By Aaisha | thestudio
At thestudio, we always look for opportunities to spend time with our clients in venue while their events are live. It gives us the chance to see months of planning come together, check in with our clients face-to-face, and support our venue teams on the ground whenever needed. Recently, I had the opportunity to do exactly that on a trip to Manchester, and it turned into a day filled with teamwork, learning and a few unexpected laughs.
An early start in Manchester
Joined by Daniela, our newest Sales and Event Coordinator, I set off bright and early to visit an exclusive-use client event. The excitement of seeing the event come to life was slightly tempered by a very early start. With a 5am alarm clock and an early train to catch, it certainly wasn’t my favourite part of the day. However, once we arrived in Manchester, the energy of the venue and the chance to finally meet the client in person quickly made the early wake-up worthwhile.
Like we do with all of our events, I’ve spent countless hours working with clients over email, Teams and phone calls, but there is something special about finally meeting face-to-face. Seeing the event in full swing and watching the client’s vision become reality is one of the most rewarding parts of the job. It’s also a great reminder of why building strong relationships is so important within our industry.
Getting stuck in behind the scenes
Of course, client meetings were only part of the day’s agenda. Daniela and I got stuck in alongside the Operations team, helping with lunch service and supporting behind the scenes. Daniela took charge of replenishing the buffet, while I was tasked with transporting food between buffet stations. Simple enough, right?
Unfortunately, that’s where things became slightly more eventful.
While attempting to manoeuvre a trolley carrying a hot chafing dish, I quickly discovered that trolley driving may not be one of my strongest skills. In a moment that could have ended very differently, I nearly dropped the dish before Max, the venue’s Assistant Venue Manager, stepped in and rescued the situation. Thankfully, disaster was avoided, and my colleagues gained some entertaining material at my expense.
Making connections
Beyond the near miss, one of the highlights of the visit was spending time with colleagues we don’t often get to see in person. It was fantastic to catch up with Zainab and finally meet Max face-to-face. Working across different venues means opportunities like these are incredibly valuable. Not only do they strengthen relationships across teams, but they also help us better understand the day-to-day challenges and successes experienced within our venues.
Between the event activity, operational support and client conversations, there was still time for one of the most important discussions of the day: what everyone is planning to wear for thestudio’s upcoming 20th Anniversary celebrations. It’s a topic that’s becoming something of a running conversation across the business and always guarantees a good chat.
More than a day out
Looking back, the day perfectly captured what makes working in events so rewarding. We met a valued client, supported an event in action, spent time with a fantastic venue team and shared plenty of laughs along the way. Early starts aside, it was a brilliant reminder that successful events are built on strong relationships, collaboration and a willingness to roll up your sleeves and get involved.
