Mon 17 Jan 2022 • Christina Hunt
The Sense and Power of Community | Evntmkrs
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Summer 2020 | Community
It’s no secret that the events, hospitality and travel industry right now is hurting hard. No one could have expected the impact this has had - that bat has a whole lot to answer for! Without in any way dismissing the vast amount of negatives that have come out of this current situation, there have also been some huge positives and I think it’s important to vocalize these too.
For us at Evntmkrs HQ, the overwhelming one has been the sense of community and the sheer power we have realised this represents. It has been uniting and inspiring and the true definition of what a community represents couldn't have shone brighter in the past few weeks.
Reflecting back on one of the reasons Evntmkrs came to be and that many others relate to, was the distinct need for a community. There were clear problems that needed solving whether that be from the perspective of a freelancer, a founder, a director or a field expert and in short it all came down to the need for a trusted network of great people who deliver on every level; their role, their attitude and most importantly as a community.
Evntmkrs were born to provide a network of great people to work with, connect with and share; a community of genuine humans bound by a desire to love what they do with integrity and always with an expansive approach. Lockdown has certainly brought this to life more than ever.
COMMON KINDNESS: There has been a common kindness which has been delivered with a balanced and authentic pace. We have seen members of our team from all around the World offering their help and support to people they have never met, going out of their way to ensure solutions have been found. It feels any barriers (which in some instances, we maybe never knew were even there in the first place) have been dropped, walls lowered and that slightly competitive ‘hold back’ which I think we can all be a little guilty of sometimes has simply dissipated. Have our egos softened a little? Are we using the time we wouldn’t normally have to be kinder? We have definitely witnessed it ourselves and we love it!
COLLABORATIONS AND INSPIRATION: Bonus headspace has allowed connections to take place that have been super inspiring for us, brands coming together that have complete synergy, founders and directors, stopping, resetting and realising new routes of opportunity amongst their wider but indirect networks. All of these interesting ingredients being mixed together are creating more and more inspiring outputs and these can only continue to follow the upwards trajectory when even more is possible.
THE RESET, SHED AND GROW: Lockdown has not only provided a chance for individuals to reset and recalibrate but it's been fascinating to see how so many brands and events have taken this opportunity to do the same. We all know what it's like to be running, running, running sometimes with very little chance to stop and think and with this forced period of a slower modus operandi, great things and dare I use the word ‘pivots’ have emerged. These have all been aided by a supportive and contributing community forum. Ideas are being bounced around, opportunities are being spotted and there has been an overwhelm (in a great way) of ideas to really review and reset directions.
For me personally, being able to use this time to consider and face the concept of ‘form before function’ supported by the amazing and inspiring community surrounding me has honestly been hugely humbling and something I am hugely grateful for. The community around me has highlighted how important it is to design your environment so that when challenges hit, there is the backbone there to support, adapt and grow.
WE PLEDGE TO GOOD TIMES: As soon as things got sticky, we put out our pledge to good times to make a statement and show solidarity. It was important for us to inject some positivity, even if that was a teeny weeny particle and remind everyone that we might have had to pause, but this didn't stop us loving what we represent as an industry. Many similar messages of resilience were put out by inspirational brands and with every one we read, the more it resonates and reinforces the huge sense of industry wide community that we possibly have once taken for granted- never again.
Below is our pledge and a pledge to keep that spirit alive.
“We pledge.
To Adventure
To Travel
To Good Times
To Riding This Storm
Adventurers, travel lovers, friends
We pause, we do not stop.
We reset, we do not panic.
We continue to do what we love.
We are resilient.
We listen to mother nature.
This storm will pass”
ABOUT LOU JENNINGS
Crafting slick strategy behind some of the best adventure brands, events & festivals out there. Lou has been making moves and magic in this space for over 15 years. With a proclivity to push entire industries forward, the direction and innovative input she provides brands with is reflected in this.
Lou is currently the founder of Evntmkrs alongside her partner in bringing method to the madness, Heather Carley. Evntmkrs is a 360 degree solutions agency that provides elite project teams to plug in and play, wherever an event or brand requires.
Having worked alongside a host of incredible UK based and international festivals, she has an uncanny ability of finding/developing/supporting talent and an unparalleled knack for bringing these people together.
