Event management is a multi-faceted cluster f***.
You plan for perfection, and still have a b-z backup file in-case something goes wrong. And things WILL go wrong. It’s an inevitability of the event universe.
If I learned anything during my 3 days in Barbados, and the 3+ months I’ve been managing Collision Entertainment’s social, the above is the most significant. Crop Over 2016 and more specifically, Foreday Morning was an unprecedented eye-opener. Sure, my boss, the owner of Collision Entertainment, had regaled me of five years’ worth of ups and downs but the age-old musing still stands: seeing is believing.
Barbados is an island of beauty and diversity. Boasting some of the best beaches and resorts in the world, it attracts a multi-cultural demographic to its shores. Crop Over is no different and during Collision’s distribution, I had the pleasure of meeting both Caribbean and global partakers who shared the same energy and excitement for the Foreday experience.
A photo posted by Nicole M. (@alexwspark) on Aug 1, 2016 at 10:02am PDT
Many persons praised Collision for its simple registration procedure, how quickly the team responded to queries across all our platforms and how pain-free package collection was. Needless to say, the work that goes into the back-end processes to ensure customers are smooth-sailing on the road saw a lot of long days and nights and a web team who stood toe-to-toe with everyone to get s**t done.
A photo posted by Collision Entertainment (@collisionent) on Jul 28, 2016 at 5:58pm PDT
Here’s some things that stood out for me during my trip:
1. Your team is your lifeline. A captain doesn’t get the ship to port by herself. From the time I landed in Barbados to before I closed my eyes for some much needed sleep, the Collision team displayed cohesion the likes of which corporate entities only dream of emulating. I was floored. From bringing packages together, to running over a mile and back to bring paint to the band, to coordinating at ungodly hours of the morning, they were on it. Cherish your team, or else someone else will.
2. Your fans are your evangelists. Collision prides itself on a Foreday experience like no other but what truly makes it stand out is the blatant excitement of the revelers. When a fan says they tell anyone and everyone that Collision is THE Foreday band to play with because all they have to do is have a time, nothing comes close to the gratefulness you’ll feel to be doing what you’re doing.
A photo posted by Collision Entertainment (@collisionent) on Jul 31, 2016 at 7:23am PDT
3. Contingencies. Plan A. Plan B. Plan freaking Z. Assume all things will go wrong and start your plan from there. In the hours leading up to Foreday, we thought all was well. We were ready to paint the road (pun intended). Many things went wrong on the night, and the team reacted on the fly, patching the issues as we chipped down the road. It reminded and taught everyone to continue working and improving each year, and never take for granted the dynamic nature of an event, especially one as complex as Foreday. 4. New experiences give you new perspective. I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a party person. I’m an indoors person, an introvert, someone who would never have flown to Barbados for Foreday Morning of her own free will. Clearly the universe had alternative plans and now I’m writing this blog, and I’m able to honestly say that I’m beyond happy to have experienced Foreday with Collision. I’ve learned so much in such a short space of time, and developed a hands-on understanding of the unique vision my boss has for her band. Needless to say, I’m inspired and ready to learn even more. So bring it on 2017 ’cause I’m ready to be doused in paint again. Learn more about #CollisionForeday: www.collisionentertainment.com https://www.instagram.com/collisionent https://www.facebook.com/CollisionEntertainment
A photo posted by Collision Entertainment (@collisionent) on Jul 30, 2016 at 8:05pm PDT
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