Activate Your Audience!
Welcome to Activate Your Audience podcast! Here, you'll find a range of episodes discussing all aspects of brand activation and audience engagement, from the latest industry trends to expert insights and best practices.We will delve into topics such as events and experiential marketing, business tips and tricks, and creating experiences, all with the goal of helping you achieve your goals and drive customer engagement.Tune in to learn from the experts and get inspiration for your own brand activation strategies. Subscribe to stay up-to-date on new episodes and join the conversation on @BeImperial on Instagram. Let's activate you, your brand, and your audience together! Learn more about how IBA can support your even'ts team at your brand activations https://iba.imperialbrandingagency.com/i3ba
Activate Your Audience!
Hasmig Boyajian - Designing Events with Innovative Flair
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Hasmig Boyajian, the visionary behind PLANiT LA, as she unveils her 18-year journey in full-service event planning. From her roots in hospitality management to founding her successful company, Hasmig shares how she turns clients' dreams into unforgettable experiences.
Discover the art of experience design, from grand celebrations to intimate gatherings. Hasmig takes us through her collaborative process, highlighting the importance of asking the right questions and learning from past events to refine future ones. We explore innovative brainstorming techniques, like incorporating wellness activities and the emotional impact of nostalgia, showcased by her heartwarming ice cream-themed event. Hasmig also shares her insights on risk-taking and the crucial role of open communication in exceeding client expectations.
Effective vendor communication is key to seamless event execution. Hasmig discusses setting clear expectations and ensuring professionalism. Reflecting on the impacts of COVID-19 and social movements, she balances stricter policies with maintaining quality and respect. We end on a creative note, emphasizing inclusive event planning, from themed parties to team-building activities, demonstrating how creativity and practicality merge to create memorable and impactful events. Hasmig's expert tips and captivating stories will inspire anyone passionate about event planning.
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Today we're delighted to have Hazmik Boyajian join us. Hazmik owns Planet LA and brings over 18 years of full-service event planning experience, specializing in both social and corporate events. She brings a wealth of knowledge as a result of her extensive career and dedication to understanding the unique needs of her diverse clientele. Her passion for inclusion and creative event design make her a standout in the industry. Thank you so much for joining us.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for having me. Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be here.
Speaker 1:Me too. So let's kick it right off. Why don't you give us a sort of synopsis of your career? How did you start and where did that journey lead? You? To where you are?
Speaker 2:now. It all started when I was trying to figure out what I want to do with my life when I grow up in high school, and one of the things that always carried with me was planning parties and, more so, wanting to know what's going on in the background. So, as I started researching colleges and whatnot, went to school at Cal Poly, pomona, to the Collins College of Hospitality Management, got my bachelor's degree in hospitality management, during which I worked in all areas of the hospitality business, so restaurants, hotels, clubs, you name it. I've done it as well as working in large scale events on campus and throughout the industry because our professors were so well connected Came out of college, got a job as a director of catering and events at a restaurant in Pasadena, worked there for about five years, then went off on my own and have been on my own for the last 18 years or so something like that.
Speaker 1:So it's been fun and done a lot of events, different styles, large and small scale, and now more focused on corporate and social Love that and with those, you know, 18 years of experience within planning what have been maybe some of the key lessons that you've learned about creating impactful and engaging experiences for both you know, social and corporate clients.
Speaker 2:So the foundation for me personally, especially post pandemic in this business, has been to focus on service and seeing your client for what they're how you can best help them. When clients come to us, we're here to solve their problems and take away the stress that goes with making a million decisions and planning events. So some of the key things is obviously understanding what the client's objectives are, what they're looking to get out of the event. If it's a corporate event, what is their intention, what purpose, who is their audience you know those types of things and what experiences do they want their attendees to have? And this is both in social as well as corporate, where we typically walk through the event with the client, especially if we have. We're at the venue to make them see and understand. You know, tease the senses, the sight, the smell, the taste. To make them see and understand, you know, tease the senses, the sight, the smell, the taste, so that they can really feel what it is that they want to feel and what is important to them.
Speaker 2:We also ask our clients to give us a list of priorities of what really matters to them, what they don't want to, you know, deal with. And this also helps us with planning the budget so that we know, you know certain, you know food might be a priority for the clients if it's, let's say, a culinary client, right? So we want to make sure that their expectations align with the budget and we also. That helps us plan a better event for them. And the final thing is to surprise and delight the client. The final thing is to surprise and delight the client. Although we talk about basic, the basics, and you know everything that we're going to do, we like to level it up a little bit and try to add a little bit of uh, either it be nostalgia or something unexpected, something a little more branded, different things to uh, entice them even more and really shine, uh, when we know what is important to them.
Speaker 1:So yeah, have you seen a sort of trend or any patterns with some of the things that may not be, as as I guess, common, or maybe, like you would obviously guess, people would prioritize, like you said, if it's a culinary client, like food. Have you heard of any sort of requests or priorities that either are patterns that you know normally you wouldn't imagine would be so, or just that kind of like stood out to you as like, wow, interesting that you prioritize it.
Speaker 2:So it really varies, but I like to simplify their requests. So, for example, we did an event where the only request for my client was to add science and technology into their event. In our industry, when you talk about science and technology, it's very LED lights and camera and sound and whatnot, but it's not really like. Yes, there's science behind it, but in order to put it in a room with a bunch of engineers and scientists, as was my client, it was a little bit challenging. So, after extensive research, I put the simple concepts of science. So we use levitation. We had small levitating centerpieces where a group of 10 people were sitting and trying to figure out how this thing was levitating, where it's like two magnets and it's basic, elementary science. But because of the way that I set everything up, now I have this whole group project of how do we get this centerpiece to levitate again because it fell, and that was the intention. So that was one really cool way of taking a complex idea potentially and simplifying it to make it impactful.
Speaker 2:And another thing we did was we had a holographic entrance for one of our events and the machine that we, the vendor, we found we were able to create this effect where people were walking through fog which they thought they were going to get wet. And again it was the same engineers and scientists, so it was cool. Because they walk through the fog and they're to get wet. And again it was the same engineers and scientists, so it was cool. Because they walk through the fog and they're not getting wet. So people are touching this thing and they're like, oh, how does it get done? And, you know, wanting to know the science behind it.
Speaker 2:So it was really cool to take a challenge of implementing the science and technology into a simple concept, versus trying to create this whole complicated thing just because we're trying to incorporate two simple things in it. I find oftentimes when the crazier the idea, sometimes you really need to reverse, engineer it and simplify it and say, okay, you know, you know, how did the clown jump out of the box? Well, you know there's a bungee or whatever in there. So we don't get a lot of crazy ideas because oftentimes people don't know what they want. And that's where our research comes in and we also, once we talk to our clients, it's trying to see, like, how much risk are they willing to take with certain events, depending on the impact they're trying to make, of course, with the budget that they have as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's fascinating. There's always you know the name of the show is activate your audience and a lot of these things. As you mentioned the senses earlier there are activating different components of an individual, a person and a group of people's, you know, sense of self, their body, their emotions, their mind, and so stimulating that you put it, I think, very, very poignantly, like it's not always this complex thing, even if it's a complex idea, oftentimes what's going to stick, and especially in a room full of people where there's already sensory input, right, even if it's a bland meetup, just meeting people and being around people's naturally stimulating to most of our of our nervous system. And so if you're going to have a whole show, a whole production, I think the most effective ones that do actually help people remember it, help people, as you said, meet these goals for whoever the client is, wherever the event is, are those that incorporate simplicity. So I'm so glad that you brought that up right.
Speaker 2:yeah, in today's day and age you have to, because there's so many different types of people nowadays. You really have to be mindful of that as well, where, like you know, having a club scene is not going to make everybody happy, especially in the days of like we're overloading on information. You know, I always joke and say you know, we go to conferences. It's like let's go to this party, let's go to that party. I'm like why don't they make it a sleeping party so people go to bed at eight o'clock and not complain that they're tired the next day for the eight o'clock class? So they haven't done that yet, but we'll see.
Speaker 1:Maybe, maybe you'll be the first to create a nap time, right.
Speaker 2:And now time activation.
Speaker 1:That's just amazing.
Speaker 2:I'd be up for that google actually has sleeping pods, something like that.
Speaker 1:Right, they're so cool yeah how do you activate that, though that'd be the a real challenge in simplicity right now with, again, the range of events that you have. These are large-scale events, sometimes intimate events, um thousands of attendees. Sometimes, you know just a small gathering. How do you approach the experience design? So you mentioned earlier, you know just a small gathering. How do you approach the experience design? So you mentioned earlier, you know simplifying things, but when it comes to these goals, or even you know making sure that an event, some of them, will replicate what the previous event you know had. But how do you go about sort of introducing these elements of event design across these different type of events?
Speaker 2:So you know, it comes down to the simplicity again of talking to the client right and also asking the hard questions of what worked and what didn't work last year. Oftentimes we do a debrief in the event prior if we were the ones doing it the years before, in the event prior, if we were the ones doing it the years before, and I always take notes on my end to see like, oh, this work, this went smoothly. This didn't go smoothly, but in terms of trying to create an experience, you know we can we also hold within our own company and within our own peers and our networks, because I have a fairly large network. So we do think tanks, we do brainstorming sessions build off of you know what if you did this? What if you had a bunch of treadmills in a conference instead of chairs, for example? You know how would that work out. Would it be too loud? You know different things like that, so that it's taking everyday little elements that people want to do, especially with health and wellness being at the forefront in a lot of events these days, especially for corporate, and spinning it so that it's doable and making it a walking session where people have headphones on and walking and listening to the keynote instead of just sitting there and staring at the walls or playing with their phones, and we also.
Speaker 2:One of the elements I like to add is nostalgia, also in different events, to create the experience. For example, we did an event a few weeks ago where we use thrifty ice cream I don't know if you're familiar with thrifty ice cream, so it's an LA thing, I guess where back in the day we used to go to the it's like Rite Aid pharmacy pharmacy, but that's the thrifty right now. I mean, it was thrifty, now it's Rite Aid, but you would go and get ice cream from there because that's like the thing to do, and they have these special ice cream scoops. So we scooped ice cream with those original ice cream scoops in seven different flavors and the stories we heard of all the guests and they're like, oh my gosh, haven't had this flavor in years. And so it was like tantalizing the senses, the, the taste, the mind, the heart and those kinds of things where such a small, cheap idea because we didn't have a big budget, it was a fundraiser versus going to like the craft ice cream, whatever. So I'm like you what this could be a hit or miss, because it's ice cream, you know. And it was awesome because I got to hear stories from the 19, whatevers, from like old, old people telling me all these fun stories that their parents used to take them, you know.
Speaker 2:So it really touched home, so it made people experience it in so many different levels that I didn't even expect I was like, oh, it's ice cream, they'll enjoy it, they'll have fun. So many different levels that I didn't even expect I was like, oh, it's ice cream, they'll enjoy it, they'll have fun. But it was one of those things where you know we really I personally, like sit down and walk myself through the event, like I close my eyes and I envision everything, to say like, okay, I'm going to walk in, you know what's going to happen and all the details. So it's really immersing yourself in what the experience, you want to happen, or at least the feelings.
Speaker 2:So you kind of build again and it's pretty simple. It goes back to the same things of talking to the client and also presenting them with ideas that will be out of the box and will challenge them to think about. Like, oh, you know, we, we can't do that, that's too scary. What if this reaction happens? What if that reaction happens. But that's the only way you learn about the comfort level of a client and the risks they're willing to take, and then you kind of just communicate as much as you can so that you get to a product that everybody is happy with.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you bring up two, I think, meshing points with that which you mentioned earlier of just how much risk can they tolerate, right, but also there's risk from you, right, as a producer and as a team, to also try stuff.
Speaker 1:Like you said, the ice cream thing may or may not work. It's ice cream, who knows, Maybe it's health and wellness, maybe with. Whatever the situation is, you have to take those risks. And then the most important part is like that third component that brings it together in in how to move forward, which is you do those debriefs right. You look at what that risk was and you reassess what worked. And so it's this sort of dance, like most things worth doing. It requires a bit of tension and it requires you having the courage, hopefully having clients that will share that courage with you. But even if they don't, you, you know, as a, as a producer, also taking note of you know, sometimes you take a risk and they don't work. And that's sort of you know the cliche of trying and regardless if you fail, you still win something, as long as you sort of assess it and debrief right.
Speaker 2:Absolutely you. What's the worst that's going to happen? They're going to say, no, we don't like the idea. Okay, so what is it that you don't like? And you know I'm here for working for them, trying to create an experience that they envision. So sometimes they do want to play it safe, maybe because the prior year, when they had somebody else, it didn't go so well. So now they're like okay, let's get back to our roots. That's always an option and sometimes always the better thing, because as we try to get like more creative and do different things, sometimes if it gets too far away from the message or too far away from the root, it's so much better and more impactful to come back and say, okay, let's start from ground zero and see where we're at.
Speaker 2:Why are we doing this? You know, and I think nowadays, especially with the diverse crowds, that we get the intentionality of. You know, everybody doesn't like loud music, for example, you know. So maybe have some quiet spaces for some people who can listen to certain things with headphones versus being in the room. You know, to be more impactful impactful especially if it's a fundraiser, for example. Sometimes you know our clients want to be involved in the planning as well as the fundraising. So I also draw clear lines on what is expected of who so that you're, if you're, the CEO of the company, spend money talking to your guests so that they spend money on you. Excuse me, versus, like worrying about oh, is it catering out whatever? Like that's what we're here for to make sure the logistics, everything goes smoothly and you take care of your people so that they support you. So it's very much a collaboration, even though we're hired as planners to execute and produce these events.
Speaker 2:But it's so important to listen and understand, because each person, each organization is unique, as well as each person you're dealing with. Like every year, when we deal with different board members, different managers or whoever is responsible for different departments in the same company could be so different. The dialogue, the communication. We try to take the time up front to have these long meetings where they might not want to have them at times, because it could be so different. The dialogue, the communication. We try to take the time up front to have these long meetings where they might not want to have them at times because it's another meeting, yes, but if we don't do this, then the communication is going to go.
Speaker 2:I don't want to assume things as I'm planning and trying to figure things out. I would rather know oh, I spoke to them and you know it's like UCLA is blue and gold, usc is burgundy and gold. Like you can't mix the colors. You know what I'm saying. So it's just really important to have those long, difficult discussions in the front end so that when we're done, it's like wow, you actually listen to what I'm saying, like that's what we're here for.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it takes almost a leveled up, I think, empathetic experience, right.
Speaker 1:So oftentimes we get into this space because we are, or we're even good at it, because of that empathetic nature, right, being able to, as you said, visualize what is the experience that XYZ person or the audience as a whole, or your, you know, average guest is going to have.
Speaker 1:And those are different experiences. Sometimes, maybe, in certain areas, they're the same experience for all stakeholders. Every different stakeholders sometimes have different experiences and so you, the team, having that sort of ability to empathize and to put themselves in their shoe is one part and, as you mentioned, the other part of that, like the lever up, I would say, is like, then, also knowing what this, the being empathetic to the goal, right, so being empathetic to maybe the company's mission or the organization's mission, or this project's mission, and those are these little nuances that I think comes from that experience, right, and it all ties to some aspect in terms of that's the idea, that's the philosophy, but then the operation of that, the execution of that, is, as you said, it comes from, sometimes folks not really knowing what it is they want, but still, you know, you having that ear, you having that, that empathy, caring enough to I understand, but again they hire you as a pro. Even if it's a collaboration, there's also different levels of how much they'll collaborate.
Speaker 1:Some people do want to be hands-on. Some people can't help but be hands-on, even though it's not even good for everybody oftentimes. And so it's having that sort of again art and dance of like knowing, okay, this is how involved they want to be, this is how involved they don't want to be. What we need them to be, and regardless of what that meshes to, as you said, we're there for servicing them. We're here to alleviate, hopefully, some of that bandwidth, some of that stress deliver a great experience.
Speaker 1:But then you also have to sometimes give them like we've quoted it before on here that Henry Ford quote. People would be asked what they wanted. They'd say a faster buggy or a faster horse. And sometimes you have to be the professional that says you know in certain ways, maybe not exactly, maybe verbatim, you don't know what you want. But you know in certain ways, maybe not exactly, maybe verbatim. You don't know what you want. But here you hired me for that and I'm listening. We're gonna get to the end goal regardless, right?
Speaker 2:100. I'm very direct when it comes. There are. There are different levels at which, uh, the song and dance goes right, because the song always comes to an end or somebody falls, and so our job is to make sure nobody falls. But if I have to make someone fall in a nice dance dancing way, that doesn't make sense. But anyways, what I'm saying is they there's a level at which we have to have boundaries as well, because I know people mean well and they're so, depending on the job and depending on the client and the project, they may be used to doing so many things where they're not sure how to delegate certain tasks and over the years, that's why it has become so critical to really draw the line of column A is me, column B is you.
Speaker 2:This is what worked last year, this is what didn't work. You know, if you need volunteers for registration, or are we going to pay someone to manage registration if we have a large event? So these are the things where people don't realize that it's okay to admit that we dropped the ball here and we did good here. You know, even for my own personal events, like when I do a debriefing with the clients, I'm always observing as I'm there, I'm always there. I never leave the floor and it's like, okay, this is what we're doing, great, this is what's not working. So if I could prevent a fire on the spot, I will obviously do it, but at the same time, it's a note immediately where, okay, this is why it didn't go well, this is what we could have done If it's a complicated scenario.
Speaker 2:We do test runs, we practice, we make sure my staff is aware of what's going on, why we're doing certain things the way that we're doing.
Speaker 2:And, yeah, it's really a partnership, no matter what the size of the project is, because we want to make sure that our clients look good, we want to make sure that the guests have a wonderful experience and we want to make sure that the following year, whether we are the planners or not, the participants want to come back and enjoy whatever it is that we're doing.
Speaker 2:I live by the philosophy of always leave somebody better than you found them, so I always try to educate more so sometimes if they even if they don't want and they don't know that they need this information, but it has happened a lot where, oh, happy, you told me this, because now I know, you know, this is what I need to look for, and also, with all of that, having professional and strong vendors to make sure that everything goes hand in hand and that dance is done professionally, so it's not like a pop up dance, it's really orchestrated while everybody is working hand in hand. I can't stress enough how important it is to have qualified, experienced vendors who know what they're doing and are able to think on their feet and get things done without showing that there's something wrong, which doesn't happen often.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, um, showing that there's something wrong, which doesn't happen often.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, it's again, like you mentioned that that is a dance and it's part of this creative process, almost sort of I think our brain works as producers or, like you know, high level executioners as we.
Speaker 1:We know there is this sort of art to it, the sort of human, again, more artistic element, but it's requiring this sort of right brain like type A about certain things and very analytical sort of the project management versus the creative brain, mesh right, and that sort of builds within the people that you're working with as vendors and within the conversation you're having with the clients or even with some of these strict boundaries, like you can have the most beautiful idea.
Speaker 1:But if you're working with as vendors and within the conversation you're having with the clients or even with some of these strict boundaries, like you can have the most beautiful idea. But if you're also not giving everybody whether it's a client or you know other stakeholders or vendors their specific role, that's where ambiguity and more unnecessary risk comes in. So I love that you mentioned that idea of not just on the client side but on your vendor side, on your team side, being clear about what is expected of who and why, and having that communication as a leader right, like that empathy, I'm sure you know doesn't just stop at your people or at the guest and at the client, but it extends to your people to be able to properly lead. All these components that you know no one person can do on their own.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely, you know it's. I actually hear it a lot from smaller vendors that they're going to an event, they're hired for it and they don't know. You know where they're going, what they're doing. I'm like, well, get the information. You know. This is something that, as as a planner at least the planners that I know that I've worked with like we make sure that the important, the vendors that are crucial to the timeline, have the timeline. You know, they know where parking is, they know what to dress. You know you're not allowed to smoke and drink on the clock with me. Like there's these types of things where people sometimes assume people know I'm like no, they don't, because one planner might be okay with people showing up in jeans and a t shirt and another one will be like, yeah, that's just not going to fly, go home and change, like and that's me. But you have to, you know, because whoever I hire is going to make me look good and vice versa. You know, and all of working at a certain level and really trying to level up, level up, level up and just provide a better service and experience for my client. This is the most important thing for me, so that if a client goes to a vendor and ask them a question. It's not a I don't know. It's either a let me find out or this is what the answer is, you know. So it's these little things that I think COVID kind of took away the service aspect of it, and that's why it's like even more important for me now.
Speaker 2:Um, because in as we started, now that events are back for the most part, uh, as it was coming back, I was like why is, you know, this element missing? What am I missing here? Why are we not like wanting to work with people? And you know, especially in our world, like there's negotiations, there's contracts, there's this, there's that. You can't just say here it is one and done. Like there's a dialogue that needs to happen.
Speaker 2:If I got it wrong, I need to know why I got it wrong. You know those kinds of things, and that's why the leveling up and the service is so important and that, I think, gives the client a certain level of comfort to know that if I hire you, I can tell you what I want good or bad and you're not going to take it personally. You're going to make the best decision for what we are trying to accomplish, whether it's a social you know it could be a birthday celebration for 40th birthday and it's the same routine in a way, right, obviously like it's a different, it's a party or whatever, but it's the same concept of listening and understanding so that we can make the experience a positive one yeah, no, it's so true and you, you alluded to something as well that there was certain conversations around like, especially after covid, like is it?
Speaker 1:Or, you know, is this kind of like been a pattern recently? Like, do people just not care? Or and it's funny because, again, sometimes, like a lot of things, there's overcorrection, right, for example, in the industry, within corporate events specifically, especially larger organizations or your, your, you know, big advertisement agencies, there was a lot of toxicity, sometimes from both sides, and so it was the producers and the agencies who could set good boundaries that would protect teams, right, and sort of have a little bit more of just dignity and respect, right, and so for a long time that was a very low bar to where, if you were a producer or somebody who just did great work but also, like, did not stand for undignified treatment, that was like wow. And then again things happen COVID happened, black Lives Matter happened, all these things that were important and, you know, things we couldn't control, but they put the needle on things and again, we tend to sometimes overcorrect in either direction.
Speaker 1:It's just I guess the way we as humans work, but even as say, something, as you said, is basic dress code, not smoking.
Speaker 1:Well, sometimes, like the bar, whether it's been moved or not, is sort of having that consistency.
Speaker 1:That, again, it's sometimes a low bar, that if you just maintain that consistency as a regardless, not any rigidity of just you know you're being a hard ass or you're doing it this way just because, like no, because there's a reason for it, there is going to be an effect to, like you said, making the client look good, making the event a success, whether or not you are going to be, I think, involved with it. And that definitely makes sort of the mantra true of leaving something better. Right, it's not a selfish reason. Yes, you want to do it to improve the, the legacy or the, the quality or the reputation of the company and yourself. But you're really, I think, drawing on that sort of care again to just give people what is basically right, dignity and respect, but also to just be consistent with things that have a larger why that again, sometimes we have to be really clear about, sort of, when that line is being either over crossed or under delivered on, and that sort of consistency sometimes is enough to really add value right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. In the beginning I didn't, I wasn't so strict about certain things, but then you know, obviously something has to happen for a change to occur. That's just the way that the world goes. But as as you grow as a business owner and see how you can improve, what can you do better, what you like, what you don't like, what matters to me, what irks me. So the no smoking thing, for example, happened when I had to talk to one of my staff to get something for a client and he had just come off a smoke break and it was disgusting to me to smell the cigarette. And now he's going to deliver food to the client Like that's just, it's not going to happen ever again. It was awful and maybe a smoker might think differently, right, because oh, they're used to it.
Speaker 2:But nowadays, with health and fitness being at the forefront and we know so much more about how damaging it is to ourselves let alone, we have to have like a smoking section and all these type of things if it's required. I just feel like it's not a priority enough to be permitted on an event site because it is not a norm. That's not the right word, that's not like common behavior, I guess nowadays, since there's especially in Los Angeles, because you can't smoke in restaurants, you can't there everywhere, to know, obviously, if it's a private house, private event, then I don't really have much say, and if the clients or the guests smoke, but it's just standard practice of like this is the uniform we wear. This is why we have a no smoking policy. If you absolutely have to smoke, then you need to let me know and you need to be gone for 30 minutes, take your break, put perfume on or whatever, and come back, like if it's that serious and I've established enough of a relationship with my staff so that they feel comfortable to like kind of be upfront, like hey, I don't have a problem, or whatever. Like I just need to have a cigarette, okay, smoke before, smoke after. If you have to take it on your break, fine. Like I can't be. You know, uh, super, super hard. But I am, for the most part, like I really don't care if you smoke, like I just don't want it on property. You know, and it's because of, uh, the feedback that I've gotten from clients in the past and how I feel when I smell it. You know, and I know we're talking about cigarettes, but it's across the board for a lot of service and I had literally have a contract that my staff signs with me saying these are the expected rules. This is what you have to do, and I take the time and I edit it depending on what I've learned from my meetings with the client.
Speaker 2:Because if we're in a private home, if it's a you know a corporate event for all the C-suite execs, there's a different level of service we're going to provide. There's a different way we speak to the guests, there's a different way we present ourselves. And then if it's a picnic, that's a whole other, you know. Then you can wear jeans and sneakers. That's fine, like other, you know. Then you can wear jeans and sneakers. That's fine, like, so it's.
Speaker 2:Although we try to assume people know basic mannerisms, they still don't and I always approach it, you know, as you may know this. You may not know this, but I'm going to tell you anyway, because next time you work with me, you know that she doesn't like this, and that's always happens and people get surprised that, oh, you tell, tell your staff to not smoke and not drink. Um, yeah, because this is the way it is, like you're working for me and we have to present ourselves in a better way. We're not going to get better by letting everything slide. You know, and I'm always laughing, having fun, you know, even though there are serious moments. But like you know what we were talking about boundaries earlier. It's like I'm laughing, I'm having fun doesn't mean that I'm not watching and I'm not paying attention to what's happening, so there's like a good balance again song and dance with the staff as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're setting a standard. Now, again, this is all dealing with humans, dealing with the world, and obviously we humans, right. So we draw inspiration from that world, from our world, from our experiences. So what, uh, maybe are some examples of how drawing inspiration or from your experiences have influenced the creation of memorable events for clients the inspiration of memorable event.
Speaker 2:Oh, so many things that inspire me. It could be nature, it can be just colors. It really depends on what we're trying to go for in an event. As I was mentioning earlier, the nostalgia you always will win with that. If, depending on the event, demographic is a bunch of hippies and you do a hippie themed event and put a lot of effort into the nostalgia, you know that's totally going to make people just feel happy.
Speaker 2:We did an event it was a prom, the 1980s prom themed event for one of my clients for a 40th birthday party years ago. It was a halloween costume party. In the prom theme, for example, we had the old school movie size candy, we had popcorn, you know. We had the music. We had the balloon arch Like your total, you know, high school prom Totally and the people in this particular group. They really went all out on their costumes. So we had like from the Titanic characters to like elvira, to you name it, and full out costumes, right. So it was a really cool mashup and people just went all out and it was a simple decor, wise, you know. We had balloons as centerpieces, like little things like that where you don't necessarily have to spend the big bucks to create the impact. And the inspiration was because the client she was born in the 80s. She just remembers having such a great time at prom. Her husband is a kind of celeb, so we meshed the Hollywood, the prom, the Halloween all together and it was awesome. So the inspiration also comes through the client as well, right, so it could be like we did an event.
Speaker 2:One of the clients was afraid of heights. It was like a corporate event, so we had these executives, we had their assistance, whatnot. We went to like an adult camp where it was like obstacle course, you know, to conquer the fear of heights, and it was like a team building thing. It was really cool. So we did different things and it kind of always falls back to having the dialogue with the client. And then, as I'm talking, my brain is already working of knowing like, oh, this can work, this can work. And then you know I could pick up inspiration from Lake Tahoe, from anywhere.
Speaker 2:You know it really it's taking the time to understand so that you can be inspired by different things, because each event is so different. It could be a simple meeting, but you know it could be just adding one little element that just changes. Like we did a big corporate event, a safety training, where usually they do it in like a hotel ballroom or whatever. But we took it outside, we put it in a park, we put the canopies, whatnot, we did it outside, the bunch of construction workers, they were in their element. It was a nice day. They enjoyed it so much better. We started at 6 am. We didn't start at 9 am, you know, because these guys are done by one o'clock. So it's just kind of thinking outside the box and just making a little switch and you never know what's going to happen from it. And that's the fun part of doing these corporate and social things is where small tweaks can just create really big impacts.
Speaker 1:So true. Now, as someone who believes in the importance of exclusivity and event planning, how do you ensure that Planet LA's events are welcoming and accessible to all attendees, regardless of background, and why is that so important to you?
Speaker 2:So one of the things that I always live by is everyone is welcome at my table. I don't care who you are, where you come from, you're welcome at my table. There's no judgment. I've always said that, that, and when it comes to my events again, I know I keep repeating myself, but it's talking to the client finding out if it's a corporate event, for example, is learning about who who's attending this event. Is it a um? Is it a non-profit organization that caters to people on wheelchairs? Is it a nonprofit? That you know, whatever it may be, is to understand who we're serving If we're servicing certain people with disabilities, if we're servicing certain people with different interests. It's learning, educating, being inspired by actually talking to those communities so that we don't take a misstep, so that we present our ideas to the people that actually live in this day to day. There are certain things I relate to, definitely, but when people judge me by my looks it's blonde hair, blue eyes, american versus they don't realize I'm Armenian, I have multicultural background, I know a lot of different things, but we are quick to scan the book cover right, not necessarily judging, but it's just scanning and trying to get an understanding without asking the questions. And that's where learning about the diversity of our communities is where I've learned so much, especially nowadays with the whole neurodivergent community and learning about the way people absorb information and the way they you know, if somebody has ADD or whatever, they're not going to be comfortable only sitting and listening to someone. They might need to move around. That's why I was mentioning earlier, like putting you know treadmills in the room or putting making it a walking session. You know doing the events outside. It's these kinds of things where you know, I'm sure you know, when you go to conferences, most of the time the chairs are in a straight line. You're staring at the stage, some guys talking to you. It might be interesting, might not be, but why not make it a roundtable? Why not turn the chairs around? You know, or implement different types of technology in it. You know now, with AI, make it fun, make it interactive, have AI be your host. Who knows? Like there's so many different things that we can do. I think it's so exciting because people want something different. They're tired of oh, another conference Like. I was actually reading an article about how attendees are now not registering so quickly or with long lead times to get go to conferences and they're registering, like with shorter and shorter lead time. So, as a planner, that's like serious anxiety causing. You know how do we get our attendee numbers, the budget, all these kinds of things. So how do you tantalize and how do you include a variety of people so that we are accommodating those that have learning disorders, those have, you know, disabilities, whatever the case may be, because it's common knowledge to be ADA compliant, like all the venues, everything. That's the basic. So now, with the adding the neurodivergent type of community, and then you can layer as deep as you want. It not only creates certain challenges, but it also creates so many opportunities where one style of learning can also benefit other people that think that they don't want to, let's say, walk and talk or whatever, because you know there's also the whole.
Speaker 2:Like sitting in a room with a bunch of strangers that you don't know. So how do you like take that stress off? Like sitting in a room with a bunch of strangers that you don't know. So how do you like take that stress off? You know, yes, name badges, or have a question on a pin and say, hey, like I like ice cream, or I like thrifty ice cream, right, like what's thrifty ice cream. Like you start talking to people about a random topic versus only focusing on oh, I'm in a conference with randoms and I don't know anybody, so I always try to be open minded about what else can we do to make it fun for everyone? Because it sounds like a commercial. But, yeah, like you got to be diverse in your thinking as well as your representation, as well as your approach to the world, because you know, give it like it or not, in california I'm not sure where you're based, but uh, there's so many flavors that everyone has to enjoy.
Speaker 1:You know different touches of different things yeah, no, it's beautiful and it's again, if we're talking about the goal, you're trying to impact as many people. To assume that people are the same is not the most respectful thing, right, but also you are doing a service not just to the audience but to yourself, to have that sort of divergent lens which again will help more people really internalize what the whole goal or what the whole message is of an event. Right, right Now, event planning often requires balancing the creativity and logistical elements, as we were talking about earlier, the sort of like left-right brain maybe in some aspects. But how do you manage the intricate details of event design but also deliver sort of on the execution and balance, maybe sometimes innovation with things as we talked about safety? How do you play within those two creative and analytical worlds?
Speaker 2:So there's always the big picture of where we want to go, what we want to do, what we want to see right, and then we usually reverse engineer that. So if it's like different elements, we try to break it down to see, like what is going to be needed for this and for that, depending on the venue we're at. There's always going to be some challenges If we're trying to do something with high risk. There's the getting the permits, all the real logistical stuff where, if you don't know, you've got to know type of a scenario because you know the fire marshal might come in and be like what are you doing? And then something else might happen, you know. So these are all the things where, um, working with professional vendors who, like, know what they're doing, have experienced this, can get it. Get to the right people at the right time in an efficient manner is very important.
Speaker 2:As a planner, because I have worked in almost all areas of the industry, like you, put me in a room I already know what challenges I'm going to have, what I'm going to be able to do, most likely what I'm going to need, and then also including partners like an AV team, the production team, whatever we may need working together and really asking questions and getting an understanding. I'm the kind of person that needs to know the big picture. What is it that we're trying to do? Why are you telling me we need to spend $100,000 on this? I need to understand what it entails so that if there is an opportunity where I see maybe we can do it this way because I'm'm really practical and I have a lot of experience and you know, trying to find creative solution to complicated problems so when I understand it, sometimes people are so used to doing things one way, where one different set of eyes come in it's like oh, you could do it like this, you know, or a zip tie will just fix this problem. You don't need a bungee cord, whatever the case may be. So it's really teamwork and working with trusted people to make sure that when you deconstruct the big grand vision especially if it's a big project where you're constructing actual structures and there's a lot of risk in everything has to go right a lot of risk in everything has to go right If you're not working with people that are calculating these things, drawing it out, showing you the blueprints of what it is that we're designing, there's a lot of risk and you know you, you got to calculate it. You can't just be like, oh, I'm just gonna, you know, hang clowns off the ceiling and not worry about their safety. Like it doesn't work that way. I mean, I've seen people try to take crazy risks like that and I'm like, yeah it's, you just can't do that.
Speaker 2:And over the years, people vendors have gotten much better about communicating these things as well, which I really appreciate, because sometimes, if I'm not the entertainment agency, for example, I don't know exactly what is needed. So I do expect the vendors to tell me, hey, we need this, this, this, this, this Cool. That makes my life easier. And it's the same with me to the vendors is communicating. These are the obstacles we have in the venue, like do you need to come see the venue? All those kinds of things.
Speaker 2:So it's a very. On one hand, it's very detailed task list of you know A to Z times 100 different little tasks that we have to do. On the other hand, it's understanding the big picture and everybody being in the same page to know this is the overall vision we have Now who's going to do what and who is responsible for what, but always depending on the project, just making sure that's my job is making sure everybody is in line, Everyone is meeting their deadlines. And you know, if there are any challenges like, for example, one time we did an event we had to order these custom-made trees that were LED trees from China and they came like three days before the event. So it was kind of high stress to you know, we knew that they were on the containers, they were being moved, but we didn't have them in our hands and we had to build them.
Speaker 2:So it's these kinds of things where we try to act earlier so that things that are out of our control give us time to have a plan B. But at the same time, you know you take little risks here and there and you're like, okay, this doesn't work out, we have this, you know. So you just have to always cross your t's, dot your i's and you know, do that like five times and make sure, um, anything is possible and at the end of the day really, our jobs the kitchen could be on fire. You won't know if you're my client, I'll be smiling, I'm good, you know kitchen is on fire, but you'll never know. And that's the comment that I always get from people is how are you so calm? I'm like, because that's my job, to be calm and make sure that you don't know the kitchen is burning.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's part of the job, that the show goes on.
Speaker 1:So, I'm going to run it back sort of what stood out for me and then let me know if you'd want to add anything. So, starting there at the end, I think what I heard was I think a great takeaway is being able to be creative and efficient requires having a contributing team, partners that are aligned, which is cross communication. That's important, but also it sounds like just in our personal life. Just like in our personal lives, if we leave a creative space, if we are too full to the brim, then you know we don't have the agility to manage, as naturally, especially in our world of events, things are going to go wrong, things are going to need adjusting. You need that bandwidth, both in support as well as just in cognitive and creative room, to be able to create so sort of balancing the team and the communication element to be both analytical and creative.
Speaker 1:The next thing that stood out for me is the power of not assuming right.
Speaker 1:So if you don't assume who or what people are, what they need, you really have this sort of depth to the experience, which I think is a great reminder, and then also placing yourself in this empathetic shoes of the client being part of that superpower. Next, I sort of picked up the power of the debrief, so being able to both look back and look forward on how to produce something better, but also take feedback on what did and didn't work and where we started off was just the power of simplicity, but within your prioritizing giving a service right. So at a macro level, if you can simplify the fact that you're there to solve problems. Service right. So at a macro level, if you can simplify the fact that you're there to solve problems, there to make somebody's life easier, that's a great fundamental to sort of check back in with. But also in more complex stuff or in creating design or idea, simplicity always being this really powerful component. Anything else that you might want to add to, you know, takeaways not in particular.
Speaker 2:Um, I think what I would add is uh, nowadays, because we are so overrun with information and stimulus for every little thing you do, it's like oh gosh, they're coming at you in 50 different ways, slowing it down and experiencing whatever it is that you're trying to do for the client and immersing them in that experience. I always think about like back when waterbeds were a thing, like the first time. I'll never forget that I actually tried this waterbed. I was like what is this? You're like swimming, but you're not swimming, you're not getting wet, you're floating. It's like this whole weird experience. But I think I was like 10 years old or something when I tried it out, and I'm older, much older. So, like it does, I don't forget that because that really weird feeling is what has lasted all these years. I never bought one because I thought it was weird, but you know it's.
Speaker 2:How do you impact the senses so that people will remember that and say, oh, because you know, when you go to an event, nobody looks at the floor and says, oh, the floor is white or the carpet is pretty right. I mean, I look at it, but that's me, because that's my job, but for the most part. If you're feeding them well, if it but that's me because that's my job. But for the most part, if you're feeding them well, if you're making them feel happy with music or experience or sound or whatnot, and they're feeling welcomed, you will win. It's you, you know. They say like get to the stomach and everything else will, you know, fall into place. And it's true. I really firmly believe it. When no one says, oh, I saw that pretty flower, they're going to say I ate that burger or whatever, fill in the blank that you really love, that they enjoy. It's because you're, when you bite into something, you're being sensitive. Your, your taste, your smell, the touch, everything it's an experience.
Speaker 2:So, even if it's painting something or walking through an art, a piece of artwork, that's immersive, you know, like the yayoi kusama exhibits, right, and you know the little polka dot, uh, the artwork that she has, she has the infinity mirror room, those kinds of things. You let people savor that moment and indulge in that moment. Don't just like push them through. Take the time to let them experience, take the steps. You know there has been times when I've had to tell my guests slow down, enjoy it, walk the steps, walk the walk so that, oh, thanks for telling me to slow down. I saw so many things like that's what it is Like, instead of like speeding it up, as everyone wants to do, because everybody wants everything.
Speaker 2:Now, when're creating something, just engineer it, slow it down, make them. You know. I mean, we can't take away people's cell phones, but I went to the madonna concert. We had to put our cell phones in a bag and lock it up. It was the weirdest thing, because you're not, you don't you have any proof that you're in the concert. So it's. It's one of those things where taking away from what is mainstream and slowing it down, I guess, would be my easiest way to to say it, because you're going against the grain of what we're used to. But then at the end, when people feel rewarded from it, they're like oh, that was cool. Like was cool, like I didn't expect that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love that. That's a great point with when they zig you zag. Right, there's an element of that, but also just the world that we live in today. Slowing down is powerful. I appreciate it. Hasmik, this has been awesome. Where can people learn more about you? Follow your journey, get in touch.
Speaker 2:I'm on Instagram at Planet LA P-L-A-N-I-T-L-A. I'm on LinkedIn under Hasmik Boyajian, or my Planet LA, and yeah, I have my website as well, planetlacom, or you can call me. We're here, we're ready to work and create some fun events for y'alls.
Speaker 1:Yes, I'm excited. Well, thank you so much again, looking forward to our next convo.