What makes Evolve different?

I've been an association event professional for my whole career - but, I didn't actually know that until I was at least a decade in! How it that even possible you ask? Or do you?

You see, for those of us managing conferences and events for professional associations, trade unions, charites and other not-for-profit organisations, it's all too easy to not realise you're part of this profession. I was a conference organiser, or I worked in the charity sector... I might have played with the idea that I was an event professional, but the events I managed were very different from the glamourous, high-budget corporate events I saw others posting about on LinkedIn.

This might sound familiar to you. That sinking feeling when someone asks you what you do for a living and you know it's going to take far too long to explain. The confused look on friends faces when you mention posters ("No, not that type of poster, scientific ones... to present research....") Those sleepless nights worrying about delegate flow at badge printing or the fact that you have only recieved 20% of your speaker's powerpoint presentations even though the deadline to send them has passed...

It felt like I was the only one in the world who had to deal with this type of thing. I felt like there was nobody who really understood the stresses of my job, or who could grasp the amazing feeling of achievement when you finally get onsite and see it all come together. That was quite a lonely place.

So when I realised that I was, in fact, an association event professional, that there were lots of other people who were doing the same type of role in similar organisations it felt like my whole outlook changed. I had found my tribe - in my case, a small group of amazing ladies all managing events in large national charities who had the same issues, same worries and crucially, the same desire to improve both the events that we managed and our own personal career journeys. Ten years on we have all gone on to achieve amazing things that we never would have imagined, and we all still lean heavily on our tribe.

I feel so strongly that a professional community is vital to help you grow and develop, and in a niche role like ours it's even more important. That's why Evolve is different. It's a community focussed exclusively on association events and the people who work so hard to make them happen. We are your tribe, so come join us!