We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Monica Jackson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with monica below.
Hi Monica, thanks for joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?
From Idea to Execution: My Journey becoming an Event Strategist
The Spark of Inspiration
My career began in advertising, where I was introduced to the dynamic world of media and marketing. I was captivated by the power of commercial advertising and how it strongly had the impact to influence customer buying behaviors. This experience fascinated and ignited a deeper interest in understanding the power of branding and messaging. As social media grew, so did my love for marketing and storytelling. My family background also had an impact on passion. Coming from a family that adored hosting and planning events, I found myself drawn to event planning as a natural extension of my creativity. My parents, who retired early to become entrepreneurs, served as a profound source of inspiration. Their ability to turn passion into purpose planted the seed for my own entrepreneurial journey.
Taking the Leap: Starting My Business
The decision to launch my own business was a blend of intuition and strategy. I recognized an opportunity to combine my passions for marketing, branding, and event planning into a single venture. While the idea felt natural, it required methodical planning. I began by researching the event planning industry, identifying a niche in social and corporate events that aligned with my strengths. I also sought out resources to develop my skills, joining professional organizations, attending small business seminars, taking online classes as well as taking calculated risks. Additionally, I leaned on the guidance of industry mentors who helped refine my approach and encouraged me to trust the process and keep striving.
First Steps of Humble Beginnings
Once I decided to move forward with my business venture, I developed a business plan that outlined my goals, target audience, and service offerings. Gleaning from my background in marketing I began creating all of my marketing materials and building an online presence through social media tapping into my existing network and further connecting with potential clients. Networking played a significant role in those early days and quite honestly event presently. The power of networking is profoundly key. Building up my confidence to go public, I began joining and attending industry events, conferences and trade shows, forging relationships with vendors, business owners and organizations key to the development of securing new clients with the resources to back me. These initial steps laid the foundation for what would become a thriving business.
Building the Foundation
In building my business, I transitioned from planning social events to working on film and television projects, live events, brand activations, conferences, festivals, visual merchandising, and trade show productions. Each pivot required adapting to new challenges and opportunities, broadening my expertise in the ever-evolving world of event marketing. Working in these diverse industries taught me how to craft experiences that resonate with specific audiences while aligning with broader brand objectives. Often times I sought opportunities to volunteer at events strengthening my deep knowledgeable about various aspects of event production, from managing logistics and budgets to understanding the creative and technical elements that bring an event to life.
Equally important was developing a strong understanding of stakeholders—whether they were clients, sponsors, vendors, or attendees. Each group had unique needs and expectations, and my role was to ensure alignment across all parties to achieve seamless execution. This required exceptional communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and a strategic mindset. Through these experiences, I mastered the art of creating events that not only met objectives but also left a lasting impression. The diversity of my projects further strengthened my ability to anticipate challenges and innovate solutions, keeping me at the forefront of event strategy and production.
Continuous Growth: Risk and Reward
I actively seek opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. Attending international conferences and events has been a key part of my development, providing exposure to diverse cultures, music, art, and innovative event strategies. These experiences inspire me to integrate global influences into my work, creating events that are rich in creativity and storytelling.
At the same time, I stay at the forefront of technological advancements, particularly in AI and event technology. I continuously explore how these tools enhance event planning by streamlining logistics, offering personalized experiences, and fostering deeper engagement. By combining cultural inspiration with cutting-edge innovation, we design events that are both meaningful, engaging and memorable.
Trusting the Process
The journey from idea to execution has taught me that success requires passion, persistence, and adaptability. Transitioning from a vision to reality takes careful planning, resilience, continuous learning and risks. Today, I bring a comprehensive understanding of logistics, branding, and client engagement to every event I strategize. My experiences have shaped me into a storyteller and problem-solver who thrives on creating memorable, impactful experiences for clients and attendees alike.
Monica, 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?
About Me: Where Passion Meets Purpose
I have always been a naturally curious, intuitive and empathetic hearted person, which has shaped my life journey and event industry outlook. From an early age, I found joy in bringing people together, whether through family gatherings or milestone celebrations. My curiosity about how moments are crafted led me to the intersection of event planning and brand strategy. Over the years, I honed my skills by studying the art of storytelling through events, embracing marketing, and leveraging my entrepreneurial spirit to build a business focused on crafting memorable experiences. Event planning and strategy comes easy at times because I see it as a God-given talent, and I constantly work to refine it through learning, developing, observation, and daily practice.
Products and Services Overview
Prissi Productions, LLC specializes in ideating, planning, and executing memorable experiences tailored to our clients’ needs. There are a few ways that we deliver on these experiences. 1.) We excel in delivering immersive and sensorial activations that leave a lasting impression. Our services start with ideation—bringing fresh, innovative concepts to the table and partnering with best-in-class vendors to execute those ideas successfully.
2.) Our sweet spot lies in storytelling through event planning and styling; bringing themed events to life as a curated experience that resonates deeply with its audience.
3.) Visual Merchandising is our JAM. We are passionate about creating visual aesthetics and brand communications that tell a story, promote a product and attract new loyal customers.
4.) Brand Ambassador Partnerships – Clients come to us looking for solutions to create events that elevate their brand, connect with their audience, and stand out in over saturated markets. Our “heels on the ground” teams help craft experiences that go beyond the expected. Bringing product knowledge, lead generating strategies, and measurable []ROE – return on experiences results. Whether it’s curating immersive experiences, sourcing the perfect vendors, or designing events that align with their messaging and goals, we work to create moments that captivate and inspire.
What Sets Me Apart: Character, Charism & Creativity
What truly sets me apart is my intuitiveness and empathetic nature, which allow me to connect deeply with my clients and their vision. I find inspiration in everything through everyday experiences -from nature walks, learning about art and cultural traditions, health and wellness activities, attending concerts, festivals and sporting events, bespoke dining experiences, or travel explorations, I use each of these influences to elevate my work. I’m not afraid to try new things, even if it means taking a risk, because I believe that success lies in resilience and adaptability to be used as lessons learned tools.
Being an event strategist isn’t just about planning good events; it’s about working your craft, stretching your creativity and analytical muscles every step of the way. As an event strategist, I approach each event with a strategy to incorporate designing immersive experiences that engage all the senses (Taste,Touch, Seeing, Smelling, Hearing) turning simple moments into resounding unforgettable memories and enjoying it every step of the way.
Most Proudest Moments
I am most proud of the relationships I’ve built along the way. Many of my clients become my friends; drawn to the passion and energy I bring to my work. I am a natural connector, always looking for ways to bring people together and create meaningful partnerships. Through trials, and risks, I’ve learned to remain steadfast in my faith, which helps me see the good in people and the opportunities in every challenge. The resilience instilled in me by my parents and life’s experiences has been a guiding force, allowing me to navigate this industry with grace and determination.
A Closer Look
Beyond my professional life, I am a foodie who loves to cook and delights in cultural cuisine; a world traveler, exploring different cultures through art and music. I enjoy tranquil walks where I can admire the beauty of the nature. I enjoy diverse genre of music and immersive live entertainment & performance (theater, concerts, festivals). Additionally, mentoring children and caring for the elderly bring me immense joy, as I believe in the power of bringing smiles to people’s faces. Each of these passions inspire my work and the values I instill in my business.
Why Event Strategy Matters
The term “event strategist” has recently gained recognition across many industries, and it perfectly describes the role I play. An event strategist goes beyond traditional planning. As an event strategist we dare to explore elevating experiences, making them immersive, engaging, and purposeful. By focusing on the details that create a “wow factor,” I ensure every event we design is impactful, engaging and unforgettable. Whether it’s a small activation or a large-scale production, my goal is to tell a story and leave attendees with a sense of connection and empowerment.
This combination of passion, creativity, and strategic thinking is at the heart of what we do at Prissy Productions, and I’m proud to bring these qualities to every event we touch.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
The Power of Pivoting: Following Intuition and Embracing Change
There came a pivotal moment in my business when I had to step back from my passion to become a caregiver to a sick family member. This decision came at a cost to move out of state and rebuild again from the bottom up. During that time, I took another heartfelt risk to rebrand my company; transitioning from primarily planning social events to exploring opportunities in other industries. This shift began unexpectedly when I was approached by a television producer while working on another event. The project manager admired my style and approached me asking if I could step in as a local project manager for a major production while he was out of the country. Without fully understanding the magnitude of the project, I trusted my intuition and excitedly replied “yes”.
Remarkably, just months before this opportunity arose, I had felt an urge to rebrand my business with expanded services and new offering, though it was very ambitious to do so with out clients to match the demand. Fast forward – the producer’s approach felt serendipitous, and I found myself fully immersed in an exciting new challenge. The lesson I learned was clear: following your heart, even when it doesn’t make cognitive sense, can lead you to the intersection where passion and purpose align and flourish, even in different seasons of life.
That unexpected opportunity led me to work on a production at Tyler Perry Studios, styling the BET Social Awards. It was a dream come true, and it reaffirmed that timing and preparation are everything. Interestingly, about a year before this, I had joined a film and production organization out of curiosity and enrolled in a production class to learn the in depth behind the scenes knowledge of production life. At the time, I had no idea I was being prepared for a future opportunity, but looking back, everything aligned perfectly.
Executing such a large-scale project was no small feat, and I owe much of my success to the network of vendors and resources I had carefully built over the years. It reminded me of the power of strategic relationships and the importance of trusting the process. This experience taught me that when you follow your faith, trust the timing, and embrace change, extraordinary things can happen.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Unlearn Behaviors: The Journey Continues
One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn in my business was the idea that everything had to be perfect to start. As someone who attended a poly technical highschool I majored in architecture and minored in photography, I always had a natural love for designing and capturing moments, but I struggled with essential skills, like mathematics. That early experience taught me that weaknesses don’t have to hold you back if you stay connected to your passions and talents. When I launched my business, I believed my marketing, branding, and social media presence needed to be flawless from the outset. However, I’ve learned that what matters most is having a solid foundation, a plan, remaining consistent, and being adaptable. I realized I didn’t have to be an expert in everything; I just needed integrity, a willingness to learn, and a network of supportive mentors and collaborators. Social media can make anyone feel inadequate at times, but I often remind myself that even the most iconic brands take risks, face failures, and pivot when neccessary. Success isn’t about perfection—it’s about persistence, passion, humility, and staying true to your unique path.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.prissi-productions.com
- Instagram: @prissi_productions
- Facebook: Prissi Productions
Image Credits
momo lux photography
Jaxon Photography