WELCOME TO THE
Library
Pull something off the shelf. I write most weeks about the parts of an event nobody sees.
New on the shelf
everything on the shelf
How to compare event venue proposals before you sign
Two or three venue proposals arrive, each formatted differently, each leading with a number that isn't the number you'll pay. This post covers how to convert them into one comparison sheet, which clauses cost money later, what surprises people on the final bill, and what's genuinely negotiable.
The event planning process and why yours feels unfinished
The agenda has been rewritten four times and none of the versions are better than the last one. That usually means something the agenda depends on hasn't been decided yet. This post walks through four signs a decision in your event is still open when it should already be settled, and what one open decision ends up costing.
The vendor questions no one preps you for
Vendors ask questions that assume you've already decided things you haven't thought about yet, and answering on the spot is how you end up committed to something. This post covers what they'll ask and what to have ready.
What actually happens between "the venue is booked" and event day
Impressive names, strong bios, and a room that somehow never quite lifts. It happens more than anyone admits and it isn't about the speakers being wrong. This post covers what determines whether a lineup lands once everyone is in the room.
Why retreat profit should be planned before you book
Profit worked out after the venue is booked is really just whatever happens to be left. By then most of your costs are already decided. This post covers how to build the number in from the beginning, before anything gets signed.
5 clarity decisions you must make before booking your retreat venue
Guests loved it, the photos were beautiful, and privately you decided you'd never do that again. That reaction has a cause, and it usually has nothing to do with the event itself. This post covers where it comes from and what changes it.
It's eleven at night on event day and the bed is right there. Ten minutes of notes now saves an hour of trying to remember next week, and gets you better answers. These are the event evaluation questions worth answering each night, before the details fade.