Life as a Meeting Planner

I like to plan things. I always have. Not long after I moved to Chicago, I planned a little get-together of a group of fanboys and fangirls all interested in Kevin Smith. We met at the Chicago Wizard World event, and I prepared packets for everyone with name tags, maps, schedules, and restaurant choices. It was a blast. One of the attendees, now a dear friend, said, "You are really good at this. You should make a career out of it."

I mulled over that for a while...

Later, I joined a local Jaycees chapter and began planning different events - social outings, fundraisers, volunteer activities, etc. My biggest event, which just celebrated its FIFTH anniversary, was Monster Mini Golf. I helped with 3 out of the last 5 years. What an undertaking that was! 150+ people walking up and down Windsor Avenue in the Depot District of Berwyn, IL, visiting the various drinking establishments. Each bar/restuarant creates a mini-golf hole for the participants. At the after party, awards are given for the top teams. It was such a huge success the first four years that when the Jaycees chapter faded out another organization in Berwyn took over. People look forward to that event each April.

When I had a couple of those events under my belt, I decided maybe I should start taking some classes so I could better develop my skills. I enrolled in a local community college to start the Meeting & Events Planning Program. It was thrilling! After my bachelor's degree, I think I yearned for more education. I am a couple of classes shy of receiving a post-degree certificate in meeting & event planning.

In the midst of those classes, I needed a career change...I loved my job as an editor, but it was starting to wear on me. One thing led to another, and I left the publishing industry. I decided this was a perfect opportunity to change careers completely. With no professional experience, I boosted my resume with my Jaycees experience and my classes at the community college. I landed smack in the middle of my new career - a meeting planner for the midwest affiliate of a national association.

I started my new position in January 2008, and I love it. I have 10 groups for which I plan all meetings, review reports, and prospect for new members. I travel at least once a month, and the airline miles pile up. It's something different every day, and I need that constant change to keep going. The stress level is not nearly as high as it was in publishing. I have met some really wonderful people (and some challenging characters).

I get to go places I never thought I would (Napa, Santa Barbara, Niagara Falls in Ontario, Seattle), and I get to go places that allow me to visit family and friends (Nashville, Memphis, Anaheim, and various places in Ohio). Every month I travel to Omaha, Nebraska. It's not that exciting, especially since I fly in on a Tuesday morning, have two meetings, and then fly home the same night. However, I think of it this way: in order to get gold status on American Airlines, you have to complete 30 flights per year. Omaha and back is 24 in a year...yep. Gold status rocks!

The trying parts are being away for several days at a time for some meetings. We don't have pets or kids yet, so it's still okay. Still being a newlywed (October 2008) makes it interesting. It's easy when I am in the same time zone or out east, but the trips west means finding a spare moment between the meeting and dinner that is not too late to call home and tell my husband goodnight.

The thing about my job that I find the most fun is the scheduling - I have already planned dates for meetings through 2011, and I'm working on securing the hotels through June next year... I can tell you where I will be anytime between now and next June. Since all my groups meet on a regular schedule, I can tell you when I will be busy with meetings through 2013...seriously...I'd be able to tell you further out, but I think 3 years is enough planning.

Ideally, I'd like to transition this position and the skills I've learned into opening my own business. I've already thought of what educational track I'd like to start next - decorating classes at Wilton! The school is about 10 minutes from my house. How can I pass that up? The real question is: "Why have I waited so long to start?"