Brown Builds Her Own Brand [South Charlotte Weekly]

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Read the original article in South Charlotte Weekly

After nine years of working for Tribble Creative Group, SouthPark resident Cassie Brown decided to make a change. So she bought the company and assumed the role of president and CEO.

Brown purchased the company and has since given it a serious makeover, renaming and rebranding it as TCG Events.

“I’ve slowly changed everything from the office location to the name,” Brown said. “Event planning has always been my dream job.”

TCG Events plans, designs and executes corporate, nonprofit and social events for clients. In addition to an extensive network of vendors at the company’s fingertips, TCG Events also focuses on bringing “collective, clever creativity backed by thoughtful, calculated logistics” to make each event come together, Brown said.

Many have misconceptions about TCG Events that she’s working to correct, Brown said.

“Most people think we only do large-scale, over-the-top, big-budget events,” she said. “We do events of all sizes for companies, organizations and individuals.”

Although she was saved from many of the typical start-up problems business owners might face, Brown said the transition from employee to owner has been difficult.

“(It) has its own challenges, such as time management,” she said. “In addition to event planning, I have to wear a lot of hats, from sales to (human resources).”

In her time at the company, Brown has produced and managed programs for Fortune 500 companies, professional sports teams, national associations and foundations, as well as various dignitaries. Notable figures Brown has hosted include Warren Buffet, Tom Wolfe, Gov. Bev Perdue, Elizabeth Edwards, Sen. Elizabeth Dole, Linda Hudson and Melody Barnes.

The way of approaching work varied drastically from one position to the other, she said.

“Adjusting to thinking more strategically versus task-oriented is different,” she added.

Brown’s work has earned the company several awards. In her previous role as director of events for TCG, Brown helped launch “Girls Rock the House,” a national initiative that focuses on engaging and educating eighth-grade girls in politics and government, in conjunction with an advisory board of 12 U.S. congresswomen.

Brown said she doesn’t think that she faced any unique challenges in owning her own business because of her gender.

“I think being an entrepreneur is tough, but rewarding regardless of gender.”

Brown’s advice to others hoping to start their own business is to enjoy what you do.

“Do what you love and it won’t seem like work,” she said. “Find a mentor who has experienced the same challenges.”

Brown said it’s unfortunate women-owned businesses, though on the rise in the United States, still do not grow as quickly as male-owned businesses.

“Women-owned businesses play an important role in the economy,” she said. “Women and girls should be encouraged to start their own businesses!”

Brown recommended the organization Count Me In, which helps women-owned businesses get to the next level with resources for startup businesses on their website, www.makemineamillion.org.

Brown is originally from Lexington, Ky., and holds a master’s degree in tourism administration and event management from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in hotel, restaurant and tourism administration from the University of South Carolina. Brown was an adjunct professor at Johnson and Wales University and has taught courses on event management at Central Piedmont Community College. Brown served as the president of the Charlotte chapter of the International Special Events Society.

“Charlotte is a great city for event planning,” she said. “Charlotte companies understand hospitality and return on investment from entertaining.”

Find more on Brown and her business at the group’s website, www.eventwithtcg.com.

South Charlotte Weekly will continue to feature local women-owned small businesses. To suggest a business for a story, email news@thecharlotteweekly.com with the subject line “women-owned small business.”

 

Table Talk [CBJ]

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TCG Events has been an iconic name in event planning in the Queen City for the past three decades. But with a change in ownership, the firm has been slowly redesigning everything from its infrastructure to its name.

After Cassie Brown bought Tribble Creative Group in January 2011 from Mary Tribble, the company quietly began growing the brand. “TCG is recognized as a local leader in event planning,” Brown says. “We want to build on that reputation and branch out beyond the Carolinas with the ultimate goal of becoming a top national firm.”

The group is relaunching as TCG Events at the Charlotte Business Journal’s Best Places to Work luncheon (planned by TCG), breaking from the company’s long tradition and introducing itself under a new name and a logo that features a bold and colorful giraffe and the tagline “event differently.”

Read the full article in Charlotte Business Journal.

 

The Power Planners – Charlotte Event Planners [nFocus]

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They are typically behind the scenes. They help hosts look good, relieve worry and stress, avert catastrophes, help non-profits fundraise smarter, create moments that demand attendance, and make celebrations talked about long after they have concluded.

Many people have aspired to the supposed glamorous career of event planning, but there are few who choose to stay once it is evident that they’ve signed up for a career of constant stress, sweat, adrenaline, with no weekends all for the glory of someone else.  These five are part of that minority. And they couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

Cassie Brown
Company: TCG Events (Formerly Tribble Creative Group)
After nine years with TCG, Cassie took over ownership in January 2011 after the company’s founder, Mary Tribble, sold her the company.
Event notoriety: Levine Children’s Hospital Grand Opening Parties, NC Conference for Women, Red Ventures’ “One Night Only”, Wells Fargo Championship

Clarke Allen
Company: Charlotte Arrangements/The Clarke Allen Group
As one of the first event planning companies in town, Clarke has been planning events in Charlotte since 1994 and owns popular event venue, Center Stage in NoDa.
Event notoriety: Dr. Maya Angelou’s birthday celebration hosted by Lowes, Oprah Winfrey’s Leadership Academy celebration, Carolina Breast Friends’ Oysters on the Lawn (Inaugural year)

Ivy Robinson
Company: Ivy Robinson Weddings & Events
Though she does events of all shapes and sizes, Ivy has become known as the wedding planning gal in town.
Event notoriety: Her weddings have been featured in Essence Magazine, The Knot, Martha Stewart Magazine, and on the Style Network, Whose Wedding Is It Anyway, and Married Away.

Rhonda Caldwell
Company: The Main Event,Inc.
Another of Charlotte’s event elders, Rhonda has put her stamp on many of the city’s historic moments. She’ll continue to do so this fall as her company hosts the delegates from Florida, Mississippi and Alabama during the DNC.
Event notoriety: National League of Cities Board of Governors Dinner, Johnson C. Smith University CIAA President’s Reception, Hearst Tower Grand Opening for Bank of America, NC Music Factory 5K Rock N Run

Sikky Rogers
Company: Rogers and Gala
In addition to her company’s corporate and non-profit events, Sikky has earned the trust of some of Charlotte’s most prominent families, politicians, golfers, and race car drivers to plan many of their important social and religious affairs.
Event notoriety: Wells Fargo Championship, Davidson College Inauguration for new President, Oysters on the Lawn, Palm Night

Your motto when it comes to events?

Cassie: Event differently.

Clarke: Nothing is impossible.

Ivy: Have fun! Guests 5 senses should be entertained throughout the evening. They need to taste and smell great food, hear fab music, see gorgeous and unique visuals, and be able to touch great linens. You never want people to walk away thinking it was a boring event.  My company motto is not to meet expectation but to exceed it.

Rhonda: The spotlight is on you!

Sikky: If it’s not on fire don’t act like it is.  If it is on fire act like it’s not. I have not perfected this motto yet. I have done everything wrong that one could possibility do wrong.  I could write a book, but then I would have to leave Charlotte.  I never repeat my mistakes; however, there are always new ones.  If you and your team remain calm during a mishap, your client will remain calm, and they will know you will put out the fire.

Of all the events you have done in your career, which one are you most proud of?

Cassie: It’s the collection of events I’ve done over my 20 years in the business that make me proud.  In event planning, pride comes from different places whether it’s doing big things with smaller budgets or the satisfied look on a client’s face when you’ve pulled off the impossible.

Clarke: Really a hard answer to narrow down to one. Either Dr. Angelou’s Birthday Celebration hosted by Lowe’s, the Dr. Angelou’s event honoring Oprah and the graduates of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy or the church installation within a horse barn we created for Preston Bailey for his client Sheila Johnson’s wedding in Middleburg, Va.

Ivy: I am most proud of each one of them in a different way.  All of my clients are different, therefore, each of my events is different and unique in their own way. I biggest compliment is when my clients tell me that was the best wedding they have ever been to and wish they could do it over every weekend.

Rhonda: The Hearst Tower Grand Opening for Bank of America.

Sikky: The one on which I am currently working. Depending on the client, each event has its own soul.  If done properly, the event takes on a certain magic.  In order to keep the magic working sometimes you have to look into the client and see something that they can’t see themselves.  Then you suggest the magic.   Each event requires doing something that presents new challenges and opportunities, therefore, making the magic happen.  I feel very strongly about magic for each client – without it, the event has no soul. It is just an event.

The event industry seems to be back in full swing after taking a big hit during the recession. How have you and your companies been able to show both your value and the value of events?

Cassie: We demonstrate our team’s value through our well-oiled process and expertise.  From the first meeting where we define what a successful event looks like to the post event debrief with the client, we constantly strive to deliver a flawless experience. The value of events in general differs by host but the resurgence of customer entertainment as the economy improves tells me it’s valuable.

Clarke: The industry has certainly changed. I say that if our events/programs aren’t helping our customers generate business, motivate their employees or engage the community, we aren’t bringing value. Events have an opportunity to “tell story”, to put context with content. And whether we are designing the 100 anniversary gala for a medical school or a signature event for a non profit, we have to tell a story through the environment. We have to create context. Events are still a critical tool for creating emotion, generating shared experience and transporting people for that moment in time. We take great intention on helping our clients drive brand, tell their story and impacting the community.

Ivy: My company is based around customer service. We value our clients and through that we were able to remain profitable during the recession.  Actually, during the recession was some of the most profitable times for my business.

Rhonda: The Main Event Inc. has been able to show our value by simply saving the clients’ time and attention on the details. A lot of companies have scaled back on staff and don’t have the extra hands to assist with events. We step in and give the extra hands needed without adversely impacting the bottom line. We’ve also worked to highlight the importance of managing your brand and marketing to attract new clients. Events show appreciation to existing clients and personnel.

Sikky: I have never focused on the value of our company or the value of an event.  My husband has always said “Do the work and everything else will come.”  I was affected by the recession, and started offering consultations by the hour.  If I focus on what others see as the value, or my value, then I am not giving my client the personal service and design they deserve.  If I do my job well and focus on their event then they find value in both. The need to gather, to celebrate, to grieve, to learn, and to find community are part of human nature, I don’t think we need convincing.

The one piece of advice you would give non-profits in regards to their fundraising events?

Cassie: Explore new audiences to avoid donor fatigue.  A good mix of faithful supporters and new blood should always be the goal.

Clarke: Make them experiential. Try to create events (experiences) that are unique to the organization and engages everyone in the moment and ensures the entire experience communicates the right message. Create events that have a lasting impression.

Ivy: Guests typically pay a nice donation to attend a fundraising event, therefore in return the non profits need to provide a memorable event.  Don’t throw a stuffed teddy bear and confetti with balloons on the table and charge $250 a person…

Rhonda: Raise the bar and show your supporters a great experience. Make it memorable, make it cost-effective, and communicate with the board.

Sikky: Know who you are, what you want to say, and what you want people to do. If you know the first two you can communicate them effectively.  If you know the third you are better able to meet that goal, whether it be pure fundraising or some combination of fundraising and consensus building or cultivation.

What are three must-haves for hosting a party in your home?

Cassie: 1) A server so you can enjoy the party and not have as much clean up.  2) Ice, ice and more ice (there never seems to be enough). 3) A great guest list – there’s no substitute.

Clarke: 1) Create a theme. Helps guide the menu, music, beverages, napkins/linens and possibly the way the guests can dress. 2) Use your five senses: Taste, touch, smell, sight and sounds – consider each of the elements when planning events. This gives you a quick and many times affordable sources for event enhancements. You control the environment that your guest will enjoy for this moment in time. Have fun with it! 3) Make it a reflection of you. It’s your home so make it as unique as your personality. This is where your guests get the opportunity to know you a little better.

Ivy: Great music, alcohol and food.

Rhonda: Theme/Invitation – Can help you be more creative on a budget; Music/Entertainment; Inspired Menu

Sikky: Inviting the right mix of people.  Placing the bar and awesome food in the right location.  Having a generous spirit.

You have a bride who wants her wedding to have a unique flare, while still honoring tradition.  What can she do?

Cassie: Weddings should demonstrate personality. A bride doesn’t have to dance down the aisle to make it memorable.  Instead focus on personal touches such as charity donations in place of party favors and a fun groom’s cake to make the day special.

Clarke: I feel that traditions are many times being sidelined for the younger generations desire to be new/different. However many times there are families involved and weddings honor those members, rituals and traditions that have been carried on for generations. Traditions may have to do with the formatting or procedure inherent to the event. You don’t have to do away with the traditional cake by substituting cupcakes just to be different. Instead maybe the cake table is hanging form the ceiling, or is served in a unique way. There are many ways to add flare and still preserve the families traditions. I think the key again is to make the event a true reflection of the couple and their families and tell their story through the entire experience.

Ivy: There are so many options to add a unique flair while still adding tradition based on the bride and groom’s favorite things to eat, drink, and their heritage. We recently had a wedding where the groom’s background was Vietnamese and in the middle of the reception we had Dragon Dancers surprise the guests and perform. I had another client that was born and raised in the South but her groom was from Europe so we had a southern gospel choir walk down the aisle right before the bride and the Europeans loved it.

Rhonda: Use a unique venue and incorporate a theme. You can see I am BIG on themes.

Sikky: Follow her instincts, add her own magic, and be empathetic to the guests who will attend.  If she is always intentional about the comfort and joy of her guests nothing she does will be wrong and her guests will think she has a wonderful and unique spirit.

Speaking of unique flare, what new trends are you seeing in events?

Cassie: 3-dimensional step and repeats (backdrops on red carpets or press conferences). Molecular gastronomy.

Clarke: Technology is really allowing designers to create amazing work. Through multimedia we can create virtual scenery transforming environments, illuminating design, and communicating story.

Ivy: Step aside brides. Grooms are more involved in planning the weddings this year.  Out of the past eight weddings, I have planned all the details and design with six of the grooms and the brides just show up for a great party (oh and to say their vows).

Rhonda: Events are “going green” with invitations and tickets being distributed through social media. Marketing for events is also being handled through social media via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Eventbrite, etc. Moving forward, the hottest events will be in homes -backyard mini-concerts, cocktail receptions, and unique dinner parties. Other venues making a big hit are historic mansions, castles, and industrial buildings.

Sikky: 1) Different table configurations; longer and mixed up tables. For weddings, so many clients love the understated but elegant look of Jacqueline Kennedy looking down a long table at her guests. Mix round tables of different sizes, square tables of different sizes and rectangular tables of different sizes.  Instead of having one table arrangement have a mixture of different shapes and sizes with votives interspersed among arrangements.
2) Neon Colors – lime green, hot pink, tangerine and bright red.  Put all four colors together and choose one neon color linen to tie the look together.
3) Dessert Bars. Most people will splurge and eat dessert if there is a dessert bar.  You can have a room filled with different desserts, all shapes and sizes.  Use all the different senses.  Visual – put dessert on stands of different heights to make them all look different and appealing;  Smell – have a hot apple dessert with cinnamon and have a scoop for guests to choose an ice cream to put on top;  Taste – the desserts; Touch – let people interact and put toppings on ice cream, brownies, and cupcakes.

Read the original article in nFocus.

Corporate Spotlight – Banking on Our Community [nFocus]

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By nFocus Charlotte

Every once and a while people do a good thing just for the sheer pleasure of doing it.  When that person happens to be an executive at a large financial institution, with lots of executive friends in other large financial institutions, that good thing can be a very big thing.

“Friends and colleagues, past, present and future, let us come together for a unique opportunity to reignite the Charlotte financial services community for a noble cause.“

That was Jim Kelligrew’s vision for the June 7th, Banking On Our Community event, and so read the invitation.  Kelligrew, who currently leads U.S. Bank’s High Grade Fixed Income Group, decided it was time to give Charlotte’s financial services industry a morale boost – both within their own community and the community at large.

He was inspired by conversations with past and present financial services leaders in the Charlotte community; namely Hugh McColl, Pat Phillips, Carlos Evans, Lisa DeCarlo, Tim Mullins, Walter Dolhare, and Eric Llyod.  In discussions, they talked about how much the banking landscape had changed post 2008/2009 through mergers, changes in leadership, and general “people movement” from one firm to another. In the Charlotte banking community since 1993, Jim himself had gone from Nations Bank to Wachovia, to his present post at U.S. Bank.

ut amidst all of the changes, there was one thing Jim wanted to ensure remained the same. “The financial services industry in Charlotte, both old and new players, has been and will always be a leader, if not the leader, in philanthropic giving,” said Jim.

So Jim went to his colleagues at Bank of America and Wells Fargo and proposed an event that would reconnect and reunite past, present, and future leaders in the industry in a fun way, while raising money for charity.  His colleagues agreed and the three companies became the event’s anchor sponsors, underwriting the event costs enabling all proceeds to go to charity.

The anchor sponsors each chose a charity recipient (U.S. Bank – Dore Academy; Bank of America – Charlotte Bridge Home; Wells Fargo – Discovery Place) and then collectively chose the Autism Foundation for the Carolinas and The Mint Museum, who hosted the event. Tribble Creative Group was hired to plan and produce the event that featured a wine tasting, guest speaker Steven Israel, an awards presentation to industry honorees, and a live auction.

Through ticket sales, auction proceeds, and paddle raises, the event raised $200,000 for the charitable organizations in the community.  But the real unique aspect of this event was the humility and purpose for which it was done.  There were no media invites, press releases, or photo ops with oversized checks.  The only reason you are reading about it in NFocus, is because of our personal knowledge of the event and the permission we were granted to feature it.

Which suggests that despite the negative tumult of the last few years, perhaps we can bank on our financial industry.

Read the original article in nFocus Charlotte.

 

Should I manage creative employees differently? If so, how? [CBJ]

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Cassie Brown, Chief Experience Officer, TCG Events: Happy creatives love what they do. They are motivated by a challenge and have a low tolerance for boredom. Continuous learning opportunities are critical to keep them fresh, energized and engaged. Creative employees respond to passionate people.

To successfully manage creative people, define a clear goal, minimize distractions, create a challenge (but not an impossibility) and then get out of the way. Nothing will kill a creative in the zone more than micromanagement.

 

Continue Reading on Charlotte Business Journal

Adjusting to New Role as Owner [CBJ]

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When Cassie Brown took over ownership of event-planning firm Tribble Creative Group on Jan. 1, she felt she had been preparing for that role her entire life.

She had worked for company founder Mary Tribble for nine years. And she had earned degrees in hospitality and event planning from the University of South Carolina and Georgetown University. She also had worked in several states in practically every aspect of the industry.

“I have a real passion for the industry — this is my dream job,” says Brown, 40.

But being the boss has taken some getting used to. “I’m renegotiating our health insurance and learning how much our phones cost — things I knew existed but had no real knowledge of.”

One of the first things Brown did was find new office space in South End for the three-person company, which Tribble started in 1985.

But the hardest challenge has been adjusting to the changes in her work and personal life. “I was a planner and had my own events, but now I am just an overseer,” Brown says. “My staff goes on site, and I stay in the office. They were my interns and don’t need me there. That’s hard getting used to.”

Also, Brown previously enjoyed a clear demarcation between her work and personal lives, exemplified by the fact she had two cellphones, one for each part of her life. But no more.

In the past, when Brown went on vacation — she has traveled to six of the world’s continents — she was incommunicado. But later this summer, when she travels to Italy for a few weeks, she’ll leave an itinerary and phone numbers, read her email and regularly check in with the office.

Read the original article in Charlotte Business Journal.

 

Expert Advice On Your Questions [CBJ]

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By Charlotte Business Journal

My company is having a notable anniversary this year. What are some ways to celebrate that will be a benefit to my business?

Marcia Merrill, owner, Red Rover Communications: Celebrate those who got you there. Thank customers, employees, partners and the community in meaningful ways.

Create an anniversary theme. Launch a relevant community-service project and encourage participation. Share your appreciation and vision for the future.

For customers, cut prices to opening-day levels. Send them something — a gift, valuable information or just a thank you.

Don’t forget your employees. Throw a party, provide a keepsake or maybe pay a bonus. Be sincere and heartfelt — remember where you came from.

Cassie Brown, owner, Tribble Creative Group: An anniversary is a great time to remind clients why they do business with you. It is also an opportunity to acknowledge employees and vendors.

Why not celebrate all year? Develop a campaign to keep the anniversary in the forefront of people’s minds — perhaps with a community-service project that includes clients, vendors and employees.

Revamp your employee-recognition programs. Or spice up an annual event with something unexpected — a new location, fun invite or special entertainment.

Read the original article in Charlotte Business Journal.