ARE you interested in making a statement with your event — whether a wedding, party or corporate shindig? If your answer is yes, then you may want to retain the services of an events planner/manager.

Career & Education turns this week to Leighton Davis, co-owner and founder of Creative Media and Events, for insight into the career option.

The former Wolmer’s Boys and West Avenue Institute student at one time attended the University College of the Caribbean where he was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He, however, dropped out after a year to focus on building his company, which was registered by him and business partner Garth Walker in 2009.

They started their operations in a small office, using furniture and electronics they already had, and themselves as manpower to keep start-up cost low.

Since then, the company has grown and managed a series of major events, such Guardian Life’s Five for Life Insurance Policy Launch, Digicel’s 10th Anniversary Party and 4G launch events in Kingston and Montego Bay, RBTT’s relaunch as Royal Bank of the Caribbean, and the creation of Corporate Mingle and Wealth Auto Show.

The 38-year-old, who has been married for eight years and has two children, took time out of his busy schedule this past week to speak about the career for which he has a passion.

Who is an events manager?

Event managers plan, organise, promote, and run events, conferences and functions for a variety of organisations, communities and groups. As an event manager, you’re responsible for managing an event from conception through to staging.

What is the value of the work that you do?

If you have been to a well-organised sporting event, concert, party, production launch or even a wedding, it was done by an event planning team or person. I think that says it all.

What was it that prompted your entry into the field?

My love for promoting parties as a teenager carried over into my adult years. This gave me the passion to push myself to become an event planner for corporate events.

What are the academic requirements for getting into the field?

There is no minimum qualification requirement to become an event manager for non-corporate events. Any person with strong organisational skills and excellent public relations skills can organise non-corporate events. However, for organising corporate events, a degree or diploma in event management, public relations, tourism, hospitality management, business administration or marketing gives you an advantage. This is because corporate events are organised to promote and sell a company’s products or services or to build or enhance its brand image. A person with two to three years of work experience in the field of events can also organise corporate events without any formal education in event management or business administration.

What other skills and/or competencies are required for entry into the field?

You need to have the following: Excellent time management and organisational skills. [You will also need to] be enthusiastic, self-motivated and outgoing, able to establish productive relationships with people at all levels, have good communication and presentation skills, be able to gather and interpret information for business research, be commercially aware and customer-focused, have a positive and adaptable approach to problem solving, be innovative and creative to distinguish your event from the competition’s. [Further, you will need to] have some knowledge of sales, marketing or copyright, an understanding of budgeting and financial management, possess an eye for detail, and be able to work as part of a team.

What do you most enjoy about the work that you do?

Seeing happy customers or guests at an event.

What are the challenges you face on the job?

The weather can make or break an outdoor event instantly. Also, undependable people, suppliers who underperform and clients who hire you but try to manage the event themselves can create challenges.

How much can one earn as an event planner on an annual basis?

A junior events planner can earn $720,000 to $1.2 million annually while a senior events planner can earn $1.2 million to $3.6 million annually.

Trained as an events planner, what sort of employment options are open to you?

It may be possible to move between organisations or into outsourcing firms or venues, such as, hotels. Self-employment or freelance consultancy work is possible for those who have experience and an established network of contacts in the industry.

Why would you advise anyone to get into this line of work?

Being an events planner is not always as glamorous as people think. It can be tedious and unforgiving, but if, like me, you love seeing the look on the face of a satisfied guest or client when your event comes alive, then this is the field for you. Jamaicans love to be entertained and so this industry has a lot of growth potential.

— Denise Dennis

Leighton Davis cap:

DAVIS… my love for promoting parties as a teenager carried over into my adult years