Event producers rely on a team to pull off an extraordinary meeting or event. At Wilsonwest, we hold members of this team in a very high place. Call them trusted partners, collaborators, friends –  but never vendors. Vendors sell you something. Trusted partners give and keep on giving – great inspiration, extraordinary service, value, respect, and much more. Working with these partners you are capable of delivering more than you or your customer imagined. All of this giving translates into an even greater experience for event participants.

This week, I’d like to give a shout out to one of those partners: Bill John and the Odyssey Team.

The Odyssey team is extraordinary and they have been working to create meaningful Corporate Socially Responsible (CSR) events long before the term was in vogue. When many of us hear the words team building, we cringe. Odyssey changed this for me. When you meet Bill, you understand why the firm is so successful.  He lives and breathes his mission. He listens. He gets it. And he is a true innovator.

Check out their work: innovative, dynamic, smart, and real.

Cindy Wilson

admin Relationship Marketing, The Wilsonwest Way collaboration, culture, partners, relationships

I took a quick trip to New York City last week, and while dining in some great spots I was reminded of a favorite guru of mine in the hospitality industry: Danny Meyer. Danny is CEO of the Union Square Hospitality Group and owner of famed restaurants such as Union Square Café, Gramercy Tavern, Tabla, The Shake Shack, and many more.

I LOVE his approach to business which he calls enlightened hospitality and which serves as the foundation of his thriving restaurant empire. This business model, designed for long-term sustained profitability, embraces his key stakeholders in the following order: 1) employees  2) customers 3) community 4) suppliers, and 5) investors. Hmmm? Investors at the bottom of the list? Sound a bit backwards? Meyer argues that if you place the emphasis on the first four groups (in this order) you will find that it is their collective work and collaboration that fuels even greater and more enduring financial success which ultimately fuels the bottom line and makes for happy investors.

His businesses are known for outstanding employees, warm hospitality, strong ties with exceptional suppliers, and a solid commitment to playing an active role in the community. Investors are honored to be associated with businesses that generate not only profit, but good will and soul. There’s a lot to be learned from this business philosophy and I have enjoyed reading Meyer’s book Setting the Table, The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business.

Meyer understands that serving food is secondary to the experiences he creates for his customers and to quote him, “Business, like life, is all about how you make people feel. It’s that simple, and it’s that’s hard.”

Cindy Wilson

PS – If you’re heading to NY  there’s a few new Shake Shacks popping up in the Theater District and the Upper East Side.

PS - I know it’s been around for a while, but my daughter and I loved, loved, loved Billy Elliott The Musical and I hear it’s coming to San Francisco in the Fall.

admin Relationship Marketing, The Wilsonwest Way collaboration, culture, customers, employees, food, partners, relationships

I recently read Who’s got your Back? by Keith Ferrazi in which he extols the virtues and value of forming deep relationships with a core group of trusted advisors, peers and mentors. While I have always understood the power of what he calls “lifeline relationships” in my personal life, I did not translate this into business until we began producing executive (or C-level) events for our clients and I observed first-hand how top leaders seek out and value these peer groups as critical to their success.

Too often business leaders, especially entrepreneurs, feel compelled to go it alone, equating this Superman type of behavior with a true measure of strength. There is a fear that asking for help might impose upon others or, even worse, showcase a weakness. But the truth is these lifeline relationships power growth for individuals and organizations. They provide education, inspiration, loyalty, trust, and accountability. The ones who truly “have your back” are keeping you honest and holding you accountable.

Who are your lifeline relationships? Will they tell it “like it is” even if the telling gets tough? Are they holding you accountable? Do these relationships afford you a place to shed your Superman cape and show a little vulnerability?

If you have yet to identify your lifeline relationships or are simply still unsure about the concept, pick-up Keith’s book for a really simple guide to these powerful relationships.

admin Relationship Marketing, The Wilsonwest Way growth, power, relationships

Zappos. Not only do they A) deliver shoes quickly, but they B) offer free shipping in addition to C) no-hassle returns.

By every indication, this company has a soul.

Here are 10 more reasons to love Zappos, which are also 10 really great reminders for all of us in the service business. While these are their company values, they are easily and powerfully adaptable to any project we embrace. Try them on for size:

Deliver WOW through service
Embrace and drive change
Create fun and a little weirdness
Be adventurous, creative and open-minded
Pursue growth and learning
Build open and honest relationships with communications
Build a positive team and family spirit
Do more with less
Be passionate and determined
Be humble

The CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh, also talks about the importance of hiring people who consider themselves lucky or optimistic as these folks tend to pay more attention to detail and are cognizant of their surroundings. I consider myself to be a lucky person. I won a giant Easter Rabbit when I was in the second grade. On my first trip to Las Vegas I tried roulette and hit it big with a $20 chip on #17. And if you’ve read a previous post, you know how I feel about #17. I have a lot more “lucky” stories (like how many times I lost my wallet only to have it returned with gifts and stories to share), but I’ll stop here and connect the notion of luck to the business values and the list. If you equate luck with paying closer attention to your customers and the details, I’ll place lucky high on the list. A little luck may open a door you otherwise might not have noticed.

Thank you Zappos for your innovative and thoughtful practices and for always delivering the goods.

admin Relationship Marketing, The Wilsonwest Way culture, events, relationships

A good portion of the work that we do here at Wilsonwest involves selecting – or helping our clients to select – just the right place for a meeting, special event, or conference. Place plays a central role to the experience and relationship building that lies at the heart of any successful event.

I spent some time last week in one of my favorite places – Meadowood in the Napa Valley. It struck me that this geographic region (and resort) may well be what Wikipedia has in mind when defining a Sense of Place:

The term “sense of place” is often used in relation to those characteristics that make a place special or unique, as well as to those that foster a sense of authentic human attachment and belonging. Cultural geographers, anthropologists, sociologists, and urban planners study why certain places hold special meaning to particular people or peoples. Places said to have a strong “sense of place” have a strong identity and character that is deeply felt by local inhabitants and by many visitors. Such a feeling may be derived from the natural environment, but is more often made up of a mix of natural and cultural features in the landscape, and generally includes the people who occupy the place.

What happens when this geographic outer space impacts our inner space? Magic happens. You relax, engage, and connect to both the people and places around you, forging deeper relationships and gaining new insights. Hopefully, an ah ha moment takes you to a new level of thinking. This experience is at the heart of our work creating Events that Build Relationships.

Hats off to Meadowood for its authentic connection to the Napa Valley and its sense of place.

admin Relationship Marketing events, locations, partners

“I arise in the morning torn between a desire to save the world and a desire to savor the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.”

- Elwyn Brooks “E. B.” White

E.B. White penned, among other books, Charlotte’s Web – one of my all time favorite children’s books. If I had the opportunity to sit down for coffee with E.B. White today, I might challenge him to think that there’s time and space in the day for both saving and savoring. Thankfully, that notion has begun to work its way into our manner of doing business. Call it conscious capitalism, corporate social responsibility, or what you will – it’s a movement toward thoughtful leadership with a strong sense of mission and purpose.

Eighteen years ago I founded Wilsonwest on the simple principle that a respect for the quality of life for my employees (and me) directly contributes to the high quality work we deliver for our customers. At the time, I remember being challenged as to why my clients and future clients would care if I valued and supported a high quality of life for my employees. I never wavered, and now I know first-hand the wisdom of this decision and am honored to have contributed to the enrichment of the lives of my employees. Collectively, we work to contribute to the growth and well being of our customers’ businesses and employees by building and nurturing the relationships that are core to their business success. It’s a good cycle and one that affords us the opportunity to both savor and save.

If the wise spider Charlotte were here, my guess is that she’d weave those words into her web.

admin Relationship Marketing, The Wilsonwest Way collaboration, culture, customers, relationships

A few weeks ago, I participated in a webcast hosted by the Washington Speaker’s Bureau. It was a great opportunity to see a live presentation by one of their featured speakers, Tom Morris. Morris has become one of the most active public philosophers in the world due to his unusual ability to bring the greatest wisdom of the past to face the challenges of the present.

As a student of philosophy, I was quickly drawn to his words and suggestions. During the webcast, I asked Tom for some advice on how to regain and build confidence during times of challenge and stress. He replied, “Cindy, an old British proverb says, Don’t bolt the door with a boiled carrot. Some people try to regain confidence just through positive self-talk and inner cheer leading. As important as these can be, we human beings need to know we have the deepest basis for confidence, which is the relevant competence. Be a story teller! Help people to understand how their past has prepared them for the challenges they face. But remind them that the past can’t prove we’ll be successful in the future. It’s up to us to run ahead of the evidence and extend it to the new!”

As event producers, we play a key role in helping our clients tell their stories by staging the optimum environment and methods to deliver their messages. Simply pitching a team building exercise or other positive self-talk without true connection to your company’s vision and values would be a waste of time and an insult to your audience.

I would like to salute the Washington Speaker’s Bureau for their fantastic summer lecture series and special thanks to Tom Morris for sharing wisdom of the ages.

admin Relationship Marketing, The Wilsonwest Way relationships

This is one of my least favorite event tasks. I remember sitting in the dentist chair one afternoon and he asked (with more than a hint of sarcasm), “What’s the worst thing that can happen with your job? You seat someone at the wrong table? Big deal!” Well, if you’ve been there, you know that it is a BIG deal. It’s always a mad dash the minute before the dining room or ballroom doors open and even with the best planning and management, there promises to be a challenge. In the hopes of saving you from those heart-pounding moments of seating madness, here are a few tips I’ve learned over the years:

1. Wait until the bitter end to write in table numbers on the escort cards. Believe me when I say, it will change…and change…and then change again.
2. Make sure you know if the guest is indeed in attendance (while this seems obvious, it is not always the case)
3. Read up on the protocol, especially when dealing with high-ranking guests. Try etiquette expert Letitia Baldrige’s New Manners for New Times: A Complete Guide to Etiquette. This will help you know where to seat guests at the table and proper protocol for titles, etc.
4. Have a no-show contingency plan, ESPECIALLY for the head table.
5. Stage a staffer next to the head table to assist guests to the proper table and to help ensure that that table is filled.
6. Get executive buy-in in advance.
7. Have a few staff at the door with the seating lists for those who forgot their cards or just plain have lost their way.
8. Don’t be surprised if someone sits at the wrong table, expect that it will happen and have a contingency plan.
9. Have a face book of the VIP guests so your staff may escort them to the host table without having to ask them for table number.
10. Don’t rely solely on a floor plan. When choosing the right tables for your hosts or special guests make sure you walk the room after the tables have been placed. Check for site lines, access, stage access, noise, views, etc. It’s a good idea to place your host’s seat where he or she will have maximum exposure to the entire room.
11. Once the guests have been seated, take a walk around the room to look for empty spots and adjust accordingly. Tighten up the table seating if needed to support the conversation.
12. Once the guests are all seated, have the servers remove the table numbers.
13. If you do this often, consider investing in seating software.

A VERY big deal indeed.

admin Relationship Marketing, The Wilsonwest Way events, food, seating

M.F.K. Fisher’s How to Cook a Wolf spoke to a nation at war and in the throes of rationing during WW II: a time when many felt the proverbial wolf at the door. But its central message, extolling the virtues of simplicity, still resonates today. “Since we must eat to live,” Fisher wrote in a postscript to the revised edition, “We might as well do it with both grace and gusto.”

I have long believed in the virtue of the family table and the power of food to transform. Beautiful food served with grace and eaten with gusto carries the ability to bridge diverse cultures. When Americans return from travel to Italy or France they will often remark on a leisurely lunch they experienced in which conversation (rather than time) remained king. I do hope the movement toward sustainability, slow food, and simplicity bring this tradition back to our culture.

On a higher note, I often imagine what table and environment might be set to help foster peace in the Middle East. I invite you to share your thoughts here with me and let’s send them along to the likes of Thomas Keller, Alain Ducasse, Matsuhita Nobu, Alice Waters, or the spikey-haired “diner” guy on the Food Network.

admin Relationship Marketing, The Wilsonwest Way culture, drink, food, relationships

“C Suite” Etymology

From C in chief + suite

(management) The group of officers of a business organization, who have the word “chief” in their titles.

(management) Senior headquarters executives.

I started my career in the C Suite as I traveled around the world for Carlson Marketing Group and then later Merrill Lynch. Back then, of course, I was without my own C title! Now it seemed to me that I always landed the “VIP” tasks. Keep in mind that this was a time when the only mobile devices we had on our person were our mouths so I learned to be a pretty good (and fast) problem solver. I spent a lot of time in boardrooms and ballrooms, often waiting around with security guards. Perhaps most importantly, I learned when to jump into action and when to stay in the background.

This experience has served me well and provided the foundation for our work in the C Suite. At Wilsonwest, we are very comfortable and confident dealing with the C-Level crowd. This confidence comes from years of event experiences: from the nuances and complexity of dinner seating to the handling of a presidential advance team. We understand the customer profile and we have years of experience producing high level CEO Summits, Global Board Meetings, and events with high-profile audiences.

What we know is this: a C-Level executive’s time is precious, meticulously managed, and their most valuable currency. Truly understanding the implications of these factors and managing to the expectations of the denizens of the C-Suite does take a certain type of expertise and finesse. While far from our only strong suit, it is definitely our suite spot.

admin Relationship Marketing, The Wilsonwest Way executives, Management