BERLIN EVOLUTION BY LYDIA ( Berlin Dinner for our members)

First week on the job and I was thrown in the deep end. IFA convention, is one of the world’s leading trading shows for consumer electronics and home appliances, and that’s where we were heading; except that we were hosting, once again, an exclusive dinner for our partners, who make up about 90% of the electronics industry. Luckily for me, our CEO, Mr. Sam, never seemed to worry about a thing, always keeping his cool especially under pressure; a trait I’d hope to adopt.

Hosting a dinner for all CEOs of the electronics industry in Berlin, Germany, is fairly simple, however, the pressure was on; Clients and partners were expecting a dinner of the highest magnitude and standards as we have a reputation to maintain. We spare no expense when it comes to quality, don’t compromise on luxury and most of all, we use our main ‘ingredient’ in everything we present and deliver; Pride. The first step towards a successful and exciting business dinner is planning for it carefully. There were a lot of preparations involved, such as, finding the best location, venue, preparing the menu, the music, the entertainment, our CEO’s speech, promotional banners, an itinerary, one-on-one business meetings to attend and so forth. A lot to do in a short time, but I had no doubts we would pull it off effortlessly; I had confidence in my new team and leader. Another preparation required for the dinner- the most important one in my opinion- was learning and practicing the ‘L.O.U.R’ method; Listen, Observe, Understand, and Reflexes. Qualities my leader try to establish within us; as they are valuable elements to adopt in order to excel in both my career and personal life. When you follow the ‘L.O.U.R’ method you are able to predict and understand the person without conversing with them, even able to interpret them without the use of words most times. It assists you in reacting fast, identifying solutions, and many more

 

The goals of this dinner would be, besides making sure everything is running smoothly and for it to be successful, but to take in as much information as possible, as it was my first week in the company and I wanted to impress my team. It was important for me and my co-workers to mingle and interact with the clients, be extra mindful of our sponsors and in general do as much as we could in order to alleviate some of the pressure from Mr. Sam. Also, to gather all these CEOs in one room to socialize with each other and make the most connections they can between them in order for it to lead them to future business ventures. Entering this new realm of business and marketing was, for me, so interesting and exciting at the same time, as this was no ordinary company. What Z Empire is known for is, its innovation, creativity, cleverness and most of all the respect and care they have for their clients, who they call family. It isn’t your everyday marketing business; it has its own methods and way of thinking and I had so much to learn and so much information to retain and this was the ideal situation to be placed in. I was witnessing live examples of organising events, dealing with important and well-respected people and adjusting to the new world of marketing. Counting down the day of, with all the work we had to manage, I didn’t feel the pressure of the dinner until the moment had arrived. During the anticipation, all possible scenarios were going through my mind, which in turn, instead of discouraging my team and leader, as the newest member, it motivated them to do their best and have the most productive time. It pushed them to want to perform their best, just to prove that there is no need for worry or doubt when you have confidence in the work you have put in and the eagerness you have to learn. The night started off smoothly and relaxed as guests were arriving at a steady pace, giving me the chance to acquaint myself with them and exchange business cards and a few words. As more guests were gathering, a feeling of comfort was setting in as I could see my leader mingle and joke with them all, effortlessly. Guests of such calibre didn’t faze him, like they did me, but that’s what gave me all the more reassurance to perceive them as equals and down-to-earth individuals, and not as the thoughts I had formed in my head about them. When it was time for Mr. Sam’s speech to commence, all the eyes of the room were on him. Although we had prepared a speech for Mr. Sam, he went off course and spoke straight from the heart; that’s how he connected with his audience, which was more touching and funnier than that of a rehearsed piece of paper. You could see and feel the passion come through; he was clearly in his comfort zone being in front of a crowd which is why he delivered such a heartfelt and sincere speech. Guests clapped and praised Mr. Sam. Everyone knows his out-of-the-box thinking and how unpredictable his moves can be; keeping everyone on their toes. They are especially familiar with the level of sophistication, innovation, knowledge and experience he brings to the industry. He is well respected and looked up to, and this dinner was no exception. The whole night our guests were talking, eating and enjoying; proof that it had been a successful evening. As the end of the night was approaching, it was obvious the guests had a lovely and beneficial time; they left with drunk and happy smiles on their faces. It was a success in bringing all these important people together to remind them that we are here to support them and to show them that we care and want to give back. As a first experience, I couldn’t have asked for more than what I received.

The night ended on a high note; People were pleased and left wanting more. They got the most they could after this ‘business’ dinner in terms of partnerships and business opportunities. The relaxing ambiance of the lounge/restaurant was a success. The feedback we received was more than we could have asked for. Z Empire’s IFA dinner was the hot topic of the industry; because of the hype created from the night before, that was our chance to really benefit from it. Our online business group chats were shedding the most positive light on us as a company, the compliments were ample, and new business possibilities were soaring. Our partners were happy, prospective clients wanted to jump on board with us; we were heading towards an upward trajectory and I was eager to experience it live. This short-lived trip was beneficial for me, especially as a newcomer because I had the chance to meet and discuss with our esteemed clients, get in the business mindset, learned how to organize a mini-event/dinner, experienced my leader in action, and most importantly, got a taste of the business and electronics field and couldn’t be more pleased. We aspire for greatness and will do everything we can to achieve it. We are not motivated just by monetary benefits; our goal is to be proud of all the work we put out there. We want to create legacies.

BERLIN EVOLUTION BY Lydia