We are getting there- Rough Draft!

Jillian Fowler

Academic Writing

Zach De Piero

Setting the Stage of Writing Through Event Planning

            Can you picture starting your own business in Santa Barbara and becoming highly successful? Would you think it would be easy or hard since it is such a small town? Some would think it would be pretty easy, but it actually is the complete opposite. Kendle Evans started her own event production company here in Santa Barbara a little over five years ago and has really come to set her feet on the ground after battling to prove herself in this small community. She started at working at Disney where with a small team where she would help set up executive lunches and corporate retreats for Legendary, Warner Brothers, and even Paramount. This is where Kendle learned everything she knows now about event planning and what are the essential tools in making one successful. With a highly well- known experience working at Disney, Kendle was able to understand how written artifacts are essential when planning events. Evidence that Kendle stays true to that is through out every type of event setting up a written contract, spreadsheets, budget, column of industry standards, RSVP’s, guest list, and finally a thank you letter to her clients.

            Kendle Evans started working as an intern at Walt Disney department in Burbank and ironically never dreamed of being a well- known event planner. She first wanted to be in law or financing on the business side and they asked her if she wanted to work on their events, which she ended up trying out for her very first time. After setting up her first premier that was her first eye- opening experience realizing events was exactly what she wanted to do. It all started to spiral into the event world setting up over two hundred and fifty events a year with Walt Disney studios. Unfortunately, the economy started to crash a few years later and they ended up having to lay off a lot of their employees after a lot of budget cuts. This was the exact moment when Kendle realized she had to make something of her her own and set a name for herself in the event world. She set the stage for herself through networking and meeting lots of people, which then she started to make a name for herself by using her executives at Disney who were looking for event planners of their own. From Backpacks to Briefcases reading, Carroll discusses the importance on how we say our main points and ideas to our specific audience. Carroll states, “As we interact with other people and with media, we are continually creating and interpreting rhetoric” (Pg. 47). Rhetoric enables Kendle’s interactions in an efficient way through building strong potential clients, which truly influences her event production company. Kendle used a lot of the same written artifacts from Disney and used these essential tools for her new upcoming Lauren Kendle Event Production.

            Lauren Kendle Event Production started a little over five years ago. It has turned into a very highly well- known event company here in Santa Barbara, which creates innovative concepts to help produce flawless event services and will exceed expectations. Kendle’s major is economics and finance, which has lead to be a great backbone for events. She is highly business orientated and not just only a business designer, but knowledgeable on the budget and purpose of events when presenting to clients. Kendle had a very impressive wide- range of events that she plans from Disney events, Executive lunches, Corporate retreats, Elton John’s Oscar party every year, Capitol Records album- launch parties, political fundraisers, and even dinner parties for private families in Montecito. In the reading Finding Evidence, it shows us the importance when stating claims to your audience you must be able to present it accurately without losing your own voice. As stated, “… You need to think carefully about how you’re accustomed to using evidence- and about what counts as evidence to other people.” Kendle stated how she needs to change her “voice” with specific clients. With large corporate events, she has to remain stern and factual with her clients. With wedding events, she has to play a more emotional role and be very supportive every single step of the way. By having a clear understanding with her audience, it allows her clients to become much more confident and trusting in her work. Through out all of these events, Kendle uses a lot of written artifacts that are involved to make these impressive events successful.

            The written artifacts that Kendle uses for her events are a step- by- step process. First, she sets up a budget. This is a crucial part of setting up an event because the client has an idea of what they will be spending and their costs for setting up their exact vision. She then sets up a column of industry standards, containing worst to best scenario of the overall cost, which Kendle is always aiming to reach goal of best scenario pricing. In the reading Academic Arguments, it discusses the importance of proving your argument and evidence through sticking to particular genre. As stated, “Give special attention to transitions and paragraph structure and the way you have arrayed information, positioned headings, and captioned graphic items” (Pg. 379). Kendle proves her evidence in a way of setting a solid argument on creating a solid foundation around a budget for an entire event. There’s always two sides to an argument, which gives the client a choice on how their event should be planned through spending and costs. It shows that you have to stick with your decision in this type of argument and how important it is to follow through with your budget.

A spreadsheet of the overall event is then created by having a good idea on how everything will be laid out. This is an overall structure of the entirety of a Kendle Evans event, which allows the client to see every written artifact that will be involved with the event. It gains a sense of order and making sure nothing will be forgotten. In the reading Navigating Genres, Devitt discusses how genres play a crucial role in specific writing endeavors. Devitt points out, “Different grocery stores make for different shopping lists” (p. 255). Kendle discusses how spreadsheets are like a shopping list for an event. This shows the importance on how different event types can completely change the layout of a spreadsheet. Kendle Evans definitely shows the importance of the genre of an event because it is crucial knowing the differences between every single type of event and how they should be planned specifically.

Also RSVP’s and guest lists are essential for every event as that organizes all of the people who will be attending the event. Lastly, Kendle sends out a thank you letter to her clients, vendors, and the venue. She could not have infatuated this part enough because this is one of the most important parts of finalizing her event. Not only for her clients, but for her professional gain as well. This allows her to truly give her thanks to her clients and for them to know how important of a role they are as well. Also by sending out these thank you letters to her clients, it makes them want to come back to her over and over again. Not only the clients, but that is also how she has builds such strong relationships with her vendors and even the venue locations. In the reading Murder! Rhetorically, Boyd proves how rhetoric can allow you to write and speak effectively to reach your audiences expectations. Kendle consciously writes these thank you letters by deciding the appropriate words and meaning to engage with her audience in a meaningful way. Boyd explains, “… choosing how to express your meaning is every bit as important as the message itself, which is really what rhetoric is” (Pg. 87). Kendle has the ability of using rhetoric to the true meaning itself. By having this ability in the event planning industry, it can bring you one step higher by creating a strong foundation with your clients and giving them a sense of purpose.

Kendle Evans has truly built a special purpose for herself in Santa Barbara. She was able to overcome all of the obstacles and doubts that were thrown her way, but actually came out on top. She was able to give me the knowledge I would have never gained before from any other event planner. She is truly one of a kind be being able to create a wide- range of events that not many planners are able to do. Kendle is able to build this success through having a true understanding of the importance on how written artifacts are essential when planning events. Affirmation that Kendle is able to stay true to that are through out all of her events by setting up written contracts, spreadsheets, budgets, column of industry standards, RSVP’s, guest list, and finally thank you letters to her clients. This new found knowledge is highly beneficial and will help me strive knowing the importance of every written artifact in being a successful event planner.