What Happens When The Sprinklers Crash The Party?

From Small Town Roots to Global Stages: How Jessie Smith Built a 20-Year Event Career Fueled by Grit, Education & Unforgettable Shows

On this episode of Event About It, host Megan Martin sits down with seasoned event strategist Jessie Smith — a Montana native turned Bay Area hospitality pro — to talk about her 20-year journey across restaurants, hotels, corporate production agencies, master’s-level event education, and the wild, wonderful chaos of live events.

Whether you’re a new planner, a venue veteran, or an industry leader, Jessie’s story is full of insight into how formal education, hospitality training, and real-world grit shape the next generation of event leaders.

Episode Overview: Who Is Jessie Smith?

Jessie brings nearly two decades of event experience across hospitality, catering, hotels, and now major enterprise programs. She began in restaurant sales, moved into hotel convention services, built deep operational expertise in San Francisco, and eventually returned to Montana — balancing small-town life with big-stage event work.

She’s one of the rare planners who pursued both undergraduate AND graduate degrees in event management, graduating from the inaugural Meeting & Event Management master’s cohort at San Diego State University.

Today, she’s an Event Manager at Enterprise Events Group — delivering high-stakes, high-impact programs with precision and production savvy.

Key Themes & Takeaways

⭐ 1. Starting in Restaurants & Hotels Builds Exceptional Event Instincts

Like many pros, Jessie “fell into” hospitality — first as a restaurant host, then unexpectedly running a hotel sales office as a college student.

She later became a Convention Services Manager, a role that shaped her empathy, communication skills, venue understanding and operational instincts.

Jessie’s take:

Working on-property helps planners understand what venues can do, cannot do, and what they might do with the right relationship — from room flips to menu customization to fire marshal negotiations.

Why it matters:
Planners who start in venues learn:

  • How hotels operate internally
  • What “no” really means
  • How to advocate for clients
  • How to collaborate with chefs, engineers, and sales teams
  • How to troubleshoot quickly with limited resources

⭐ 2. Event Education Is Rare — but Hugely Valuable

Jessie completed:

  • BA in Hospitality (San Francisco State)
  • Master’s in Meeting & Event Management (San Diego State University)

She was part of SDSU’s inaugural class — a program filled with seasoned professionals, not fresh undergrads.

Her takeaways from formal event education:

  • It elevates confidence early in your career
  • It expands your network beyond your immediate market
  • It exposes you to strategic thinking, not just operational execution
  • It’s perfect for people who want long-term careers in events

Would she do it again?

“Absolutely. The relationships alone were worth every penny and every hour.”

⭐ 3. When (and Whether) Planners Should Get Their CMP

Both Jessie and Megan hold the CMP certification — and both agree it’s not necessarily for everyone.

When it does make sense:

  • If your organization values or requires it
  • If it can impact salary or promotion
  • If you specialize in meetings, conferences, or medical events
  • If you want to strengthen credibility with clients

When it doesn’t:

  • If your role is primarily creative, experiential, or production-focused
  • If you don’t work in settings where the CMP is recognized
  • If you can’t commit to the studying, fees, or CEUs

Jessie recently recertified:

“I never want to take that test again — so yes, I’ll keep recertifying.”

⭐ 4. Small Town → Big City → Small Town Again: A Career in Full Circle

Jessie’s journey is uniquely relatable:

  • Grew up in small-town Montana
  • Built her career in the Bay Area hospitality and events scene
  • Eventually moved back home for lifestyle and family

What she learned:

  • Big cities offer scale, speed, and exposure
  • Small towns offer balance, rootedness, and space
  • The event skill set is transferable anywhere
  • You can deliver world-class events from anywhere in the world

She now works globally — including current programs in Vietnam and South Korea — while living in Montana.

⭐ 5. Post-COVID Timelines Have Become… Unrealistic

In the Vent of the Week segment, Jessie vents about one universal planner frustration:
post-COVID compression.

“We pulled off miracles for two years… and now clients think we can still do it with five months.”

With vendor shortages, skyrocketing demand, and overbooked venues (even brand-new properties are sold out through 2029), planners are fighting impossible timelines.

Takeaway:
More time = better events.
More time = more options.
More time = fewer miracles required.

⭐ 6. Jessie’s Wildest Event About It Story: Murphy’s Law in Full Force

Jessie shares one of the most jaw-dropping, chaotic event stories we’ve heard all season:

It includes:

  • A CSM who did not show up because… she was in jail
  • Rainbow tape (not gaff tape!) used to secure cables
  • A gala tent where the sprinklers turned on
  • Soaked grass, soaked gowns, soaked rental linens
  • Jessie on her hands and knees with bar towels trying to soak up water

And somehow — as planners do — she still pulled it off.

This one is an instant Event About It classic.

Why This Episode Matters

Whether you’re an emerging planner or a seasoned pro, Jessie’s episode covers the most essential questions in the events world:

  • What foundation makes a great event professional?
  • Is a degree in event management worth it?
  • Should I get my CMP?
  • How do I navigate post-COVID timelines and expectations?
  • Can you build a world-class event career from a small town?
  • How do you survive the chaos when everything goes wrong?

Each answer comes with humor, honesty, and hard-earned wisdom.

Listen to the Full Episode – EventAboutItPodcast.com

🎧 What Happens When The Sprinklers Crash The Party?
Available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube and all major platforms.

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