Team Introductions: Meet Founder and Chief Everything Officer Maggie
Maggie Kennedy is our fearless, wildly-gifted, and far-from-generic leader. She founded Kennedy Events in 2000 and has been Chief Everything Officer ever since. Maggie loves any occasion to celebrate and brings fun to every function. Her superpower is keeping both her clients and her team happy. While these days she leaves the event planning to her talented team, Maggie is busier than ever running the business side of Kennedy Events. She now spends her time juggling logistics, marketing, sales, growing the team, and, of course, putting her 20+ years of creative event strategy experience to work. She likes her life filled with adventure; when that’s not happening in an event space, Maggie has filled that need by traveling near and far with her kids, camping under the stars in an Indian desert, and kayaking in the waters near her Bay Area home. We’re excited to introduce you to the fierce redhead at the helm of Kennedy Events.
Kennedy Events: How did you get started in the events industry?
Maggie Kennedy: My inspiration started on a bicycle. I was training for an AIDS fundraising ride which entailed biking from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Seven days, hundreds of miles, and thousands of participants to shuffle into a new tent city every night was a massive production and an amazing feat for a worthy cause. I was volunteering in their offices after work, and found myself drawn to “the people with the clipboards.” When I found out they were the event planners and what that job entailed, I knew immediately that’s what I wanted to be when I grew up. Following the event—with a clear vision of the role I was looking for, I went looking for a job and landed my first event planning position at the Make-A-Wish Foundation as their in-house event planner.
Did you always know what types of events you wanted to plan?
When I decided I wanted to be an event planner, I was working for a company that produced TV commercials for big companies like Converse and Mercedes. Their big budgets and exorbitant spending is what eventually steered my passion toward nonprofits. When I spun out on my own to start Kennedy Events, I knew nonprofits would be my focus and our client list was exclusively nonprofit for many years. My first event was working on a women’s healthcare conference for Kaiser and that lit up all my buttons. I enjoyed the logistics and the cause; helping educate women. I was very idealistic at first, but then, as we slowly transitioned into taking on a wider variety of events in the for-profit space, I realized that what really gets me out of bed is the relationship with the client.
What is your favorite event moment?
I live for live events. That moment when things kick off on the main stage and registration has gone quiet, you can see the myriad details that have come together in unison. When you’re standing backstage with a headset and a walkie-talkie next to a team member who worked for weeks—or even months!—to pull it all together, sharing that moment of simultaneous relief and celebration as all the hard work come alive…that moment is unmatched for me.
While I don’t plan events anymore, the supporting role I love to play at our client’s functions is registration. I am a 100% extrovert and greeting the people walking through the event doors and setting a welcoming tone for the event ahead is truly fulfilling.
What’s your favorite aspect of the event planning process?
The partnership and collaboration with the client. The sense of accomplishment and elation that comes from pulling everything together and delighting the client is unmatched.
What’s the biggest misconception people have about your position?
I think there’s a misconception of what we do at Kennedy Events and the kind of events that we plan. Many people don’t understand that moving 2,000 people through a three-day conference with multiple breakouts is no party. When I was planning events, most people assumed I planned parties. When I share that my company does event planning and production, people like to tell me about the nice, 10-person dinner they curated, the bachelorette party they planned, or the baby shower they just attended. Someone even once asked me if I’m always busy on Saturday nights and if I own a bunch of ball gowns.
A misconception I run into more often these days is confusion as to where my time and energy go each day if I’m no longer planning events. I moved out of being an event planner in the last five years and into being a business owner, which is head-spinningly different and a role I’m continually learning every day. It’s a lot messier than being an event planner and there’s no finite end or project wrap-up like there is with an event.
What are the five tools you can’t live without?
In the office, I can’t live without:
Slack
Google Calendar
Google Sheets
Moleskine notebook
OAK Journal … 10 minutes of journaling each morning helps me focus the day and centers my mind before getting lost in the hecticness of a busy day.
When I’m onsite for an event, I need:
A stylish fanny pack, which I realize is an oxymoron. It’s helpful to have your hand’s free on-site while also having a place to store your phone, walkie-talkie, pen, and all of the other gizmos and gadgets needed on your person.
A watch, though I don’t actually own a watch. However, I always find myself wishing I had one at an event so I don’t have to dig out my phone to ensure a session ends on time.
An elevated clipboard that you can open up and store petty cash, car keys, paper, etc. Essentially it’s your portable desk at an event.
Where do you find inspiration?
That’s easy: my Kennedy Events’ partner Paige Buck. Hands down, she keeps me motivated, inspired, and enjoying the collaboration of running this business together. Her smarts, creativity, and cool-headed thinking always refocus me and help me see the right answer.
In addition, these days my inspiration also comes from my fellow entrepreneurs and business owners. I’m part of the Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO), a peer-to-peer network for entrepreneurs. This group has allowed me to connect with others that have experienced the struggle of starting their own businesses as well as the struggles and triumphs of owning a company. I can mentor them, they can mentor me, and we can share information about how we’ve cracked the code on this or solved for that in order to help one another grow our businesses and our leadership abilities.
What do you love most about your job now?
My amazing team! The most fulfilling part of my job now is curating an environment that people want to be in. On our weekly team call, when people speak of their love for the company and culture that just affirms that we’ve created something special.
Where did your entrepreneurial spirit come from?
Definitely my dad. He’s owned his own business my entire life. Although it was a gas station and a very different type of business than what I decided to pursue, he inspired me growing up. Two of his kids became entrepreneurs and the other two became “the man.” I’m also an Enneagram Type 8 which I definitely attribute to my boldness and propensity to lead.
What’s the top destination on your must-visit list?
While I’d love to go back to many of the incredible destinations I’ve been able to visit like India, China, and parts of Hong Kong, Tuscany is at the top of my list. I studied abroad in Florence during college, and after graduating, I worked on a horse ranch in the mountains in wine country. I’ve only gone back to visit once, but that ranch holds many treasured memories and I’d like to return one day with my kids.
If you could choose a superpower what would it be?
One of my superpowers is always thinking 20 steps ahead. This makes for a great event planner, but my kryptonite is turning that off, slowing down, and just being.
What’s your comfort food?
If I’m in a restaurant I have to order French onion soup. When I was 13, I worked as a busgirl at a steakhouse in New York and for my staff meal every night I would make French onion soup and I would add extra Swiss cheese over the sides to crisp up and it was pure bliss. My eyes light up when I see a menu with a French onion soup option!
PAIGE BUCK
Paige Buck is the co-owner of Kennedy Events, a large-scale event management company based in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City. Our team creates stress-free conferences and events with a positive impact, which allows our clients to resonate with their audience. Kennedy Events specializes in producing flawless product launches, award ceremonies, fundraisers, and multi-day conferences while keeping our eye on retention and engagement goals.
About Kennedy Events
Kennedy Events began with one goal in mind—to produce high-level corporate events with just as much strategy as style. Maggie founded the company in 2000, found her match in Paige, and in 2011 the two became official partners. Since then, these two resourceful and brilliant creatives have pooled their strengths to build one one of the most the most sought after corporate event companies in San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles.
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