By rachaelhg, on September 26th, 2011
 Welcome to another installment of our INTERVIEW WITH THE EXPERTS series. Today I spoke with Paul Nyborg, Senior Project Manager and Angie Hopkins, Project Manager. Both Angie and Paul work on a variety of accounts at TPN and each take their own road to PM Mastery!
I sat down with the two after they completed their first ever joint-event for a notable and challenging event. Fresh(u-hem) off the event floor, this dynamic duo may have been exhausted, but the mood was celebratory. You could almost hear the beer mugs clinking…another job well done. At first blush these two seem like an unlikely pair. Paul with his reserved demeanor, tall, slim and delivering his expertise in quiet confidences. Angie, always smiling, outwardly friendly, petite and bursting with energy. So of course my first question had to be how they did working together, although the energy between them and the constant laughter made the answer intuitive to those in the room.
Tongue – in – cheek Paul opens our conversation with “Well it was hard to delegate at first.” Angie bursts into laughter at this. Clearly the two, now bonded over their experience can poke fun. Paul’s tenure had in fact made it hard to let go and allow Angie to take the reins. But she never pushed, or rubbed in her experience to thrust the issue. As she put it, she ‘understood the process’.
Paul: Eventually I did delegate and then I just sat back and kept my arms crossed…or was it my fingers? No, I’m kidding. Angie did great work, received ample compliments from our client and vendors.
RHG: So this is the TPN Tips moment. How do you delegate? Let’s face it – sometimes doesn’t it seem easier to just do it yourself?
Paul: To be able to delegate you have to trust the person you are working with. Angie is an excellent listener. The more we discussed the project and the client, the questions she asked showed me she understood the challenges and how to manage them. After that it was easy to hand her the reins and let her take the lead. The trick to delegating is to understand that once you hand something off ‘it is gone’ and will never be the project you would manage. Set yourself up as the resource point for the project and when questions come up, or something is out of whack, the manager can come to you for advice. Your delegates learn the client; you learn something new about the process and a fresh way to approach the project.
RHG: What about you Angie, anything to add to that?
AH: The hardest thing about being on the receiving end of delegation is the balance you need to find between deciding what you can be autonomous with vs. what needs a head nod. That knowledge comes with time and getting to know what your co-workers prefer. Once you have that rhythm, it’s so much easier!
RHG: It seems like you both do a variety of events that involve some element of training. Is there a formal process that you use? How can you be sure your training is getting through? You only have one shot at an event – are you confident your staff or volunteers will come through?
AH: I never fear that training will not come through with people – you have to trust your teams, but the fact is there is ALWAYS the possibility of error. Diminish your fears and empower your people by being proactive and plan what to do IF crisis strikes. That’s what we like to call ‘troubleshooting’ (wink).
RHG: Paul, you’ve worked on some of our more hi-profile events with Boeing. What’s your favorite?
PAUL: I’ve done Boeing events for 11 years as Project Manager. The State Visit of President Hu Jintao from China was my favorite! We had a head of state with an international profile “stopping in Everett”. Which is pretty cool. And what was going to be one event, starting in Everett turned into five events in five separate locations: Boeing Everett Flight line for the arrival and departure, a factory tour, and an address to the factory workers followed up with a semi formal business luncheon at Future of Flight with the region’s top business executives in attendance.
RHG: See there you have touched on SCALING. The big buzz word for event marketers in 2011. How does one “scale” an event? How can a client be confident that our model can go from one to five events, or from 10 x 10 to 30 x 50?
PAUL: Assessing the scope of a project is the starting point. This should include the purpose of the project, the target audience and message or take away for attendees. Once the fundamental scope is agreed to you can begin to scale the project to map to the clients goals and budget requirements. This is where things get interesting.
ANGIE: We have an amazing range of knowledge and skill sets within TPN, so that makes it easy for any client to scale up or down. We treat each project, no matter if it’s a 10 x 10 or a rock concert type of situation as the same importance, so you don’t have try to prioritize. They are all top priority!
RHG: Budget, brass tacks. How do you get to a budget that leaves the client happy and you able to pull off a great show?
AH: Keep updating the budget as it scope creeps so there are no surprises.
PN: Be able to explain clearly what drives costs, this goes a long way to a successful project. Communicating the risk and reward of client budget choices is key. This ties to your question on scope. If you budget a high end scenic and A/V package for a simple public address then you are missing the point of the project.
RHG: What is THE single most important thing to do when you have very little lead time on a big project?
PAUL: The key is to ask the experts and use any existing resources available. Be crystal clear in communications. Seek out advice – do what you know will work & engage the team as early as humanly possible! Like Angie says, “Don’t try to reinvent the wheel”.
ANGIE: Deferring to Paul (said in humor+ freaking adorable) Build a good relationship right away with the project’s PEOPLE – like your client’s tenured employees. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel – when you have two weeks you use the existing resources. This is not the time to try to prove how awesome your skillzzz are – put your ego away – there’s no time for it.
PAUL: The people who succeed are those who actively include the client and their team(s) as part of the production team – not those who try to do it on their own. In simple tip terms – be a TEAM player. With your internal team AND theirs. That’s Key.
RHG: With many events there is zero room for error. How do you even cope with that? Isn’t it unrealistic?
PAUL: There will always be error. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. You can minimize the opportunity for error. I just did a project for a client where there was no room in their plans for a power failure. The lights must stay on. We supplied the project with a completely independent power grid run on generators. While the region we were in was affected with power outages and highway closures due to wild fires our event was unaffected. No room for error means looking ahead, spotting developing situations that may go sideways and call on the team to steer the situation back on track. Keep looking for the big picture. With an ace team, the details will be taken care of.
RHG: But all events don’t go perfectly – what lesson can our readers take away from any mistakes you have learned from in your career? Is there anything you would have done differently?
Angie: I’m happy to answer that – Don’t make assumptions! I can look back on my last show and admit that I wish I had asked more questions at the onset.
RHG: How about you Paul? What’s an important Tip for our industry friends?
Paul: When planning…when something comes up in a conversation that requires ACTION – you have to stop and identify – at that time- WHO will take the action – if you don’t address that immediately it leaves room for doubt – and assumptions (to Angie’s point) about who will be on first. Be Bold in those moments. Interrupt the meeting – get a commitment on the action. Your client may even think you are rude at the time – they will thank you later.
Angie: Also remember that your clients are paying for these meetings. Your whole meeting can get lost in trivial conversation – if no one else is stepping up – you step up and get people back on the agenda. When problems arise – solve them, then and there whenever possible. This is especially true with quick planning windows. Don’t let stuff go off line – develop an environment of on the spot problem solving – vs. allowing the team to get stuck in conflicts. This boils down to efficiency on the clients behalf.
RHG: So what’s next for the dynamic duo?
Paul: Vacation in October. I have five more events between now and then – it’s my north star. (LOL)
Angie: I might be seeing Paul in a few events, but we have some super secret events coming up in New York that I am psyched about and a little bird told me I will see you there!
RHG: That’s right! I’ll be there. We’ll do another interview. In closing, what’s your favorite thing about working with Paul?
ANGIE: His attention to detail and his ability to explain things to me with patience.RHG: Paul, what did you like best about working with Angie?
Paul: Soft talker, big stick.
And so we stop where we started our interview…with a trail of laughter.
To learn more about Paul and Angie visit our website at http://tpnevents.com/aboutus/tpn-gallery-walls
By Megan West, on September 20th, 2011
 TPN has a new office mate…his name is Kalmar. He’s a four month old Labrador/Golden cross, and he makes it VERY difficult to get any work done! He’s so adorable, it’s impossible not to get right down on the floor and snuggle with him. But we have to watch ourselves and not spoil him too much. This little guy has a higher purpose…he’s a guide dog for the blind puppy in training. In fact, Kalmar is such a big deal, that he comes complete with his own trading cards with all his stats on it!
Having dogs in the office is not a new thing at TPN. But to my knowledge, Kalmar is the first service dog. We pride ourselves on community involvement/outreach at TPN (see our TPN Gallery Walls info on our website), so this is a great addition to our portfolio! Who’s the proud owner? Marc, our Controller. Well, actually, Kalmar is Marc’s daughter’s puppy, but while she’s in school, he gets to come to the office and hang out with us. Lucky us.
Kalmar came to live with the Blaser family about a month ago, and will remain with them until he’s a year old. Then he’s off to college for three to six months to learn the ropes of a guide dog. Until then, he’s all ours. Uh, Marc’s, I mean.
To learn more about raising a guide dog puppy, visit www.guidedogs.com or Kalmar’s local group Paws for Independence http://sites.google.com/site/clubpfi/.
By Megan West, on August 16th, 2011
Continued from TPN E-news August Issue:
One of the many themes that has emerged from our work is the remarkable tie between our global issues and our local issues. Without revealing too much…and leaving you in a bit of suspense, we will be addressing these tied causes in monthly service projects. Our kickoff is September 21, 2011, where we will assemble 500 World Vision Caregiver Kits that will be sent to caretakers in rural Africa that assist the suffering. Additionally, we will be addressing the needs of local caretakers in our area. One afternoon, 500 Kits, all constructed by Next Fifty committee members and volunteers. Can you imagine what we could do next year over several dedicated weekends at Seattle Center?
We are gearing up now for our next milestone – October 21, six months before the Next Fifty opening day – where we’ll have more announcements on programming and events. Stay tuned!”
~Meaghan Trueb
By Megan West, on August 16th, 2011
Continued from TPN E-news Article August Issue:
Rhonda has been with TPN since August of 1999, joining after answering an ad in the paper. She’s convinced that she got the job because she’s the only one who could find the building! That was back when TPN was still in the blue bridge building, a hard to find four story office space right by the Fremont Bridge, with the shop right next door. Starting her first day during the busy season, she was abandoned at the front desk for six hours. Having never worked in an office, (she’s a massage therapist) this was all a bit new. She didn’t know anyone or their names, what we did, how to use the phone…she does remember that she kept getting calls for Jeff Eicher and his was the first extension she learned. 451. She knows them all from memory now.
Being TPN’s first ever receptionist, she got to make all the rules! The first two weeks were trial by fire. She spent them trying to affiliate herself with the job codes, certificates of insurance, learning names and extensions, understanding the business, etc. Once she got the hang of it, it was smooth sailing, and she’s been on a roll ever since. Keeping us on track, well supplied, smoothly operating. When Rhonda is out for a day, we suffer. Maybe she does her job too well?
When she’s not babysitting us TPNers, Rhonda likes to read, cook and go thrift shopping for vintage unworn clothes. She is an animal lover and loves aromatherapy.
So what has made her stay all these years? “The people are fantastic, good people. Genuinely caring people. Theatrical, crazy, caring people.” She loves to people watch as well, see what they do, how they react. “It’s all just a character study,” Rhonda says. You can’t take things too seriously, and in Rhonda’s words, “you gotta keep it fun and entertaining.”
Some fun facts:
Since Rhonda started, there have been 4 additional front desk people
Started calling TPNers “natives” (her term of endearment for all TPNers) her first week on the job
The first time she updated the phone sheet she made so many typos that everyone wrote her back with corrections
She’s only been on show site once, and it was in Seattle
By Megan West, on July 18th, 2011
This story is continued from TPN enews July 2011 issue. For a copy visit http://tpnevents.com/aboutus/in-the-news
In November 2009, Steve packed up all his newly purchased gear and headed off to camp. He found that being an umpire is surprisingly challenging. Besides the physical toll of constant squatting, the sheer number of rules is difficult to commit to memory. As Steve pointed out, it’s not cool to carry a rule book. Kind of ruins your credibility.
At the Umpire Camp, the students are taught rules fundamentals, responsibilities and coverage’s in the two-man umpire system, plate mechanics (proper positioning and alignment for calling balls and strikes) and dealing with “situations”, meaning players and coaches who act up. If we ever have a “situation”, we know who to call. On Friday and Saturday of the camp, everyone umpired an inning or two at both the plate and the bases for live games featuring high school and college level teams.
Steve umpires in his spare time and calls games with players ranging in age from 10 and 12 year olds to adult baseball. He’s umpired 71 games so far this season and hopes to do more when his work demands lighten up.
Want to go to umpire camp? Visit www.mlbuc.com.
By rachaelhg, on July 14th, 2011
 Sherry Fadely and Dahlia Cohen interviewed by Rachael Hutchins Granata
At the launch of our Free Thinking campaign [www.tpnevents.com] I had a virtual chat with Sherry Fadely, AM/PM and Dahlia Cohen, PM at TPN, to get some tips for our readers on running projects. Even from 3,000 miles away the energy from these women is contagious. I am jazzed. These are two colleagues with whom I never get the chance to just sit and talk shop.
RHG: Let’s talk about the differences between planning corporate and private events. Where do you see the cross-over and/or differences in how these are managed?
SF: For every project, the planning starts the same. But yes, of course there are clear differences around corporate vs. private events. I’ll even throw in another category – the non-profit event. Corporate events tend to be larger, with larger budgets and you work on teams and with clients that typically have a lot of experience in our field. Private events are much more personal and emotional. It doesn’t have to be a wedding to get emotional. Dig deep and respect your client’s feelings even when they freak out. Some clients have their jobs on the line, or are financially strapped. Non-judgment and a little compassion will go a long way in keeping you both focused on the end-goal.
DC: Also these (non profit) clients usually rely on your expertise even more than the corporate clients – with less expertise they are looking to you for answers. Earn your client’s trust. Trust diminishes fear and lets you both have more fun in the process.
RHG: There is a lot of confusion around titles in our industry. Let’s start with definitions. There are two questions I get asked more than any others (1) What is the difference between an Event Manager/Planner and a Production Manager? (2) How do you know which it is you need?
DC: Which talent you want to employ depends on the structure of your event – and this structure also helps define the differences. Corporate events often require a logistics expert who handles securing the venue, attendee registration, transportation, hospitality, etc. Beside Logistics, you have Production, led by the Production Manager and Project Manager, or in some applications Technical Manager. To keep it simple, think of it this way – a PM is responsible for the physical space – any tangible work that affects the look and feel of the space (scenery, lighting, audio) managing vendors, time lines, budgets etc. A Production Manager will NOT, for example, manage registration, transportation or hospitality.
For private and smaller events, the lines get fuzzier. Event Managers (a.k.a Event Planners) can touch anything/everything happening in an event from pre-event marketing to place settings to speaking programs. For a larger event, an EM might employ a PM to take care of all the production details for them. The exact role changes with the skill set and management style of each individual, the requirements of their job and the scope of the project. At TPN the Account Manager and Production Manager combined role (like Sherry) is most similar to what some organizations call Event Management. TD’s are even more specialized – but I suppose you don’t want me to start to try to define every role in the industry (haha). Keep in mind that these definitions change in a lot of companies. As a client – don’t be afraid to ask for a clear definition of roles – do not make assumptions around titles.
SF: Here again, there is a shift with non-profit work. Non-profit projects fall somewhere between the two and require a different set of skills. When running a non-profit project – you cannot be too sensitive to the fact that our clients are stewards of other people’s money. Then there is the Volunteer element to NP projects. Volunteers are not always trained in the specific role they take on. Plan time and talent for the training of individuals and groups.
Volunteers can be the life-blood of your project. Empower volunteers. Don’t give talented people idle jobs, instead, figure out their unique skill set and tap into it. Not only will they be happier, but you’ll see budget savings. And I hate to make a plug here – but if you haven’t considered using One to the World™ for your large project training needs – consider it. You set up the training once and yet the volunteers can engage the training as many times as they need.
RHG: What are the top 5 steps when attacking a project for the first time – and does the process change with each type of project?
SF: The steps are the same no matter what type of project it is. Very quickly you need to get at the whole project scope. The fastest way there is to ask Who, What, When, Where, Why and… How Much?! Once you have these fundamentals down you can begin to craft a scope of work. It really is that simple…to start. (haha)
DC: When you are asking Who – don’t just ask who the audience is; find out who your stakeholders are. Make sure you understand who’s invested in your work.
RHG: So we know what we should think about when we get started. But what about what we shouldn’t do? Is there anything planners simply waste too much time on? What’s the black hole of planning?
DC: Don’t waste time waiting. This relates to your last question about how you launch planning. I have seen managers waste far too much time waiting for answers. Set expectations with your client at the onset of a project. Agree on which items need approval and on approval turn-around times. Find out early how aggressive you have to be to get those answers. Every client has their own style and comfort level. Before you are wrapped up in the stress that happens just before a show – you may find your clients to be surprisingly honest about their own quirks and needs.
SF: Establish a chain of command right away. I have had some clients that want all the communication to come through me, while others want a direct line to, for example, the stage manager. I think one of an AM/PM’s hidden talents is to know, almost instinctively, what chain of command will satisfy their client.
RHG: So let’s say you’ve decided to DIY and plan your own event – is it ever too late in planning/too close to the event to call in an expert?
SF: It is never too late to call – and you should – but sometimes it is too late for “the big rescue”. After a quick conversation about your status, we may advise you to take another course – or simply help you get through the crisis with a few helpful tips. As to the question of how late in the game we can help, that really depends on what size and type of event we are talking about. But always call!
RHG: So – it sounds like you are open to a phone call or a quick Facebook chat with free advice – true?
DC: Absolutely. We don’t worry that our value is lost by providing free information. We are in a niche, but rapidly growing industry – the more success stories we can help create, the bigger the demand and the more work for all!
RHG: Do you think you can give me an example of a time you were asked to swoop in?
DC: Of course I can’t give you any names (haha) even when we aren’t actively working for them we are still trying to make our clients look good! I can tell you that I was called in on a project recently where we were asked to come back after a year away from the project – the client understood that our expertise was really valuable and made their show look great. Some of these larger events are very complex and it is a job in itself to make sure one hand is talking to the other. Want an easy solution to almost any project issue? Identify and then break down communication silos.
SF: Communication is even more complex in dealing with non-profit events. Often times what is a one-person job in a corporate event becomes several individuals in a non-profit project. Make sure you allot the necessary amount of time for knowledge sharing. It can feel frustrating allowing the time for information you have to be digested by an entire team of people…with all their endless questions…especially when you are trying to move at a fast pace! But your patience will pay off in spades with an empowered, informed team at crunch time.
RHG: Talk to me about budget. Is there a budget too small for TPN to take on the project?
SF: There are projects too small, but they should call and talk with someone. We can always refer them to someone who can help.
DC: Look – we aren’t trying to hoard all the business, some companies scale differently than we do and it just makes more sense to make a connection for someone in our network. More often we get calls requesting budgets – the client has no idea how much something is going to cost – not just what TPN will cost, but what the project itself costs. We are constantly working with potential clients on their budgets, providing education and resources.
RHG: Pick just one thing you love about PM-ing and tell us about it.
DC: I love working with a group of people all working to create the same thing.
SF: I like the immediate gratification of a job well done. People don’t often think of project management as “immediate” – but in comparison to my prior work in film – it’s a fast track. Producing a film takes much longer.
RHG: Any last tips for our readers?
DC: Don’t forget your manners. When your project is complete – remember to send a Thank You note.
Dahlia Cohen is a TPN Project Manager with a background in theatrical production and stage management. Dahlia spent six years with Macy’s Annual Events in New York City, coordinating large-scale, nationally televised events such as Macy’s Fourth of July FireworksTM and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day ParadeTM. At TPN, she has been a production and stage manager for clients such as Microsoft, PONCHO, Xbox, CEA, World Vision, T-Mobile and Boeing.
Sherry Fadely is an AM/PM for TPN with a background in film production. Sherry was Director of Production for HBO in Los Angeles. She oversaw all aspects of the day-to-day and detail-oriented physical production of such well known HBO films as, “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge” starring Halle Barry, “Gia” starring Angelina Jolie and “The Rat Pack”. At TPN, Sherry has production managed various Microsoft and Boeing projects, but her primary role is Account Manager and Event Producer for clients World Vision and Compassion International, both international non-profit organizations.
Rachael Hutchins Granata is Marketing Director for TPN with a background in Event and Project Management. Her projects have included the Bellevue Art Museum Fair, Bellevue Family 4th Celebration, a host of Red Bull experience events and many more. Never declining what she calls “an adventure gig”, her roles have ranged from acting as the U.S. Secret Service Liaison for the World Trade Organization meetings in Seattle to Artist Wrangler at the Grand Opening of the W Hotel. For TPN, in addition to her day job as Marketing Manager, Rachael has filled a variety of roles including managing the grand opening series of The Shops at the Bravern.
For more about any of TPN’s talent visit www.tpnevents.com/aboutus
By Megan West, on June 17th, 2011
(continued from TPN E-news June issue…)
Located between EMP/SFM and the Center House, this massive building with towering walls, like giant blank canvases waiting for a design, is a fitting home for the 50th celebrations and YOUR next event. The modern building has exposed beams, a giant roll-up garage door, perfect for summer parties, and a full wall of floor to ceiling windows. Looking the place over, I would never have guessed this was a ride shop for the former Fun Forest at Seattle Center. No memory of equipment or speck of grease is in sight. The floor gleams in anticipation of the coming foot traffic. I can picture a concert here in the dead of summer, with the roll doors up, the stage inside the building and the crowd flowing out into the large space just outside the Pavilion.
On hand at the dedication was TPN’s own John Vadino, recently named Co-Executive Producer of The Next Fifty. Vadino will oversee the global outreach of The Next Fifty. Equipped with 21+ years of experience and a totally innovative, digital communications tool called One to the World™, Vadino aims to not only invite, but involve a global audience to participate from chairs all over the world and right here in Seattle. As a key visionary on the project, Vadino supported the establishment of eight themes for the six months of festivities including: Sustainable Futures, Science and Technology, Global Health, Learning, Commerce and the Innovation Economy, and Civic Action. The related events (live and virtual) will highlight the innovation of the Pacific Northwest and engage local and global communities using equally innovative tools. Tracy Robinson, Co-Executive Producer and Executive Director of Seattle Center, had this to say about Vadino’s appointment:
“Seattle Center Foundation is excited and honored that John will be leading much of our programming for the 50th anniversary of the Seattle World’s Fair. His production experience and depth of history at Seattle Center are a hugely valued gift to our efforts, and I am thrilled to have him as a partner for the celebration.”
For more information on The Next Fifty, visit www.thenextfifty.org
By TPNBlogger, on May 25th, 2011
 Joe, the culinary master Joe Cabral, our co-worker, has been treating all of us to fresh baked bread at least 1x a week of late. It is always fabulous, and I think we all agree – just when we think he’s made the best loaf – he makes another one that is better.
I’m not sure if he’s tired of being the only person spending his personal time making treats and indulging us, or if he just likes the idea of paying forward his culinary knowledge, but last week he offered to teach a few of us how to make his bread.
We gathered on Thursday in our Café/Galley, each with our ingredients and Joe enthusiastically yet patiently walked us thru the steps of making No Knead Bread (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ah9ES2yTU&feature=youtu.be). It was fun, easy and in less than an hour we had our bread dough covered in our bowls, on the counter, willing it to rise.
Friday we re-gathered to prepare the dough for the last rising, and then queued up and started baking. Essentially, from noon till about 4pm we had fresh bread of assorted flavors to taste. Yummy! And, I think, most of us have since made another loaf or two….
 Ingredients Joe, thank you – what a treat! But I need to put the flour and yeast away for awhile, because Joe, my pants are tight!
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