10 Years of NR Events – The Story

At NR Events HQ we are celebrating the company’s 10 Year Anniversary and have decided to delve back into the history of how Natasha, the founder, came to setting up her business. Have you ever considered going freelance or setting up a business in the events industry? We sat down with Natasha to find out how she achieved it and some top tips for creating a successful career.

 

First of all, how did Natasha come to discovering her interest in the events industry?

“At university I did a placement in Hannover during Expo 2000 and that was my first taste of events, although I was quite naรฏveย to what it was and that events was even a career. During my first job after university I did a secondment to a charity which cemented that my then career was not for me and all I could think about was how much I enjoyed my job in Germany.ย 

I went to work for Cancer Research UK and really loved the events part of my fundraising job, which led to me moving across to the Race for Life team, which was a great job to learn about all aspects of events, from marketing to PR, health and safety to customer experience and crowd management.”

 

Starting off within a well-respected charity gave lots of opportunity to gain experience from many knowledgeable professionals. But what made Natasha take the leap to going freelance and setting up NR Events?

“It was never really a plan. I always admired people who made brave moves and did things like going freelance but I was too worried about financial security etc. I had been working my way up the fundraising events career path, but was moving away from operational delivery and enjoying it less but couldnโ€™t seem to get a break outside of charity. Then Iย did a short contract at the Olympics in 2012, and whilst I was there a friend of mine introduced me to promo work.

I decided to take some time out rather than rush for the first job, as long as I could pay my bills. A few weeks later I was offered a freelance role for 20 days, then I found another short part time freelance contract. After that I had 4 months of not a lot of work coming in but understood then the experience and contacts I had meant a quite seasonal offering and decided to stick it out. So really it was very accidental.

 

After braving the freelance world, was it all that Natasha had hoped for or expected?

“In some respects yes but I think people see successful freelancers and think it’s great to pick and choose and have time off when you want but reality can be very different.

I do enjoy the freedom and have learnt to not take work that I donโ€™t think is a great fit for me, or to at least not take the same job twice if I decide its not a good fit. I also have enjoyed having some flexibility in my days and schedule over the years.

At first I worked really hard never turning anything down as I tried to build a client base, and missed lots of social occasions etc. Prior to covid I was in a good place with a nice level of work but changed to limited company as that suited my contracts better. I was at the stage of thinking of growing the business but not really knowing what was best!

Covid changed everything and coming out of that time I fell back to accepting everything again but also I have come out of 2021 with so much more work, I decided to employ someone and ended up with 2 employees which was great, but there is a lot of hard work behind the scenes that people donโ€™t see, the accounts, the payroll, the admin and also the worry!

 

10 years of hard work has clearly paid off and goes to show the patience you must have to build a freelance business, especially during the difficult times of Covid. We asked Natasha what her stand out job has been over the past decade…

“There have been a few, the Evening Standard Film Awards were fantastic and I thought I really have delivered something big, although the event wasnโ€™t huge numbers of people, the prestige of the venue and the client made it great.

My dream had also been to work in music events, and I had worked in various festival roles but being part of the licensing team a few years ago at leeds festival and then T in the Park, felt like I ticked off a goal.

There are so many pinch me moments though and I am always grateful I get to work on amazing events.”

 

What part of the job makes it so enjoyable though?

“I love seeing people enjoy your event, whether it is a conference or a party, seeing people having a great time is amazing and then hearing the feedback.”

 

NR Events have taken on many great events with prestigious brands over the last 10 years, however, what is one event that Natasha dreams of one day being able to work on?

“The Brits – I am sure I have it built up to some unrealistic expectations in my head and I know the reality would be very different. That said Eurovision is coming to the UKโ€ฆ”

 

Times have changed since 2012, technology has progressed immensely and people’s entertainment consumption habits have changed also. What differences can be seen in the events industry since then?

“I would say more people seem to know its a career! Although many people donโ€™t understand what it is, my friends still think I am doing glamorous things – they have literally never seen me on site in steelies in the rain!ย 

I think we have got better, more professional and we continue to deliver outstanding experiences as an industry.ย 

Some elements have changed and some remain the same but it’s vital to keep exploring new technologies. I think even where your role doesnโ€™t change you have to keep up with what is going on in other areas of the industry and world, you can draw inspiration from anywhere and we need to continue to be resilient and able to respond as customer expectations change.”

 

For those looking to embrace the world of events but aren’t quite sure how to get there, what advice does Natasha have for budding professionals?

“Work hard and be nice! No one cares what degree you have and I certainly donโ€™t care about your social media presence. Get experience, try everything, donโ€™t get fooled into thinking it’s glamorous and certainly donโ€™t think any job is below you. Start with that and you canโ€™t go far wrong!”

 

On the flip side, what advice would she give 2012 Natasha?

“Be brave, go for it, but it’s not all work – enjoy life too (I should still give myself this advice).”

 

And finally, looking ahead to the next 10 years, where is NR Events destined to head?

“Hopefully continuing to grow and continue to get the opportunity to work on amazing events but still being approachable, friendly and honest. Itโ€™s easy to get swept up in hype but I hope I still stand by work hard and be nice.”

INSTAGRAM

Here at NR Events, we keep our prices fair and transparent by tracking the time we spend working on each of our projects. We do this with the brilliant app @timeular which we can input our budget into and compare time spent vs. how much budget is left. ๐Ÿ’ฐ

This means we can pretty accurately estimate how many days we will spend when pitching for a new event, leaving the client with no unexpected charges post-event! ๐Ÿ†

(Even while writing this, Emily is using Timeular to track her time spent on the NR social media ๐Ÿคญ)

#timeular #timetracking #budgetmanagement #projectestimate #eventmanagement #eventproduction #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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How do you manage your projects?

We use an app called @wriketeam which suits all of our project organisation, scheduling, and task management needs. It`s simple to add client users to collaborate on projects and keep right up-to-date with progress โœ…

We also build `master schedules` in Google Drive that has all the vital event information in one document - running order, staff & supplier contacts, printing list, budgets, packing lists, and more! ๐Ÿ˜…

#wrike #projectmanagement #scheduling #ganttchart #taskmanagement #googledrive #budgeting #eventmanagement #eventproduction #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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NR Events are always looking for the latest and simplest platforms to make our work easier and more efficient! This week we want to shout about our favourite platforms that make our lives just a little bit easier...

@tickettailor is our well-loved ticketing and registration provider that has delivered some of our smoothest events. Not only is the website and check-in app really easy to navigate, it`s also a lot cheaper than most of the top dogs out there ๐Ÿ’ช

What ticketing platform do you use and why?

#tickettailor #eventticketing #eventregistration #guestlist #delegate #eventmanagement #guestmanagement #eventproduction #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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We enjoyed working with Gloucestershire Constabulary so much last year on the Annual NBPA Conference, that we have returned to help deliver their annual Open Day plus other events for 2023! ๐Ÿ‘ฎ

Join us on Saturday 23rd September from 10:00 - 15:00 for a free family day of fun to learn about how they police our county of Gloucestershire ๐ŸŽ‰

#gloucestershireconstabulary #ukpolice #policeevents #eventmanagement #eventproduction #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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The Gift Card & Voucher Association is an organisation that NR Events has worked with loyally for many years and we are so pleased to be working on their Hall of Fame Awards in London again this year! ๐Ÿชฉ

It`s a memorable night for all and we are looking forward to making an incredible guest experience, this time at @8northumberland ๐Ÿฉ

#gcva #halloffame #gcvahofawards2023 #awards #london #eventmanagement #eventproduction #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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Over the next few months (and then beyond), we will be delivering Q Community`s variety of events across the UK - in London, Birmingham, and Glasgow. ๐Ÿฉบ

Q has a whole host of extraordinary members who will be able to network, share ideas, and celebrate their achievements within the healthcare industry. ๐Ÿง‘โ€โš•๏ธ

Our first event with them is tomorrow and we are so eager to get started!

#qcommunity #thehealthfoundation #ukhealthcare #networking #corporateevents #london #birmingham #glasgow #eventmanagement #eventproduction #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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We have spent various days and weeks in fields building festival sites wishing that we could get stuck in and shift materials around when needed! ๐Ÿ‘ทโ€โ™€๏ธ

From October, NR Events will be able to offer telehandler drivers and help with quicker and more convenient site builds ๐Ÿšœ

#telehandler #sitebuild #festival #greenfield #eventmanagement #eventproduction #sitemanagement #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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Carbon Impact Reporting is a service that we offer as standard for each new project. We know that making events as sustainable as possible is really important and we support our clients and suppliers that think the same ๐ŸŒ

We are constantly learning new things with TRACE`s newsletters and looking to improve this even more by taking part in an online sustainability course very soon ๐Ÿชด

Get in touch to find out more about our sustainability services - hello@wearenrevents.com

#sustainability #sustainableevents #trace #carbonreporting #eventmanagement #eventproduction #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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NR Events understand that attending events as a disabled person can sometimes be very stressful ๐Ÿ˜“

But it doesn`t have to be this way! We are on a mission to make our events accessible for any type of disability. Especially working with @vision_fdn, it has opened our eyes to an events world for the blind and partially-sighted that needs to become much more inclusive.

Having already taken part in an Attitude Is Everything online course on Inclusivity, this is something we feel really passionate about ๐Ÿ‘

#disabilityawareness #disabilitytraining #inclusivity #inclusiveevents #attitudeiseverything #accessibility #eventmanagement #eventproduction #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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For another year, we are lucky enough to be working with the team at REAP to deliver their events and sessions at COP28, this time in Dubai ๐ŸŒ

The `Risk-informed Early Action Partnership` play a crucial role in bringing a range of stakeholders together with the aim of making 1 billion people safer from natural disasters by 2025.

We`re already stuck into the planning and looking forward to another memorable COP ๐Ÿชด

#cop28 #reap #uae #dubai #climatechange #sustainability #eventmanagement #eventproduction #hybridevents #virtualevents #onlineevents #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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We will be heading to Amman, Jordan for the International Fundraising Skillshare in October with the @ifrc ๐ŸŒ™

After 2021`s event was online, we are really looking forward to delivering this in person and see our attendees flourishing in a great networking space ๐Ÿ’ช

#skillshare #ifrc #amman #jordan #inpersonevent #networking #eventmanagement #eventproduction #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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This week, let`s take a look at some of the events that we have coming up for the rest of the year...

NR Events are pleased to be programming the free entertainment around town for @cheltbid`s Food & Drink Week again this year! ๐ŸŽผ

There`s plenty to see so don`t miss out!

Friday 22nd Sept:
Brewery Quarter - 17:00 - 21:30 (Live music)

Saturday 23rd Sept:
Regent Street - 10:00 - 16:00 (Roaming performers, circus acts & street entertainment)
Montpellier Courtyard - 12:00 - 16:00 (Live instrumental & acoustic music)
Brewery Quarter - 12:00 - 17:00 (Live music), 18:00 - 20:00 (Silent headphone disco)

Sunday 24th Sept:
Montpellier Courtyard - 12:00 - 16:00 (Live instrumental & acoustic music)
Brewery Quarter - 12:00 - 18:00 (Family day - children`s music entertainment and roaming performers)

See you there ๐ŸŽธ๐Ÿคนโ€โ™€๏ธ

#cheltenhambid #cheltenhamfoodanddrinkweek #cheltenhamfood #cheltenhamnightlife #livemusic #streetperformers #circus #childrensentertainment #family #silentdisco #breweryquarter #montpelliercourtyard #regentstreet #eventmanagement #musicprogramming #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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We pride ourselves in being able to integrate with our client teams with ease, with all the tools and skills to work collaboratively. We can be an extension of your team and achieve the sleekest working practices to deliver the best event experiences for your guests.

Find more about the team at NR Events on our website, `Meet The Team` page ๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ’ป

#eventmanagement #eventproduction #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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Introducing our new Event Assistant, Alice! ๐ŸŒŸ

Having just graduated from the University of Gloucestershire, Alice is starting out her career in events. She has already worked on multiple projects at NR Events and has demonstrated her existing skills and knowledge from previous experience.

Alice began volunteering and freelancing with us all the way back in October last year for the NBPA Annual Conference. We are so happy to have her and looking forward to delivering our upcoming projects with her ๐Ÿ‘

#newstaff #newteammember #newstarter #eventassistant #eventmanagement #eventproduction #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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Team appreciation ๐Ÿ˜

We went out to update our company photos and explore the amazing work of the @cheltenhampaintfestival!

We are lucky to be based in the thriving festival town of Cheltenham, working across the UK and internationally ๐ŸŒ

#cheltenham #eventmanagement #eventproduction #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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One of our newest clients is `Q-Community` who have appointed us as their new events agency. Q- Community are an organisation delivered by the Health Foundation.

We are really looking forward to introducing creative and innovative ways for Q`s members to collaborate through a variety of different events, both in venues in person and online across the UK.

#eventmanagement #eventprofs #wemakeevents #eventproduction #newclient #qcommunity
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At NR we have been working hard on creating and building new and existing relationships with clients ๐Ÿ‘ทโ€โ™‚๏ธ

Check out our new blog post for more information about our new clients and how we gain others!
https://buff.ly/405xIH7

#eventmanagement #eventprofs #wemakeevents #eventproduction #blog #newclients
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We had a great time in London at the launch of `My View : Transforming young refugees lives` @Refugeecouncil latest programme on the 4th July. The new programme helps to provide therapy and counselling for young refugees.

On the event day we assisted with Delegate, Stage and Speaker management, registration and ticketing, venue liaison and more! ๐ŸŒŸ

๐Ÿ“ธ - @_taylography_

#eventmanagement #eventprofs #wemakeevents #eventproduction #refugeecouncil
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A couple of weeks ago we were experiencing a typical British festival in our wellies and raincoats ๐ŸŒง๏ธ

But that didn`t stop our team from delivering their best in Evictions for Secret Garden Party and making sure that everyone in the festival was respecting the guidelines and partying safely ๐Ÿ•บ๐Ÿชฉ

Unfortunately that`s our last festival for 2023, but we`re looking forward to returning to the fields next year!

(Don`t forget to check out our blog about working in Evictions here - https://buff.ly/405xIH7)

#festival #ukfestival #sgp #secretgardenparty #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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NR Events are pleased to have built great relationships with some of the UK`s most-loved festivals in running their Evictions areas. ๐ŸŽถ

You may be wondering what exactly is Evictions? Well you can read about it all in our latest blog post linked in our bio or on our website in the "News" section!

#glastonbury #sgp #secretgardenparty #festivals #ukfestivals #eventsafety #festivalsafety #eventmanagement #wemakeevents #eventprofs
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