Esteemed Magazines July-Aug 2015 | Page 5

you had already paid for the 4 trucks in advance? Success of the event will majorly rely on selling the available event space and ensuring payments are done on time. Resilience: is a great value that allows one to make enough cold calls (both on phone and physically) and not get bogged down with hearing no. Operations & Finance: Without a doubt, even if all others succeed and this fails, then the business is in jeopardy. On the simplest of platforms, the question is how much will it cost to make this tour, event, meeting, convention etc a success and how much should people pay and how much do I expect as a profit? There should be an element of cost saving, compare quotes from suppliers without compromising on the quality you want to maintain, prepare a budget, keep overheads low, track the expenses and at the end of the activity, conduct what we call a Return on Investment. There should also be the element of having a reporting structure with the team and also work to mitigate the risks involved in business. Humility: Is a great character trait that allows one to do much and especially to learn from others. In the MICE industry, things are not static – ever! That dynamism must be embraced and only through humility can one learn what the industry is calling for. It is also in learning that one can know what to introduce as a value add to make their function/ event unique and memorable. Having interacted with various players in this industry I can only pinpoint values and qualities that have either allowed them success or that have caused them to stay on the reverse gear. Integrity: it has many definitions but translated into this and any other line of business, the question that it seeks to address is – Can you be trusted? Is your word so good that it can be taken to the bank? Problem solver: someone who does not get frazzled when there is a problem. They will think on their feet and offer solutions as opposed to saying, “I don’t know” or “someone else is to blame.” Bounce back attitude: will allow one to accept that things can and will go wrong but when that happens, they have the ability to rise up, learn from the issue and move on. In conclusion, as an employee seeking to venture into the MICE industry, it is easy to look and imagine easy success. But those who have weathered the seasons in there as business owners will tell you, being a player in the MICE industry is not child’s play. It calls for sleepless nights, working when your friends are having fun, making losses but maintaining your name. Like a lot )