Novice Nelly: She’s our witty, fun, yet fictitious, team member that takes us on her journey of #epicfails and reminds us we are all in this together. Enjoy!
Hi. I’m Nelly, and I’m totally stoked to finally make it to the cool table of legitimate corporate event planning, also known as, gainful employment. So, why should you be reading this? Welllll, I’ve seen a ton of blogs out there for people that have been in the biz forever. (Yes… I’ve totally read about the binders full of paper, personalized for each individual guest… Hello!? #itscalledanAPP.) So…, #shamelessplug, the team at NLED thought it would be fun to bring you along on my journey of #epicfails in hopes you will laugh with me (not at me), share a story of your own, and remind us that we are all #inthistogether.
As Carrie Underwood said in that made-for-tv movie musical, (don’t get Cory Fowkes started on that one…) “Let’s start from the very beginning!” SOOOooooo, my first professional gig ever… A friend of mine who is a coordinator at this really cool event company, that totally works with celebrities, like, all the time, called and said they needed help on a really big event they had coming up. There was going to be a red carpet and really important people… and I was like, ummmm… yeah!?! #SWAG!
So, I got the Production Schedule and WHAT!?!? I’m listed as the “V-VIP Hospitality Runner”!?! I mean, I know what VIP’s are… but V-VIP!?!?! …Ohmigod — Gaga is in town visiting her Chicago Fire actor BF. Is Lady Gaga going to be at this event!? #meatdress #glitterwig #facebookbrag
I then saw my “call time” was 7am. Call Time? #wtf #blankstare… I totes grabbed my phone and quickly learned that it means BE THERE at 7am, not call them at 7am….#savedbyGoogle
Fast forward to me being there on event day, knowing I would soon be meeting and becoming besties with a celebrity. I was so frickin’ pumped during the whole load-in process and let me tell you, I took super extra care prepping the hospitality suite. I mean that table had feng shui by the time I was done setting it. And, ummm, I totes had luck on my side… I found a random floral piece in the ladie’s BATHROOM, #what!? I grabbed it and put it on an end table in the hospitality suite… it was like, the perfect finishing detail. And, with #allthefeels, you know I even folded that flap of toilet paper into the perfect triangle in the V-VIP’s restroom. #eventpro!
Cut to reality – #RealTalk. Ummmmm….yeah… TRUTH: The “V-VIP” was totally the CEO of the company and not a “celebrity”. No Gaga. No Meat Dress. No actual red carpet paparazzi… yeah, they were fake! Did you know people get hired to do this!?! With FAKE CAMERAS!?!? #isanythingreal #existentialcrisisat25 AND, to top it off, I was the V-VIP hospitality runner! R.U.N.N.E.R!! I spent the majority of the night running around looking for a flippin burrito! #idontwantthechicken #caviarcareerwithburritotaste #pickyeater. That’s right… a burrito… that I had to cut up in a closet! No. Literally, IN. A. CLOSET. that my so-called “friend” pushed me into when the client was coming down the hall. #nobodyputsNellyinthecloset #onlythisonce #theflooriscoveredinbeans #thattookaturn #TopChefmeetsClosetEventPro #DIYthisHGTV
(#sigh #so….)
#RookieMistake: Letting the event schedule pre-set expectations… and bragging about it on Facebook before I even knew what I was doing… #redface #noselfies
Fortunately, at the end of the night, the “V-VIP” went to my friend’s boss, like, The. Head. Of. Her. Company…. and said that he was very well taken care of and had never had an event company manage every aspect of the event all the way down to his hospitality suite with so much care and focus on detail. He looks forward to hiring them again in the future if this is the standard they keep on every level of their events.
#LessonLearned: Every client is a celebrity… treat them like one and you’ll always have work #ImAwesome #jobwelldone #callmyagent #Imarockstar #humblebrag
So, there you go! #eggonmyfaceturnsintodeliciousomelette I totes have SO MANY more stories like this one, and I’m sure you do too! Follow me on Twitter @NellyTheNovice, follow NLED for more blogs and help us keep the conversation going! Feel free to message me with your embarrassing stories too – ‘cause hey, like I said before, we are all #inthistogether.
