Jessica Fels
Jessica Fels has over 20 years of experience as an events and marketing professional spanning a number of industries including luxury and contemporary fashion, entertainment and publishing. She spoke with us about her creative style, sustainability and taking risks.
Where did it all begin?
After graduating from college, I bartended for a year until realizing it was probably time to put my new college credentials to work. I moved back to Los Angeles, where I grew up, and landed a job at Showtime Networks in the Sales and Marketing Department. I did various things for various people, but one of my jobs was to plan small incentive events for people working in cable company call centers. These events were tiny – a booze cruise in San Diego, a screening of the Blair Witch Project in Griffith Park, etc. – but I fondly remember them as the BEST part of my job. I did not know at the time that having a career solely dedicated to event planning was a thing, and, when I realized it was, my mind was made up.
I quit my job, moved to NYC and started bartending (again). I told everyone who sat at my bar that I had just moved from LA and wanted to be an event planner. That is how I landed an events job at Travel + Leisure Magazine. I was at T+L for almost two years, and after being let go post-9/11, I freelanced for a short time with Merv Griffin Productions back in LA. This exposure to the production side of the business was invaluable. It was at that point that I had the amazing opportunity to work at Louis Vuitton, where I was brought on to manage events for North America and where I remained for five years. LV definitely shaped who I am today as an event professional – the level of detail and high standards that are expected from a luxury brand has a way of effectively molding an event producer. From LV I went on to head up PR & Events for GUESS Inc back in Los Angeles. In 2010, after three years with GUESS, I launched my own company jfped inc… which is celebrating 10 years this year.
What is it about your approach in particular that sets you apart?
I think what sets me apart from many event producers is that I have worked on the client side and know the challenges and/or frustrations that come with working with an external agency or production company. I always tell my clients, I have been where you are sitting: I know how many different sets of approvals you probably need for one tiny change to a press wall; I know that my client may be (very) late for a conference call because they are most likely sitting in one of 20 meetings they have that day; I know how internal budgets work and despite the size of the corporation, “finding the money” is not as always as easy as it may appear.
My 10 years in-house has given me the experience to understand the many different facets of an event; not just the pure production, but the PR and social media strategy, talent relations, branding, advertising, etc. Also, I am at the helm of literally every single project we do – I do not take the initial call and then pass off the project to a team member. No, I can't be on-site for every event, all of the time, but when I can, I am there. There is nothing that my company puts out that I have not been involved with 99% of the time to ensure execution is nothing short of flawless.
How do you find your clients?
For the last 10 years, every client we’ve had has been recommended via word of mouth or by past colleagues/friends in need of event production/design services. I have tried several different tactics for marketing, but so far none have resulted in as much success as word of mouth. It is my relationships that I have to thank for where my business is today. The saying is true, “Never burn a bridge!”
Who make the best clients?
A healthy budget is always a plus, as well as some understanding of what it costs to achieve certain expectations. Clients often have an idea of what they want without as much understanding of what that idea might cost to produce and execute. This can be very tricky to communicate.
I also tend to get pretty close with most of my clients. So, for me, people with a good sense of humor, friendly, open and outgoing is always a plus.
How do you view event production?
Event production is so many things – from ideation, design and conception to venue scouting, sourcing and execution to install and strike. There are so many things that need to happen to get a project off the ground.
Normally, after I understand the message my client is trying to achieve and we put together some inspirational images, I take a minute, close my eyes and visualize the project from a guest standpoint. What is their experience going to be from the minute they walk in the door? How can we make that experience stand out from the rest? It's that "awe" moment that I aspire to and want to achieve for every project we produce.
How do you find ways to stand out instead of fit in?
I try very hard to give my clients an experience they will not get from another agency. It is hard to explain, but my approach to everyone we meet is to ensure we are super personable, courteous, friendly, open and honest. Although you may think none of these attributes relate to event planning and production, you would be surprised how far finding common ground with someone or taking a few extra minutes to ask them how their day is going, while remaining super genuine in your tone and approach, will go in standing out from the rest.
How would you describe your creative style?
I am a middle-of-the-road thinker when it comes to creativity. I am just as much right-brained as I am left- brained, so when I am thinking of ideas to present to a client, I definitely think about how I am going to make it work from a technical stand point and the possible cost, rather than just throwing out this lavish concept they might love, but in the end we just cannot make happen or the client cannot afford.
There are many occasions as well, where ideas/concepts come to us from the client (either via outside production designers or in the case of luxury clients, European headquarters) that are incredible in theory and on paper, but making it happen is beyond what has been planned for from a budget standpoint. No matter what, we make it happen. However, my approach is seemingly more calculated than some.
What makes a great event?
As I might have stated, the “awe” moment means everything to me – walking into a venue or up to an experience and your jaw drops to the floor – that to me is a great event!
As well as: not waiting an extended amount of time for your car from valet; getting a drink when you want one (lines at bars drive me nuts); catering staff that do not bus the room (I often find myself collecting empty glasses, discarded cocktail napkins when the event is not staffed well enough); well-curated catering and delicious food; great flow and little bottle neck. I am extreme when it comes to on-site expectations. This list could go on and on…
What is the number one thing you think events need to do to become more sustainable?
I honestly think there are so many things we can do to make events more sustainable. For example, a good start would be for production companies to start sourcing and working with fabrication houses that reuse their build materials after each event and do not simply discard them (rental flats that can be repurposed are always better, if possible). Hire catering companies that source their food responsibly and donate any leftovers to food banks, use reusable cocktail napkins whenever possible, serve all beverages in glassware or reusable cups (no more plastic), etc.
At our company, whenever we are purchasing items online, we ask our suppliers to ship in as little packaging as possible. All employees must have a reusable water bottle and I am trying my hardest to get everyone to only use reusable coffee cups.
How do you create space for out-of-the-box thinking while designing experiences? How do you balance taking risks with the chance of failure?
I always have to keep budget and end result top of mind when designing experiences – and love when there is creative space to achieve “out-of-the-box” thinking. As mentioned above, I am very calculated when it comes to my creative vision, so I tend to be very careful and over explanatory when it comes to presenting risky ideas—to potentially avoid that chance of failure. If I do not think it is going to work in the end, I am honest and up front with my client and try to steer them in another direction that will succeed.
How do you think AI will influence an event planner's job? Are you excited or wary? What do you think will be automated that you currently do today?
I have never really given this any thought, nor am I very concerned right now about a robot doing my job, ha! Maybe we will soon be having full conversations with our computers (beyond Siri or Alexa) and they will help do research for us, put presentations together, create spreadsheets, etc. like an AI assistant, which I kind of would not mind at all. Wait, does that exist?
What is the best talent (keynote speaker, performer, etc.) you've ever booked for one of your events and why was it so successful?
I have had the pleasure to work with some incredible talent over the years and curate a lot of wonderful and entertaining experiences for clients’ guests.
On a very famous level, I have had the pleasure of working with many incredible musical artists, not limited to Snoop Dogg, Guns n’ Roses, Seal and Alicia Keys – their performances were for intimate audiences and each incredible – career highlights for sure.
On a not-so-famous but amazing performance level, I curated “treadmill dancing” and “trampoline dancing” performances for two different “Broken Resolutions Bashes” which were both highly entertaining and very different from a viewing perspective.
There are lots more – you can see some of them on my website here.