Esprit Awards Recipient Spotlight
Want your award-worthy event to have earn an Esprit Award?
Read the testimonials below to get inspired for your 2023 Esprit Award application!
CEO/Creative Director, AAO Events, Inc.
Four-time recipient from 2018-2021 in the categories of Best Event Logistics, Best Event Design/Decore, Best Entertainment Production, Best Corporate Event, Best Event for a Non-Profit Organization, and Best Meeting/Conference Program.
What value does being an Esprit Awards winner bring to you, personally and professionally?
Both personally and professionally, it is important to be acknowledged by your peers that you are doing work that is still cutting edge and award winning. It not only confirms that you are on the right path personally, but that your career is too. And there is nothing more important than the decisions on ones peers.
How has winning an Esprit Award impacted your career and/or business?
It tells our clients that we are doing some of the best work in the industry for what we do. It aids in making a decision to pull the trigger on working with us!
What made you decide to submit for your first Esprit Awards?
It has always been part of the marketing strategy of our company. To be constantly in the mix for awards. . .and if we win, ultimately even better!
What advice would you like to share about the Esprit Awards?
It is so worth it to enter. It takes a little time and effort, but it is important to compare your work to the rest of the world!
What general advice would you like to share with your fellow event professionals?
You should know whether the event you are going to enter is "esprit worthy" even before you enter it. So make sure you spend the energy and time into hiring a photographer to capture the event. Doesn't matter how good your event is, if nobody can see to determine that it is indeed that good. Also, get a GREAT writer to tell that story.
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President & CEO, Hala Events & Comunications Inc.
Nine-time recipient, most recently in 2020, in the categories of Best Videography, Best Industry Contribution, Best Entertainment Production, Best Corporate Event, Best Event for a Non-Profit Organization, and Best Social Event (Non-Wedding).
What value does being an Esprit Awards winner bring to you, personally and professionally?
It is always a great honour to be recognized by our global community of creative event professionals and our agency is always humbled when we receive an award that acknowledges and celebrates our collaborative achievements with our clients.
Receiving an Esprit Award validates and recognizes our efforts on behalf of our clients - and the feeling when you hear your company and client's name called during the awards ceremony is truly electric!
How has winning an Esprit Award impacted your career and/or business?
A symbol of industry excellence, the Esprit Awards increases industry awareness, elevates professionalism and inspires growth within the live event industry. Hala Events & Communications Inc. is one of the most highly awarded event firms in North America, validating that we provide senior counsel and exceptional client service to deliver distinctively memorable occasions.
We are also a proudly Canadian company – our industry may be small in comparison to other countries but we are mighty. Therefore, to be recognized on a global stage is truly an honour. We take great pride in delivering client success and to claim that an event is “award-winning” truly lends credibility to our success.
What made you decide to submit for your first Esprit Awards?
When I founded my company in 2004, I coordinated the Teddy Bear Affair in support of the Children’s Aid Foundation. This event earned a stellar reputation for delighting its guests with unprecedented and entertaining performances and guest experiences. I felt there was an opportunity for this event to be recognized on a global stage and sure enough, it earned two 2004 Esprit Awards: Best Corporate Event and Best Social Planning Event!
What advice would you like to share about the Esprit Awards?
Enter! In the words of Canadian Wayne Gretzky “You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.” Receiving an award on behalf of your client is truly a memorable experience. But you have to enter and invest the time to ensure you are compiling a strong submission that meets all category requirements.
What general advice would you like to share with your fellow event professionals?
When we commemorate a special occasion, we are essentially placing a mental bookmark on an experience. A memorable moment in time that we will forever cherish.
Celebrating gives us a sense of achievement and the opportunity to share this accomplishment with our clients and team members. Receiving an Esprit Award commemorates the culmination of your achievements and provides a celebration that you will look back on for years to come!
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CEO & Creative Director, Lynn Fletcher Weddings
Four-time recipient from 2018-2021 in the categories of Best Wedding and Best ILEA Team Effort.
What value does being an Esprit Awards winner bring to you, personally and professionally?
Winning an Esprit Award means that I am in a group of event professionals who are all dedicated to producing amazing events around the globe.
How has winning an Esprit Award impacted your career and/or business?
The phrase "award winning" means a lot to prospective clients. It shows that we are dedicated to exceptional client care.
What made you decide to submit for your first Esprit Awards?
Back in 2005, my boss encouraged me to submit. She was an award winner herself so I took it as a massive compliment that she thought I was good enough to not only to submit but also win..... and I won that year.
What advice would you like to share about the Esprit Awards?
We spend a lifetime celebrating others in our careers. The Esprit Awards give us the chance to cheer on and celebrate our beloved event industry and share the accolades with the event partners that make our events so outstanding.
What general advice would you like to share with your fellow event professionals?
Just submit! Pay attention to the rules and the criteria. You can score if you don't shoot!
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Partner, Wilkinson Rhodes
Two-time recipient from 2019-2020 in the categories of Best Wedding
What value does being an Esprit Awards winner bring to you, personally and professionally?
I find value in being an Esprit Awards recipient because it allows me to showcase my work on an international scale. I love seeing the other nominees' work. It is an incredible experience when you see your name with some of the best in our industry.
How has winning an Esprit Award impacted your career and/or business?
My clients love it when I give them a call and say "Congrats! Your event just won an international award." They love it and it validates all of our hardwork.
What made you decide to submit for your first Esprit Awards?
To be honest, my business partner/mother/fellow ILEA member voluntold me to start writing our awards. Then I just kept submitting over the years and getting nominated. Finally, after many years we won an Esprit.
What advice would you like to share about the Esprit Awards?
Follow the guide. Answer the questions, and make sure to have a colleague overlook your submission with fresh eyes.
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APPLY FOR A 2023 ESPRIT AWARD