We operate like a business and work like a family. We rely heavily upon one another and work hard to set one another up for success.”
—Colin Cowie
ADMITTEDLY, COLIN COWIE IS A VERY BUSY MAN.
“I travel 200-plus days a year, so I am not personally able to take on every event that comes to us with a hands-on approach. However, when working with the team I still oversee the design and conduct weekly meetings about every single event we produce.”
As Colin Cowie’s business continues to grow, he has come to rely on an extraordinarily dedicated team. Each person is hand picked and then vetted by every member of the team, an important process that when done together, helps foster a tight-knit family that comes to rely on one another. “It really is about the team of people you surround yourself with, because while the ideas are one thing, how they are assembled, and executed, and how well is another.”
To grow and scale the business, Colin and his partners make good use of a skillful team of producers, some of whom have been with him for nearly two decades. “We have created a great working environment. We nurture and inspire the people who work with us. We really love and respect them and challenge them to be their best.”
It’s not easy working flawlessly under intense pressure. “This is a business surrounded by A-type personalities. You can’t afford to be the timid chef in the background,” explains Colin, who has seen it all. “The only way you run successful events is to take a proactive approach to everything about it. You need to anticipate the unanticipated needs of the customer, and if something does go wrong, you need to be able to troubleshoot in a way that has zero negative impact on the guest’s experience. They should be completely oblivious to what could have happened!”
Colin looks for producers who are cool, calm, and collected in every way. “You have to possess the ability to inspire the rest of the team under all conditions, and never melt down or display weakness on the job site!”
