Always one to seek opportunities - even when the outlook is bleak - Karen Ashwin, MD of The Event Production Company shares an inspiring viewpoint on how to turn the economic dip to our advantage.
"Many industries and countless people are experiencing tough economic times - every day we hear stories of budget cutbacks, recession restructuring, staff retrenchments, and now - who would have guessed - the swine flu!"
"The list of woes seems to escalate on a monthly basis. Hushed stories of hard times are shared in boardrooms across our industry, and most agree that as an industry, we're definitely feeling the weight of the global economic crisis," says Ashwin.
However, it is at times like this that we should take the opportunity to reflect, reassess and, ultimately, reenergize ourselves as an industry advises Ashwin. Yes times are tough, but tough times can also be a blessing, forcing us to reflect, to be creative, resourceful, and to find new solutions - in other words, to put to full use the experience that we have gained as an industry over the years.
She is upbeat when reflecting on her track run in the evening industry: "When I started The Event Production Company 16 years ago, our industry, or rather, what would become our industry, was a very different animal compared to what it is today. Back then, let's face it, we were finding our feet, on the run. There was a niche to be filled in the corporate events arena, and a few crazy souls began to have grand visions."
Ashwin recalls how different things were back then. If you needed a table centrepiece, you called a florist. The one-stop-shop décor company was not yet the convenient blessing it is today. If you needed to hire marquees, there were only one or two companies that could help you out.
The few technical hiring companies that were around, specialised mainly in large outdoor rock concerts or, for the smaller ones, providing staging equipment at beer festivals and community carnivals - and of course, shopping mall fashion shows provided a staple income.
If you needed a specialised costume designed and made, you had to either call on the old PACT wardrobe department, or go to a television costume hire store. "Back then we were a fledgling industry, often viewed as nothing more than "party planners," she says.
"We sure have come a long way," she laughs. "We've not only grow up, we've grown... and grown ... and grown. From the early days of three man industrial theatre shows, and those somewhat naive corporate functions, to today's high concept, strategically relevant, agency-driven service offering, we've developed into a mature, respected part of the corporate events and entertainment landscape."
As a result of those first clumsy steps more than a decade ago, the eventing industry supports thousand of highly skilled specialists, each one adding their particular service to the vast tapestry of eventing needs.
"Moreover, let's not forget that our industry has also spawned the development of courses and curricula at technikons and training institutions - and also opportunities for experienced industry experts to pass on their skills by running seminars for their peers - on a variety of different topics and subjects."
Over the years the players in the events industry have pushed the boundaries both creatively and technically, generating hundreds of support industries, created to meet the needs of our growing imaginations - from talent agencies, to music studios, design companies, set construction companies, costume and décor design companies, video production houses, catering companies and graphic design studios.
The industry has created new avenues of income for a seemingly endless list of professionals - artists, directors, choreographers, performers, writers, and musicians - not to mention producers, stage managers and production managers.
In order to fulfil the ever growing need for new and enticing locations, conference venues, theatres and event spaces have mushroomed over the years - at times also breathing new life into a few sites and venues that were considered derelict or out of vogue.
"Make no mistake we are facing challenging times, but I think you will all agree when I say that it's inherent in our nature, as an industry, to face a challenge head on, to stare it down, to overcome it, and to survive", she encourages.
"Yes we're all tightening our belts, reassessing spending, cutting costs and becoming more streamlined, but when you look at where we've come from, you can't help but be inspired by the people, skill and talent that our industry has to offer. In these lean economic times, I believe that we should take the time to acknowledge the incredible heights that we have reached to date. Let us celebrate our ongoing ability to reinvent ourselves and create new opportunities for growth and innovation, to find new solutions to conquer the current crisis and to constantly deliver a high quality product!"
Image: Karen Ashwin, MD, The Event Production Company
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