My Working Life
Carolyn Mason
The founder of
Exhibition Girls on
early show memories,
building a promotional
staff business and the
lack of regulation in the
industry
At university I started working in
promotions and exhibitions at the NEC
to fund my studies. I loved the flexibility,
meeting new people and the opportunity to
learn about business.
I worked at a leading consumer PR company
after graduating, assisting with press events
and coverage for leading brands such as
McVities, Odeon and B&Q. I decided to return
back to promotional work and events where I
then stayed for seven years – mainly working
as a stand hostess and in sales and lead
generation on exhibition stands.
My first exhibition was as a stand hostess for
Sharjah Tourism, serving billionaire Sheikhs
with Arabic coffee – a custom which has a
very involved and strict procedure. I worked
at hundreds of exhibitions as a stand hostess
and was privileged to be the face of multi-
national high-profile businesses from across
the world.
I became an expert saleswoman - selling
superyachts at the boat shows and French
fashion to buyers at Pure London. I loved
helping international exhibitors and small
businesses who needed sales support and
adapting to different people, environments
and making a difference.
I was approached by a leading casino firm
asking if I could provide similar girls to
myself at the iGaming affiliate conference
in Barcelona. I spoke to my friend who
has an agency in Spain and we managed
to book over 20 promotional staff at the
event. I realised with my existing network,
knowledge of exhibitions and my passion
for helping exhibitors have the right type
of staff, I could make a successful business.
At the time – there was no specialist agency
for stand hostesses at exhibitions. I am now
in my seventh year - we now have another
office in Cannes, France. I have excellent
relationships with international colleagues.
12 — October
I was born in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, where I
recently returned to live.
My dad was a sales manager for a major
confectionary firm – an early memory was
his return from the National Convenience
Show at the NEC with a car full of sweets
and chocolate for us.
I have always been very academic; I attended
a girls grammar school and gained a first-
class degree in English Literature from the
University in Birmingham – with a dissertation
in feminism.
I travel quite a lot for work. I am lucky to live
back by the sea in Leigh-on-Sea and regularly
cycle along the seafront and in the Old Town
which is fantastic in summer. I also love
yoga and I listen to lots of podcasts about
business and sales motivation.
I love exhibition season and genuinely miss the
requests from exhibitors and stand builders
during the August quiet month. I opened my
new business – ‘experience staff’ last year
which is experiential and promotional staffing
which means we are now busy seasonally
but I still genuinely love exhibitions and love
the opportunities, excitement and sense of
achievement when an exhibitor is happy.
Exhibitions in the UK are filled with
temporary staff – from the stand hostesses
to the sales staff. The need for staff is
growing. However, there is currently no
regulation of the industry. Social media
and the internet has opened up access to
exhibitors and staff – anyone can start an
agency and unlike in Europe there are no
staff checks at UK exhibitions.
After the HMRC law change in 2015, all
agencies should be paying their staff as
‘employees,’ not freelancers or self-employed.
This provides employee rights of PAYE tax,
public and employment liability insurance for
exhibitors and also means employment status
checks are run. Exhibition Girls is a proud
member of ESSA, but there is still a lot more
education required for organisers, venues and
exhibitors in the UK. EN