A Message From Matt Emerson
2022 was pretty intense. Here at the start of 2023, our clients are hoping to catch their breath. We are, too.
This time last year, Omicron hit, and events were again put on hold or rescheduled. When events ramped back up in the spring and summer, twelve months’ worth of events were compressed into a much shorter timeframe. Venues were booked out far in advance, and meetings, conferences, trade shows, and gala events continued nonstop.
The business rebound was much bigger than expected, which is wonderful. However, we also had to figure out how to keep up with pent-up demand. You did, too. We all know it was challenging to host, plan, produce, and support events in 2022.
You’re Doing the Hard Work
Last year, everyone in the meetings and events industry had a hard time finding event space and dealt with serious supply chain issues, staffing shortages, and budget constraints – some caused by lower attendance and others by the squeeze of inflation. You’ve felt the effects of an industry that is evolving at a rapid pace. Your work has become appreciably harder as a result.
And yet you’ve shown that you’re willing and able to face these difficulties head-on. You excel at making the tough decisions needed to engage attendees and communicate your message. You will accomplish a lot this year, and our team will be right by your side. I can’t wait to see what this year has in store, and I look forward to doing great things together.
I want to let you know that your dedication, enthusiasm, and perseverance have inspired us.
We’re Doing the Hard Work
For our part, we’ve mastered the skills needed to produce in-person, virtual, and hybrid events, and we’re prepared to provide the support you need in exactly the way you need it.
While staffing in the industry is still below pre-pandemic levels, we’ve increased hiring to meet the pace of growth and maintain the level of service our clients expect. The combined resources and geographic diversity of AVFX and CEAVCO have made us even stronger. In 2023, we’ll continue to grow our company. We’re more nimble and collaborative than ever before.
We’ve strived to listen closely to what you have to say, as well as anticipate your needs and stay one step ahead. It’s our job to make your lives easier and deliver peace of mind, and we’ve taken that job very seriously.
We’re in This Together
Over the past few years, the work has been hard. It still is. But that work is important, and we love doing it. More than anything else, I’m left with a deep understanding of the importance of partnership and a greater appreciation of how we’re all in this together.
It will still take an incredible amount of resilience to get through this coming year, but we’ve all shown that we have it in us. Nothing is as simple as it once was, but we’re better equipped to handle the ups and downs. We’re all continuing to adapt and thrive. We’re all in a stronger position going into 2023 than we were in 2022.
You will accomplish a lot this year, and our team will be right by your side. I can’t wait to see what this year has in store, and I look forward to doing great things together.