Einstein said, “If you do the same thing twice and expect different results, then it is nothing but insanity.” Agreed. We all have a learning curve. Steep for some, not so much for others. But the truth remains that no matter what heights you plan to accomplish, or how many times you fall, you always have to rise from the foothills. And the most important thing to remember- you can never move your eyes from the prize!
Experience on-the-go, on-field practice and growing wiser with each mistake made is the prelude to any success story. Today we acquaint you with a few such stories. Accomplished event entrepreneurs share with us their first ever experience of organizing an event. The first of many accolades they were destined to receive, the mishaps they could never forget, and if they were to do it all over again, how they would do it today.
Rajesh Varma Claim to fame- Founder and Director, CRI Events
The first ever event I organized was in the year 1993. It was a Jagjit Singh concert at Shri Fort Auditorium. Godfrey Phillips was the sponsor for the show. I was thrilled to have landed this break but also petrified as I did not have a team in place yet. I knew this event could either make me or break me. In the events industry you are as good as your last event. The prospect of landing any events down the line and the future of my career depended entirely on that one day. Needless to say, I gave it all I got. What also worked in my favour was the amazing team of stage and sound guys and the entire crew actually. And it paid off. The event was a sell out.
The sad part- I did not make a penny from the event! Why you ask? Well, mostly because I was young and stupid and did not have the business sense to pan out the financials in detail beforehand. It was a ticketed event and like most such events I was to get a share from the sales of the tickets but it so happened that the sponsors, venue and artists had already reserved a considerable number of tickets for their near and dear ones. Besides them, there were several influential people who were obliged with free tickets. It was definitely demoralizing that I didn’t earn from the event after putting in so much time and effort. But I also knew that I was onto something here and this would prove to be my beginning to something great. And as a rule, since that day, we don’t do any ticketed events anymore.
If I were to do the same event today then I would definitely hire the same crew without a doubt. Diligence is indispensible in this field. Back in the day we only used printed backdrops and wallpapers that have been surpassed by digital substitutes today. LED lights, 3D projection, the possibilities are endless. I would stress upon high tech visuals and an advanced sound technology. I would engage my audience on social media platforms much before the event and monetize by airing the event live. And this time I’m confident I wouldn’t go home with empty pockets.
Samit Garg
Claim to fame- CEO, E-factor Entertainment
My first event was thirteen years back in the year 2000 at Jaipur. We were a team of four people and the client was Smirnoff. When I look in hindsight I often wonder how a group of young and inexperienced newbies managed a relatively big-league account such as Smirnoff. Well, the answer lies largely in the fact that we were true to the client and, most importantly, true to ourselves. We were given a budget of Rs 42,000 to wine, dine and entertain a party of 140 people. So we got started by calculating what was expected from us and whether or not we could deliver it. It was our sheer transparency with the client and our promise to get him maximum for his spend. Numbers did not matter to us then as it does not matter to us now. Our focus since day one has been to deliver a memorable experience through our events and we retain this ideology till date.
What has changed in so many years is how we package our stuff. In the year 2000, besides us, other companies were taking shape like Wizcraft, DNA, Encompass and Percept. We did not want to be part of this rat race so made the switch towards social events and began carving our niche there.
Today 70% of our work includes social events with the rest being a mix of corporate and other miscellaneous events. Our team consists of 40 top professionals from the industry who try and create a ‘touch and feel’ experience with each event. Be it constructing an air-conditioned glass-house for a day wedding during the monsoons or mimicking the insides of a submarine through a 360 degree projection to create the experience of partying underwater, for us challenging the impossible is the ultimate high.
Rajeev Jain
Claim to fame- Director, Rashi Entertainment
The events industry does not operate on the number of people you have employed or how old you are in the business. It runs on the passion you exude and the promise you display. In the year 1999 I was approached by the Dainik Bhaskar group to organize an event celebrating their launch at Ajmer. We were a team of 5 and had to make arrangements for a crowd of over 70,000 people. So we hired 50 local guys. It was a free-for-all event and Jasbir Jassi and Richa Sharma, at the prime of their career, were scheduled to be performing. The turnout at the day exceeded 1 lac people. Ajmer had never witnessed an event of such expanse before. It was surreal. We immediately knew we had been launched into the market.
Let me tell you, it’s not easy to manage a crowd of 1 lac people. It makes the head spin. Entire cities sometimes comprise of fewer people. But we had major support from the State police and the government. We were spanking new in the business and had outsourced our light and sound arrangements. They did an immaculate job as per the standards at the time. If I had to organize the same event today, I would erect a multi level stage with 3D mapping and make intelligent use of lights using LED backdrops and Xenon projection.
A major challenge we faced that day was that people had to wait for hours before getting into the stadium, also security and safety posed a looming threat. Technology has advanced tremendously over the years. We now use RFID cards (similar to that used to enter and exit train/metro stations) that prove to be time-efficient and are very cost-effective in mapping logistics. To tackle security issues we mainly use Mozzo barricades unlike the feeble fencing used at the time.
Since our first event together we have been managing Dainik Bhaskar’s launches, conclaves and power dinners. We truly have been partners in each other’s growth since then.
