Organising an event abroad – an international team, new things to learn and unforgettable encounters
TO DO IN THE WORLD
Organising an event abroad is a great opportunity and an interesting project. To Do has produced the Biohacker Summit event in Helsinki several times, but also in Tallinn and Stockholm. In October 2022, for the first time, it was Amsterdam’s turn to conquer!
The event took place along the autumn canal at the Kromhouthal. Over the two days of the event, around 1700 visitors from more than 60 countries from North America to Asia visited the site. The theme this time was “Hack the Ego” and the memorable talks on optimising health were also streamed. On the spot, you could discover the products and services of numerous interesting exhibitors, not forgetting testing and tasting. The event had many attractive and surprising elements, from a truck offering cryo-cold treatments to a traditional Finnish sauna area and a cocoa ceremony.
In addition to visitors from all over the world, the team behind the production was also very international this time – English, Dutch, Estonian and Finnish were all fluently mixed in. It was our job to lead this international team and coordinate all the pieces to ensure a successful visitor experience.
Our production team had a busy week – last-minute shopping around the maze of the big city, wondering about local practices and numerous problem-solving situations. We managed to cope with everything that came our way, and the result was a successful event that brought a smile to the faces of the visitors, as well as many memorable encounters.
TIPS FOR ORGANISING AN EVENT ABROAD
Organising the event in Western Europe was very different from the Nordic way of doing things. We’ve put together a few tips to consider when organising an event abroad:
- Being on the move – it takes much longer to sort everything out, agree, book and arrange than in Finland. What can be done in one phone call here may take weeks of discussion.
- Preparing for the language barrier – not everything can be done in English as you might imagine. Fortunately, there’s Google Translate for those situations where, despite numerous attempts, you can’t get quotes and contracts from a local subcontractor in English.
- Different payment methods – billing may not be possible at all. You should be prepared for a variety of options when travelling and, as a general rule, payments should be made in advance.
- Not all objects and goods are the same, even if the name is the same – in unexpected places you may find that a particular product is not what you are used to in Finland. For example, string caps surprised me by being disposable, tiny paper flags that crumpled, broke and disappeared and were no longer usable the next day.
- Logistics – some items are worth bringing with you. With good planning and efficient packing, you can fit a surprising amount in the same car.
- Sunday – a very challenging day to organise an event, as local companies were unable to get workers on Sunday. So if you’re planning an event, don’t plan on unloading on a Sunday! You may find yourself in a situation where the trucks don’t show up to pick up the goods as scheduled.
After the event, however, when the production team and I went over what we learned from the trip, one thing stood out above all others. Together we can do anything! The most exciting thing about being a producer is seeing, experiencing and being part of events where you learn and try new things. This time, for example, the team got to refresh themselves with an adaptogenic coffee and admire the 3D artwork covering the walls and ceiling of the VIP area.
In October 2023 we will be able to hold the same event in Amsterdam for the second time and we are looking forward to seeing what this year brings!
Need help organising your event at home or abroad? Call me maybe?
Take a peek at what the event looked like in the gallery below.
Kuja by Remu Lahti and Atte Haapalahti
