#The team at Nov8ive Events & Designs recently formed a strategic partnership with Hustle University to assist with their upcoming Be Your Own Business (BYOB!) Conference, November 14 & 15, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Be Your Own Business Conference (BYOB!) is designed specifically for entrepreneurs who want to monetize their talents, expertise and experiences. During this unique 2-day experience, attendees will hear from business experts who will guide them through a variety of core areas that are necessary for creating and running a lean and highly profitable practice. Learn how to do more with less, leverage your time, maximize your resources and minimize effort. Best of all, attendees will enjoy the personal satisfaction of getting paid to do what they do best and what they enjoy most.

This conference is ideal for Entrepreneurs, Coaches, Speakers, Independent Marketing Reps, Information Marketers and Salesmen and is guaranteed to not only inform you, but empower you to take your business to the next level in 2017! As an value-add to all attendees, you will have a chance to hear our very own event planner extraordinaire, Garrysa Caffey will also show conference attendees how they can "Make Money Hosting Live Events". Garrysa will also host our upcoming teleconference with special guest, Mr. Wess Walters of Marketing Massive on Tuesday, October 11, 2016 from 8 p.m. EST/ 7 p.m. CST. Wess Walters will discuss how we as small business owners can enhance our customer experience and will also be one of our dynamic speakers for the BYOB conference. 

Registration is $99, and as an added bonus, you can bring a business partner for free! As another bonus, you will also receive two (2) complimentary tickets to Hustle University's Homecoming 2016 celebration/ BYOB After-Party. 

For more information and to register for the conference, click here or click the images in this article. Also follow the hashtag: #BeYourOwnBusiness for updates on the Be Your Own Business Conference.

©2016 by Tillman Davis Enterprises. All Rights Reserved. Garrysa Caffey, MBA | Event Planner, Speaker and Author for Nov8ive Events & Designs. Learn the trade secrets that event planners use to create successful events. Join us today and get our free eBook “The 7 Costly $ins that Can Ruin Any Event”.
Click the Connect With Us page and fill out the form.

Out with the Old & In With the New for 2015! I will say that it has been a very interesting year for 2014, a lot of ups and downs (mostly downs- but they were life lessons) that I learned both personally & professionally. I had a chance to say goodbye to some friends & family member, and say hello to some new ones and to hell with others, but it's truly been all good. I want to send a special shout out and say thank you to everyone who has been there through the sunshine and through the storms and to my clients, thank you for coming along for the ride!

I was told by one of my business coaches, Darnyelle A. Jervey (@DarnyelleJervey) that 2015 is the "Year of Promise". At first, I didn't quite understand what she meant by promise, but I had to take my own interpretation to make it work. One promise that I make to myself and my clients and fans is to provide you all with the best services we can offer at Nov8ive Events and also the opportunity to expand our services to you. We had to take a brief break from our blog this Fall/Winter, however there are some exciting activities going on behind the scenes that will provide our customers with additional opportunities to work with us. 

I don't believe in making New Year's Resolutions, I believe in making non-negotiable decisions (another one of Darnyelle-isms). So this year, for 2015, my non-negotiable decision is to make sure that we partner with the right clients, organizations, and individuals to help take the brand of Nov8ive Events & Designs to the top of the chart! My next non-negotiable decision is to complete those tasks/goals/assignments/projects that have been lingering over my head for over 3 years now, it's time to birth those concepts and make them a reality in 2015! It's past time for a win and to also make those dreams and objectives that I created on my vision board a reality. 

So now that I've shared some of my non-negotiable decisions, what are yours for 2015? Feel free to share, and if you don't want to do so publicly, take the time to have a meeting with yourself and write your vision and make it plain! Here's to 2015- the Year of Promise!

Did you miss it last week? We "kicked off" the fall season with a wonderful newsletter to our clients discussing the difference between a touchdown, interception and fumble in events. If you missed it, next week we'll be diving in deeper into event interceptions and fumbles with our newsletter. 

We actually had to perform an interception this past weekend with some of the floral arrangements for a wedding earlier this week. This is a picture of the finished product to the left. The bride actually never got a chance to see her original bouquet because we had to add an innovative touch to her original bouquet. She wanted the bling factor, and clearly they missed the mark. Not only weren't there any "Diamond" crystals, but the floral arrangement would not have met the client's standards. Therefore, after some reconsideration and thinking on our feet, I actually re-created the bouquet as well as put together her throw-away bouquet for less than $25. So it's important to have the necessary items in your playbook such as a floral class that you took a few years ago in case of an emergency. Before each event, we pack an "emergency kit" that includes random things such as floral tape, various ribbon colors and other items in case of an emergency. Overall the bride was pleased with the finished product and the person who caught her throw away bouquet was happy as well. In next week's newsletter, I will also discuss how there was a fumble at the wedding with the case of the bouquets, but you have to subscribe to see the outcome of the story. 

Sharing Is Caring!

Have you ever had an event touchdown; had to intercept a disaster from occurring; or had an absolute fumble where you had to recover?  If so, please feel free to share!

©2014 by Tillman Davis Enterprises. All Rights Reserved. Garrysa Caffey, MBA | Event Planner, Speaker and Author for Nov8ive Events & Designs. Learn the trade secrets that event planners use to create successful events. Join us today and get our free eBook “The 7 Costly $ins that Can Ruin Any Event”. Visit www.nov8iveevents.com and fill out the form

Question: This week, our question of the week comes from L.W. of Atlanta, GA and she asks: I'm planning my child's first birthday party, and I want it to be nice, but I'm on a budget. How and where should I allocate my limited funds? 

Answer: When you're hosting an event and are "Ballin' On a  Budget" - it's imperative to spend your limited funds wisely and make your money extend as far as you possibly can. If you're like this mom, the first thing you need to do is decide when and where you want to hold your party. Depending on the location (if outside of a private residence), if you have it during the week or on a Sunday, your fees will be reduced tremendously. If you can get a venue (like your home or a park) that is close to free as possible, that will reduce your expenses as well. Another consideration would be the number of people to invite to the party, if you have fewer guests, you can make your money go further because you won't have to purchase as much food. Think about using a Groupon or other coupons to purchase the cake and other necessities for the party such as food.  A final tip would be to consider perhaps setting up food stations or a potluck. Think about having a ice cream party, or a hot chocolate and cake party or even a mashed potato bar with cupcakes. Those are fairly inexpensive to setup and you can make it fun. Plus, everyone should be able to east something that they enjoy, and that goes for the kids as well as the adults. Those are some budget-savvy tips for someone hosting a party for a 1 year old. Good Luck! 

Sharing Is Caring!

What other cost-saving tips do you have when planning a child's birthday party? If so, please feel free to share!

©2014 by Tillman Davis Enterprises. All Rights Reserved. Garrysa Caffey, MBA | Event Planner, Speaker and Author for Nov8ive Events & Designs. Learn the trade secrets that event planners use to create successful events. Join us today and get our free eBook “The 7 Costly $ins that Can Ruin Any Event”. Visit www.nov8iveevents.com and fill out the form.

When we hear the term "Falling Forward"- what often resonates in our minds are people falling off of a high cliff like this picture above, or falling off of the deep end. Well, since it's September 2014 (the year has gone by fast)- we're right in the middle of the 3rd quarter so its time to Fall Forward and begin planning for the 4th Quarter and 2015. The team at Nov8ive Events & Designs are constantly reviewing our strategies and methods to see what has and has not been working (we highly suggest you do the same in business and in life). As we continue in this entrepreneurial journey, there are 3 key things that we have learned when we talk about building and reviewing a strategy:
1. Have a Vision & Make It Plain - Be sure to write down your goals because if it's not written- it never happened. 
2. Review Your Vision Often- It's important to not only write down your vision or plan, but it's just as important to review it because you can always adjust the plan as time progresses.
3. Be Open to Adjustments- As time progresses and as you achieve your goals, you may need to periodically adjust your vision to make room for a new one. 

So in an effort to help our fans grow their businesses and create their vision in 2014, we're offering a special treat for those who have either signed up for our e-Newsletter or reading this blog. From August 28 until September 7, you can schedule a FREE 45-minute "Falling Forward" Strategy Session where we can discuss your upcoming marketing goals and also show you how incorporating events can take them to another level. This is a $150 value with tons of content and the opportunity to speak with an expert about your marketing goals. Space  is limited, but you can register by clicking here to schedule your time. We encourage you to share with your friends and colleagues because we want to help as many people as possible. Don't forget to register today! 

Sharing is caring, what are your thoughts?

How have you prepared for the 3rd and 4th Quarter of this year? Are you where you thought you would be with your marketing or are you looking for more?

©2014 by Tillman Davis Enterprises. All Rights Reserved. Garrysa Caffey, MBA | Event Planner, Speaker and Author for Nov8ive Events & Designs. Learn the trade secrets that event planners use to create successful events. Join us today and get our free eBook “The 7 Costly  $ins that Can Ruin Any Event”. Click the Connect With Us page and fill out the form.

In our journey through business, we've been asked to answer questions and provide tips regarding event planning. This week, we're answering a question about events & workshops.

Question of the week: From Donna Marie Johnson (www.authordonnamarie.com): I host training events & workshops, how do I make them more entertaining and fun?


Our Nov8ive Answer: For training workshops, if they're live, do you incorporate games that tie into the subject that you're speaking about or you can make the actual games tie into your subject. I actually attended a conference where the speaker actually incorporated tangible items such as fake money to talk about where we spend our monthly bills. She also had us play a round of Monopoly, but they added little curve balls to the game to make it more interesting. It brought everyone back to their childhood and brought the subject of money back into the forefront. If there is a way to incorporate interactive reactions, that makes it fun. 

If the event is online, or a hybrid where you're hosting a live feed of your event, that makes it a little more difficult. You can try to do breakout group sessions online where the attendees are broken out into different groups. Also, you can incorporate survey polls and other tools to ask your attendees their opinions. As another thought, have you done a Google Hangout? That may also be another method to have that "human" touch to your online event if you're hosting those too. When utilizing technology to host virtual events, people get easily distracted, so it's very important to keep them engaged and their focus on you, so incorporating a variety of "tricks" keeps the meeting moving along. A final tip would be to try and keep your virtual event to an hour- no more than 90 minutes. Anything over that, people will begin to drift into la-la land or just disconnect all together. 

Sharing Is Caring!

Do you have any additional tips on how a host can make their event more engaging and fun? If so, please feel free to share!

©2014 by Tillman Davis Enterprises. All Rights Reserved. Garrysa Caffey, MBA | Event Planner, Speaker and Author for Nov8ive Events & Designs. Learn the trade secrets that event planners use to create successful events. Join us today and get our free eBook “The 7 Costly $ins that Can Ruin Any Event”. Visit www.nov8iveevents.com and fill out the form.

We took a hiatus for a couple of weeks this month because we were preparing for a trip to Washington, DC. We have returned, and definitely wanted to share some insights from the trip. We've all heard the saying "What can go wrong will go wrong and fast." or "It's Murphy's Law". This week, we're going to talk about "When sh*t hits the fan" and how do you recover. 

Last week, a project that we've been working on since September 2013 culminated with a charter bus trip to Washington, DC. All of the planning in the world could not prepare me for what took placed during the trip. 

When I make the statement, sh*t hit the fan and fell on my head last week was an understatement. There were issues with vendors; the charter bus was pulled over twice by the police; the air conditioning on the bus broke down on the return trip home; there were issues with the hotel; others on the trip had traveling issues and people didn't want to fulfill their part of the contracts. Let's just say that I am glad to be home in one piece after this disastrous trip. 

Although the stress of the trip and the challenges got the best of me a couple of times during and after the trip, I learned five very valuable lessons that I want to share with you all. All of these lessons build upon the other and can hopefully help someone avoid these issues:

1. Listen to your intuition/ gut- with our hotel vendor, I had some apprehensions with this hotel prior to us actually traveling to Washington, DC. Since January, we went through four separate sales managers and each time we spoke with someone new, there were new "rules" in play. We were unable to get a straight answer from the staff, and when problems arose, their answers were "I don't know what happened." I had a strong inclination that we should have chosen another hotel property after the first sales manager left and it took over a month to determine the new point of contact. Looking back, I should have listened to my gut feeling because it would have saved me some headaches and lost sleep.
2. Don't put your full trust into others- most times when you really need someone to come through, they don't and often leave you holding the bag. This is especially true with friends and family, many times its unintentional- but it causes financial issues for you just the same. Referencing Tip #1 about trusting your intuition- listen to it the first time- it can keep your blood pressure down. 
3. ALWAYS have a back-up plan- I live off of contingency plans, and it's always good to have a plan A, B and sometimes C when Tip #2 occurs. Thankfully, when things started going awry, we had some back-up plans to help alleviate some of the discomfort and issues that occurred throughout the trip. Although I was stressing out, everyone else continued to enjoy their trip and proceeded as planned. Consider everything that could possibly go wrong and plan your contingency plans backwards from there. 
4. Keep your contracts with you at all times (especially if your event is off-site or out of town)- Again, I learned this lesson a LONG time ago. Whenever you have an event, purchase a plastic envelope from the $1 Store and keep copies of ALL of your contracts and important pieces of correspondence with you during your event. You never know when you may need to reference this information or remind a vendor of their end of the contract. If I didn't have my contracts on hand when issues arose, we would still be arguing with vendors. Consider this envelope like money- never leave home without it. 
5. Try to keep calm and keep it professional- As much as you may want to yell, scream, throw things and perhaps catch an assault charge, it's important to remain professional when dealing with these issues. I know I would have liked to done each of these things at any time throughout that trip, but I also know that acting out of character would have made the situation worse. In addition, it's hard to get concessions and allowances out of people when you're acting like a donkey. Therefore, it's far better to kill them with kindness and your pen than to fly off the handle and make yourself look stupid. There is a professional way to make your concerns known to the staff. Reference those contracts you brought with you and refer to that contingency plan, but whatever you do, keep it professional.  I learned that lesson well before this trip, but I had to be extra careful because you never know who is actually watching you and your reactions to a situation. 

So there you have it, hopefully these 5 tips will help you when sh*t starts hitting the fan!

Sharing Is Caring!

When was the last time sh*t hit the fan for you? What did you do when everything seemed to go awry? Please feel free to share!

©2014 by Tillman Davis Enterprises. All Rights Reserved. Garrysa Caffey, MBA | Event Planner, Speaker and Author for Nov8ive Events & Designs. Learn the trade secrets that event planners use to create successful events. Join us today and get our free eBook “The 7 Costly $ins that Can Ruin Any Event”. Visit www.nov8iveevents.com and fill out the form.

July is the time for vacations, family & class reunions and other joyous occasions when we meet with family and friends. Normally when there are outdoor gatherings, we reminisce on days gone by and enjoy the summer weather. However, have you ever gone to a picnic or an outdoor function and something was wrong with the food or heard the phrase “Don’t eat that”? This week’s blog focuses on food safety tips as we head into the Fourth of July holidays. These food safety tips are from the FDA regarding how to pack, store, cook and serve your food while outdoors.

1. Keep Cold Food Cold – cold food should be stored at 40°F or below to prevent bacterial growth
2. Keep Warm Food Warm – temperature fluctuations between hot food getting cold then reheating it can make you very sick. If the food is out for more than 1 hour in 90°F then don’t eat it because of the food borne illnesses and bacterial growth can be multiplied due to the summer weather
3. Organize Cooler Contents- keep beverages in a separate cooler from your perishable items (such as meat or vegetables)
4. Keep Coolers Closed – try not to go into the cooler repeatedly and also try to store the coolers out of direct sunlight.
5. Don’t Cross-Contaminate- Don’t have your meat and vegetables stored together and try to have them in separate containers so that the liquids won’t cross contaminate. Also don’t use the same utensils for your meat as your vegetables without properly sanitizing them (or just use a different set).
6. Clean your produce before packing it in your cooler
7. Cook Food Immediately After Partial Cooking – if you like to boil or bake your meat then place it on the grill, do so immediately- don’t let it cool down then place on the grill to complete the cooking process
8. Don’t Recycle Utensils and Marinade- if you had raw food on platters or touched it with utensils, do not use those same utensils for your cooked food. Also, don’t reuse the same marinade, throw it away and make a fresh batch for each
9. Cook Food Thoroughly- make sure that your meats are cooked to the appropriate temperature before service
10. Check for Foreign Objects in Food – we don’t want any extra protein (i.e. bugs, bristles from your grill brush, etc.) in the food

When cooking outdoors, I always use the mantra, cook as if you are cooking indoors, but with a little extra care. Use your common sense along with your other senses to ensure that your guests don’t get sick. Remember to look and smell the food and if your Aunt’s Potato Salad doesn’t seem right, don’t eat it. One other valuable tip for cooking outdoors, bring plenty of sanitation wipes and also jugs of water with soap in the event that you don’t have running water. That way you have a means of disinfecting your kitchen wares before you leave. For more information about other food safety tips, visit http://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm109899.htm to learn how to keep your food safe for consumption during these summer months.

Sharing Is Caring!

Do you have any other food safety tips that you would like to share? If so, please feel free to share!

©2014 by Tillman Davis Enterprises. All Rights Reserved. Garrysa Caffey, MBA | Event Planner, Speaker and Author for Nov8ive Events & Designs. Learn the trade secrets that event planners use to create successful events. Join us today and get our free eBook “The 7 Costly $ins that Can Ruin Any Event”. Visit www.nov8iveevents.com and fill out the form.

We hope that you’ve been enjoying the six-part series of the Top Meeting Trends of 2014. Our feature this week is actually a bonus (we like bonuses)! This week, we’re discussing how to incorporate lively entertainment into your event. There are several different ways that you can entertain and educate your audience at the same time to keep them engaged and create a memorable experience for them. Some of these tips are from the white paper, “29 Ideas to Create an Engaging Experience at Your Next Meeting” from: www.meetingexpectations.com.

One tip is that if you need an activity for significant others or guests of your attendees, try having a cooking demonstration or class. Setting up a cooking competition not only is fun, but can also build camaraderie amongst the participants. You can also think about the guests going on a local tour or sports outing. These activities would just for the guests and provides them a chance to have an event that’s their own.

If you would like to incorporate a local flare, consider utilizing local artists at your event to teach your participants to paint a particular picture. You can select the theme of the picture prior to the event (make it relevant to the location or event) and have them paint a simple picture. Again, this helps to build camaraderie as well as relationships outside of your traditional networking. Of course, you can setup appetizers and drinks to make it an event.

If your event has a specific time period theme (i.e. Roaring 20’s, Swinging 40’s, etc.) – then hire bands or groups from that specific genre. In the past, we’ve worked an event that had a 1940’s theme and the organizers hired an all-female swing band “Ladies Must Swing”. They had an awesome stage presence and it’s something that we all can remember since it allowed some of the attendees a chance to remember songs popular in their youth.

Finally, people love to take pictures, creating a step and repeat photo backdrop (it’s the background that normally includes sponsor information on the red carpet events) and allow them to take photos with their friends and post on their social media. Not only does this help promote your event and generates a buzz, but it’s a great way for attendees to “entertain” themselves. Incorporate the event hashtag and you have another means of measuring the traffic & posting to your Tweet Wall (see Tip #2).

So we hope that you enjoyed our Top Event Trends for 2014 and if you have any additional tips or trends, let us know!

Sharing Is Caring!

When you attended your last event, do you recall something that made it memorable? If so, please feel free to share!

©2014 by Tillman Davis Enterprises. All Rights Reserved. Garrysa Caffey, MBA | Event Planner, Speaker and Author for Nov8ive Events & Designs. Learn the trade secrets that event planners use to create successful events. Join us today and get our free eBook “The 7 Costly $ins that Can Ruin Any Event”. Click the Connect With Us page and fill out the form.

We’re on the downward slope with our 6 part series and this week in Part 5, we will focus on Customized Corporate Gifts. I like gifts, do you like to receive gifts? I especially like gifts that are unique and different. So I thought about it, what does this stress ball and the bus luggage tag have in common? Actually more than you think.

Here’s a little background. I’m currently working with a group that’s planning a bus trip to Washington, DC next month. They wanted to provide a functional, yet cute gift to all of their guests. So we brainstormed and thought about it- each of the guests will receive a bus luggage tag for their luggage- get it? It’s a bus trip! Not only is it functional, it’s something that you can remember the trip & identify your luggage for years to come. With the Miguel Sanchez construction hat stress ball, he is further solidifying his brand because the book, his exhibit tables and even his attire are built around construction. Although I met Miguel in November 2013, I can still remember him and his booth because he wore a construction hat and outfit while greeting people at his table. That further solidifies Miguel’s brand and keep him front of mind.

So how does this apply to your event? It’s called thinking outside of the box- how many conference bags do you have in your closet? If the bag was turned backwards, would you remember how and where you obtained the bag? Probably not- so if you approach your gift selection from the “Will they remember (or can use) this gift?”- you will be in a much better position.

There are a variety of websites where you can research unique or customized corporate gifts. I’ve found Gifts.com® - they have a lot of corporate gifts under $25/each that could be unique. There is a Bluetooth Calculator mouse and numeric keypad, a magnetic cube cardholder case and other gifts. If you know some newlyweds, you can purchase a personalized address stamp or a Perfect Pair Mason Jar set. Another unique (and useful) gift would be to give your guest a food item that makes your state famous. For instance, I’ve worked with clients who give away Georgia Peanuts, Peanut Brittle, Peanut Butter, Peach Jam, Peaches- You get the picture. Often times, there are specialty stores that can make you a deal on bulk orders. Therefore, not only are you giving your attendees or clients a snack, again, they can remember the occasion for years to come.  

Sharing is caring, what are your thoughts?

When’s the last time you received a gift from a conference or an event that you liked and actually use? Take a picture and talk about it.

©2014 by Tillman Davis Enterprises. All Rights Reserved. Garrysa Caffey, MBA | Event Planner, Speaker and Author for Nov8ive Events & Designs. Learn the trade secrets that event planners use to create successful events. Join us today and get our free eBook “The 7 Costly $ins that Can Ruin Any Event”. Click the Connect With Us page and fill out the form.