How to Spend Your Time Now, to Prepare for the Future

Event professionals are used to a go-go-go lifestyle; you are constantly planning, producing, and executing. But, what happens when you’re forced to stand still for a moment? Shutting down completely isn’t an option, especially when you don’t know at what point you’ll be called back into action. For this unprecedented furlough, continuing to educate yourself is vital in a field as competitive as yours, even during uncertain times. Here are a few resources that may help you stay on top of your game and ahead of the curve.

The Covid-19 Virtual Strategy Summit for Food & Restaurants

The Spoon, an online daily reporting site for all things food and technology, is hosting a day-long summit on Monday, April 6 to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the food and restaurant industry and analyze solutions for navigating this unchartered new world. The summit includes talks from hospitality industry professionals and Spoon’s publisher. It’s free to sign up, and is a great resource for hospitality business owners and employees who are looking for strategies to best weather the storm.

Wedding & Event Planning Certification

Planning for the future has never been more timely. Let’s face it, as bad as things feel right now, they will get better, and when they do, it’s important to be armed and ready. Have you always wanted to obtain your certification as a professional wedding and event planner? Maximize your time at home by taking an online course. I did a little research and found an online option at QC Event School. They have several courses to choose from and offer levels of certification. Unfortunately, the courses aren’t free but they are currently offering them at a discounted rate. For more information, you can check out their blog posts.

Webinar: Delivering Sales-Generating Insights During the Covid-19 Crisis

Don’t have time for a full day online summit? The experts at Restaurant Business are offering a 45-minute webinar presentation on current consumer behavior during the COVID-19 crisis. Panel experts will discuss the consumer path-to-purchase for delivery and takeout opportunities and explore actionable strategies you can leverage now to spark and sustain orders and ensure your message stands out. The webinar will be held on Wednesday, April 8 at 2 pm EDT, and registration is open now.

Library of Hospitality

Has “read more” repeatedly shown up on your yearly list of resolutions? Well, the gods have graced you with an opportunity to make it happen this year. Kill two birds with one stone and choose books that will enrich your career like Danny Meyer’s, “Setting the Table,” or “Confessions of an Event Planner” by Judy Allen, just to name a few. You can also read up on the latest food and recipe trends with Eater’s list of the best new cookbooks of 2020. Use your quiet time wisely and fill your brain with knowledge so you can hit the ground running once your business does.

We’ve got your back

Not to toot our own horn, but we’ve also got some pretty spectacular resources for you to take advantage of during this time. Whether you’re new to Tripleseat or a seasoned veteran, taking our free online courses at Tripleseat University, is an easy way to fill your time with valuable knowledge. You’ll be framing your Tripleseat diploma with pride in no time!

We’re also constantly updating our blog with helpful and relevant topics, and information. If webinars are your jam, check out our events page. Along with our usual webinars, we’ve added a special weekly series called, Adapting your Business to Change with Tripleseat, where we share some tips from industry leaders on the current climate of the events business, and show you the Tripleseat tools you can use to stay ahead of the game.

We’ve created a Facebook group designed to keep you in touch with other event professionals, and we’ll soon be starting a weekly virtual roundtable discussion where you can join in on the conversation and share your experiences and knowledge with other hospitality insiders. Check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds, along with our events page for more information on these, and other virtual events.

If you’re more of a listener, check out our podcast, Two Chicks Three Seats, where we talk about everything current in the world of hospitality and events. Simply search for Two Chicks Three Seats wherever you listen to podcasts, including Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple podcast among others. 

I’m going to be brutally honest: it sucks to be a hospitality and event industry worker right now. But, making the most out of the unexpected free time you have, will not only benefit you in the short-term, but it will also set you up for long-term success. Don’t let the limitations of social distancing get in the way of your career goals. The future is bright, put the work in now, and you’ll reap the benefits when it arrives.

More resources

The whole hospitality industry is in a tough time right now, but we are coming together to support one another until the storm passes. As people hunker down in their homes for the next indefinite period of time, look at these ideas for inspiration to bring joy to your loyal customers and provide work for your employees. To stay up to date on our latest recommendations for event professionals during this time, click here for our latest blog posts.