The Business of Meetings – Episode 243- Mastering Career Growth: The Right Language and Perception in Events with Carrie Davenport
We are delighted to have a true rock star in the events industry joining us today.
As the lead Events Manager of Altria, Carrie Davenport is the powerhouse behind their event management success. She has received numerous awards from various organizations in the events industry, and she also hosts a podcast called Like an #EventBoss.
Carrie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our conversation today. Stay tuned as she shares her expertise and passion.
Carrie’s Journey
Carrie unexpectedly fell into the events industry while studying psychology, which later became invaluable for her work. After realizing her knack for organizing events, she pursued event management studies in Australia. After returning, Carrie worked on military events and trade shows for organizations like NASA, the FBI, and the CIA. Over the years, she transitioned through various roles, from military and association events to corporate event planning. She also founded the Association for Women in Events and launched her podcast.
Building Strategic Partnerships
Business owners who want to work with event planners should demonstrate their understanding of the business and offer innovative ideas. Carrie values partners who present new trends and ideas that enhance her work and position themselves as a team extension rather than mere vendors.
Communicating in Business Terms
Carrie highlights the importance of speaking the language of the C-suite, which often revolves around data and key performance indicators (KPIs), to elevate the quality of events and the event planning profession.
Staying Relevant
Carrie stays up-to-date with industry trends through memberships in organizations like PCMA and MPI, attending conferences, and reading industry publications. She also emphasizes the importance of in-person networking to stay relevant and to learn how the next generation will approach success and teamwork.
Advocating for Women in Events
Carrie is a passionate advocate for women in the events industry. She founded the Association for Women in Events in 2015 to create a community for women to share resources and support each other. The organization transitioned to an online community during the pandemic, and she hopes to revive it.
Women in Business and Confidence
Carrie highlights the confidence gap between men and women when applying for jobs. Men tend to apply for jobs even if they meet only 50% of the qualifications, while women often wait until they meet 80-90%.
Building a Support Network
Mentors and champions are critical for women in business as they can provide connections, open doors, and offer encouragement.
Embracing Rejection and Resilience
Carrie also advises women to get comfortable with rejection as it is a normal part of growth and success. She also recommends that women build resilience and develop a bounce-back mindset.
Carving Out Your Path
Carrie encourages people to shape their lives according to their values and demonstrate their worth creatively, even if it means breaking away from traditional career paths.
Work-Life Balance and Delegation
Delegating tasks and maintaining work-life balance are essential, though not always easy. Carrie advises business owners to start with small changes and gradually build a fulfilling routine that works for them.
Personal and Professional Growth
Carrie is passionate about pickleball and golf, which are great tools for personal development and business networking. She also hopes to expand her podcast to elevate women’s voices in business.
Bio:
Carrie Davenport, CMP-Fellow, CEM, CSEP, is a multifaceted professional in the events industry, known for her expertise as an event planner, speaker, leadership mentor, and writer. Currently, she serves as the Lead Event Manager for the Industry Engagement team at Altria Group Distribution Company.
Carrie’s influence extends beyond her professional role. Together with her co-host Juliet Tripp, she hosts the popular weekly podcast, #Like an Event Boss, available on Apple and Spotify. The podcast delves into thought-provoking discussions on leadership and the events industry. Additionally, from 2020 to 2022, Carrie co-hosted the video talk show series “Events: From Black to White,” shedding light on the importance of equality in the events industry alongside her colleague Derrick Johnson. With a passion for empowering women in the events sector, Carrie co-founded the Association for Women in Events in 2015 and in 2016 she founded the Events Industry Sexual Harassment Task Force, a committee now led by the Events Industry Council or EIC. Within EIC Carrie currently sits on the Equity Taskforce, committed to DEI efforts in the business of events.
Throughout her career, Carrie has actively contributed to advisory councils and committees, including PCMA’s Emerging Leaders Committee, Cleveland CVB Advisory Board, Team San Jose Advisory Council, Reno-Tahoe Advisory Board, Salt Lake City Advisory Council, Monterey Advisory Board, Destination Hotels Advisory Council, and the Green Meetings Industry Council Foundation (Chair- 2014/2015). Her dedication and contributions have earned her numerous industry accolades, such as being named one of Collaborate Magazine’s “40 under 40” industry planners to watch. She was also recognized as one of Smart Meetings Magazine’s Top 50 Smart Women of 2017 and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2019. Additionally, Carrie was honored as one of Successful Meetings Magazine’s “Top 25 Most Influential” in the meetings industry. Her exceptional work was further acknowledged when she became a finalist for the prestigious “Meeting Planner of the Year” award for PCMA. In 2021, Carrie was named a Changemaker of the Year for MeetingsNet Magazine for the second consecutive time, solidifying her impact and dedication to the industry. Carrie’s expertise and insights have also been featured in various publications, including Women’s Health Magazine, Golf & Travel Magazine, TSNN/Corporate Event News, and Life in the Mill.
When not immersed in her professional endeavors, Carrie enjoys spending time in the metro Charlotte area, where she resides with her husband Ben. You can often find her engaging in her favorite pastime, playing Pickleball.
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Connect with Carrie Davenport
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