We recently connected with Becca Bloom and have shared our conversation below.

Becca, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us about an important lesson you learned while working at a prior job?

In the early part of my event planning career, I thought I had landed a dream job. A place where I could grow my skills and learn new things. I was so excited about what was next and the opportunities I was going to encounter. I heard all the big buzz words – travel, large-scale events, perks, big team – it was all the shiny things that my young mind wanted and felt I needed to grow as an event professional. However, as time went on my idealized vision started to shatter. The shine started to tarnish and I quickly became aware of the true nature underneath.

Clock in. Clock out. Clock in. Clock out. It became a rigid routine to show face and put productivity and efficiency above all else, including your well-being. I was thrown into the deep end with little support, floundering to keep up and prove my worth. I had never worked on projects of that size before. I traveled around the country staying onsite for weeks for multi-day events. It was exhausting and there was little concern for caring for one another. I was trying to survive alone. Not to mention all the waste I witnessed. When I wasn’t meeting benchmarks I felt like I was deficient and dumb. I wondered if it was just me. I soon discovered that I wasn’t alone. There was a humanness that was non existent.

Years later when I was on my own and I knew my next chapter was to start my own thing, I vowed to never create the toxic culture that I had experienced. As I’ve developed BB Events, it was important for me to create a culture built on setting people up for success. That started with caring for myself and caring for my team. Providing proper training and support and pairing them to projects that they can own with confidence while also leaving space for learning new things and taking on new challenges. As I move into my 5th year of BB Events I’m proud of the values I’ve instilled into the company and the team that I’ve curated. I see a sense of respect and pride for each other, leaning into each other’s strengths and working together to achieve a common goal.

Becca, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hello/Olá/Hola!

I became a professional event planner in the traditional sense, 10 years ago. But I’ve always been a planner. After serving in AmeriCorps (American PeaceCorps) and working in the nonprofit sector in Los Angeles as a volunteer manager and program director for 7 years, I needed a change and event planning called to me. When I made that decision, my husband and I were preparing to move to the San Francisco Bay Area. It became a chance for me to start fresh and be open to so many new possibilities. It was exciting and daunting at the same time because I didn’t know anyone in the field. What I did know was that I was good at getting things done, networking and being organized. So I set off on the journey. I knew that hands-on experience was the best way to start so I contracted with several planners and companies in a variety of fields from weddings and socials to festivals and movie nights. I met with a ton of people, attended events and also sought out volunteer projects. I added another layer of challenge by jumping into the corporate sector where I landed my first in-house event management position. After a few years in corporate, I realized it wasn’t my vibe. I was back out on my own again and in search of the next step. I kept coming back to the social impact work I did in my first career to find meaning and purpose. I began to embrace the independence and flexibility of being on my own and that’s how the idea of BB Events was born. I knew that my purpose was to create positive social change in the world and my power was in planning and organizing details. Over the last five years (5th anniversary is in August!) it’s evolved to being more than just me, as I’ve brought on team members to help with planning and execution, business ops, social media, website development and marketing. I had reached a point a few years in that I couldn’t do it all alone. Today, BB Events is a purpose-driven events agency co-creating with change makers, innovative communities and social impact leaders to deliver creative experiences and programs that make a positive change for people and the planet.

I’m proud of our community-centric planning, sustainability practices, resourcefulness, precision, foresight, creativity and kindness that show up in all parts of the work. Whether it’s a program developed from the ground up, an existing event that needs nurturing or a large-scale vision that requires detailed coordination. While our superpowers are plentiful and details are the core of our expertise, our humanness is often what sets us apart. People love working with us because we care for one another. We go beyond just the agenda and the checklists and pay attention to the humans behind it all from providing a balanced meal break and proper trainings to equitable pay and safe spaces to decompress.

Drawing from my rich Latina heritage, Jewish values of service, and global adventures, every event I curate is infused with vibrancy, meaningful connection, and a deep commitment to social progress. Impact looks different across programs of all sizes, scopes and styles and I love co-creating to find the magic of gathering in all of them.

When I’m not crafting transformative experiences, you’ll find me relishing delicious sandwiches, meandering through botanical gardens or unearthing vintage treasures.

Have you ever had to pivot?

It all started at the beginning of 2023 when I was in a rut. I was feeling uninspired, bored and burned out. A few months later it dawned on me that I needed a change. I was craving new energy, ideas and inspiration and to be in a new space that was different from the day-to-day grind. I was so used to the go-go-go and making things just work that I wasn’t taking the time to reflect on how I wanted to continue evolving as a planner and a small business owner. I was grateful for what I had put into the business from that point but knew that if I wanted to move forward, I had to take a step back. My realization was that I needed a pause, a chance to slow down, reflect and observe, take in the world around me and look inward. I began to explore ways to manifest these things and landed on a women’s leadership program called Guts and Grace that was like no other. It challenged me to think deeper into my core, harness my powers and get clarity on my purpose. I unlocked so many things within myself and opened my eyes to new ways of showing up as a planner and what social impact means for me. The discoveries that I made, and continue to still make, are instrumental. I have since completed the year program but the journey continues! While I credit my transformation specifically to Guts and Grace and holding that space for me and other women, it was the power of investing in myself and taking the time to slow down and not over schedule. I finally had the bandwidth to think bigger, more strategically and more creatively.

Now that a year has gone by, I’m embarking on the next chapter of BB Events. I landed on some “a-ha” moments a few months ago around the new intentions I want to set, the impact I want to make and the new types of projects I want to be a part of. My self-discovery is about bringing in more joy, innovation, creativity and diversity into my work. Also about reimagining what social impact means and how my event planning skills can be harnessed for good. I’m leaning into more local and community impact while also leveraging corporate funding and influence. I’m infusing more creativity by working with creative and maker communities and sustainable fashion change makers. I’m in the midst of a re-frame and uplift of my brand and excited to launch it very soon!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Showing up, not just saying but doing, being curious, being thoughtful, being thorough and being kind. When I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area ten years I was beginning my event planning career. I didn’t know any one. I jumped into many new situations to learn and get experience. I joined networking groups, attended events. I worked hard to prove that I belonged in this space – especially after my experience in that company I mentioned. Every event I did, I got better and better, learning new skill, getting new ideas and asking a ton of questions. I had a mix of my own projects and also ones I worked on through other companies to add variety and meet people. While I created exceptional templates and systems to make event planning more efficient and easeful, it was the relationships that were most important to creating a sustainable business. Building trust and respect not only with vendors but also with BB Events staff has been a powerful marker of how the event community sees me. I eventually joined an event industry association called ILEA-NCC to be part of a community grounded in the success, care and growth of event professionals. Showing up regularly, getting involved and taking on leadership roles was a great way to give back and receive support. That path has led me to now becoming President of the chapter!

Contact Info:

• • Website: https://www.bbevents.biz
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbevents_biz/
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bbeventsbiz
  • Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bb-events-biz

Image Credits

M Sanchez Studio
Chloe Jackman Photography
Misti Layne Photography
Leon Smith