Britt Perkins
Britt Perkins
Event Producer / Marketing Consultant
Atwater Village, Los Angeles, CA
www.brittperkins.com
instagram @bbperkinss
linkedin
WHAT DO YOU DO?
“I’m an Event Producer! It’s basically creative + logistics rolled into one, which is why I love it.”
I think people are really look for more ways to connect face-to-face and have tactile experiences. Great events complement technology but pull people from behind a screen to engage with a brand or community they want a richer experience from.
But specifically, what do I do? I take everything beginning to end. So for example, if a brand wanted to do a client appreciation event we would meet, go over their vision, their brand voice, their goals, and their budget. From there, we would concept a creative plan of what we want it to look like visually and how we want the event to flow. Once the creative is finalized, then I get into action: booking venues, booking staff, sourcing vendors, food, signage, planning guests lists, A/V, transportation plans, you name it. Then my team + I set up, have an amazing event that accomplishes all of the client’s goals and break down. Woo!
I can also be hired for any portion of that process, so sometimes clients come to be and the creative is completely done, but they just need someone to execute, so I dive in at that point.
I also step into the role of Marketing Consultant frequently. Some brands want assistance with their social media, digital marketing, content creation and everything that really ties into making an event complete.
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
I actually majored in journalism because I was so interested in a variety of fields that I figured I would become a journalist and live vicariously through all the people I interviewed. This worked out great in college but when it came to entering the job market, most entry-level journalism jobs are less about profiles and more about crime or gossip and really not my thing.
How do you stand out in your field?
I think some people are afraid of being decisive because no one can read minds and they are afraid to make the wrong decision for their supervisor/client. BUT this is one of the most important skills in events. Be able to prioritize and problem solve so you can handle things and just tell someone it’s done. . The last thing a senior producer wants is a question for everything. Sure, make sure you are briefed and aren’t making key decisions above your pay grade but I guarantee being a decisive problem-solver is HUGE. Even if I’m not the senior producer on a job, I am not afraid to take charge and it’s always unbelievably appreciated.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
I just assisted with the AIDS/LifeCycle Finish Line Festival which was incredibly rewarding. Cyclists ride 545 miles (!!!) from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise awareness and funds for reducing new HIV infections and improve the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS. The dedication of this team and all of the riders is amazing and to be at the Finish Line is a really special experience.
By day (and sometimes night), I’m the Cultural Programming Manager at NeueHouse in Hollywood.
WHAT'S YOUR STYLE/PERSPECTIVE/TASTE? DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT REPRESENTS THIS?
Oh man. Okay, so I’m going to be really real on this one: My style/perspective/taste tends to be lowbrow 70s/80s/90s fashion, photography, interiors, posters and that whole world.
Since I’ve worked with a lot of corporate brands, I can tell you that style is often not what they are looking for.
But I will say that maximalism trend is something I’m dying over right now. Super saturated, monochrome looks are very in and I’m loving it.
I think my overall purpose in events is to understand my clients and what they are trying to do. Because I do have a marketing background and writing background, it is very easy for me to assume the viewpoint of my client and to assume the viewpoint of their audience and create a vision based on that.
One of my goals of course is to be more creatively expressive and find clients where my personal style resonates, but while I’m working on that, I love getting into the world of the client and creating a really impressive experience that is perfect for their voice and message.
I don’t have any projects that truly reflect my personal style (yet!) but all of the projects I’ve done have been perfect for the client and looked completely on point.
WE ARE ALL SLASHIES WITH MULTIPLE SKILLS, WHICH ONE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO MORE OFTEN?
Hospitality. It is fully my dream to own several weird, pretty, lush boutique hotels. Definitely expect that lowbrow retro style to fully come through in these with highbrow thrown in, too.
When it comes to my actually marketing/events slashie status, I would like to be able to curate my personal events production company more and have my event production calendar full for the next three years.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING YOU RIGHT NOW?
Getting a better return on my time/energy is what frustrates me at the moment. I feel like there is a lot of output on my end and the return is certainly not 1 for 1. I don’t think it will ever get to that ratio, but achieving a higher level of momentum is the goal. Getting there! I’m definitely learning to be more effective with my time. This partially goes back to my interest in a variety of fields. I’m learning to focus rather than try to split my attention between too many projects.
IF YOU COULD HIRE SOMEONE FOR $20/HR, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THEM DO TO MAKE YOUR DAY EASIER?
Sales! Outreach! Promotion! Emails!
LET'S BRING OUT THE TIME MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE TOLD YOURSELF, WHEN, AND WHY?
I would go back to high school and tell myself to get involved in programming and technology! I was involved in it a little bit, but when I was in high school there was still a heavy focus on the liberal arts so I think I went along with the literature and humanities flow longer than I needed to before realizing that we have THE INTERNET now and that’s the place to be. Of course I’m so grateful for a rich experience and grounding in literature and history; it’s given me a lifelong foundation for understanding the world. But damn. When I was a baby, Google was a baby, and I wish I had starting learning programming, coding and web design early on.
IF YOU COULD TALK TO AN EXPERT TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT ON SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
Accounting for small businesses. I’ve focused on that a lot this year and feel much more confident in this area but I still would like to be able to understand and slay any and all financial statements. (And the award for the driest answer goes to! But seriously, it’s so important and an area I think many small businesses struggle with. The Hell Yeah Group does a great job at guidance on this.)
WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES/PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
I would love to partner with companies and individuals that have a strong brand and are looking for extra hands, brains, arms and hearts to help craft unique experiences that reflect that brand to a larger audience.
Modern conferences and discussions are really inspiring to me. Fundraisers. Galas. Private dinners. Parties. I love a variety of formats. These are just a few.
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB/CLIENT/COLLABORATION.
I have a lot of brand crushes. Parachute. Vrai & Oro. Lunya. Storefront. Sooooo many boutique hotels. My ideal collaborations would involve a series or brand event calendar.
Brandless recently did a series of educational/informative meetups, which I think is a great format for others to echo. I like the monthly events series and of course a blow out annual summit weekend to highlight thought leadership within a vertical and provide opportunities to release new products and strategies publicly.
WHAT IS YOUR HOURLY RATE, RETAINER, OR SALARY RANGE?
My hourly rate is $65 for consulting but when I get brought on a project, I usually quote a flat rate percentage of the budget and can be brought on at a day rate for event management and execution.
HOW SHOULD SOMEONE APPROACH YOU ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
Email me! I love a good brand bible! The more info the better. I love when clients have decks and mood boards but I’m also happy for them to come as they are with their goals and budget in mind. The rest will follow when they have me on board.
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
Really LOOK at the small things.
This member profile was originally published in September 2018.