Mary Catanzaro

I love everything about what I do. I bring fun and joy to people. I love the freedom that comes from owning my own business and I love being creative.

I started POGO events in 2005 by myself. We organize scavenger hunts in New York City. I now have approximately 20 freelance employees and we put on an average of 15 events a month.

Here’s a bit of what we can cover in our PivotPlanet sessions:
• The different ways to break into the event planning business
• How to organize and network so that the most important tools are at your disposal
• The difference between party planning and event organizing
• How to make yourself stand out from the crowd
• How to attract the kind of employees and clients you want

MORE

I started my business from scratch and you can too! I knew next to nothing about running a business when I began and learned almost everything along the way. I’ve become an expert and now even teach classes on event planning.

We organize scavenger hunt adventures around New York City. When I started there was only one other company doing this and now there are about 30. Because we consistently deliver a fun experience, we get great feedback online and do a great business. We’ve held events for some of the largest companies in New York.

Prior to starting my business, I worked various jobs at some interesting places in New York City and event planning was always a part of it. I finally decided that I wanted to be my own boss and take my experience to create something of my own. It was the biggest risk and best decision I ever made.

Surrounding yourself with the right people is about the best advice I can give you. You can’t know everything, so it’s important to find people who do. When you find them, treat them right and their loyalty will be invaluable.