Favorite Parts of Working in the Events Industry as a Senior Manager of Sustainability
Karen, a Senior Manager of Sustainability at a global events company, loves the "addicting" nature of the industry, characterized by a close-knit community where "you work with all the same people in a different role." The most rewarding aspect is witnessing the transformation from "crazy chaos construction site" to a magical event, a process where the company, like "trade show fairies," creates this beautiful experience.
Project Management, Teamwork, Communication, Problem-Solving, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Karen Young
Senior Manager of Sustainability
Global Events Company
Texas State University
n/a
Film, Media Arts, Visual Arts
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Climate, Environment and Sustainability
Honors Student, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. The event industry is interconnected, with professionals frequently collaborating across different companies. Maintaining positive relationships is crucial for career success.
2. Seeing the culmination of a year's worth of work come to life at an event is incredibly rewarding.
3. Working for a company that plays a significant role in creating a positive and memorable event experience is a unique and fulfilling aspect of this career path.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your industry?
If you've ever been to a trade show, you may understand this. It has a different effect there. There's this thing called the event industry bug, and I got it. It's addicting.
Once you're in this world, it's, for lack of a better word, very incestuous. Everyone bounces from company to company. You work with all the same people in different roles.
It's critical that you are nice to everyone because if you had a bad experience with somebody, you will work with them again in the future. There's no avoiding that in the event world.
But it's so rewarding to see the work you've been doing for upwards of a year or longer come to fruition on show site. There's this thing that I call the trade show fairies. When you have move-in, it's crazy chaos, a construction site.
Overnight, right before the show opens, the trade show fairies appear. You show up the next day, and there's glitter in the air. Everything is shiny, beautiful, clean, and sparkly. People are smiling and happy. You can't beat it.
The best part about all of that is that Freeman is the trade show fairy. So working for the company that gets to make that magic is pretty darn cool.