealand has opened their virtual doors in the US. The Wedding and Event Institute (WEI), whose headquarters are in California, is part of the worldwide group Wedding and Event Training. WEI specializes in certified courses in wedding planning, wedding styling, event planning and event design and maintains an online Social & Education Center, Wedding and Event Pro, which houses articles, podcasts, webinars, forums, networking and other tools for those in the wedding and special events industry.

 

6 Great Tips for Balancing Work & Personal Life

 

 

 

 

 

 

From Marley Majcher, The Party Goddess

The one thing I hear the most complaints about from entrepreneurs lately is the blurring of work and personal life.  More and more, it seems, our work is overtaking our personal lives. But no matter how much people try to convince us this is a good thing under the auspices of authenticity and alignment, it has its drawbacks.

No matter how you slice it, integrating your work and personal life does a number on work-life balance. But getting a handle on this and creating as much balance as possible will improve your health, happiness and overall satisfaction with life.

Lately, I hear some people giving up on the idea of balance all together, claiming it's impossible so we should just deal with it. That striving for balance is just setting ourselves up for more stress and disappointment when it doesn't work out.  While there is some truth to that, I think it's critical to do what you can to protect your personal life from being overrun by your business.

Here are 6 great tips for balancing work and personal life.

Learn the art of presence

You don't have to be a new age "woo woo" type to appreciate the concept of presence.  Some people arrive at achieving presence through a meditation practice, but if that's not your style, no worries.  Having presence simply means being fully aware and focused in the current moment - bringing your all to the present time, rather than being distracted by the past (even a few minutes ago), the future (what you're getting ready to do), or other distractions (what you should be doing).  If you find yourself drifting in thought, just practice making yourself aware of the moment again.  You won't believe how alive and connected this makes you feel, as you transition from work to personal life and back to work. Try it.

Set normal work hours

Entrepreneurs are notorious for being "always on."  I know this might come as a shock, but you do not have to work 24 hours a day to be a successful entrepreneur. You don't have to work the same set hours every day. You can set your schedule around your personal needs, but your set hours should not be so flexible that you find yourself constantly having to make up missed work time during your designated personal time.  The important people in your life should know and respect your work hours as if you are working for a boss - no interruptions unless it is a legitimate emergency.

Take care of yourself

Nothing makes you feel more drained and out of whack then not taking proper care of your body.  A healthy diet, regular exercise and adequate sleep will do absolute wonders for your stress levels.  You will be able to show up more fully and bring your A-game when you need it, so you can unwind and fully relax when you're done.  And treating yourself to a spa day, massage,  the occasional afternoon of retail therapy, or some quality time in nature will do wonders for your soul. Work will feel less daunting when you feed your personal needs.

Learn to say no

I give this advice all the time.  Learning to say no is one of the best things you will ever do for yourself, your business, and your sanity. The world opens up for you when you learn to yes to the right opportunities and no to the wrong ones.  Saying no gives you power over your life and allows you to create space for more balance.

Play hard

How many times have you heard a successful person say, "I work hard and play harder." Successful entrepreneurs who take their play as seriously as their work have something we all want - a contagious spirited zest for life. You know how to get it? Make play a priority. Commit to a hobby or an activity. Schedule it in.  Make sure it's something exhilarating for you  - scuba diving, knitting afghans, performing poetry - doesn't matter what it is. Something you've always wanted to do, but you thought people would laugh or that you don't have time. Go for it! When it's time to sit back down to work, it will have been worth the time you put into it because you'll have the sense that you're truly enjoying life.

Enlist help

The most dissatisfied, overworked, run down entrepreneurs are the ones who try to do everything on their own. You have to learn to delegate and let go.  Consider hiring help at home and at work, even before you think you can afford it. I'm not suggesting you put yourself into a tight bind, but I am saying to make hiring help a priority in both your company and your family budget.  Additionally, lean on friends and family members for support.  Building a support system around you is a critical step in achieving greater work-life balance.

What do you do to ensure balance in your work and personal life? Post a comment below.

Marley Majcher is the author of But Are You Making Any Money? and the CEO of The Party Goddess!, a nationally acclaimed full-service catering and event planning company that originates all aspects of large scale functions for A-list celebrities, social, and corporate clients alike. From understated elegance to rock star fabulous, Majcher is known for creating the most talked about parties of the year.

Four Ways to Handle Criticism

Have you ever been criticized?  Ever had someone dislike you or your company?  How about post something unflattering for all to see on the Internet?   This seems to be a recurring theme this past week as several members have called or emailed me to discuss problems with clients, former employees and business associates. Each person expressed an emotional version of the following: “How could they think, say, write or do that?”  I would be willing to bet you have had a similar experience, so let’s talk about it…

Criticism.  It hurts, I know. I've been there a few times. It has even kept me up at night ...thinking about how I should have responded, what I could have done differently, how I will address the situation and what I will do differently in the future. 

Note: I'm talking about undeserved criticism here. If you make a mistake, fix it, apologize sincerely, and move on. It's when we are unjustifiably called on the proverbial carpet or targeted that our response tends to get tied up in emotional knots.

So what do you do when someone doesn't like you or your company?  

First, realize when you put yourself out there in the world you WILL get criticism. Congratulations you are doing something noticeable! 

Second, realize that criticism, while it doesn't feel good, actually makes us better. It causes us to stop and look at ways to improve our product or service. It helps us to develop our customer service and communication skills and forces us to look at our corporate values and goals. Criticism helps us align our actions with our goals and perhaps most importantly, it helps us remember and refine our purpose.

Third, understand you cannot please everyone.  If a mistake brought on this firestorm of condemnation, make good on it.  Then, when you have done all you can, realize you cannot please everyone.  Understand that for no particular reason, not everyone will like you or be your friend – think high school.    Bottom line: some people are just simply unreasonable.  My goal is to always do what I believe is right – that’s the best anyone can do.

Finally, don’t let criticism hold you back.  Forge through the emotion, stay on your path and build your company.  Make changes where necessary, but stay true to your goals and purpose.  Don’t let someone else steal your dream.  The sting of criticism will fade and you will be left with an experience that helped define who you are and where you’re going.

What has criticism taught you?  Click comment below...

How to Surround Yourself With the Best People

A few weeks ago I told you about the Saddleback Civil Forum I attended in which President George W. Bush was interviewed on the subject of leadership - well I am doubly excited to tell you I was able to attend another Civil Forum in which Prime Minister Tony Blair was similarly interviewed.  Again, whether you agree with their politics or not, as two of the world’s most influential leaders they have valuable information to share. 

Have you ever wondered how some people seem to naturally surround themselves with the best and brightest and others, well they just choose poorly?  Think about it - leadership at its core, is about people and your ability to lead them.  This may sound like a “well – duh” statement, but if you don’t know how to get people to move from point A to B then you’re not meeting your objectives.  This week I am going to focus on the skills both leaders emphasized for dealing with the people around you.

LEADERSHIP NUGGETS on RELATIONSHIPS    

1. A leader has good judgment and he surrounds himself with trustworthy people.
2. A leader must align authority and responsibility - empower others. – Help others grow and fulfill their potential.  If you put someone in a position of responsibility give them the authority they need to make decisions.
3. Leaders must recognize destructive people/characteristics and be willing to make changes.  – Take decisive action quickly.
4. Leaders must relate to others.  They must be curious and learn to draw information from others to learn about them.
5. People want to be treated with dignity.

What we can learn:   A leader understands the value of those around him/her and realizes he/she can promote the success of others by empowering them to succeed.  Conversely, a leader knows when someone in their circle is creating chaos and is not afraid to make immediate changes.  Additionally, a leader treats the potentially huge client and the cleanup crew with the same respect and dignity.

Ask Yourself: Who are the key people around me?  Do they improve my world or wreak havoc?  Take some time this week to thoughtfully determine which category they fall into and whether you have the ability to empower them.  What changes can you make?

Comment Below: What is the most significant thing you have learned about the people you surround yourself with?  What have you learned about yourself? 

A President's Leadership Nuggets on Vision & Principles

If you’re a business owner chances are you consider yourself a leader.   You may have been born with this penchant to rule the world (or at least a little piece of it  =)...queue the “Dr. Evil” laugh ) or circumstances in your life have forced you to take on leadership responsibilities out of necessity, but regardless of how you got here it’s important to understand that the skills necessary to lead people are developed and refined over time and with experience.

Leaders tend to observe the world around them with an eye that is different from most.  Leaders connect with others in leadership positions to network and learn from.  After all there is wisdom in a multitude of advisors.

A couple of months ago I had the privilege of attending the Saddleback Civil Forum in which Pastor Rick Warren (Purpose Driven Life) interviewed President George W. Bush.   For 90 minutes, Rick probed President Bush about his thoughts on leadership.  Politics aside, the former president had tremendous insight into what makes a great leader.  I’m so glad I had a small notebook with me as I completely filled it!  Over the next few blog posts I’m going to enthusiastically share what I learned during this inspiring evening.

Take a look at President Bush’s comments related to vision and principles below.  I call them Leadership Nuggets. Can you apply them in your own life and business?

LEADERSHIP NUGGETS on VISION & PRINICPLES

1. A leader has a vision and a clear direction.
2. Leaders find principles based on their faith – what they believe in.
3. A leader must believe in his/her principles and vision when times get tough.
4. Leaders don’t feel sorry for themselves; they take on a challenge with the determination and attitude of climbing to the top of a mountain.

What we can learn:  Leaders know what they are trying to accomplish and why.  These are critical elements and if you can’t define them in your business then you might think about doing something else with your life.  If you are at all like me, you know too well how easy it is to get stuck in the minutia of the moment – the daily operations of a business.  Your clear vision, direction, principles and attitude will help you navigate on a daily basis toward the big picture.

What have you done to help you develop your vision?  Post a comment below to tell me and my leader-readers what has worked for you.

Next time:  President Bush’s Leadership Nuggets on surrounding yourself with the right people.

Do You Have What it Takes To Lead Your Company to Success?

Do you ever feel like you are in this “whirlwind of time”?  Like time is flying by; things are just happening to you and around you?  I think you really start to notice it once your kids are in school.  Mine are in college and high school and I find myself wondering when that happened (lol)!  How did they go from babies to nearly self-sufficient young men?  In reality, getting to this point was a lot of hard work; blood, sweat, tears and much joy.  If you have kids I am sure you can relate. 

Owning your own business is much like raising a child from inception to maturity.  And, as in child rearing there are proven principles of success.  Certain skills are necessary to lead your business through the many trials and tribulations it will endure along the way to maturity. 

Having grown up in an entrepreneurial family and owning businesses for most of my adult life, I’ve spent countless hours studying the characteristics necessary for good and effective leadership.  I’ve concluded there are a few critical traits all leaders possess ...

1.  Vision
2.  Focus
3. The ability to see through the clutter and make decisions
4. The ability to motivate others

You will see dramatic changes in your business as you develop these traits and skills.  I am committed to helping you hone these skills and am developing a series on purpose, passion and leadership for this EPA blog.  Having written several articles on the subject, the most recent will be published in Wedlock Magazine in the coming months.

Please subscribe to my blog to get this information in bite-sized nuggets.  FYI, this is my temporary blog site as we are completely redesigning our website where my blog will soon live!  In the meantime, please connect with me here and at Facebook and Twitter.

Question: What is your biggest leadership challenge?  Please reply below.