Small business: Event organisers

Jenny Morel.

I have increased respect for events organisers after interviewing them this week. They do so much with relatively small teams. And they are working on these events all year round in some cases. These big occasions are never far from their minds. Also they are very clear about the latest on what is going on in the industries they represent in the events on so they can create the most interesting experience possible.

Morgo is a conference purely for entrepreneurs, happening on September 4-6. When No 8 Ventures' Jenny Morel started it 11 years ago, her thinking was to bring together all these fantastic thinkers who often work in isolation. There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world and around 120 entrepreneurs, local and international, just love it, coming back year after year. One of the key things about is it is an event where people don't feel they're being sold to or are on show.

On a more commercial scale, it's interesting to know that the organiser of Big Boys Toys, SMC Events, also run the Ellerslie International Flower Show. That's a nice contrast.

Meanwhile Jill Hutchinson, the highly competent organiser of September's Designer Garage Sale also runs a number of events for NZ Bowls and loves the variety of the two.

For some organisers we highlight, event organising is by no means a paid job - they are doing it for love and to support their industry, as in the case of BNI director, Pam Martin who helps organise the Small Business Summit. She believes small business is largely being ignored by the current Government and wants them to have more of a voice.

Next week: We tend to associate corporate retreats or company conferences as something only for big companies. But for successful and fast growing SMEs,an informal getaway with your staff can be incredibly fruitful and doesn't have to cost the earth. Tell us how you get together with staff out of work.

I am especially interested in how internationally active New Zealand businesses manage to get their staff from all over the world together from time to time.