Talking Heads: Kathy Cunningham

Position: Director

Company: Event Marketing


What makes your day at work?


Working with clients who have such a compelling story that it makes a great front-page article in the Herald! Like when we did the Olympic team uniform launch ... For me, having a great day is having clients who give us information- it's timing, it's hearing something compelling that makes an amazing story. And getting the story out there.

When did you become a manager?


When I was 15, I was a volunteer teaching handicapped children how to ride horses in New Jersey. I was responsible for all the other volunteers, and making sure the horses were groomed, that there were no injuries, all that stuff. I had been riding since I was 10, and I wanted to be there, so often they started to give me jobs. I had to look at how we were going to get the kids on the horses, into the ring ... make sure they had fun. The kids loved it. From that my skills have grown.

What was the most important lesson you learned on your way up?


To make sure I can communicate with anyone from the CEO of a Fortune 100 corporation to a parking attendant. It's an extreme example, but it's important that we realise we are all human beings and we all feel similar things and experience similar things. I learned it when I was a volunteer at a crisis centre in Times Square for homeless and runaway kids. In that same environment as kids who had run away from home, or pimps, was the son of a former secretary of Treasury. I started event managing from my volunteer days of raising money for organisations.

What has been your best moment in business?


In New Zealand it would be the Everest launch at Imax, because everyone was excited about it and we were so aware of the cultural protocol that had to be followed. The challenges were huge because we were basically working in a construction site, but it was great. And in New York I did a dinner that honoured the philanthropic contributions of a senior executive: 1800 people came. As I walked to the hotel I just knew it was going to work, and we raised almost $US1 million ($2.52 million) that night. A month later the stockmarket crashed - there's no way we could have done it then.

How have you dealt with the pitfalls in your career?


When I make a mistake I try to rectify it as quickly as possible, learn from it and move on. It's not just me involved in something, there's our clients, caterers, sound, lighting, entertainers, health and safety officers - there's so many people involved. I try to ask a lot of questions, and communicate well with people to make sure everything goes right.

What annoys you most?


When people don't return my phone calls within 36 hours. When people are more than 10 minutes late for a meeting and don't call ... and when I double-fault playing tennis.

If you were starting over, what would you be?


The only other thing I would look at is the balance of corporate and non-profit clients I have. I would like to be more philanthropic with my time and with my money, and focus more on the non-profits. But I can't, because it won't pay my rent. I still do volunteer stuff, like work with Project K, and the Herald Foundation.

What management wisdom is most overrated?


I'm following a five-year strategic plan. Things change, and no one can anticipate the oil crisis, or the dollar situation. So if anyone writes and actually follows a five-year plan it could be a waste of time. You have to be flexible. I believe strategic plans are very important, but five years is too long. We do a plan annually.

What will be the big business issue of the next decade?


Virtual offices. People working from home. I just moved my office home in May and I love it. I was rebelling against it, but I've realised that this is more convenient. We go to clients, or clients come to us - I don't mind having a meeting here. I can be online when I get up first thing, without having to commute. It's accessible, and I love the relaxed environment. There's always so much to do that I don't have to discipline myself to work at home.

How do you relax?


Playing tennis with no double faults. Because I have no family here my friends are very important, and I enjoy a glass of wine, a long lunch, going to the gym, walking, writing, reading. To ultimately relax I go to Takou Bay in Northland, where my friends have 22 acres (8.9ha) of rolling hills. It's like heaven, and I'm going this weekend.