Pulse Legacy Archive January / February 2011 | Seite 66

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@LynneMcNees

o you enjoy an insider’s peek into what really goes down behind the
scenes? Usually there’s a multitude of mini-dramas and hilarious
moments that the audience never gets to see. This highlights an impor-

tant lesson during this year’s ISPA Conference & Expo—expect the unexpected.
At the start of a New Year, there are a lot of unforeseen opportunities ahead of
us so it’s essential to have a plan B (and sometimes a plan C) to be able to
react quickly.
Here’s a quick peek of a few of those unexpected moments that happened

behind the scenes at the 2010 ISPA Conference & Expo:
●

The Conference bags our attendees received on-site were not the original bags

planned for the event! The bags—ordered months in advance and generously
sponsored by ResortSuite—were held hostage in customs until just a few days
before the event! (We were told this was due to tighter customs security following
a recent bomb scare.) We scrambled to order new bags for the more than 2,000
attendees. It was a crazy process and we thank ResortSuite for their patience!
●

Our wonderful student volunteers from Australia got things done so fast that

we actually ran out of tasks for them (a great problem to have). We loved getting
to know them and chanting “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie” every day.
●

In the first morning of Conference setup, the ISPA staff discovered that the

ballroom, the previous night’s venue for the Marine Corps Ball, hadn’t been cleaned
up as scheduled. It was supposed to be ready for ISPA as early as 6 a.m. for the
General Session and Auction setup. With it available only after 2 p.m., the team
was forced to step up and made an already tight turnaround into something
remarkable and heroic.
PHOTO © TIFFANY BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY

●

During one of the many General Session rehearsals, I decided to “entertain”

the group with an impromptu performance (I love to sing but cannot really carry a tune). The production crew secretly taped
it and immediately hit re-play! We were clearly “punch drunk” because we had a great belly laugh. I’ve been assured the
footage was immediately destroyed! It was certainly wonderful working with the production crew—we will miss them.
●

A not-too-funny moment was learning of the missing freight that six of our exhibitors had to deal with due to an issue with
the train transporting their materials. Even though they were without their freight, they certainly made lemonade out of
lemons and managed to pull off some very creative last-minute ideas. A heartfelt “thank you” to each of them for their
patience and professionalism.

●

A dear friend (you know who you are) decided to play a joke on me by leaving a huge plastic bug in my bag. I certainly hope
she enjoyed finding the same bug under her pillow later that night. You know what they say about payback!
What are your be