He is quiet. He just seat in his corner cubicle and opens his work computer. After this simple ritual, he clicks the adobe Photoshop icon and a new world is created, a new universe traversed.

He has been wielding his magic in Exlinkevents for five years by creating logos and other graphic design requirements of the organization and clients.

Yes, he is quiet like graphic artists are. But make no mistakes about him, his scarce shared observations and comments are deep and sometimes mental. It is a sort of out of this world experience that gives you a wide grin or sometimes asphyxiation for laughing too much.

He only talks a lot when he is drunk and it happens during company outings.

He is quiet but his silence is the calmness that allowed Exlinkevents to have wonderful logos and designs, for five years that has been the case and will continue to be a commonplace to this chaotic world that he seems not to mind.

So Fox I raise a toast to this long overdue piece.

Thank you very much Fox for spending your five years in Exlinkevents productively. We hope to have you for many more years to come.  

And please remind me, we will have to change the red wine you are holding into Mardi Gras Vodka the only key to make you express your PURE LOVE ( if you know what I mean). 

People are asking me if there is a need to have a Telemarketers Summit in this time and age of computer and automation. My answer is why not?

Why not do a Telemarketers Summit when one of the highest contributors to our economy is Telemarketing or known in another name as Outbound Call Center.

In our present landscape where 96% of the companies are small and medium enterprises (SMEs) who do not have access to high end communication technology (not yet but I hope the time comes it will be affordable), telemarketing is used by these enterprises.

Ergo, the need for Telemarketers Summit – a learning event where SMEs and large companies can further hone the skills of their telemarketers.

I think these are the three compelling reasons why Telemarketers Summit must take place and grow:

1.    An Effective B2B Tool

Telemarketing used correctly is an effective Business to Business tool. It allows the owner of a company to talk to the right people – the decision makers that can do business with his company.

2.    An Effective Lead Generator

Telemarketers provided with the right database can create leads that can do business with the company telemarketers are serving or working with. The best examples here are hotels and banks where I received a lot of calls from telemarketers – I ended up giving business to the companies they represented.

3.    An Effective Relationship Marketing Tool

Business is about relationships. Telemarketing is a conversation between seller and potential buyer. Telemarketing used by a competent telemarketer can establish relationships with customers. The best thing about it is that the relationship can last a longer period of time.

Now having revealed these reasons even I can’t help attending and listening to the speakers of the Telemarketers Summit.

After the cobwebs of the old year have gone, it is time to get down to one of the first important events this year – MICECON 2013, SMX Convention Centre, Lanang, Davao City.

MICECON 2013 is an event where tourism industry players gather to discuss the newest trends. It is also an event where old relationships are strengthened and new partnerships formed.

Some of the topics are: Imagining the Future of Travel, The Future of Meetings Asia Pacific, Why Meetings Matter, Global Competitiveness and the Challenge of Philippine Tourism, Keeping Associations Healthy, Wealthy and Wise, Rise of Asian Brands, Brand Strategy on a Tight Budget.

There are other interesting topics on the event. However, what is great about MICECON 2013 are the speakers – majority are international speakers and respected on their fields of expertise.

I remember the first MICECON 2010 in Subic – it is magical, fun and full of learnings. I said to myself this event will pump-up the industry and it does! Right now, tourism industry is healthy and growing. In fact, it is one of the sunshine industry.

The Department of Tourism and its arm the Tourism Promotions Board is doing a superb job on this.

Besides the learning sessions, I can’t wait to see the entertainments and games prepared by the organizers – this gives the event an extra ooompphhh.

However, MICE as a tourism industry needs proper support and strategies - MICECON 2013 will drumbeat the need to take a closer look on this very important industry.

I can’t wait for MICECON 2013. 

7. A New Dawn for an Important Industry - Advertising and Event Suppliers Conference and Expo

As one of the officers of Advertising Suppliers Association of the Philippines (ASAP), I am happy to be the leading proponent to have an event that will combine the suppliers and clients in a conference that will enlighten the suppliers of the industry. It is a first time for the association. The event generated a lot of positive results. This is enough for me to be thankful and be humbled from the experience.

8. A Start of a Mission - MICE 101

Again, I am a serial starter. In the Philippine Association of Convention, Exhibition Organizers and Suppliers (PACEOS) which I am also a board of director, I spearheaded MICE 101 an idea to educate future MICE players. There are no seminars for this industry in the country and this was the first. Again, the results are outstanding. My smile is wide that it reaches both ends of my ears. MICE stand for Meetings, Incentive Travel, Convention and Exhibition - we aim to claim our lost spot in Asia in this industry.

9. A Fruitful Meeting and Trip – Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan

Meet the Palawan Tourism Office – check. Forge partnership – check. Visit the Crocodile Farm and eat crocodile meat – check. Visit the Underground River – check. Eat Vietnamese food with the local twist – check. Honda Bay – check. All I can say is that I will be back in Palawan since I left my heart there.

10. A Challenge, a Fun Wrapped into One – Being Appointed as Head of the Ad Congress 2013 Trade Exhibition

I love Ad Congress. This is one of the best events in the country. This is one of the best events to learn. To be given responsibility to head a critical area. Boy oh boy that is more fun. My competitive juice is up. I am looking forward to meet the expectations of the Executive Committee and the people who believed in me this Ad Congress 2013.

11. A Confirmation – Published in PANA’s Ad Edge Magazine

One blog article I wrote got the people behind Ad Edge interested. This leads to a communication and the rest is history. Although there is an honorarium that goes along with it but I remember my feelings when one of my poems got published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Honorarium does not matter what matter is that special feeling of getting acknowledged for your hard and excellent work.

12. An Event to Say Thank You - FBW Meet-up

I call this a landmark achievement of being able to convince the FBW Family to have an event inside one of our events. The reason is simple online friends need to meet offline. This group is a family for me. Seriously, to see in person the people I engage daily online is another experience that makes you smile on life’s simple pleasure.

I wanted to add other things that makes this year awesome but I think just to recount these 12 things is sufficient enough to say that blessings overflowed this year in my path in the events management industry. I am looking forward to claiming what is in store for me this coming years – ooh I can’t wait.

The year 2012 is about to end but holy cow this year is full of breakthroughs and milestones that I do not want to let it go. But I do not have the power to do it. So I am just sharing my awesome 12 reasons for calling this year a great year.

1.    Welcome to the Land Down Under - Melbourne, Australia

The opportunity to visit and do business in the land down under is one of blessings that I am so thankful.  Being inside the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Center and enjoying the sun outside its nearby park with my wife is definitely special. I hope to be back again in this city.

2.    Rich Culture  - Manado, Indonesia

The place is very much Davao or other Philippine provinces. However, the place distinct personality is the Christian churches which are 5 meters to 10 meters away from each other. The Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch colonizing the place has something to do with it.

I talked to some locals and they are very into the cockfighting. Some say they badly wanted to buy from the Philippines because they heard we have better breeds of cocks. Notable during this trip with ATF, the It's More Fun in the Philippines Campaign Video was first launched here.

3.    Nine Years and Growing - MegaBalikbayan OFW Expo

This event has grown by leaps and bounds. This year it was able to attract Indian exhibitors. This year it was able to increase target market for its exhibitors. This year there are a lot of new things that was accomplished in the event. I am mighty proud how this brand grew robust this year.

4.    An Idea Whose Time Has Come - Loyalty Conference

This is a ground breaking event for Exlinkevents. This is my baby! The strong attendance and the positive feedbacks from the delegates are an indication that Loyalty and Rewards Program is a concept whose time has come in the country. Exlinkevents spearheading the growth of the industry in the country is something that I am proud of.

5.    Jaw Dropping Beauty - Anawangin Cove, Zambales

Exlinkers had a great time in visiting this paradise. A virgin place where groups like Exlinkevents can bond and enjoy summer. Definitely, two thumbs-up for being able to be in this place.

6.    Only the Brave and the Bold - Calaguas Island, Daet, Camarines Norte

I never know what to expect from this place but experiencing its powerful waves and powdery sand is like winning a sweepstakes. I can die smiling that is how this experience affected me - a memorable adventure with the Exlinkers this December. Plus, we are the only group that used this cove for one day. Wow experience indeed:)

Nature is a rich resource of event management lessons.

I got another one in my trip to Calaguas Island. You see going to the paradise called Calaguas Island entails a challenge. The challenge is to navigate and remain calm in the middle of a very unforgiving sea with waves that can go as high as a Cathedral. Luckily, for Exlinkevents group we encountered a wave as high as 2.5 meters.

The event management lessons that I got from this trip are these:

1.    Event Management is like a boat trip to Calaguas Island, you first must encounter the unforgiving challenges of the waves before you get to enjoy paradise.

Fear has no room in this endeavor of managing events. In order to execute and implement an event that meets expectations of your clients and group you must be willing to face the waves of problems that sometimes are as high as a cathedral.

2.    Event Management is like a boat driver. The more you are competent, the more you are confident to navigate the boat safely to shore.

Our boat driver is a tried and tested boat driver. He knows how to tame the swells that our boat encounters. This is the reason why we are able to safely reach our destination. The same is true to events manager. The more an events manager acquires experience in the field, the more he can control the outcome of the events. The more the events manager acquires experience, the more the probability of success is assured.

3.    Event Management is like a boat driver that having competence knows how to have fun in the middle of the unforgiving sea.

Despite the big waves that makes you feel like you are in a scene of the movie “Perfect Storm”, I saw our boat driver smiling and so relax. In fact, he is making fun of one of the 

Exlinkevents who seems on the brink of a nervous breakdown.

This is also true for events manager who are like boat drivers who have acquired expertise and can laugh at the challenges that are sometimes impossible to solve. The reason the events manager can relax or be humorous is because his competence gave him the power to see the solutions and tame the waves of challenges that are crashing into his projects.

I am very thankful for Calaguas Island for these 3 lessons. I am looking forward to ride again the waves that makes this paradise special.

I see a lot of apps that improves productivity. I love the apps but it seems you get to choose one that fits for your liking and needs.

I share the following apps I use in my event management. These apps I use every day and enjoy every single minute of using them. Yes, it increased my productivity.

1.    Taptodo

This app is a simple to do list. It is paid app but the ease that allows me to create a list and categorize it make this app a very valuable companion.

2.    Weather

This app is already embedded in the iphone and it helps me a lot in predicting actions that should be undertaken during the time of the actual events. It also put you some cushion versus paranoia about what the weather will be in your actual event.

3.    DocsToGo

Another paid app, it allows you to see and create documents in your iphone and ipad. This is what I use to review my checklists and other important documents. This allows me to save papers and reduce my carbon foot print.

4.    Notes

A free app, it is included in the iphone and I integrated it in my email. This means whenever I take down notes and saved it, automatically it is also sent or saved into my email. This is one cool feature.

5.    Keynote

I use this in my presentation to clients and during my talks to seminars. Add to the fact that it has Keynote Remote where you can talk and use your iphone as clicker and your ipad your laptop. Super cool and easy, this makes my job even more enjoyable.

The year 2012 is almost gone and I am looking forward to adding productivity apps in my arsenal. I hope app developers create more affordable and integrated apps that I can use in my event and project management.

The year is almost over. After numerous events that I have handled here are three project management lessons that I learned from hindsight.

Plan is not important, Planning is

I read this in one of the project management books that I devoured this year. The more I think about it the more it is alive in my daily encounters.

It only means that if you plan that is a good practice but be prepared to change your plan because the landscape of the project changes. Therefore, planning or re-planning is a must in order to answer the needs of the time.

Less Emotions, More Intelligence

In handling projects you cannot be too emotional. Being emotional because of the many demands a project gives you makes you prone to poor decision making.

It is best to master your emotions. This is hard to do but this is a must. The more you control your emotions that better you are finding rational and sound solutions to a problem.

I have been placed this year in some nerve wrecking situations. I almost cracked. Thankfully, my mind is stronger. This is the reason why I love events as a project. You are given an opportunity to wrestle with yourself and come out victorious.

This learning is the same as GRACE UNDER PRESSURE.

Forward Thinking - Solutions is important than problems

Every time a project presents problems and my staff reports to me about the problems I always say what are your solutions to the problem? This is forward thinking. You cannot do anything about the past. The only thing you can work on is the present. The present are the solutions to close the problem.

I never wallow on the pit of problems. I always swim along the problems and try to reach the shore. Better yet I look for a speedboat and drive over the problems.

If your brain is trained to be like this you can achieve a lot.

This is what I learned and molded me for this year 2012 in events management and project management. This too can help you be a better person in the many endeavors you wanted to embark next year.

What you sow is what you reap.

This is a commonplace knowledge that a lot of people seems to forget or ignore - precisely because it is simple. But there is nothing simple about this concept. This concept requires an open heart. This concept requires selflessness. So in my journey with life I feel the lightness of my being when I encounter a person or a group that practice this concept with dedication and passion.

I focus my attention to Filipino Bloggers Worldwide (FBW). This is one group that you can see the power of reciprocity in full practice. The leaders are there driving the whole group to give what should be given. They also ensure that those that give take what they must take.

They say excellence is achieved by establishing a habit. In FBW, a good habit worthy of emulation is practiced.

Therefore, when an opportunity presents itself for me to show my big love and thank you for the group I did not hesitate. When the leaders or admins as we call them agreed the rest is history.

The first Filipino Bloggers Night took place. It happened with a bang!

As I saw the bloggers that I meet online in person I am extremely happy. Hubris might be the right word. What is more gratifying than talking face-to-face with people you admired online.

I am still in cloud 9 because of this experience. I have created and involved myself in with a lot of events. I say that the FBW Bloggers Night is one of the events I consider on top of my lists.

Reciprocity in a virtual space that translates into the physical space – this is pure magic.

This is FBW.