A Day in the life with Laura, our senior account manager
Laura joined our team with prior experience on corporate accounts such as Deloitte and Goldman Sachs. She previously worked on international events and entire event programmes which has given her really varied event knowledge perfect for The Collection. She loves exploring and finding new venues and once worked on a cruise ship so is happy when on the move!
Off to a fun start.
A typical day starts with a morning meeting at a venue. “We find that meetings first thing work so well – before London gets too busy. We tend to either meet clients or head to see a new venue. This morning I am seeing the Science Museum in South Kensington. I love this space as it’s just so flexible and has a huge IMAX theatre which is great for conferences especially as the sound and screen are incredible. They also have so many great spaces for receptions or dinner afterwards. I just love the flexibility of the space as it works for so many different types of events. I also think it’s very cool to privately hire one of London’s museums and be there once the public have gone home!”
The team find that they’re adding new venues to the portfolio every week which is exciting. “I love the diversity of the venues we represent and being able to have great options for our clients. The variety of spaces available in London is amazing and we adore exploring and finding the perfect spaces.”
The conference expert
Laura is the conference and exhibitions expert within the team and admits that she really likes a business event. “I really enjoy working on the events briefs that have a strong business objective. I think sometimes people wonder why I don’t want to focus more on parties but I love the area I specialise in. A conference is no longer a stuffy meeting in a grey venue with a few dry custard creams in the middle of the table! We have so many inspiring spaces that are the perfect backdrop for exciting conversations.”
The brief
At The Collection Events we find that clients will come to us with a set brief in mind but finding the venue that matches is where we can help. “I really enjoy chatting to clients and understanding what they are trying to achieve from the day. What are the key objectives and what are they like as a business? How do they want the day to feel? These are all questions I ask before I present the venues I think will work well. I get such a buzz when I find them the perfect space.”
The whole country is our oyster
The Collection don’t just represent venues within London – they go as far as Scotland and for good reason. “Some of the out of London venues are just amazing. I think sometimes that escaping the city can have a really positive impact on business conversations. Never underestimate the power of some fresh air and a bit of greenery!”
Back to the office
Following morning venue visits the office calls. “We have a really modern office based near Smithfields. It’s got a great buzz to it and it’s nice to catch up with our business partners such as Portico, Benugo and BaxterStorey. Quite often though I have my head down sending venues to our clients. We have an onsite coffee academy which is a great perk especially in the mornings!”
Out and about
The afternoon is often spent offsite, whether it’s meeting clients or seeing more venues. The Collection team know that their venue knowledge is key and so exploring the city for new spaces is a full-time job. “I am heading out this afternoon to show a client a new venue space. They wanted a quirky, unusual venue for their event and so I am showing them a few of our Hackney spaces. We definitely don’t just suggest the same venues to clients, we really listen to what they need and then send ideas across. As a result I love the diversity of the venues we work within.’
Finishing with a toast
Following successful site visits the day moves onto drinks with a client. “We are very lucky and have an amazing client list from a whole range of industries. Tonight we are catching up with one of the teams we work with. We were introduced to them by our sister company Portico and we now manage their whole event programme from conferences to parties to dinners. We have recently worked together on a few events and even though we speak regularly nothing beats face to face contact. And it’s always nice if it’s over a glass of wine!” Cheers!
See more about what our team get up to here.