If you’re an event freelancer, whether you’re wrangling lighting rigs, coordinating catering, calling the show, or the one picking the yellow M&Ms out of the bowl to satisfy Mariah Carey’s diva antics, there’s one skill that’ll keep you in work: problem-solving. It’s not about how fancy your kit is, or how many contacts you’ve got – it’s about how you handle the inevitable chaos.
Because, let’s be honest, things do go wrong.
Frequently.
Half the LED screen packs in mid-presentation.The van delivering the flowers gets stuck in traffic. The next presenter is late. The client decides they want an owl to fly down the middle of the auditorium, but the owl, stuffed from an all-you-can-eat mouse buffet, is too knackered to fly. It’s the wild west out there, and your clients are measuring you by how quickly you pull rabbits out of hats when the proverbial hits the fan.
Fire in the hole!
You’re a human fire extinguisher. On top of everything else, you’re expected to put out the metaphorical flames as and when they happen. And trust me, they happen a lot.
After 35 years in the game, I’ve had my fair share of fire-fighting moments, but one incident sticks out like a sore thumb. It was during that weird first six months of COVID where we didn’t know our arses from our elbows. Because all in-person events were cancelled during this time, I ended up doing a six-month stint for the Government’s Green Home Grant Scheme.
It was a glorified office job processing applications that gave homeowners money towards green home improvements, and it was run by suits that didn’t understand the world I’d come from.
Anyway, on day one, I spotted a problem. To me, it’s a glaring, obvious problem, so being the seasoned event freelancer that I am, I suggest fixing it. On day two, the same thing happened again, only this time, my manager pulled me aside. “Jill,” she says, deadpan, “that’s not what we do here. You do your job and your job only. We’re not interested in anything else.”
My jaw hit the floor. Like I said, I’m hardwired to fix things, to be the best freelancer I can be for my clients, and to put on the best possible show, but apparently, that wasn’t in the Green Home Grant Scheme’s lexicon.
I was lost. Why wouldn’t they want me to fix something that would make things better? In the end, a colleague gave it to me straight. “Jill,” he said, “they don’t care. Keep your head down, shut your face, and just do the menial tasks. In six months, you can go back to the real world.”
Don’t be a cog in the machine
And that’s exactly what I did. It went against everything I believed in, but I did it. I shut my mouth, did the bare minimum, and counted down the days until it was over. It was the most awkward, excruciating, soul-destroying six months of my life. But it taught me something: not every place values problem-solving. Some places just want you to be a cog in the machine.
But the event world? That’s different. It thrives on ingenuity. It demands creativity. It rewards those who can think on their feet. By just trundling along and ignoring things that could be improved, the Green Home Grant Scheme were doing the people who were applying for grants a disservice, and it’s an opinion I hold to this day.
Blue Peter it
Every event is different, so we often fly by the seat of our pants. A problem is often solved on the fly, worked out on the back of a beer mat; the solution might be unglamorous—made of gaffer tape, chewing gum, and cocktail sticks—but it works; it gets the show over the line.
Many events are only successful thanks to a freelancer’s ingenuity. We make the impossible possible. And when you’re standing there, watching a flawless event unfold, knowing you played a part in making it happen? That’s a feeling you can’t beat.
Here’s how to do it.
How to become a problem-solving ninja
Stay calm: Panic is contagious, and it solves nothing. Take a deep breath, assess the situation, and think clearly.
Think outside the box: Sometimes, the best solutions are the most unexpected ones. Don’t be afraid to get creative.
Communicate: Keep your client and your team in the loop. Honesty and transparency are key.
Learn from mistakes: Every problem is a learning opportunity. Don’t dwell on the screw-ups, but do learn from them.
Build a network: Your fellow freelancers are a goldmine of experience. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Trust your crew: As a showcaller, I rely on the crew to sort out tech problems. I trust them to do their jobs and get the show back up and running, and they trust me to stop the event manager or producer from throwing sharp things at them. We have each other’s backs, and it works wonderfully.
Turning turmoil into triumph (Try saying that three times fast)
Remember, it’s not just about fixing problems; it’s about anticipating them, preventing them, and turning potential disasters into opportunities to shine.
It’s about being the calm in the storm, the voice of reason when everyone else is panicking, and the creative force that finds solutions where others see only obstacles. It’s about building a reputation as someone who can handle anything, someone who delivers, no matter what. And in the fast-paced, unpredictable world of events, that’s a reputation worth its weight in gold.
So, embrace the chaos. Become a problem-solving pro. Your clients will thank you for it.
And you’ll probably have a few good stories to tell because of it.
