Back in December shared a Q&A with our Director, Sam Elliott, to give you an insight into our management team. Next up, it’s our Client Director, Kerry, who is in the hot seat!
What does being Client Director at Bien Venue entail?
I act as the main point of contact for Bien Venue’s clients. I deal with our key clients and I am responsible for establishing strong relationships between our clients and Bien Venue. As Client Director I need to be familiar with our client’s world to really understand their brand and business strategy.
Listening to our client needs and bringing their ideas to life is key to delivering unbeatable service, so that’s what I try to do. I also travel to meet clients, whether they are new to our business or for a review of our relationship.
Internally, I’m responsible for managing and mentoring our sales team, something which I really love as it is a pleasure to work with people and see them grow professionally.
You’ve worked at Bien Venue for almost five years now, what did you do before coming here?
Before joining Bien Venue I had always worked in the hospitality industry. I had part-time jobs in hotels from the age of 18. Initially this was just to support my time at University, but soon found a passion for what I did and have remained in the industry ever since!
What’s different about Bien Venue? What do you like about working here?
Bien Venue has a real family feel to it. We are a team of 25 and it’s great that everyone works so well together. The whole team shares the same passion for delivering an A* service to our clients.
As Client Director I enjoy nothing more than growing new relationships and nurturing existing ones with our clients, and Bien Venue gives me the platform to do this. Due to the variety of services we provide, and businesses being of different sizes and in different sectors, no two days are ever the same. It’s great to be able to embrace new challenges and opportunities on a daily basis, as well as developing my knowledge and experience in the events sector.
As Client Director, have you seen the company change much in the last 5 years?
Wow yes, the company has gone from strength to strength over the past 5 years! Annually, we’ve seen growth from the business we do with our existing clients and we have been lucky enough to win some fantastic new clients too. Each year is an exciting new chapter for Bien Venue where we grow and evolve and move forward with technological advances, improved systems, and developed knowledge into what our clients want and need
You’re a mum, how do you find balancing motherhood with a demanding job?
I have always been a working mum and it is now second nature to me. I believe the secret for being able to balance a successful career is by having an unbelievably supportive husband and mum of my own! Juggling motherhood with a demanding career has also been helped by having an optimistic, problem-solving disposition. I pride myself on having an ability to get through things even when they feel impossible.
I am extremely fortunate enough to be raising a beautiful daughter and one of the main things that motivates me to balance motherhood with my job is that fact that I want to be a strong role model to my daughter, Amelia-Grace.
What would your advice be to women wanting to get ahead in the events industry?
Oh, I have lots of advice built from years of working in this industry. Here are a few of my tips!
- Find yourself an experienced mentor or coach.
- Be honest about your ambitions.
- Be courageous and above all have a passion for what you do.
- Always be open to new opportunities.
- Take ownership and accountability for your own development.
- Be able to change and adapt.
- Learn the skills of today and tomorrow; make sure you have a plan for how you’re going to remain educated on current trends or the latest technology – stay on top of your game.
- Surround yourself with the right people; something I’ve been lucky enough to do as Bien Venue’s Client Director.