Dahlia El Gazzar

I attribute my success to not listening to the voices in my head that told me I couldn't do things. One of my biggest accomplishments was cutting through the mental barriers - the voices saying 'no, you can't do this, stay with the usual' - and pushing forward anyway. When I started Dahlia Plus Agency, everything mentally and economically was screaming at me not to do it. I had two babies under two, a chronically ill husband going through brain surgery, and I was in a secure corporate position as VP of Marketing. But I didn't listen to those limiting voices. I've learned that if something really, really scares you, then you're onto something really, really great. I've also had several mentors throughout my career who showed me grace, time, and space exactly when I needed it. The key is slowing down enough to ask for help, and then the right people come to you at the right time - it's almost like Benji or Lassie coming in at the exact right moment.

The best career advice I've ever received is that if something really, really scares you, then you're onto something really, really great. I've also learned not to listen to those who say you won't be able to get through something or do something. Throughout my career, I've had to push past the voices - both internal and external - that tried to hold me back. When I was starting my agency during one of the most challenging times of my life, everything was telling me not to do it, but that fear was actually a signal that I was on the right path to something amazing.

My advice would be to really focus on reading the room. Events is very special because it's not only about placement of chairs or where the coffee is at a reception. It's truly about reading how people are interacting and how they're intended to interact. You need to read their faces - are they frustrated? Are they upset? Are they happy? Is something triggering them that you can sort of pick up on? Check the signals, because we become very ingrained in logistics, floor plans, and where things are. We have to look up a bit and see what people are experiencing, and that has a lot to do with emotion. Are their eyes lighting up, or are they just bored and don't really want to be there? This applies whether you're at a live event or running a masterclass on Zoom. If people are not engaged, they're probably checking their inbox or doing something else, which means the delivery or content is off. You also need to observe and listen. You don't have to always know all the answers - you can say 'I don't know.' Go to a lot of events and see how people do things differently, especially across different sectors, industries, and generations.

The biggest challenge we have right now is that we don't have enough younger people coming into the industry. I believe one of the reasons for that is that when you talk about events or hospitality, it's not something that you pick up or get excited about in a textbook or classroom. You really have to experience it to understand what it's like behind the scenes to be part of a production or event. That's also the biggest opportunity - showing them how amazing event experiences can be as a career. Another challenge is that events take patience and time. There's a lot of prep work involved, so it's not immediate gratification. We also face challenges around the use of automation and technology. I know younger people aren't really excited about AI, which I can understand because of the impact it has on the environment and the lack of regulations. But they're going to be part of the solution for that. The opportunity is that automation can lead them to become more creative strategists and career strategists, rather than having to deal with all the details and minutiae. There are also external factors like fuel prices going up, political situations affecting whether international attendees feel safe coming to the States, and the need to pivot quickly to create digital experiences for those who can't attend in person.

The values most important to me are empathy, compassion, and being true to yourself - not just doing something because that's where the money's going to be. I believe in giving energy and thriving on giving energy, not expecting to have it come back to you. That's really important to me because I see too many people in the new generation who expect to give and get, and they don't like to give unless they know they're getting something back. And just have fun - love, love, love, love what you do. I feel strongly that you should be able to feel when someone loves what they do, like having real conversations instead of just reading off a script or going through a punch list. It's about being present and engaged, not just checking off a to-do list.