I've Seen It All at Benefit Auctions

As many events as I’ve done, I never take for granted that they will run completely smoothly from start to finish. Far from it. I am always anticipating problems, and am ever-vigilant about completing my mission: My goal is for the auction to always do at least 10% better than the year before. At events that have been run the exact same way for a decade or more, it can be more than a little daunting to expect a 10% improvement. To achieve that, events have to be executed flawlessly - and part of that comes from being committed to holistic preparation and attention to detail, doing every little thing correctly. It also comes from an initial acknowledgement and acceptance that everything might not go correctly.

Power failure during an auction? Seen that one, and dealt with it.

An unresponsive crowd who all seemed apathetic? Seen that one, and dealt with it.

Belligerent, inebriated person interrupting the proceedings? Seen that one, and dealt with it.

Life is messy. Things go wrong. People are emotional and irrational, and they often don’t behave the same in a group setting as they might in one-on-one. Add to that some alcohol, an expensive party with live entertainment, and high financial stakes. With so many variables, I always tell my clients that they need a professional team running the show, all of whom have oodles of experience. The work is hard, and my clients always have high expectations, which means that every event has huge risks.

So, why do I keep doing it? For one thing, I love helping people, and the organizations I work for are among the most important and philanthropic groups in their communities. I get great satisfaction from working with groups focused on healthcare, youth development, homelessness, hunger, animals, the environment, schools, religious organizations, and a myriad of other social causes that impact the lives of millions. There is no greater thrill than leaving the stage of an event, having raised $200,000 and beaten last year’s numbers by 30%.

Talk about a huge rush.