An Interview with Tamra Hughston, CMP, CMM
Sr. Director, Meetings & Events
It is hard to believe that it is already almost June and that in just a few
months we will be having yet another Celebration conference here in
Dallas. Although it may seem like a long time away for many of you, for
some of us on this end of the business, we have been planning this event
since we walked out of the closing assembly last Celebration.
Planning an event of the magnitude of Celebration requires almost one
full year of dedicated attention to make sure that every i is dotted and
every t is crossed. Of course, Celebration is not the only event that we
hold each year, so creating the perfect event requires a bit of juggling by
our Special Events Department to make sure that every event gets equal
attention and comes off without a hitch. Leading this dynamic team,
reporting to Tim Parker, Vice President of Sales is Tamra Hughston. Tamra is
a somewhat new member of the team, celebrating her one year
anniversary with the company this month. I thought it might be fun to
hear from her perspective what creates the perfect event as well as share
some of her passion for this business. Who knows, I might be able to get
Tamra to fill us in on some secrets about this year’s event, which promises
to be new and very exciting.
So, Tamra, tell me a little about your history, prior to joining BeautiControl.
I have been a meeting planner for 13 years and have loved every minute
of it. Each day at the office and each event is uniquely different but the
focus is always the same: how do we educate, motivate and train the
field to be successful with their business. We are a support system for the
field and keep their needs in mind during every meeting and decision that
is made.
What is it that makes you good at your job?
I’ve been in the field and I understand what our ladies (and men) need to
be successful. BeautiControl can provide the tools and encouragement
but the passion for success comes from within. I’m extremely passionate
about what I do and take pride in making sure we are meeting the
objective of growing the business.
What kind of events is your department responsible for during the year?
We plan Celebration, Leadership Conference, New Director Trainings, the
Executive Leadership Summit and any other meetings that come up
throughout the year.
Wow, that’s a lot. I think most people would assume that there must be
dozens of people in your department that help with all of these events.
I wish. We are a team of three.
Who do you have on your team?
Our team is small but we are mighty. Dee Jacobs, CMP and Patty Duffy
support the field through the Events Department. We take all the tasks for
planning an event and divide it out between the team to ensure the work
is done efficiently. Keep in mind that we’re not only working on
Celebration but probably 3 -4 other events at the same time. It pays to be
very organized in our line of work.
I do love how dedicated everyone is. So, what kind of hours does a
person on your team put in during an event like Celebration or Leadership
Conference?
There are some late nights prior to an event. We also go on-site with a
team of BeautiControl Associates so this is absolutely a TEAM effort. At
Leadership Conference in March 2008, we had around 100 “volunteers”
working that event for a total of 31,000 hours on-site. It’s all worth it when
the ladies are at the event learning and enjoying themselves.
What are the perks of your job? Surely the travel must be pretty exciting.
I’m fortunate that I handle the logistics for the incentive trips so I do get to
travel some. The leadership team at BeautiControl is also really great
about recognizing efforts on a regular basis. We know that the field
impacts the lives of others by sharing the opportunity and sharing our
wonderful products. There is great satisfaction in knowing that what we
do helps them in their journey.
What is it that you love most about your job?
I love the variety of projects I work on with my job. I also appreciate
having a voice and being able to positively impact the field with the
types of events we put on.
Ok, with Celebration 2008 on the horizon, I have heard rumors that this
year’s event will be a little different than Celebrations of the past. What
can you tell everyone reading this about what they can expect to see
and hear at this year’s event?
This is the tough part. How do I truly reflect all the new and exciting things
at this event without sharing all the secrets? Well, we have heard from the
field that they want “more meat and less fluff” when it comes to training.
We have heard them and we are offering some top-notch education that
will teach our Consultants to double and even triple their income. We
have fabulous surprises starting Thursday evening, then again Friday
morning, then even more when we officially open the show Friday
afternoon. Saturday morning will offer high-impact training and Saturday
afternoon will be a new Business Building Assembly featuring speakers on
Time Management and Financial Management. Of course there is FUN
around every corner, free products and an opportunity for the highest
discounts on products only offered to those who attend Celebration.
From your perspective, why would someone want to attend this year’s
Celebration?
Celebration will enrich your life on both a personal and a professional
basis. The education you get will last a lifetime, the memories you make
will last a lifetime. And, if they don’t show up, I won’t have a job. :)
If you could share anything with the reader’s of this blog, what is it you
would like to say to them?
My favorite quote is “The speed of the gang is the speed of the leader”.
That is such a powerful statement to me. When you make the
commitment to your BeautiControl business you make a commitment to
yourself as a leader; a leader in your family earning additional income; a
leader in your business building a team of other leaders. Your actions big
or small impact the lives of others.
I think you all can tell that here is another person who is passionate about
her job. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for Celebration this year.
I can promise you all that there will be some amazing new products (as
always), some great new “services” that will help expand your business to
the level in addition to some of the amazing new training that Tamra
mentioned.
I will have to agree with Tamra, attending Celebration is one of the best
things that you can do for yourself and for your business. Not only will you
receive a deeper insight to the company and the vision of this incredible
family of people, but you will make friendships, receive valuable
education and training and share in the success of others, like yourself,
who have made BeautiControl a part of their lives.
I hope you all have a fantastic weekend. Take care and I’ll touch base
with you on Monday to talk about the exciting new products that we
have in store for you in June.
