In our latest 'Getting to Know' feature we caught up with Caroline Kay, who has been creating and running events for 20+ years with consulting firms in the UK & US - now as founder of her own event management firm, C.KAY International.
Caroline has produced thousands of events all over the globe for clients including Microsoft, British Telecommunications, HP, Tableau, UK Government, Twitch and more.
Q: In a nutshell, tell us about your services and the some of the industries you’ve freelanced for?
A: I work to create extraordinary events that deliver solid business results. My team and I offer full event management services for events of all sizes—from a 50-person meeting to a 25,000-person extravaganza! We work with many industries and travel the globe to produce memorable events that thrill both clients and attendees.
Q: How did you get started in the events industry?
A: I jumped into event management while I was at university in the U.K., working for a company to organize sailing regattas in the Caribbean. I started as a “gopher,” learning the ropes and working my way up. I’ve been creating, planning, and running events ever since.
Q: Most memorable moment working as a freelancer?
A: So many to choose from! It’s probably a tie between taking an executive team to stay in the Ice Hotel in Sweden (complete with dog sled ride and igloo-building) and organizing a black tie no shoes event on the beach in Thailand.
Q: Best location you’ve worked at?
A: I recently managed an eSports event in Kiev, Ukraine and I’m often in Berlin. Both are great cities to work in. But nothing can beat Thailand. I love running events there.
Q: If you could go back in time, what advice would you give yourself when you first started out in the events world?
A: First, ensure all communications with clients and vendors are clear, thorough, and free of assumptions (e.g. I never assume everyone is on the same track as I am). Second, scrutinize every event detail again and again. No detail, possibility, or contingency is too small to be reviewed—repeatedly!
You can contact Caroline here:
Email: caroline@ckayinternational.com
Website: www.ckayinternational.com
Twitter: @carolinekay11
Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolinekay/