Why Listen to Lloyd Sieden?Who is Lloyd Sieden, and why should you consider anything he says? For me, this is a reasonable question. I invariably look at an author’s bio before I read or give creditability to anything she or he says. So, let me introduce myself and share some of my experience with the events production and presentation business.The first conference I attended that really made an impact on my life was an Association of Humanistic Psychology Conference 1977 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I was recently divorced and even a bit shy to wear the Lloyd Sieden nametag they provided. I was also amazed and hooked by the myriad of possibilities in healing, personal growth work and other modalities I saw displayed. I wanted more, and, being recently divorced, I was not financially flush. I did notice that volunteers got discounted or free admission, so I begin to barter my time for admission, and I soon realized that they people producing and managing those personal growth seminars and workshops had very little business sense or common sense when it came to taking care of their participants. Thus, I began to sponsor bringing in some of those same presenters, especially the ones that I wanted to hang out with. Over the years, I learned by trial and error what works and what does not. I also had the opportunity to work with experienced producers and presenters as well as to coach presenters so that they could upgrade their skills. Eventually, this led me to do some presenting, so I have experienced live events from both the “front” and “back” of the room. This is how I came to realize that anyone who steps into the front of even the smallest audience without at least one person to support her or him is being foolish and setting themselves up for failure. I have done it, so I know. I have also run large and small support and logistics teams to create a context of success for the presenter and the event, and I have discovered that such a team, when well run, can cover the most blatant of blunders on the part of the presenter. Certainly, the event will be more successful if the presenter is skillful and professional, but a support team taking care of the participants can make a lot of potential problems go by unnoticed. I have also spent a great deal of time studying esoteric, metaphysical areas, and I pride myself in being able to “read” and quickly adjust the energy of a room. Sometimes this means simply standing in back and moving from the center to one side of the room causing the presenter to notice me and focus on that “sleeping side” of the room. Other times it is more subtle, such as intending or asking one of the team members to stand in a particular place and “hold the space.” Naturally, I would not do this with someone who was not familiar and trained in the concept. In addition to creating and working events since 1977 as well as coaching presenters since that time, I have been the at-home-Dad to two boys for fifteen years. This experience proved to be helpful in learning more subtle aspects of production, especially since I spent a great deal of time volunteering at the boys’ elementary school. In fact Lloyd Sieden was the only male on the PTA Board for two years. Actually, Lloyd Sieden was the President of the PTA for those two years, and they turned out to be two of the most productive years that PTA ever had. Our first and only school auction raised a net profit of $55,000 and we built a $90,000 new playground for the kids when everyone said it was impossible. Much of our accomplishments were due to my knowledge and application of viable production techniques. That is not to say I worked hard. I pride myself in working smart. As President, I simply guided the people who volunteered in getting the most results with the least amount of work. To learn more about my production from other people, please consider the following testimonials. Naturally, they are from people who appreciated my work, and, in truth, I have never had anyone say anything negative about my work other than they wished that they had learned what I utilized and taught before they got started. Often people I work with also believe that they can’t afford as much of my time as they want. That is when we sit down and see how we can improve the profitability of their events so that they can afford Lloyd Sieden’s support as well as the other support that will make their events and their lives more successful and fun. "I recommend Lloyd Sieden highly to any group that wants thoughtfulness, professionalism and conscientiousness. He's good." John Robbins, Author Diet For A New America & Lecturer
"From the subtle detail to the big picture, Lloyd Sieden is a master at producing events where people are taken care of and leave feeling good. He is an expert at the details of logistics and presentation that make such a difference."
"Working with Lloyd Sieden is a joy. He leaves no detail unattended while keeping everyone focused on critical goals. The success of our work with Mr. Sieden was enhanced by his concentration on creating a valuable experience for everyone involved including the volunteers, presenters and audience. His ability to guide and motivate the volunteer team in creating an environment in which the audience felt respected and inspired was particularly beneficial to our organization."
"Lloyd Sieden excels in logistics, paying attention to details and looking after the participants. I always feel at ease when he is in change. You will not be disappointed with his work."
"As producers go, Lloyd Sieden is the George Lucas of seminars and special events."
"Lloyd Sieden is a supportive coach with perspectives based in the certainty of what works for seminars. He also helps me to hold a space for the work and for me, and helps me defuse my fears. His insights and suggestions have been easy to follow and valuable. Even though I am designing gatherings and teaching on my own, with Lloyd I feel like I am working in a team. As a producer of seminars, Lloyd allows me to forget about everything but the content. I get to show up and teach confident that registration, set up, beverages, welcoming and all the myriad details of running an event will be handled with skill and kindness."
“Lloyd Sieden coordinates my pre-event logistical planning, oversees setting up of the room, manages the volunteer staff and takes full responsibility for ensuring that every detail of the venue and back-of-room operation is handled effectively. Simply seeing Lloyd in the room allows me to relax and focus on my presentation because I have confidence that everything else is under control. Lloyd also has tremendous experience at the marketing side. He understands that a successful event means having a good turnout. He has seen so many speakers that he knows what works and what does not when it comes to promoting an event. As a result he has helped me greatly in the marketing of my guest events. Lloyd is reliable and professional. His attention to detail is exceptional, and I would highly recommend him as a resource to anyone who is marketing, organizing or running an event.”
|
