Wait; what? During COVID-19? Let’s rewind to January 2020; knowing I was about to reach five years in April gave me the momentum to reach out to my corporate database to update them on projects that may have been of interest. We all know how quickly people move or change roles in this industry so this allowed me to audit my contacts; by keeping my database small and consistent, I’m able to focus on those who genuinely wish to hear from me.
My Hubspot CRM was up to date, and I was getting ready for my April celebratory newsletter and then BOOM………….along came COVID-19. I think it’s still ok to celebrate the fact that the business had had a successful five years, it had grown and kept pace, and I had loved watching it evolve. The reality that everything pretty much stopped overnight was something totally out of my control, and as soon as the financial implications hit, it was time to take a step back and re-evaluate. In particular – what business did I have contracted for the next 6 months and beyond? As this was still looking pretty healthy, it was a matter of damage limitation in the short term and how I could hold on until then. There is always flexibility in our industry and so a new routine had to be found which came in the form of zoom webinars – communication was still crucial and many of us simply had to learn to adapt quickly to the tools available. My working day also took on a new shape of having to work from home 100% of the time (as so many of us did) but with the added bonus of having my two girls at home.
How did I manage to work versus home-schooling?
I do have to mention home-schooling for the 13 yr old (geek girl) and the nearly 10 yr old (the feral one). The 13 yr old loved it and was able to log in 8.40am – 4.00 pm and crack on, leaving me to concentrate on the feral one! We both enjoyed the 9am Joe Wicks workouts (about time I started to do something!) before 30 mins of English/Maths/Science and so on. Using the handout the school had given and the various online tools also available and recommended – thank goodness for YouTube and a new iPad I’d bought in February!
Afternoons were a bit more practical with us baking (when we had eggs, I soon found a local supplier) or gardening (sometimes just 10 mins!) and free time for her on her iPad, calling her friends, playing in her room, or watching TV. The husband was working on one of his projects while his business was quiet, so he was able to help with her daily practice of the drums, which I’m sure the neighbours loved!
But for me, fitting any focussed work in was near impossible. I am incredibly grateful for the corporates event buyers in my network that I was able to talk to, those that usually book their events through me assured me that the business will still be there when things returned to ‘normal’. I was therefore able to concentrate on the financial aspect of the business and with the help of my lovely accountant, I set myself up on Quickbooks which automatically chases the commission owed by venues; a task that I had been meaning to do and now had the time to tick off.
How did I keep up to date and try to learn new things too? (No pressure!)
Overwhelmed by the amount of webinars, zoom calls, and free online courses out there, I re-jigged my marketing plan to focus on those which were actually going to make a difference long term. This included updating my website, social media content, blogging (woohoo here it is!). I also cleaned out five years’ worth of old or repetitive documents on my OneDrive which helped free up space (in my mind as well as my laptop). It also helped me to take a minute and refocus on what had worked over the years – what I have enjoyed and therefore what I needed to focus on to help keep moving forward and start preparing for the ‘new normal’.
But why did I still keep going with it all?
It was essential to remind myself why I had started up the business in the first place. My aim had been to have a better work/life balance with my family and to work with more like-minded people – and I still have no regrets. There were days when I felt like I was starting again, especially with the venue finding part of the business – all of my short term contracts had disappeared and whilst I had the promise of business returning, it wasn’t guaranteed. I still took part in online networking and must mention Eventprofslive here who were amazing at keeping regular contact with the group – the active members were and still are so supportive and respectful and there is always someone there asking questions/sharing information. I must also re-mention the Caledonian Club too who kept their contract going with PLE despite having to close temporarily.
How have I progressed since COVID-19 has hit?
Despite COVID-19, I am happy to say that I am years ahead of when I started. My contracts gradually returned and I was lucky to have wonderfully loyal clients who were itching to book as soon as they were allowed! I was also able to use my time to upskill and use my industry experience and share my learnings within the industry. Every day really is a learning day and I’m proud that I used my time productively when at times, this really was a challenge!
I just kept going, or ‘just kept swimming’ in the words of Dory. I looked forward and stayed positive and it was my stubborn streak (or drive/ambition, call it what you will) that kept me focussed. That – and my two urchins who woke up every morning looking to me for guidance.
I am so grateful for the support over the years and am so motivated by seeing other people do well and finding solutions for them. Whether it’s time, or just by providing emotional support as we navigate our way through our ever-changing industry, we’re always in this together. The industry has picked itself up (because it always does) because of the people in I – we’re a resilient bunch! We refuse to give up, we think long term, we find other ways, we will keep going and when the time is right, we celebrate together.