Planner Perspectives

Learn from our community of event industry experts.

Event Planning vs. Event Managing: Hard-Won Lessons From 40 Years in the Industry

May 8, 2026

Joe Smith, President of StageOne Management & Events, has planned everything from law enforcement conferences to yacht dinners on four hours' notice. Here's what four decades in events has taught him about customer service, emergency prep, and why "setting expectations" is the fastest way to mediocrity.

Planner Perspective

Event Planning Secrets From a Boutique Agency Owner Who's Seen It All

Planner Perspective

7 Event Planning Lessons From a Planner Who Once Staged a Rooftop Elephant

Planner Perspective

Planner Perspectives: 30 Years of Hard-Won Event Planning Wisdom from Carole Brault of CanREA

Planner Perspective

10 Event Planning Tips From a CEO Who Quit Her Six-Figure Job to Change Lives

Planner Perspective

From Cancer Diagnosis to CEO: How Stephanie McVeigh Built an Incentive Agency on Resilience, Strategy, and "Oh My" Moments

Planner Perspective

Purpose-Driven Planning: Lessons From a Nonprofit Event Pro Who Does More With Less

Planner Perspective

Still Evolving After 20 Years: How This Event Planner Turned Pandemic Chaos Into His Biggest Growth Opportunity

Planner Perspective

From Accidental Start to Industry Expert: How One Nonprofit Planner Masters Complex Events on a Tight Budget

Planner Perspective

From The Scented Candle to CEO: One Planner's Unfiltered Journey Through Events

Want to share your perspective?

We want to hear how you’ve conquered sourcing challenges, found creative solutions, or built amazing industry relationships! By sharing your journey, we build a stronger community.

Share Your Story

Streamline Hotel Sourcing & Become Part of HopSkip's Community

Learn More

Smiling woman with glasses and earbuds looking at laptop with an overlay showing 8 active RFPs in different statuses.

Planner Perspectives

Event Planning vs. Event Managing: Hard-Won Lessons From 40 Years in the Industry

Real Stories from Events

Event Planning Secrets From a Boutique Agency Owner Who's Seen It All

7 Event Planning Lessons From a Planner Who Once Staged a Rooftop Elephant

Planner Perspectives: 30 Years of Hard-Won Event Planning Wisdom from Carole Brault of CanREA

10 Event Planning Tips From a CEO Who Quit Her Six-Figure Job to Change Lives

From Cancer Diagnosis to CEO: How Stephanie McVeigh Built an Incentive Agency on Resilience, Strategy, and "Oh My" Moments

Purpose-Driven Planning: Lessons From a Nonprofit Event Pro Who Does More With Less

Still Evolving After 20 Years: How This Event Planner Turned Pandemic Chaos Into His Biggest Growth Opportunity

From Accidental Start to Industry Expert: How One Nonprofit Planner Masters Complex Events on a Tight Budget

From The Scented Candle to CEO: One Planner's Unfiltered Journey Through Events

Want to share your perspective?

Share Your Story

Streamline Hotel Sourcing & Become Part of HopSkip's Community