Creating memorable experiences. With purpose.

I've had the pleasure of creating, shaping and contributing to some pretty remarkable occasions.

Guests and audiences have ranged from royalty, government officials, business leaders and investors to high-net-worth individuals, Boards, Executive Committees, employees, clients, the press, friends, family and the general public.

Different audiences. Different expectations. Different occasions. But always a purpose.

Location, Location, Location

A little like a location scout for a film or television production, I've always enjoyed finding just the right setting for a scene or an occasion.

Sometimes the location was obvious. Other times, it required a little imagination, some lateral thinking and a willingness to look beyond conventional event venues.

Canal boats ● Yachts ● Gardens ● Wineries ● Warehouses ● Roof terraces ● Art galleries ● Restaurants ● Beach bars ● Convention centres ● Corporate stadium boxes ● Boardrooms ● Private dining rooms ● Private homes ● Stately homes ● Villas ● Foyers ● Empty floors in buildings still under construction.

Some were once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Spaces that would never exist in quite the same form again.

Working for a major property company certainly presented some extraordinary opportunities. Construction sites and empty building shells transformed into spectacular one-off venues, complete with bespoke dining spaces, lighting, sound and fully functioning kitchens.

I often had the vision, but working alongside me were talented event companies, caterers, production specialists and internal teams to bring everything to life.

Finding somewhere extraordinary was only part of the challenge. There were other considerations. The view. The natural light. The acoustics. The right podium height. Sightlines. Microphones. The flow of people through a space. Would the weather hold?! Would it look wonderful? Would it actually work? Ideally, both.

The Big Picture

I've always been a big-picture thinker. Working alongside a CEO for many years gave me an unusually broad view of a business, its people, priorities, relationships and opportunities, enabling me to bring a much richer perspective to our events.

Why are we doing this? Who needs to be there? What do we want people to experience, remember or take away?

For business events, there was invariably a strategic purpose. Building relationships. Communicating strategy. Creating opportunities. Celebrating achievements. Strengthening the brand. And ensuring the content, speakers and conversations supported the reason for bringing everyone together in the first place.

For personal celebrations, the purpose might be simpler. Bringing people together. Celebrating a milestone. Making memories. And taking the pressure off the host, so they could enjoy the occasion rather than spend it worrying about everyone else.

Sometimes I led the project. Sometimes I helped shape the vision, working alongside talented event companies and internal teams. Other times, my contribution was a fresh perspective, a difficult decision or spotting something others hadn't.

Whatever my role, taking the time to understand the whole picture has always been an invaluable part of creating a memorable occasion.

Engineering Serendipity for Company Events

Years ago, I read a WIRED magazine article about some tech guys who'd developed technology for their conference, using data to identify and orchestrate connections between people who might otherwise never meet. They called it engineering serendipity. It resonated immediately. I loved it because I could see the value, both as a participant and an organiser.

I'd been doing my own version for years, from intimate dinners to guest lists of more than a thousand, both internally and externally. Initially through research, instinct and a good understanding of people and relationships. Later, technology such as Salesforce helped take that thinking further for corporate events. Salesforce supported the relationship intelligence. It didn't replace my judgement.

And then there was the preparation. Researching guests. Creating briefings: background information, talking points, business interests and potential connections. Knowing who should meet whom, and why.

Sometimes that meant discreetly orchestrating introductions or steering conversations in the right direction. A little Devil Wears Prada, perhaps! The most important person to meet wasn't necessarily the most high-profile person in the room. Sometimes, it was the least obvious.

Sweating the Small Stuff

Of course, the big picture is only half the story. An extraordinary venue or brilliant concept means little if the experience doesn't work. Guest lists. Seating plans. Invitations. Budgets. Tasting menus. Timings. Suppliers. Contingencies.

And the details that can make or break an occasion. Long queues. Bottlenecks. Drinks that aren't circulating. Guests who aren't being introduced. Speakers who wander off-message. The unexpected problem that needs a decision, preferably before anyone notices.

And unlike many other projects, there's no postponing the deadline. When the guests arrive, it's showtime.

Sometimes I was responsible for the detail. Sometimes there were entire teams managing it. My contribution was often knowing which details mattered, asking the right questions and spotting the things that might otherwise be overlooked.

Because the smallest details can have the biggest impact on how people feel. And that was one of the greatest rewards: knowing that all the hard work, big and small, had created a feeling. Generally, I'm happy to say, a very positive one!

Beyond the Event

An event might last a few hours. Its impact can last considerably longer.

For business events, the follow-through was just as important as the preparation. What conversations took place? What relationships had been strengthened? What opportunities emerged? What needed following up? Sharing notes, capturing insights and making sure the right people continued the right conversations. Not simply reviewing what worked operationally, but understanding what the event actually achieved.

One particularly memorable corporate event prompted an email from a high-profile guest saying it was so good, it was now firmly in their annual calendar. A lovely endorsement, and a huge sigh of relief. What we'd set out to do was working!

For personal celebrations, success might be measured differently. Did everyone have a wonderful time? Did we create some lasting memories? And did the host actually get to enjoy the occasion?

Because whether you're building a brand or creating a personal experience, the best events leave something behind long after the last guest has gone.