May 15, 2017

Meet Christy Bareijsza of Events By Red Carpet in West Hollywood

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christy Bareijsza.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
After graduating from Hofstra University with a B.A. in Dance, History and Art History, I had a short stint at JP Morgan Chase. While employed there, I discovered that event planning existed as a profession. Realizing that I did not have the experience to apply for the event planning position, I was driven to obtain a post-graduate certification from NYU in the field of Meeting, Conference and Special Events Management. Then, I strategically secured a position as a meeting planner. This lead to a fast-track promotion to Vice President and Head of Corporate Events at two major Fortune 500 companies. During my tenure in the corporate world, I founded Events By Red Carpet in 2001. The part-time venture then grew into full time employment in 2006. Surviving in a “frivolous” industry during a recession became far more difficult than the pressure of producing the event itself. At the time, I considered this challenge part of being an entrepreneur, but in retrospect, the complicated environment ignited the drive to succeed strategically while continuing to acquire top quality clients and producing memorable meetings, conferences and events.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
A successful venture never has a smooth road. The biggest challenge has been the ongoing state of the economy. Meeting and Event Planning is considered a frivolous industry, especially in a technology driven world. Therefore, events are the first to be cut during a financial crisis, as the need for face-to-face interaction isn’t deemed a priority.

The solution to this crisis is to seek out clients that are profiting during an economic downfall. For instance, while financial companies were receiving a bail out in the 2000’s, most individuals were drinking and smoking due to stress, which dramatically increased alcohol and cigarette company’s marketing and event budgets. The key is to stay ahead of economic and industry trends and welcome change.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Events By Red Carpet – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Events By Red Carpet is an award-winning company currently in its eleventh year with offices in New York City, Miami, San Francisco, Napa Valley and Los Angeles. With extensive expertise in the marketing and event services profession, we have the resources desired to make any production a flawless success. We have cultivated the finest partnerships to bring sensational events that can accommodate any brand initiative or budget. Our dynamic attention to detail and creativity ensure a seamless approach to match the tone of each event.

Through the success of Events By Red Carpet, and the knowledge I acquired in the last two decades, I will be launching The RED Philosophy (Refining Event Developers) a webinar series. The RED Philosophy will provide a real-world application and solid foundation for professionals seeking to elevate their knowledge in the hospitality industry. The RED Philosophy affords premiere access to industry experts and presents tools to provide creative solutions. Our goal is that the accelerated educational programs will improve their ability to obtain career advancement.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
The Convention Industry Council predicts meetings and conventions account for $280 billion in direct spending, and support over 1.8 million jobs in the United States. In the decade spanning 2012–2022, the industry is expected to grow by 33 percent—much faster than average (*). Therefore, it is important to cultivate the next generation of planners with the proper education. Currently, the majority of potential event professionals acquire knowledge by are searching the limited information on Google, YouTube and Pinterest.

With the pendulum starting to swing back to meeting and event spending. Event professional need to be well prepared. We need to ensure the industry does not have a secondary backlash due to mis-education and lack of budget management like our predecessors did in the early 2000’s

*US Bureau of Labor Statistics

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