Summer is well upon us. If you haven’t attended a summer wedding by now, you’ve attended three. And if you’re like me, you’ve wondered what similarities there are between wedding planning and strategic event planning. I’ve recently gotten to know a wonderful young wedding planner named...
Here at Wilsonwest, we like to emphasize to each of our corporate event management clients the importance of strategic social responsibility. What does this mean? Different companies may have their own definitions, but I like to encapsulate this concept as “doing the right thing in...
There are advantages to living in San Francisco—and then there are advantages. I love this city for a million reasons, but here’s just one: for the past few weeks, I’ve been driving over to North Beach to meet with a seamstress who’s making me a...
Does June put you in the frame of mind to stop and reflect? It always does that to me—thanks to all the graduation ceremonies. Those of you who know me well will recall that I started Wilsonwest to give me the flexibility to spend as much...
Special event planning is both art and a science. Events that appear flawless on the outside often face a litany of disasters (big and small) behind the scenes. At Wilsonwest, we’ve been in the business over twenty years. And though I can’t say we’ve seen...
One way Abraham Lincoln put people at ease was by telling stories, which got him the nickname Father Abraham. Lincoln’s calming effect could immediately lower the emotional levels in a room, aiding everyone’s effectiveness at making decisions. But we don't always have a skilled diplomat at...
[caption id="attachment_1432" align="alignright" width="206"] Photo Credit: cygnoir via Compfight cc[/caption] "If You Don't Know Where You're Going, Any Road Will Get You There." – The Cheshire Cat, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland Measuring the return on investment (ROI) of corporate event marketing can be a challenge. Too often, ROI...
[caption id="attachment_1423" align="alignright" width="300"] Mary, Margaret Thatcher, and Me[/caption] In the late nineties, Mary and I were involved in a Financial Services Conference in Paris, where Margaret Thatcher spoke about Britain’s position on the Euro. We were tasked with managing her arrangements – from greeting Baroness...
Know your client is a common mantra at Wilsonwest. But nobody knows people better than Sharon Gillenwater, CEO of Boardroom Insiders. So we spoke to her about C-level event marketing, the best way to invite C-level executives to corporate events, and how to develop content...
[caption id="attachment_1376" align="alignright" width="300"] Taj Mahal[/caption] In my last post, I spoke of the chaos that enveloped me while in India. I could write for days about what I observed there and even though it’s been over a month since my last journey, I am reminded...
