The importance and methods of making a vision board

 Photo by Daniel Sandoval

How often do you write out your goals? Daily? Monthly? Not at all? It is time you assessed this practice and take it to the next level!

WRITE IT OUT

Setting goals for yourself is a great form of motivation, inspiration, and an overall reminder to keep you on track. Having your goals written down can help you assess your daily productivity and whether or not your time spent doing different activities will help lead you to that end goal or achievement.

Having different levels of goals can also be a great practice. Where do you see yourself in ten years, five years, a year from now, or even next month? If you are really proactive about setting goals and motivated enough to write out weekly or daily goals, do it!

What better time of the year to create your very own vision board than during the time you are planning out your New Year’s resolutions. Tie the two together and you’ve got yourself the perfect holiday project. Read below to see how to make your very own vision board today!

DREAM BIG!

 Photo by David Marcu

Don’t hold yourself back when setting your life goals, whether it is in your relationship, job, or personal life. Negative thoughts and images of ourselves are the biggest road block in our road to success. Let the imagination you had in your childhood take over and you’ll be surprised at what barriers that you previously though impossible to cross now fade away.

VISUALIZE

Final Celebrations: A New Trend for Event Planning

Event planning is finding a whole new industry where planners can make a difference. In fact, this might possibly be the greatest impact an event planner can make in their clients’ lives.

People are increasingly turning to event planners to celebrate the end of this life with their families before they move on to the next adventure. Instead of the standard in-the-box funeral, planning an all-out party might be more to your client’s liking. A “final celebration” is an opportunity to control ONE LAST thing in this lifetime. Some people find this a much more appealing way to ‘go out’ than the standard funeral.

If the family doesn’t get the opportunity to celebrate with the deceased, a party instead of a funeral can still be an option similar to that of an Irish Wake that was common practice until the 1970s. Irish Wakes celebrate the life of the deceased and ensure a proper “departing”. Many funeral homes in the U.S. are offering different types of services to make the funeral less depressing and more uplifting.

Here are some ideas for you if you’re interested in this sort of planning:

A Living Funeral

A living funeral is a great way for those with terminal illness to enjoy the nice things relatives and friends will say about them. Just like any party, you can theme this party with something that strikes the honorary guest. Below are the positive attributes of throwing a living funeral party:

*A living funeral allows family and guests to say everything they want to say BEFORE their friend or loved one passes

*This celebration helps family and friends come to reality

*Guests can leave notes behind to help comfort the VIP through the last stages of life

*The honorary guest can bring mementos to share and relive favorite memories with their loved ones

*A living funeral does not replace the traditional funeral, rather acts as a time to get together and celebrate a person’s life while they too can enjoy it with everyone

*The party can be designed to the specifications of the honoree

A Celebration of Life

Sometimes there isn’t the opportunity to celebrate life with the soon-to-be deceased, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to throw a party. This is a good way for family members to celebrate the essence of the deceased and what was important to them. Even though that person may not be around to hear all the nice things said about them, the family is there and will appreciate the kind words.

*Use items from that person’s life to decorate, share, and celebrate

*This celebration can take place after the funeral instead of a potluck

*You may decide to have the celebration located where the family decides to spread the ashes

*This celebration can take place away from home

Lives Lost Too Early

When helping families that have lost young ones or lives lost way too early, you will need to be especially graceful in your approach. Consider incorporating the following suggestions:

*Release doves in memory of the life lost too soon

*Ask friends and family members to bring stuffed toys to donate to a charity

*Celebrate with the fellow children in mind. What is appropriate? What is comfortable? *Consider having a grief counselor on hand to handle the different levels of understanding with the children

Handling these very important times in families’ lives will take a special type of event planner. One that has the traits for understanding, patience, and a strong ability to listen. You will need to be able to contain your own feelings and listen closely to the wishes of the families and the terminally ill.

You will play counselor, confidant, friend, and adopted family during the planning process. Make sure to leave your personal issues at the door; this is definitely a time for the client you are working for. Smile and have kind words. Laughter is a good thing, even in a sad situation.

Who would want to be a life celebration planner? Someone who…

  • Can work well with vulnerable and emotional people

  • Enjoys helping families who are going through a hard time

  • Enjoys being there for someone in a time of need

  • Wants to help someone out when they can’t get things done on their own

What type of personality is required for this event planner role?

  • Really strong people skills

  • Someone with good business and organizational skills

  • Diligent work ethic

Why would someone choose to do this for a living?

  • They had planned one of their own family member’s funerals and felt capable to handle the details in a time of sorrow and in helping relieve stress for others

  • They felt strong and passionate in making their loved one’s funeral represent their life and

    what to do that for others

  • They have a strong feeling about how someone who dies should be remembered and

    well­known and can help those grieving celebrate the loved ones in a way that has lasting

    memory.

Event Planning roles or specializations can range widely. If you feel you have the traits to fulfill a final celebrations planner, you would be greatly helping families make a transition in their lives that many find difficult to grapple. With the surge in baby boomers approaching and society’s want for greater control in their lives, final celebrations event planning is likely to stick around for a while.

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Riding Naked: Part II

Here it is… my feelings over the last three days that lead up to the launch of Event Heroes! Boy what a rollercoaster ride it has been.

See the first four days of the Emotional Roller Coaster Ride

Day 3

A mixture of nausea and butterflies, my stomach won’t settle today. You know that feeling when you’re about to do something really exciting and your stomach seems to be doing flips while your mind loops in doubts and fears all at the same time?  That’s how I’m feeling right about now. Hope I can sleep tonight with only 3 days left until we expose ourselves to the world.

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Day 2

Ok, one day to go! – I’m fired up and calling everyone on our list to let them know we will be launching. We are watching Facebook posts and LinkedIn notifications and all the other social media outlets. Lots of work today to get things ready for tomorrow…. nerves are running high and butterflies abound.

Wow, what a day, we have really been running fast to get everything ready for the big day. One more check of Social media, links on the website and talking to friends and family to keep up the excitement. We are finally ready to go!

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Launch Day

2:30 AM – can’t sleep! All the doubt is coming back and I feel sick! – Hard to believe it’s finally here….now if I can just get a few more hours of sleep, that would be great. I just need to get just a few more winks!

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5:30 AM –My team will be online and watching the launch countdown clock and we can’t wait to see what happens.

Do-It-Yourself Theme Packages: Why You Need Them

If you’ve ever committed to throwing a themed party or often create theme parties as part of your job, you know that you can spend hours upon hours of time searching for the right décor elements, entertainment, food, and other intimate details to make the party a hit.

What if we told you that you could save yourself 30+ hours during the planning process by using just one DIY theme package created by Event Heroes?

What is a DIY Theme Package?

A DIY Theme Package by Event Heroes is a fully detailed instructional packet that allows you to pull off a high-quality event that WOWs your guests, attendees, and clients.

We’ve included how to engage your attendees from the moment they hear about the party (invites) until the end of the night (entertainment) and everything in between. See full details of what’s included here.

How will a DIY Theme Package improve my meetings, parties, and events?

Themes are an important element of any event. They help unify your message, create excitement before and during the event, and leave an impression on guests for months or years to come when done right. Check out our five favorite themes.

DIY Theme Packages make sure you don’t overlook any detail and that you stay consistent throughout your planning. The included instructions will walk you through what to set up where, what atmosphere to create including what guests will see, hear, and experience, and exactly what you’ll need to pull this off.

The supply list included in the package aligns perfectly with the instructions page to avoid any confusion. Details found in the instructions pages are listed in the supply list along with where to find each item, how much value it brings to the overall event, and a rough estimate of the cost for each item expressed in dollar signs.

Impact (star rating) and pricing estimates ($-$$$$) for each item will help you determine how to get the most bang for your buck and still pull off an event that WOWs and stays within your client’s budget!

The proposal included is available for you to present to your client or planning team. A theme proposal helps bring your vision to life and can inspire unexpected creativity as you put yourself in the shoes of those attending the party, event or meeting.

The proposal included is available for you to present to your client or planning team. A theme proposal helps bring your vision to life and can inspire unexpected creativity as you put yourself in the shoes of those attending the party, event or meeting.

So what are you waiting for? We’ve done all of the hard work for you!  All you have to do is take advantage of our of our DIY Theme Packages TODAY.

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Riding Naked on the Entrepreneur Roller Coaster

Three years ago, I had an idea. I stewed about it and during that first year, I was riddled with excitement and doubt. I asked myself was it even a good idea? Are people really looking for what I want to offer? Who am I to be trusted as the “go to” expert in this industry?

Now, if this was my first business venture, these thoughts and feelings I had would make sense. Anything new is scary as you enter the zone of the unknown. But I’d already established an event planning business that had grown to a 7-figure business over thirty years’ time. I wasn’t a newbie by any means, and yet a flood of doubt and fear washed over me when I decided to let my entrepreneur side out once again.

“Anything new is scary as you enter the zone of the unknown”

Here’s what no one tells you about being a successful creative entrepreneur: No matter how much success you’ve had, no matter how your efforts impact the industry, you never outgrow doubt or fear. You can be Donald Trump or Richard Branson and still have these same fears and doubts (but maybe not as visible to the naked eye).  These feelings are all just part of the roller coaster ride of someone determined to design their own path in business and in life.

Follow along as I share my journey of what it feels during the week leading up to launching my new business, Event Heroes.

Day 7

Seven days away from our Event Heroes website launch and I am a nervous wreck! We have worked 3 years on this project and it is now finally time for us to release it to the world. Ugh – talk about exposing yourself!

The one thing I know for sure is that creating a business and bringing it to the world is like birthing a baby!

We’ve grown it, coddled it, thought about it, and changed it based on others suggestions or books from “experts.” So today, I’m on the top of the roller coaster, waiting to crest and then free fall down into the unknown, full of hopes and aspirations, fears and concerns, but all the while, really excited about the ride.

I’m preparing for the big day by spending time resting and thinking positive thoughts. At least that’s what I’m trying to do…but then the doubts flood my mind.  I’m obsessing about all the ways we could improve the product or figure out how to make sure the clients understand how to use the product, even though our team has been over this a thousand times!

We’ve tested our offerings with a small group to make sure our clients’ needs are met.  And yet, I still question everything! I keep reminding myself this is all a normal part of the entrepreneur roller coaster ride.

Day 6

Is Event Heroes what my clients really need or want?  Did we do a good job of explaining the product? Does the website make sense? Will it be successful? Did I just spend the last three years consumed with an idea only to find it never goes anywhere? Will this venture completely bankrupt me? Oh my gosh, now I’ve talked myself into a headache.

Still so many things to do and I am overwhelmed trying to keep up with two businesses.  Sometimes a glass of wine sounds great but then I remember that I need to be as sober and as productive as possible for the next few days. Definitely spiraling down on the roller coaster!

Day 5

Do I really have to get out of bed this morning? I was awake all night and thought about our upcoming launch.  I stared at the ceiling and watched the shadows play on the wall and listened to the wind howl. I’ve played this thing out over and over 100 times and broke into a cold sweat a time or two. Okay, so maybe those were hot flashes, but either way, the launch is coming.

Finding a Business Coach

It’s hard to decide when to hire a business coach because there is no objective way to assess when it is time to hire one.   The other part of the equation is more often than not when it is time to hire one; you are too busy to do your homework to determine if it is a going to be a good fit.

This is a big decision.  Do not take it lightly.

This is because business coaches will help you:  focus, make more money, experience less stress, have better relationships with employees and loved ones, help you keep your sanity while your business expands,  give you peace of mind and help you learn to trust yourself to make the right decisions at every turn.

Who doesn’t want to experience all of that?

Key #1:  Find a business coach who is the right fit for you personally and professionally.

When you hire a business coach, it has been proven in case studies that you will get the best results when you like & respect your coach (Manchester, 2001).  In addition, it will help tremendously if they have the expertise in the area of development that you need or want to address.   In other words, you must be both objective and subjective when choosing who you want to hire as your business coach.

Key #2:    Timing is everything.

If you are experiencing any of the following, it is time to consider the bottom-line impact that hiring a coach will have on the following:

  • Overcoming burn-out for you and/or your employees
  • Overcoming the lack of growth (or worse decrease in revenue)
  • Learning how to effectively deal with rapid growth
  • Taking the time to effectively prepare and plan to intentionally grow your business.
  • Overcoming and ultimately avoiding low performance from staff members
  • Creating hierarchy and/or structure
  • Creating clear job descriptions
  • Creating a culture on purpose vs. by default
  • Creating a more effective sales process: branding, marketing, pitch, onboarding customers, management of customer relationship,  etc.

With that being said, it is equally important (if not more important) to assess whether you are coachable and willing to invest the necessary time in your development to get the results you seek.If not, do not throw money at your problem.It will be a waste.

Key #3:   Give it time!

The results you want to experience are going to come if you hired the right professional.  With that being said, they don’t have a magic wand.  If you expect magic, hire a magician NOT a coach.

Key #4:  Spending more money on coaching doesn’t equate to better or faster results.

This doesn’t mean that you are going to get to hire someone who is cheap either.   In order to make this make sense financially, you need to assess the financial impact that your developmental gaps will have on the bottom-line.  After you do this, logically decide how much you are willing to spend and then commit to spending it.

This is important because if you hire a coach, you need to commit to the relationship for at least 6 months.  If you are financially strapped due to hiring a coach, it can create the opposite of what you want to achieve.  This is not what you want!

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DIY Elegant Holiday Wreath

Snow has started to fly and the cold weather has arrived, that means it’s time for holiday decorating and company parties or as I like to think of it “Party time!”

We get a little excited this time of year when we can combine our event planning skills with our artistic abilities. It’s always fun to bring on our hot glue and glitter skills and put together some great table decorations for this year’s crop of holiday parties.

This year our primary holiday themes are all silver and white. For the perfect accent piece, we are creating holiday wreaths using all silver holiday bulbs of various sizes and textures.

Gather the following items:

  • Styrofoam wreath – I prefer 11.8” but you can use whatever size you prefer
  • Holiday ornaments of different sizes and textures
    • 2.625” or 6.7 cm
    • 1.50” or 3.86 cm
    • 1.12” or 2.80cm
  • Cool glue gun and lots of glue sticks
  • Wire (I just use the glue but it might help if you have some wire)
  • Wire cutters
  • Beaded garland
  • Any other accent pieces (ribbon, snowflakes, etc.)

Getting Started:

Now find a comfortable work space, pour yourself your favorite warm drink, and if you’re feeling festive put on some holiday tunes.

Once I have all of my items gathered, I start by gluing the larger ornaments first. Place these around the outside, gluing them next to each other. Be sure to hold the ornament in place for approximately five seconds until the glue holds on its own. There will be some gaps, but don’t worry your next layer will fill them in.