Working two bar shifts at the GelreDome during The Streamers was such an exciting and valuable experience. I learned that being on time is such an important aspect, otherwise the organisation is able to deny you for work. Before the doors even open, everything has to be set up and ready to go. During the shift, working quickly and having accuracy but still being friendly were key. I had to prepare drinks quickly while making sure they weren’t served too early, otherwise they would get warm. We also had to keep the bar clean, restock drinks constantly, and manage the flow of customers to avoid long waiting times. This experience taught me a lot about efficiency, working under pressure, and the importance of teamwork during live events!

This experience is related to smart goal 6 ''Improvement of my professional skills''. This bar shift tested my efficiency, teamwork, and ability to work under pressure in a live event setting, helping to strengthen essential professional skills.

DGTL @ADE

During ADE I worked at DGTL at the accreditation desk, and it gave me a whole new view of how important this part of an event is. My job was to check in crew, artists, and guests and make sure they got the right wristbands to enter the event. This also meant checking IDs and keeping track of who had access to which areas. It might sound very simple, but it did require focus and accuracy. you can’t just give an artist wristband to a regular guest by accident. I also had to stay calm under pressure because things could get busy really fast. Communication and friendliness had to be at the highest standard. Especially when welcoming artists and industry professionals. This shift helped me improve my eye for detail and made me feel more confident in working front-of-house roles at large events. I really enjoyed this experience and am excited to work more accreditation jobs in the future!

this experience relates to smart goal 6 ''Improvement of my professional skills''. Handling accreditation required accuracy, communication, professionalism, and working under pressure, all key skills in the event industry. This experience has helped me grow in areas like guest handling, attention to detail, and front-of-house operations. 

I had the chance to be the production leader and handle the marketing for an event at Ballorig where Carnaval singer Danny Pouwels came to promote his new kids book, the dream of Danny. Danny performed some of his songs, signed books, and took pictures with kids. As the production leader, I had to make sure everything ran smoothly on the day itself. Ensuring that the space was set up properly, and making sure the event stayed on track. Marketing the event was also a part of my role, from creating promotional materials to spreading the word on social media. It was great seeing everything come together, especially with the mascot Chat also getting involved. The kids had such a blast, and it felt amazing to be part of such a lively and fun community event. This experience really helped me strengthen my leadership skills and my ability to manage both the marketing and the logistics of an event.

This experience is connected to smart goal 7 ''Work on my leadership skills''. As I took on a leadership role by managing both the marketing and production of the event. Coordinating the team, organizing logistics, and making sure everything ran smoothly this helped to develop and apply my leadership abilities in a real life setting. 

Working with Solist Events has been such a valuable experience! As part of my SMART Goal 3—researching market potential. I not only conducted interviews and surveys, but also attended two of their events to get a better understanding of their concept and audience. During these events, I scanned tickets, helped with pre-production and closing, and ran errands throughout the day. This gave me a full behind-the-scenes look at how Solist operates.

Being present at the events also helped me approach attendees for interviews in a natural and friendly way. Talking directly to visitors and seeing how they responded to the theme or artist focus gave me real insights that I can now include in my report. The experience really helped me connect theory with practice, and I’m excited to use this knowledge to create strong, actionable recommendations for Solist Events!

This experience is connected to smart goal 3 ''Understand event success by marketing strategies''. My overal research, interviews, and hands-on experience at Solist Events directly supported my understanding of market potential and effective marketing concepts.

Avicii - I'm Tim

WOW, watching the Avicii documentary was eye-opening from an event organizer's perspective. It showed me how much pressure artists face, beyond just the performance itself. As an organizer, I often focus on stage management and focus on the timing and how the event is going, but this documentary reminded me that we must also consider the mental and physical well-being of the performers.

It made me realize the importance of communication and support for artists. Something that I’d honeslty never fully thought about before. We need to ensure they have everything they need, not just for the show but for their health and wellbeing as well. The documentary also taught me the value of being flexible and proactive in addressing potential issues before they escalate. Overall, it was a powerful reminder that as event organizers, we have a responsibility to take care of both the show and the people behind it.

this is connected to smart goal 2 ''Learn from professionals in the event sector''. By watching  the Avicii documentaire I gained valuable insight into the challenges artists face and how the professional event world can impact their well-being. This highlighted the importance of responsible event planning

I got the amazing opportunity to work as an artist handler at Rebirth Festival! Over the course of three days, I had the chance to really get involved in artist handling both artist transportation and stage management. I also helped out with signing sessions. My main responsibility was to transport artists around the festival grounds in a golf cart, making sure they got to their stages on time. It was all about being quick, efficient, and staying calm under pressure. Sometimes it could be stressful when the artists tended to be late and had be on in under 2 minutes, luckily it all worked out!

Besides that, I also helped with stage management, ensuring that everything went smoothly, whether it was managing equipment, keeping track of set times, or helping artists with last-minute requests. Making sure the artists had a great experience while also making sure the show went off without a hitch was my favourite part.

This role really strengthened my organizational and communication skills, and gave me an even deeper appreciation for the behind-the-scenes work that goes into making a festival successful. I enjoyed every second of it and think I might like artist handling the most in events. I can't wait to grow my experience and be able to take on more of these jobs!

This experience relates to smart goal 8 ''gain knowledge and experience in artist management''. At Rebirth, I worked closely with artists by handling transport and assisting with stage management this gave me direct experience in artist management

Organising a birthday party gave me a behind the scenes look at what it takes to set up even a small-scale event. I was responsible for arranging chairs, setting up the bar, preparing cocktails, and decorating the space. From an event manager’s perspective I have learned the importance of timing, structure, and preparation. Small things like the placement of chairs or having enough ice for cocktails can really affect the overall event. I also experienced what it’s like to lead, give directions, and keep the planning on track while handling last-minute changes. Even though it was a small private event, the process mirrored the foundations of event management and helped me understand how important the basics are.

This experience relates to smart goal 7 ''work on my leadership skills''.
This birthday party gave me the chance to take the lead, coordinate with others, and stay calm under time pressure. This is essential to becoming a strong leader in the event world.

I got the opportunity to work as bar manager at the VIP bar at bevrijdingsfestival Rotterdam. This gave me valuable insights in managing responsibilities and staff in an event environment. I had responsibility of the Vip bar area. I had to brief my staff, check inventory, schedule breaks and ensure everything ran smoothly. My biggest learning moment was safety, people tried climbing the fences because they couldn't get in anymore. This made me realise how important communication is. We had to keep everyone (bar managers, CP and security) informed to provide a safe environment.

From a professional perspective, I learned how important it is to give clear and simple instructions during team briefings and to have good time management. This required me to stay calm, think quickly, and communicate.

This experience relates to SMART Goal 6 “Improvement of my professional skills.” It showed me how important communication, coordination, and professionalism are in an event settings. Handling safety issues, managing staff, and maintaining control helped me strengthen my confidence, assertiveness, and professional skills all essential in this industry