We all know that August is traditionally peak holiday season and the most popular month to get away, switch off and make the most of quality time with friends and family. Here at CHS, our team absolutely relishes this time of year. As our industry is forced to take a natural break during August, it allows us the time to stop, take stock and reflect on where we are. With 8 months of the year underway, the summer provides us with an opportunity to look back at our events to date and look ahead to the new year – a little like resolution setting in January but with a bit of a head start! Our team have been busy behind the scenes planning our autumn series of events where the theme will be ‘The Growth Show – Personal and Professional’ and so we thought it would be good to share what we all have planned throughout August, in order to help us prepare for a super busy season of events ahead!
For Julie Philips, our Chief Operating Officer, August is all about making the most of some R&R; from a family holiday in Wales to catching up with friends over good food and enjoying quality time with her four-legged friends, her main aim is to re-charge those batteries ahead of a super busy autumn of live events! Professionally, she’ll be de-cluttering her home office, feeding her obsession of buying new stationary and ensuring that all the processes are in place, ready for the new starters so they have the best and most positive welcome when they join the team in September.
Similarly to Julie, Lou Hindley, our Commercial Director has never been one for a spring clean but instead prefers to do this over the summer – she’ll be found sorting cupboards, donating clothes to charity and generally clearing the decks to prepare for the busy autumn period ahead. You’ll also catch her at Camper Calling at Ragley Hall, Warwickshire towards the end of August where (in her words!) middle aged people get to let their hair down, drink too much Rose, hug friends and relive their youth to the sounds of the 80’s, 90’s and 00’s which sounds like a whole lot of fun! For Lou, September is always about planning for 2023 and beyond so she’s excited to get back out to see clients, old and new to discuss their plans and needs for the following year.
Our CEO, Emma Cartmell is also focussing on her own wellbeing and re-connecting with herself this summer through practising Yin Yoga, de-cluttering, oil pulling, journalling, reading and enjoying long walks along the beach. She’s also taken to smudging (an ancient ceremony which involves burning white sage and other medicinal herbs to let go of any negativity, forcing a natural stop and slow down process to become more mindful and centered). On a professional level, the summer is all about creativity and strategic planning for Emma, allowing her to be prepared and ready to go full steam ahead in the autumn. By slowing down personally, she feels that her brain has the time to rest, re-set and the space for new ideas can flourish.
For Michelle, our Event Director, she will also be joining Julie and Lou with a productive summer clean, all ready for autumn which just happens to be her favourite season, both personally and professionally! She’ll be spending time with family, friends and enjoying sunny evening walks with her furry sidekick, Titan before heading off to her second home, Zakynthos in sunny Greece where her days will consist of productive mornings working on her balcony, followed by some downtime by the pool and catching up with old friends. Professionally, August enables Michelle to get an early start on her September to-do list and complete as much of the pre-event preparation that is essential for CHS Birmingham and the IVR (Independent Venue Roadshow) series before the exhibitors return in September armed with lots of queries and questions! It’s also an opportune time for her to carry out site visits for future events as generally venue sales offices are a little quieter in August.
For our Sales Director, Clair Whitecross, life is literally a beach for her in August as she gets to spend it in France, her happy place. From catching the sunrise to paddle boarding, canoeing and cycling – she’s focussed on stopping that clock and making memories; in fact, it’s the only time in the year she doesn’t wear a watch so she really can switch off and make the most of precious time with her family. On a professional level, Clair is looking ahead to our calendar of events and will be busy discussing budgets and exciting opportunities with new and existing customers.
The general theme amongst our team is that we all tend to experience a renewed sense of enthusiasm after a summer break with September naturally feeling like the ideal time to embrace new challenges, discover new opportunities and set new goals. Our autumn series of events are designed to support this natural re-set; by creating events that people want to be part of, we bring hotels and venues together with UK event professionals, offering a fun and relaxed environment in which to make new connections.
Starting in September at the stunning Rudding Park in Harrogate, we have three dates scheduled in our IVR Series (Independent Venue Roadshow) at three inspirational venues across the UK that will enable venues, suppliers and event planners to plan ahead and fill their little black book full of fabulous contacts. Following this will be CHS Birmingham 2022 in November which will be focussed around our theme of personal and professional growth and will offer the opportunity to meet world-class exhibitors, make electric connections and learn from the best in the business.
If you would like to learn more about our forthcoming events, please head to our website – www.chs-events.com and in the meantime, from our team to yours, we wish you all a restful and recuperative summer, whatever that means for you!