We recently connected with Maria Mwangi and have shared our conversation below.
Maria, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
I’m hopeful that my clients and colleagues see me for who I am – a real person with a real desire to see them win. I have a competitive edge, but I’m also respectful and considerate of others’ needs and emotions. I know how to “play nice in the sandbox,” and that’s vital when your career has you crossing paths with so many different personalities and people with so many different interests. I’m also active in the local community, serving on a variety of boards over the past four years. This has helped me expand my social circles and meet a lot of people I might otherwise never encounter.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Warehouse215 is proud to announce a change in leadership as Maria Mwangi steps into the role of Vice President. Mwangi, the company’s former director of sales and events, brings a wealth of experience to the new position, overseeing all aspects of logistics and event production at the historic Downtown Phoenix event venue.
In her new role, Mwangi works in close conjunction with her support staff to ensure seamless operations at the private upscale warehouse located at 215 E Grant Street in Phoenix. Known for hosting everything from weddings and corporate events to award ceremonies, brand launches and black-tie galas, Warehouse215 has become one of the region’s premier event destinations, drawing the likes of Verizon, Microsoft and the Phoenix Suns.
“It’s an honor to take on the responsibilities of the Vice President at Warehouse215, and I’m eager to continue to work with our amazing sales & logistics, event production, social media and bar and beverage teams,” Mwangi said. “Our team prides itself on creating memorable events, and I look forward to taking on an even bigger role in delivering exceptional service and experiences to our clients.”
Warehouse215 President Tom Battaglia also shared his thoughts on Maria’s promotion.
“Maria has been an integral part of Warehouse215’s success and was instrumental in helping us land two National Association for Catering and Events (NACEy) Awards within our first year, ” Tom said. “Given her exceptional leadership and passion for creating extraordinary events, we have no doubt that she’ll continue to elevate our team and bring even more magic to each special occasion.”
Before joining the Warehouse215 team, Mwangi served as the director of sales for special events for Live Nation Entertainment in Phoenix. Prior to that, she worked in event management in San Antonio, Texas, racking up an impressive series of accolades that included six Best in San Antonio honors, two Texas Star awards and an International Award from the distinguished International Live Events Association. She is also a published author, serving as part of the team behind “Building Me While Building It,” and has several other written projects in the works.
For more about Mwangi and the rest of the Warehouse215 team, check out Warehouse215.com.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I think any professional who navigated through COVID-19 can attest that doing so was an act of resilience in and of itself! So, too, was building back public confidence in community gatherings after so many months spent stuck in our homes. The trials of the pandemic tested even the most seasoned event planning professionals, and maintaining a passion for the field despite it all proved instrumental in rebuilding trust in the industry.
Any fun sales or marketing stories?
I was helping orchestrate an event for a large crowd -about 900 people who were coming together for a three-day affair. This involved some careful juggling in terms of feeding such a large crowd, so I convinced the client to adopt an out-of-the-box approach. We erected tents in parking lots and served food out of each, giving guests an opportunity to try a variety of options without waiting in long lines. The event also involved substantial manual labor, from moving concrete to erecting and moving ramps, and an internet snafu caused a minor, but manageable, problem, too. All in all, it was a classic example of jumping through hoops and putting out fires – but as an event-planning professional, this is what makes me tick, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.warehouse215.com
- Instagram: @warehouse215
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Warehouse215phx
- Linkedin: @Warehouse215