Alex:  What personality traits do you think it takes to be successful in your job?

 
Kori:  Being bossy, neurotic (in a good way), organized, and able to communicate and to write effectively are necessities, as is being a quick thinker who can manage clients through a process smoothly and with candor, versus just saying what they want to hear. If a client has a bad event idea, I definitely speak up because ultimately I am responsible for the outcome of that choice.

 
Alex:  What skills are critical to your success in your job? 

 
Kori:  Being proactive, not reactive, and anticipating your client’s needs. For a clam bake for 1,200 people on a Pier at the Navy Yard the weather forecast called for rain, so I had 1,200 rain ponchos delivered overnight -- guests thought they were wonderful, and no one even noticed the rain. Multi tasking, thinking outside the box, and remembering that there is “no crying in event planning” are crucial.  Sales skills are also important because in essence you are selling a client a vision of what the event will look like. A job has to be sold before it may be created, finessed, brought to fruition.

 
Alex:  Anything else cool about your job or career path you’d care to share?

 
Kori:  It’s a little industry joke that everyone thinks they’d like to be an event planner – the truth is, nobody fresh to the profession knows what that really means. What it doesn’t mean is attending wonderful parties, mingling among VIPs, and dining on caviar belinis while looking flawless. What it does mean is long, grueling hours (usually on weekends), working tirelessly behind the scenes to make an event happen while you watch your client receive accolades and praise for the successful event. Don’t get me wrong-- I love my job, but it is not for everybody!

 
Thanks, Kori!