As one of the most sought-after millennial voices in our industry, Liz King, CEO of New York-based Liz King Events, is a forward-thinking event planner specializing in curated event experiences via event technology and branding.
In this shakedown, we asked Liz about her experience in managing stress and engaging millennials.
What got you interested in event planning?
I’ve always loved throwing events. I love the way that events bring people together for various occasions, and I love playing a critical role in that process. I really believe that events are a key component to all major things that happen in the world, and that would include everything from political events to weddings to corporate meetings. I enjoy playing a role in designing smarter meetings and events that really accomplish their purpose.
There’s a lot of stress in event planning. What’s your approach to managing stress and crises that often arise on the job?
You have to go with the flow. I think that being levelheaded is one of the best characteristics of an event planner. You have to expect that things will happen and then figure them out on the fly. Disaster planning is great, but there will always be something that comes up beyond your planning scope. Our clients appreciate that we can stay calm and react quickly.
Do you think catering specifically to millennials is important for meeting planners, and if so, what advice can you offer on this topic?
I do think that catering to millennials is very important. After all, millennials now outnumber any other generation in our country. So, I would say start by involving millennials in your planning process, rather than trying to guess what they like and don’t like. No guess work needs to be involved!
It’s also important to leverage technology. Millennials are much more comfortable with technology, and they expect to be able to use tech in every part of their lives. Leveraging tech in your events is a great way to keep them engaged. Millennials also love to be involved and to play a critical role in life. So rather than hosting events where a speaker talks at an audience for long periods of time, see what you can do to mix up the meeting format and to get attendees actively involved.
