From an early age, Sarah Soliman has been impressed to guide and pushed to succeed.
“I’m a results-driven individual, so once I see how my ardour can encourage others, it ignites the fireplace in me to do extra,” Soliman mentioned, earlier than describing a time that flame really burned shiny—in highschool, when she created a petition after the principal of her faculty cancelled “seniors week.”
Soliman, together with different classmates, thought it was unfair to remove such an necessary expertise for causes the college students had no management over, so she went from class to class amassing signatures, organized a gathering with the principal and proved her case. Her faculty went ahead with seniors week, creating fantastic recollections consequently.
“When I walked throughout the stage throughout commencement, that very same principal congratulated me and mentioned, ‘Sarah, the advocate for everybody,”’ Soliman recounted. “That similar mindset has carried by in my skilled life, and I’ll proceed to be a voice in any means I can.”
Indeed, she has achieved simply that over the years since she first began in the occasions trade, changing into a multi-award-winning trailblazer recognized for educating and inspiring others by her work, spearheading necessary causes and sparking change by holding main roles on main trade boards and founding actions comparable to #MeetingsToo to handle and fight sexual harassment in the occasions trade.
All the whereas, she has steered the ship for Soliman Productions, the Orlando, Fla.,-based enterprise she began in 2015, serving to it evolve into a number one occasion advertising, video content material manufacturing and hybrid occasion options supplier.
We sat down with Soliman to find extra about her trajectory, the challenges she has overcome, the prime traits ladies in management roles should possess, how she helped her staff not solely survive however thrive by the pandemic and the best classes she has realized by all of it.
Can you give us an summary of the way you grew to become interested by occasion manufacturing and what you like most about your job?
I’ve at all times been fascinated by media and the information trade—a lot in order that I began my profession at an area information station in Orlando and was satisfied I had a future in that discipline. Although I cherished the journalism facet, I rapidly realized that tv information was not the sort of content material I wished to spend my life producing. I transitioned into radio which I completely cherished! This was my first look into reside occasions together with concert events, remotes, and extra. I cherished the vitality of all of it but in addition got here to phrases with the undeniable fact that radio wasn’t going to be a profitable, long-term profession. From there, I began to work for a small manufacturing firm that gave me extra of glimpse into the conferences and occasions area. After 4 years, I felt unfulfilled and undervalued, so I had a choice to make, and I selected to begin my very own enterprise and train my creativity my means. I labored with a number of companies to assist inform their story by video advertising earlier than I bought drawn again into the conferences and occasions trade the place my relationships would inevitably blossom. My ardour for occasion manufacturing is unmatched. I thrive on the concept that manufacturing professionals maintain an important function in documenting a reside occasion and giving it the ceaselessly shelf life it deserves. One of the finest emotions in the world is when an occasion organizer opinions my staff’s work and really shed tears of pleasure watching our movies. It’s a second of delight for them as they see all of their months of planning come collectively so superbly by video. Those moments are what make the hustle of this fast-paced trade, together with the lengthy flights, late nights and early mornings, so price it.
What are the largest challenges of being a girl at the helm in a traditionally male-dominated trade?
Being a girl in enterprise in any trade has its set of challenges. I began my enterprise at 27 years outdated, so I’ve at all times needed to show myself worthy as the youngest individual in the room. Between my age and gender, there have been many situations the place I needed to be taught that not everybody had pure intentions when requesting to satisfy with me one-on-one. It’s a continuing battle of getting to “tone down” sure points of my character, in order to not give males the flawed impression however nonetheless current myself as a pointy, clever girl who is aware of her stuff. I do not suppose folks understand how a lot thought and technique ladies put into how they costume, how they converse and what they select to answer as a result of we’re conditioned to current ourselves on this unrealistic means simply to earn respect. On the flip aspect, I’ve sadly handled judgment and disgrace from different ladies in enterprise. I imagine there’s a generational hole the place ladies in enterprise immediately look very totally different than when ladies first entered the workforce. I acknowledge that I’m not the conventional businesswoman with my apparel and how I current myself, however I’ve realized that being genuine in the way you present up is what conjures up others to do the similar. So, though I’ve confronted many enterprise challenges by the years each inside my trade and past, I’m grateful for the grit I’ve acquired and the folks I’ve impressed consequently.
What are the qualities ladies convey to roles comparable to yours that empower them to excel at their jobs?
Confidence and emotional intelligence are two qualities I attribute to success. But they’re additionally qualities that require wonderful tuning, as they don’t seem to be essentially pure traits to hold as they evolve additional time. I imagine ladies ought to do the work in relation to mastering emotional intelligence. Being hyper self-aware of your conduct and the conduct of these round you is what attributes to good management. It permits you to meet folks the place they’re, which is essential once you’re main a staff with many dynamics. Conquering emotional intelligence results in extra confidence. I imagine ladies ought to lead each facet of their lives with an untouchable stage of confidence, significantly in enterprise. We usually hesitate from making use of to sure roles or shrink back from asking for a wage we deserve as a result of we inform ourselves we aren’t certified sufficient. Empowered ladies ought to purchase a “do it anyway” mindset and cross that bridge to see what’s on the different finish of it. Remember, once you excel at your job, it is a possibility to permit others to excel as nicely. Your journey is greater than you!
Can you share a few of your largest profession accomplishments and what you’re most happy with?
My most proud profession moments occur each time I provide somebody a job. There is actually nothing extra fulfilling than to know you’re impacting somebody’s life for the higher. I haven’t got any kids of my very own, however I joke that my staff members are my “little ducklings.” I’m at all times so moved by every staff member’s progress and usually mirror on how timid they had been on their first day and how assured they turn out to be of their talent set over time. I hope the legacy I go away behind lives in every person who has labored at Soliman Productions. If they stroll away studying only one factor that made them higher of their craft and most significantly, higher folks, than that can ceaselessly be my largest accomplishment.
Your firm has not solely survived by the pandemic however thrived. What had been a few of the key selections you made and methods you employed to navigate the ship and encourage your staff to actually excel?
The previous two years are nonetheless very a lot a blur to me. I have never had an opportunity to actually mirror on how we survived and thrived by the pandemic, as I’m nonetheless on what appears like a full-speed rollercoaster. But considered one of the key selections I made was to maintain everybody employed. It was necessary to have clear conversations with them as cancelations got here pouring in. I sat everybody down as a staff and made a dedication to maintain them employed at their full wage, and in flip, I requested every individual to roll up their sleeves, analysis and be taught new points of manufacturing and digital conferences we weren’t essentially conversant in. Our potential to come back collectively as a household and row in the similar course was so humbling. We labored extra in the previous two years than we now have in our total lives, however the distinction is, we had been all equally dedicated to making sure we did not drown. There wasn’t any technique behind my selections as a result of I did not know what to strategize for. I simply knew that to be a superb chief, I needed to be an trustworthy chief. I knew that my loyalty to my staff was extra necessary than the stress I used to be below. I’ve at all times been a girl of religion and arduous work, a strong mixture that has very not often let me down. That has actually been true all through this pandemic.
What are a few of the largest classes you’ve got realized over the previous two years—each professionally as a pacesetter and personally?
2020 was the most troublesome 12 months of my life to date. Not solely was I reinventing my small enterprise and main a gaggle of volunteers as president of MPI Orlando, however I used to be additionally going by a divorce very privately. It was an emotional time for me, but I felt like I did not have time to cope with the unhappiness, as I used to be so targeted on making certain I did not exit of enterprise. As I take into consideration the previous couple of years and a lot of the trauma folks skilled, I understand the largest lesson is to not solely “discover your comfortable” however to actually reside in your happiness. As a pacesetter, my accountability is to be the finest model of myself with a view to give the better of me to these round me. For the first time ever, I’m placing my well-being first, which has considerably elevated my potential to be an efficient chief.
What can occasion professionals do to assist create extra gender (and racial) parity in the trade?
I’ve by no means been a fan of labels, as they have a tendency to come back with stereotypes. I hope that our trade can in the future get to a spot the place we cease pigeonholing folks and simply create a very inclusive setting the place a “come as you’re” mentality is tailored. One means occasion professionals will help with that is to be extra conscious of language. For instance, if there’s a “Women’s Reception” listed in the agenda, make sure you embrace language that welcomes all attendees and not simply ladies. Community is necessary, however how we create an inclusive neighborhood is an space our trade must proceed to wonderful tune.
Is there any further recommendation you’d give to ladies in the trade wishing to observe a management path?
My go-to saying is, “Show up a magnificence, present out a beast.” You are highly effective past perception, and the world wants your the whole lot, so do not deprive your self of alternatives to train your goal on this planet.
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