Erika McClary, MS

I attribute my success first and foremost to my faith in God. My faith has been the foundation that keeps me grounded, gives me perspective during difficult seasons, and reminds me that every opportunity, setback, and transition can have purpose.

I also believe deeply in the power of the people you surround yourself with. I am often my own toughest critic, so having people in my life who can see what I sometimes struggle to see in myself has been invaluable. My husband and my son continue to inspire, encourage, and remind me why I keep going. I’ve also intentionally surrounded myself with faith-driven people who challenge me, pray for me, celebrate me, and genuinely want to see me succeed.

Beyond that, I credit my willingness to keep learning, evolving, and showing up. Entrepreneurship has required me to pivot, recover from disappointments, make difficult decisions, and continue moving forward even when the entire path wasn’t clear. I’ve learned that success isn’t simply about talent or having a great idea, it’s about remaining committed to the vision, being willing to grow into the person capable of carrying it, and trusting God throughout the process.

The best career advice I’ve received is to never let being underestimated make me question whether I’m qualified. That has stayed with me because there have been moments in my career when an opportunity ended, a door closed, or I wasn’t seen in the way I knew I was capable of showing up. I had to learn that someone else’s decision about me did not determine the value of my experience, my ideas, or what I could build.

That mindset has changed the way I approach my career. I’ve learned to keep doing the work, build genuine relationships, stay open to learning, and create opportunities instead of always waiting to be chosen for them. Some of the most meaningful things I’ve done professionally came from trusting what I knew I was capable of and moving forward even when the path wasn’t completely mapped out.

I’ve also learned that your relationships and your reputation will carry you into rooms that a résumé alone cannot. Be good to people, do what you say you’re going to do, and leave people wanting to work with you again. Skills matter, but how you show up matters just as much.

Learn the business, not just the beauty of the industry. Events can look glamorous from the outside, but long-term success is built on strong relationships, clear communication, contracts, budgets, logistics, problem-solving, and the ability to stay composed when things change.

I would also encourage young women to stop waiting until they feel completely ready. Take the opportunity, ask questions, learn from people who are further along, and allow yourself to grow in public. Your first version does not have to be your final version.

Protect your creativity, but build systems around it. Know your value, charge accordingly, and be thoughtful about the clients, partners, and environments you attach your name to. Reputation travels quickly in this industry, and how you make people feel matters just as much as the final product.

Most importantly, don’t spend your career trying to become someone else’s version of successful. Develop your own point of view, stay teachable, build genuine relationships, and create work that means something to you. The industry has enough people producing events. What will set you apart is the perspective, care, and purpose you bring to the experience.

One of the biggest challenges in the event industry right now is that clients want more impact, more creativity, and more value, often without increasing the budget. That pushes us to be even more strategic about where money is spent and how every part of the experience serves a purpose.

At the same time, I think that creates a huge opportunity. People are no longer impressed by an event simply because it looks beautiful. They want to feel something. They want to interact, connect, discover, and walk away with a memory or story worth sharing. That is where experiential production becomes really powerful.

I also think there is a growing opportunity for event professionals to be brought into conversations earlier, not just as the person executing the event, but as a strategic partner who can help shape the concept, partnerships, guest journey, community engagement, and overall experience.

That shift excites me because I have always believed events should be more than a moment. The best experiences can build relationships, strengthen communities, introduce people to brands in meaningful ways, and continue creating impact long after the room is cleared.

Faith, integrity, intentionality, and community are at the center of both my work and my personal life. My faith keeps me grounded and shapes how I lead, make decisions, and move through challenging seasons. Integrity matters deeply to me because I want the way I do business to match the reputation I am building.

I also value excellence, but not perfection. I care about doing things thoughtfully, following through, and creating work that has meaning beyond how it looks. In events, that means being intentional about how people feel, how they connect, and what they take away from the experience.

Personally, family is one of my greatest priorities. Being a wife and mother has made me even more conscious of how I use my time, what I am building, and the example I want to set. I value growth, genuine relationships, and being the kind of person who supports and creates opportunities for others as I continue creating my own.