Feeling Uninspired Into The Second Quarter

As we go into the second quarter of the year, it’s extremely important to keep the momentum going in your business.

We did extremely well the first quarter of the year but I went into the second quarter feeling uninspired.

This is not uncommon when you own a business but it doesn’t feel good when you are in it and you can start to second guess everything you are doing.

There are always highs and lows and believe me I live them but thank God I have a great support group.

We are coming into our busy season so we are hankered down with all the planning and managing all the issues that may come up, which can add to feeling uninspired.

For example, we have one client who lost their venue 2 months before the event as the venue was closing down. This was a very popular venue in NYC so we were completely blindsided.

We were a little nervous as the event is in May on a Saturday night, which is a very busy time in NYC.

Luckily, we found 4 other venues that were a fit for the event, we set up the site visit with the client for each one, and within 4 days we had a new venue. In the end the new venue turned out to be a better option.

The venue was more money but because of the circumstances of our situation, and the relationship we have with the venue, they were willing to honor the deal we had with the previous venue.

This is a perfect example of why you need to hire a professional planner. we have connections and have built relationships with venues. They know that we will bring them more work to them in the future so their are willing to discount when needed.

Another example is, we have a client who wanted to do a 2 day event; however, they didn’t get the sponsors they had hoped for.

They didn’t hire a professional event company the previous year so the event was not as professional; therefore, the sponsors they were counting on again for the second year did not want to sponsor because if was unprofessionally produced.

We had to go back to the venue and renegotiate terms for a one day event.

We were able to get $4,500 off the rental of the space but the client was still liable for some of the second day rental fee.

Cancelling the second helped saved the client money for food and beverage, audio visual, staffing and so much more.

We always consult with our clients before booking any venue but sometimes unexpected things happen so you need to be ready for plan B.

Good lesson here is had they spent a little more money the first year with a professional team, this may not have happened.

These are just a few of the obstacles we face during the planning process leading into the second quarter.

As I’ve said so many times before, we are not just event planners, we are problem solvers!

So back to feeling uninspired…

As with any business, relationships, life in general, there are times we can feel uninspired.

When this happens it’s a good time to take a step back and change things up.

I recently shared this with a networking group I’m a member of and they suggested that I take an ARTIST DATE.

The artist date is the idea of making time for yourself, once a week, on your own, to do something fun. Something that nourishes your and will help you feel inspired again.

Another great point here is to reach out to people you know, colleagues, business associates, people who are in the same boat as you, when you’re feeling uninspired or you’re not feeling good about something. Reach out to people you know who could help you and give you quick little kick in the butt.

I recently had a friend jump on the phone with me for five minutes, that was all I needed.

So share with me what you do when you are feeling uninspired.

Here’s to killing in the the second quarter!!

WE’D LOVE FOR YOU TO SHARE THIS IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEBSITE BUT PLEASE INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING COMPLETE INFORMATION: Event Producer Strategist, Entrepreneur, Speaker, and Coach, Annette Naif, CEO & Creative Director of Naif Productions.

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About Naif Productions:

Naif Productions is a strategic event planning, design and production firm specializing in corporate, live coaching sales events, social, non-profit, and weddings. Based in New York City, we produce events worldwide from Fortune 500 clients and coaches to families and charities. Naif Productions specializes in helping clients attain their goals, realize return on investment, and achieve the most unique, creative experiences.

About Annette Naif:

Since 1986 Annette Naif has been designing and producing custom events, helping clients create their unique style that translates into a memorable and profitable experience. Annette spent 17 years producing events in the motion picture industry where she helped coordinate numerous productions for film and episodic television programs. Since then Annette’s been running her own event production company, coaching other event planners, teaching an event operations and production course at NYU, and now is the CEO & Creative Director of Naif Productions.