Negosyo Power Expo is set on August 12-14, 2011at Activity Center of Trinoma Mall, Quezon City.

It aims to provide business and livelihood opportunities to the Metro Manila public by showcasing in-demand business and livelihood opportunities.

Now on its third year, Negosyo Power Expo is becoming one of the favourite expos that SMEs choose when they wanted to promote their products and services using exhibit marketing. It has also generated a following among visitors of the expos proving the value of the event when it comes to attracting new business and clients.

This year, Negosyo Power Expo will have two runs in two different places. The first is at MarQuee Mall and was met by a resounding success. An indication that the public is clamouring to enter into entrepreneurship to achieve a quality of life they can only have by starting a business.

“The need to reach out and provide business and livelihood opportunities compel us to stage Negosyo Power Expo in the country. We see the public benefitting from the event because of the expo”, said Mitch Ballesteros, Exlink Corp. CEO.

Negosyo Power Expo boasts a lot of activities that aim to educate, enrich and entertain the public. The activities are designed to motivate people to go into business and create the quality of life that they aspire. In addition, the activities are meant to deepen the understanding of the public to the importance of entrepreneurship and the impact of creating a business to the economic development of the province and country.

Of course, there are a lot of decision makings that goes on when there is an event. Pre-event requirements demand a lot of decision makings. Some easy and some needs a lot of time before a decision must be made.

But one of the most difficult situations that need a decision in events management is during typhoon or inclement weather. Weather and environment is always part of the matrix in risk factors; we need badly a risk factor plan to address this concern. Yet, even if there is already a plan it is still difficult to decide whether to cancel and move the event to another date when there is a typhoon or projected typhoon to come.

Take the case of this upcoming youth conference that expects 5,000 students, some of the delegates are coming from the province so the risk is too great. Even to students living residing in nearby places the risk of traveling to flooded highways and routes is big.

So what now?

The best decision always varies but in this particular case, the decision was to cancel the event and move it to another date. This decision is the best in my opinion. However, the cost implication like the venue not agreeing to move the event to another date and charging twice for the date that the venue was not used and the date where the event will be move.

Indeed, we are talking to a big sum of money and emotions will run high when it comes to financial implications.

Although if we take the high road, everybody will agree that safety and security of the delegates is the most important reason to cancel and move the event. This makes the decision acceptable and the financial loss (if ever the venue is not lenient) trivial.

                              

When projects in events management pour in and you can’t handle it anymore there is only one way to face it and that is cooperate with your competitors and industry members.

Try as you may, there will come to a point that you will not be able to serve all the clients. Even if you think that to share projects with competitor is the antithesis of killing competition. In first place, nobody said that you have to kill competition. No we you must not kill but strive to stay ahead of the competition.

The funny thing is the more you share projects with your competitor or industry members you grow. It is called synergy in coopetition. Two words that you must keep in mind.

Two words that will place you ahead of the curve – so ahead that you will feel that Usain Bolt is a slow runner.

Yes, it is similar to a rain. This is the reason I called it downpour. Have you ever felt it a situation where you are inundated by a lot of projects and you just smile and take it. As this situation continues you become selective and just take those things that you can deliver and beg off to things you cannot deliver or is out of your competence?

But before these things happen the most important question is how does this downpour occur? I can find two important factors and this is worth discussing in depth but not today.

I believe that the cause of downpour is our REPUTATION AND COMPETENCE on the field we are working with. These two factors give us the SPEED OF TRUST that the clients are giving us.

What are the manifestations of the Trust? Of course, projects left to right.

Definitely, this is the downpour I am talking about the projects where in the normal rain you open your umbrella so that you will not get wet. In our case, we open the umbrella and use it as a bucket to catch all that we can catch and bask at the feeling of being wet with projects.

It is easy to get it when you’re into events. There is never a dull moment in events for one. When you close your eyes either the competition is ahead a thousand miles or you have a milestone or a task that is delayed.

But I tell you never subscribe or use the power of adrenaline in events management or events organizing. It is too risky. Event must be approached systematically. Yes, we must do it with precision. Never left any stone unturned.

Well, of course, adrenaline will always come. But let it come having in mind that you are so prepared and you’re after perfection. Not the other way around where you use it as if your house is on fire and you muster your strength to lift a refrigerator and take it out safely in away from your burning house.

If can be scientific and use the tools available, there is no doubt you will be one of the most sought after or revered event management in the Philippines or even this part of the world.

I admire event organizers who have the steadfastness and stubbornness to make things happen. They are a special breed of people who despite the odds will make the impossible possible.

Take the case last week where Typhoon Falcon lashed out our country, there are events scheduled to take place, and as far as I know, all of the events pushed through.

Having witnessed these, I take my hats off to all the event organizers of those events.

This brings me to an important rule when you are an event’s organizer or manager, the rule is “the show must go on” no matter what the challenge maybe except if it is life and death.

This is our life as an event’s organizer, producer or manager; we should be unstoppable because we should be unstoppable.

The recent National Marketing Conference held at Sofitel Philippine Plaza is an event where innovation as a word seeps into every discussion of all speakers. It seems that there is really a big need for all the companies to find the Holy Grail of Innovation and be the first among all the competitors to capture a new market.

I am very excited about the future upon seeing this trend. Yes, our world has changed tremendously because of the innovation boom. Yet, I still expect that bigger and better innovation from different industries take place.

No, I am not a sucker for novelty. I am passionate about seeing great minds to great things to alter the behaviour of the human species.

Just one thing, I hope and pray that all the innovations are to better the world not destroy it. Yes, all innovation must now pass the Green metrics.

Well let us all get at the back of this car called innovation and enjoy the ride.

To each is his own. We have our own talents. Talents that other cannot replicate or surpass. This is the reason why we have to ask others help and assistance. This is the reason why we have to outsource. It is not our core competence; therefore, we have to give it to others.

Some people forget about this important natural law. Take for example event management, it is an industry. It requires a very specialize set of skills. Therefore, I cannot understand why some industry or professions insist that it is easy to organize an event when they don’t have the set of skills needed to execute it.

Ahhh, there goes an event in the red, all because people get blindsided by the painful fact. Haven’t they heard the cliché “Leave it to the expert”.