Grand Connection

Beach Party in a Ballroom

With very little money (2,000), we were recently challenged to transform a very elegant ballroom into a Michigan Themed Beach Party for a large conference.  Let me clarify, a "Michigan Beach Party".  So no palm trees, coconuts, shells--you know, the stuff you can get pretty easily for most beach parties.  By working with my friend, an interior designer, we were able to pull some strings and use a local Outdoor Furniture Company's display stock for the cost of delivery and pick up (and of course some sponsorship display).  Along with a few visits to Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby and local Big Box store...we were able to transform the space and work within the budget.  I know I say this all the time, but events like this are just part of the "conference planning package" that we provide.  It's just that the images are so boring of registration websites and hotel contracts.  These pictures are way more exciting.

These are my friends, 'cause that's what you do when you don't have money in the budget to hire help, you set up and tear down yourself, and you recruit your friends! 

Digital Grafitti

So a few years ago (more like 4-5) I was in St. Petersburg at the Renaissance Vinoy where we were managing a meeting.  I was walking around at night and came across something very cool.  Some kids were projecting images onto buildings and playing great music.  I was dying to ask them if they could do this at my next event!  When I was just in Florida this week--I saw information about this festival and looked them up online http://www.digitalgraffiti.com/ Projection art is another term I've heard used to describe what's going on here. I predict the newest trend in events!

 

 

 

Concerts. Can they make you a better event planner?

Speaking of art as inspiration (per my last post).  I was lucky enough to see this tour over the summer and I will never look at general session lighting and staging the same.  Peter Gabriel is a master at staging and lighting, I try not to miss his shows.  Ever.  It's just good food for the creative soul, at least that's how I justify expensing the tickets (just kidding).  Not much more to add, just watch the clip, it's pretty cool, huh?

   

Artprize Top 10: An Event Planner's Pick

Artprize, the American Idol competition for the art world happens right here in my hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan.  There is so much inspiration going on this week for event professionals that I should keep it all to myself and spring it on the event world in a big shock and awe reveal.  I'm just to proud of my city not to share what magical things are transpiring here.  Incorporating artists into my work has always been a priority; I understand that my strengths are more in the logistics of an event.  I stand in awe of these artists. Pictures do not do them justice, you need to come to Grand Rapids and see for yourself.  There's inspiration just waiting for you.  Inspiration found in the LIKELIEST of places, and best of all....it's totally free.  For tips on planning your trip check out our visitor's bureau website http://www.experiencegr.com/events/artprize/.  You can click on these photos to get a better/larger view.

This container unfolds to offer up the most amazing pop-up hipster bar.  I walked by as it was opening and there was smoke coming out!  All of a sudden like magic there was a bar, stools and servers.

 

 

This is just so beautiful in person it moves, shimmers and shines.  I don't know how I might use something like this yet but I'm sure I'll figure something out.

 

 

There's some discussion about whether these guys are really art...Hey as an event planner...LOVE 'EM.  Can't wait for the next construction theme.  Oh, these are real dudes playing an elaborite game of statues.

 

 

I love these sunflowers made with re purposed water bottles.  Now this is decor I can feel good about.  I hear the artist is selling these off on the final day of Artprize...would love a few.  

 

Ever plan a beach theme event?  Oh wouldn't this be great to have on display...hard to see here but the placement is great...complete with sand and simulated water on the floor of the convention center. 

 

 
 
 How about something like this as the entrance to your next lawn party.  It just makes me smile.

 

 
Hang these little critters from your ballroom truss?  I dare you!  Who does not love Monkeys in a Barrel?  Scatter the game around on the tables for conversation starter.  Wallah--party in a barrel.

 

And then there's Yellow Man.  Never thought of doing a Lego build as team building until I saw this.  I'm sure others had different thoughts but that's how my brain works.

 

 
You can bet I picked up this guy's contact information.  I saw him do a bust of a local broadcaster in under 30 minutes.  I thought hey, I'm gonna remember this guy.   

 

 
Last but not least check out this amazing ceiling treatment.  Why didn't I ever think of this?  This takes my breath away.

If you've stopped by here and been inspired, please do me a favor and follow me on Twitter and like us on Facebook

No really. THIS was the best Team Building event ever!

First of all I just have to say how we do love technology!  You have to understand that when we started in the travel industry we were still handwriting airline tickets, receiving curly paper faxes, keeping track of event information in binders and the secretary (yes, that was me...) was the only one that knew how to retrieve the email.  So back in the day when we would do a photo road rally we had teams use Polaroid cameras.    Times have certainly changed.  Christina just ran a team-building photo scavenger hunt for a client who was celebrating a milestone business anniversary.  Now that almost everyone has smart phones the teams were able to take the pictures and email them to Christina back in the office in real time.  When the teams checked back in with her at the end, she was able to gather the paperwork, score the teams & put the photos on a thumb drive and deliver them to the company dinner within 30 minutes where they were shown in a slide show while the winner was announced.  Some of the photos were really crazy; teams in hot tubs, with a horse, in shopping carts & cooking at restaurants...fun stuff!  Another fun activity we arranged was setting up the Rock Band Wii ON STAGE.  I know they have day jobs, but I think a few of these people were meant to be Rock Stars!  This was really cost effective way to provide fun entertainment. 

You may not know the way we really make our money is by booking the hotel rooms for conferences and building websites to register the attendees (remember, 10 or more rooms...call us).  But this is the fun stuff that we can do as a bonus for your next sales meeting or customer training!   For events like this I'm always willing to share my resources and time, so if you don't have the budget to hire us, just give me a call and we can help you put together a fun event just like this one.  I forgot to mention that I also designed some word searches and word puzzles about the company history for bonus points.  This was a photo worth 10 points, cartwheels in front of one of the companies old locations.

Blogger = Bragger

I always feel a little conflicted when I blog, like what do I really have to say that is THAT interesting you know?  It always ends up sounding like bragging.  Growing up there was a saying around my house that I'll twist to fit my thoughts..."if you have to tell someone you're the best at something then you probably aren't".  So how do you balance those beliefs living in this world of social media marketing?  Time will tell.  With that said, here I go!!!  I'm just so proud of the work our meeting planners do here at GC and I can't help from sharing some exciting news.  It's really because of them that we qualified as a finalist for the Grand Rapids Business Journal’s biennial issue of "Top Women-Owned Businesses" due out later this month.  I should also mention that we just received national certification as a Women's Business Enterprise. The WBENC certification for women-owned businesses is one of the most widely recognized and respected certifications in the nation.  And while I'm at it I should share this nice article below where Leah and Holly discuss current trends in the meetings industry (click on the image).  

We've come a long way from the days of working from my basement...oh wait, I still do that!  Nope we didn't spend all our money on credit lines and over financed commerical real estate for overhead.  It's kinda funny seeing everyone else just figuring something out that we have known for 10 years here at GC.  Project based labor makes the most sense.  Exceptional nible staff can deal with short lead times and help clients manage ebbs and flows of their businesss...it's finally accepted and getting recognized and rewarded.

The Best Team Building Event EVER!

This team building event was designed for a corporate client who needed a fun dinner event during a recent meeting in which they brought together staff from all over the world.  We put together several ideas but ended up going with an iron-chef like food challenge where each team designed, cooked, plated and finally presented the meal to a competing team.  Everyone completed evaluation cards rating their dinner and several other aspects of the meal.  After dinner, we had each team decorate and present a cake dessert to their assigned guests/table, to earn bonus points.  The overall winners of the event (and the lovely cooking medals) were the Blue Smerfs.  By the way, each team comes up with their own name.  I should mention the gift baskets we put together; mixing bowls with goodies and cooking tools. Christina was a hilarious emcee and does a great job of commenting and building the competition.  Not only was she travel staff but also emcee AND photographer!! See how our staff is SO multi-talented!? 

CONNECTIONS

I've been thinking a while about this blog entry and how to share how Grand Connection came to have our name and what it really means.  It all started 11 years ago with a meeting we had with Tom Walker.  Tom is someone Tracy and I have known our entire career and it' scary to admit, but that's over 20 years!  Yikes.  Tom recently had a mild stroke and it started me thinking how much I appreciated his support and advice, especially in the early years when we were trying to think of just the right name.  Tracy and I recently recalled the meeting with Tom in which we were doing a little "market research" on the feasibility of opening a DMC/Meeting firm in Grand Rapids.  We were stalled on a name for our company, that's when Tom shared his idea "Grand Connection".  Tracy and I looked at each other and looked at Tom and boom, instantly we all knew we had the name!  Grand Connection it is and has been --- and boy have we been making connections ever since.  I'm happy to add that Tom's recovered from his stroke and is working away at Reagan Marketing + Design.  Which brings me to how things recently came full circle and I was able to help Tom make some connections for Jimmy Buffet tix in Long Island + help him secure rooms at the Waldorf Astoria and limo transfers for a project he was working on. Hey it's the least I can do for an old friend and the guy who named our company!

Here are some other connections we've made this past few months, since I've not been able to post to the blog lately....

• We created and implemented "Paint the Town Red", an art themed party for 700+ attendees of the National Lottery Convention in our hometown, Grand Rapids (pictured below).
• Negotiating and booking a large conference (500+ rooms) at the newly renovated Fontainebleau hotel in Miami beach for February 2011.
• Hotel rooms and ground transfers to and from (and in) Chicago for a Grand Rapids based company's guests from China and France.
• Arranging elegant VIP dinners at executive homes and cottages along the lakeshore of West Michigan, also arranging all ground and air logistics including surprise private jet departures.
• Implementing downtown shuttle route and arrangements for Artprize, the "American Idol" of the art world, held here in Grand Rapids.
• Booking and planning sales forums, launches and meetings in Atlanta, Rancho Bernardo, Laguna Beach, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco.
• Planning some VIP trips for convention planners in Grand Rapids, including private area, decor & food at outdoor concerts (pictured below).
• Registering thousands of people for these and other events....creating the websites, managing the bookings, confirmations, reservations, etc.

I know I'm leaving out tons of stuff...so if anyone on GC team wants to comment on their exploits, please do!  Otherwise I'll catch 'ya next time I blog. 

 

 

 

Surviving the Rain

The rain didn’t stop our Director of Business Development, Holly from hosting Hole 12 with a smile at the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce Golf Outing on June 15th. Together with our friends at DeVos Place Convention Center she developed a fun theme for the hole – which won the honor of being voted “Best Hole” by the golfers.

At the "Survivor" themed hole, golfers would have to win immunity. Inspired in part by the game show "Minute to Win It", each of the golfers had an empty tissue box with 5 ping pong balls in it strapped to their back with a belt. They had 60 seconds try to bounce these balls out of the box (to music of course). Depending on the number of people that passed the challenge, the entire group got to tee off from a numbered, pre-set flag somewhere out on the par 5. If all 4 players passed the challenge, they got to tee off from flag 4, which was located 100 yards from the hole.

Holly is so creative with her ideas, she really better be careful or we might pull her off her sales role and put her to work planning events! Not only did Holly pull all this off on a rainy day but she was the LONE STAR back home while the rest of Grand Connection worked a large event in Chicago (more on that later... if I get time). 

p.s. special thanks to Mike at Nimlok for getting us the banner and to Lesley at Good Work for rushing the layout to print! 

Aloha, want Humuhumunukunukuapua'a for dinner? I can arrange that...

Last fall I visited Hawaii for a Buyer's Education Trip - I have to admit that although I have been a meeting planner for 20 years I had never been to Hawaii.  Back in my travel director days I broke my leg the week before I was scheduled to leave for 21 days in Maui, I had to cancel the trip.  But recently fate brought me back to the Island after all (this is where I admit to watching Lost).  The Grand Wailea and my friend Erin Reichert from Hilton's Waldorf Astoria Collection were such amazing hosts, and did such a great job educating me, that I just booked a small incentive with them for next February!  I also pitched Maui to another client recently - this proposal included such once in a lifetime experiences that I can't even begin to describe them here...you'll have to contact me to hear those first hand (top secret stuff, I can't share EVERYTHING I know on the blog).

So, if you want me to arrange for your group to visit Hawaii, I can do that - I can also arrange an Iron Chef competition where you can cook fish that has a really big name (my 5th grader says it's the longest English word).  And while you are there, if you want to get married or renew your vows, I can help arrange that as well!  I don't know many hotels with a chapel like this onsite.  Something else I learned while in Maui - besides the fact I should move there when I retire - Duck breast is delicious!  I feel the island's pull, it wants me back - I have unfinished business.