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Make a list of life’s most stressful activities, and moving will appear somewhere near the top. So when our client was tasked with transferring their Memphis headquarters to Atlanta, WM Events was brought on board to welcome leadership to the new digs. The premise sounded good- but keep in mind that this move took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, and hosting 40 guests took a lot more spatial planning than ever before. We also got to flex our newly strengthened hybrid event muscles because anyone unable to attend had the opportunity to participate virtually.
The Plot
The plan was for the client to relay information to the team through presentations and small group sessions during two days on-site. The new team of Executives and Directors were meeting each other for the first time (with a mask on) so a little bit of networking and teambuilding was baked into the run of show. Service Masters needed to get everyone on board and excited about the new location and welcome new team members. Additional meetings for the executive team needed to be arranged. And of course, everyone had to eat!
The Set
While we had a wonderful space to work with, their new office was like a big empty house that had remnants from the previous occupants and none of the possessions of the new owners. There were some chairs, which we arranged in a socially distanced pattern facing the presentation screen. An existing highboy table and stool served as the podium for speakers. We brought in graphics to add a little branding to the walls and windows.
Peeking through offices and meeting rooms, we found one large monitor to use, but we brought in the rest of a full audio-visual package, as well as everything needed for live streaming to the off-site guests. Surprisingly, that package included WiFi because it hadn’t been set up yet!
The Catering
Working with the building caterer for some meals and our friends at Affairs to Remember for others, we planned for a socially distanced outdoor dinner. Our favorite addition was the Mini Mezze Board featuring chef’s assorted cheeses, charcuterie, nuts, fruit, cornichons, and sundry crackers) presented on a personal, wooden cutting board. Each guest was then able to choose an elegant to-go dinner to take home or to the hotel, choosing from Herb Fired Salmon, Champagne Dijon Chicken, a Garden Picnic or Mustard Glazed Beef Tenderloin.
The Run of Show
Our team planned this successful hybrid event in just two weeks. After completing the setup, we managed the flow of the event to keep the presentations on time and coordinate the various elements. We handled some on-site problem solving related to the newness of the space and pop-up requests as the client realized they needed more items- like whiteboards or wine. But we took these expanded requests as a sign that everyone was digging in, communicating with each other, and warming up to the idea of the new headquarters.
