Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristin Hems & Annie Rector.
Hi Kristin & Annie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
We were put on the same account at another firm, traveling and spending more time together than we were with our own families. Spending that much time together (in stressful situations, long days, and constant traveling) in this line of work puts a relationship to the test quickly – you are compatible in most ways, or you aren’t. The light bulb went off that we were compatible on one of our longer flights home from an especially challenging week – we could do this and do it better, as long as we did it together! The rest is history, as they say. Since late 2014, we’ve impacted the experience for thousands of attendees, become close friends with many clients and partners, and built a team of strong and capable planners (who do a bunch of other things well!). In fact, on the rare times we find ourselves traveling and working onsite together, we are still the most compatible pair; our friendship, partnership, and trust in each other are stronger as we continue to grow. There is nothing like the experience of watching something come to life that you’ve planned for months – the excitement in an attendee’s eyes, the gratitude in a client’s voice, or the satisfaction of watching our team excel.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Is any road to entrepreneurship smooth? There have been bumps along the way from day 1 – but most of them are standard ‘new to entrepreneurship’ challenges. We are Event Planners, and we jumped into Business Owners. We had to figure out what to outsource, what to learn, how to juggle, and when to set things down quickly! However, I would be lying if I said that COVID wasn’t our biggest and most frustrating struggle yet – and the ripple effect it had across our business. We welcomed the break at first but then realized it wouldn’t be quick, and we had to find ways to adapt and stay in business. Our catchphrase during COVID was “we are just waiting on our Crystal Ball to show up,” but it never did. The ever-evolving climate and culture surrounding the event industry and client and attendee tolerance levels continue to be challenging. Even without COVID, we have learned some hard lessons that ultimately impacted how we do business today. One example: a client left us with a massive credit (due to a cancellation) which had major tax implications the following fiscal year. The credit process is now clearly outlined in the language in our statement of work.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Third Avenue Events?
We are a third-party event services company – helping businesses bring their events to life! We work with several clients – internal planners, executives, admins – anyone who needs a second (or more) set of hands to complete all the tasks with any event. Our focus is logistics and creating a unique attendee experience, freeing up teams to define messaging, create content, and secure attendees. Transparency in planning and the attendee experience we create are the two things that set us apart in the industry. Clients have access to everything we do – and typically don’t have to request it. We freely communicate cost savings, challenges, and wins! And we aren’t afraid to stand up for the attendee experience, respectfully, of course. From a brand perspective, we are proudest of our customer service level and the team culture we’ve built. We know there is a way to take the pressure off internal teams and make events easier for them. And while a lot rides on events in a corporation, client needs are important, we consistently remind our team that their family comes first, and we aren’t saving lives. One of our favorite clients jokes that events are “so easy, anyone can do them” – giving us a hard time, of course – but that is the biggest challenge we run up against. Either a business already has an internal team and doesn’t understand how we fit into the picture, or we are talking to a higher-level individual that isn’t involved in the day-to-day weeds and has incorrect expectations. There are many ways to plan and execute an event, but we explain to clients that this is our full-time job, our sole focus. Since this is all we do, we work in a much more efficient way to accomplish all of the tasks necessary to make their event a success. Plus, we bring a little personality and fun to the table, making long days and stressful situations more manageable!
What makes you happy?
Kristin Hems: This job truly makes me happy. I feel so lucky that I’ve found my life purpose, strengths, and zone of genius. Whatever you want to call it. And I feel blessed to show my girls what it looks like to do something you love and are passionate about. Life is too short to be in a job you hate, and there is always a way to channel that strength and make life more enjoyable.
Annie Rector: Looking at all the pieces of the event in idea form – and then figuring out the logistics to build the entire picture is what I love about this job. And the strong team around us gives me the personal opportunity to bring my son to work or step away to spend time with him and my husband. Kristin and I have built a culture that prioritizes family and mental health. In all honesty – coming to our office and working with our team daily is a joy. Our team makes the hard days easier and the easy days fun!
Pricing:
- Since each event that we create for our clients is unique, so is our pricing structure. I will say that typically our fees hover at about 10% of the overall event cost, and that covers everything for our team. No hidden fees or surprises at the end of the day – it’s a flat planning fee.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thirdaveevents.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thirdaveevents/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thirdaveevents
Image Credits
Jenny Wheat Photography
