Cameron Forbes of Forbes Functions: 5 Things You Need To Know To Successfully Run A Live Event

As a part of our series about “5 Things You Need To Know To Successfully Run a Live Event”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Cameron Forbes.

Cameron Forbes is the visionary founder of Forbes Functions, where exceptional event planning meets the pulse of New York City. At Forbes Functions, Cameron leverages her extensive network of vendors as well as her female team, to curate bespoke experiences for her clients. Her flair for hosting, coupled with an innovative approach, has positioned her as a leading tastemaker in the event planning scene. Under her guidance, Forbes Functions is not just planning events; it’s crafting unforgettable moments and trendsetting celebrations that resonate with elegance and exclusivity.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a bit about your “childhood backstory”?

I’m a born and bred New Yorker raised on the Upper East Side. Growing up, my family loved hosting and entertaining — every event was a special occasion, with my mother and grandmother both going all out for dinner parties and birthdays. Even as a teenager, I served as the resident party planner for friends, helping them host themed parties, design birthday invitations, and decorate their homes for college acceptances and prom. Hosting was something I enjoyed doing from a young age, and you could even say it was in my blood!

Can you tell us the story of what led you to this particular career path?

I’ve always loved event planning, inspired by my mother and grandmother’s passion for entertaining. During college, however, I had my first exposure to working in events through internships in public relations. I found I had a passion for taking events from ideas on a creative moodboard to IRL, well-executed experiences. After working in banking for a few years, I missed the creative energy of event planning and decided to launch my own boutique business in NYC in 2022.

It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about a mistake you made when you were first starting and the lesson you learned from that?

One of the mistakes I made when first starting Forbes Functions was not communicating effectively with my clients. Early on, I let my clientele set the standard for communications. Instead of taking the reins and organizing discussions effectively via email or another platform, communications became muddled across different channels and quickly led to the loss of professional boundaries, as well as client requests getting lost in translation. Afterward, I moved all communication over to a professional email suite. The mistake of not setting the tone and leading the client in professional communications taught me the importance of being organized from the outset. Whether it’s having a streamlined intake process, or monitoring email hourly to ensure timely responses, forming these routines helped me run my business much more effectively and efficiently going forward.

Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

The Skinny Confidential, a lifestyle blog, brand, and podcast by Lauryn Evarts Bosstick, has had such a significant impact on me over the last two years of running Forbes Functions. Not only do Lauryn and her husband Michael discuss the nitty gritty of running multiple businesses — they also open up candidly about their personal lives, burnout, and balancing it all. Lauryn’s commitment to her routine — she’s known for her color-coded Google calendar that rules her day — has helped inspire me to put in place my own systems and schedules. Furthermore, her sense of creativity and curiosity motivates me daily! Lauryn has interviewed guests from Bravo stars and business leaders to Olympians and skincare experts. Her drive to discover new ideas, perspectives, and trends pushes me to explore the possibilities in event planning and get creative with my designs for clients.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

My favorite quote, and one I reflect on often, is “comparison is the thief of joy.” As a female founder, I often find myself comparing my business to those of others in my field and beyond, and have to remind myself not to focus on other’s successes but instead enjoy my own. As an event planner, clients will come to me wanting to achieve a look they saw on a friend or influencer’s Instagram and may be surprised when I let them know the budget needed to achieve that look. No matter the area of life, whether it’s career or social, “comparison is the thief of joy,” and it’s best to focus on what you enjoy rather than the joy of others.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. For the benefit of our readers, can you tell us a bit about your experience organizing events?

Since starting my business in June 2022, I have planned over 75 events. I’ve organized everything from the super small and intimate, like proposals and dinner parties, to 350-person charity galas, VIP brand activations, and weddings. Some of my favorite Forbes Functions events from the past year include Baked by Melissa founder Melissa Ben-Ishay’s cookbook launch party, influencer Eli Rallo’s book preorder party, a VIP charity event for nonprofit Gray for Glioblastoma, and a backyard wedding in East Hampton.

Are you running any exciting events in the near future? We’d love to hear about it. What do you want attendees to bring back with them after they attend your event?

I have a ton of exciting events coming up! Over the next few weeks, I’m working on a launch event for a clothing brand, a charity gala for a New York City nonprofit, multiple birthday parties, a VIP fundraiser, and a couple of dinner parties in the Hamptons. I always want attendees to leave Forbes Functions events feeling like they’ve emerged from a one-of-a-kind experience. Guests should feel immersed in the event and walk away wowed by the attention to detail. From custom cocktails to personalized menus and place cards, the devil is in the details!

In your opinion, what is an example of a company that has done a fantastic job creating live events? What specifically impresses you? What can one do to replicate that?

One company I feel does a fantastic job at creating live events is Poppi. To launch one of their recent flavors, they hosted a convenience-store-inspired activation in Los Angeles. Guests were able to test the new flavor, enjoy custom limited edition Poppi merch, and share their experiences on social media. Allowing regular customers to visit this twist on a classic convenience store provided the perfect way to capture user-generated content, as guests took photos and shared their Poppimart experience, just like their favorite TikTok and Instagram influencers. To replicate the impact of Poppi’s live events, I recommend brands plan activations that bring in their audience! Influencer and VIP dinners are so overdone; giving back to customers is the latest way to make a splash on social media.

What are the common mistakes you have seen people make when they try to run an event? What can be done to avoid those errors?

Common mistakes people make when event planning include not setting aside enough time to plan, not keeping track of the budget and vendors, and underestimating the true cost of hosting. Sometimes, potential clients will reach out to me for an event just a week or two before. I recommend a timeline of at least a month, depending on the size of the event and the scope of work. Additionally, I advise people to prepare a running document for their event that includes all vendor documents, a detailed run of show, a site map or floor plan, an inventory list, and a contact list. Having all of these details on hand on the day of your event will make set-up so much more seamless. Finally, make sure you understand the true costs of the event — reach out to a couple of vendors to get a sense of pricing and availability before you build your budget. Having an understanding of event costs before contracting any vendors will allow you to adhere to your budget and avoid any unexpected costs or fees.

Are there any essential tools or software that you think an event organizer needs to know about?

I love using Honeybook to share contracts with clients and Quickbooks to send and receive invoices for clients, employees, and vendors. For event organizers with smaller budgets, tools like Canva are incredible resources for designing everything from wedding welcome signs to conference lanyards. I also recommend Eventbrite for any ticketed or public events!

Ok. Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our discussion. An in-person event can have a certain electric energy. What does it take to create an engaging and memorable event? What are the “Five Things You Need To Know To Successfully Run a Live Event” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

1. Inspiration and Ideation — To successfully run a live event, the first step towards flawless execution is thorough ideation! Build a Pinterest moodboard, find inspiration on TikTok and Instagram, and decide on the aesthetic and vibe for your event. Start thinking about what event elements you will need — whether you’re looking for a private chef or caterer, a turnkey venue or a more blank space, a dessert table or extravagant cake, consider all your options. Once you have an aesthetic in mind for the event, you can start thinking about your budget. For my clients at Forbes Functions, I always build a custom proposal with creative concepts, visual examples, and a budget breakdown.
2. Budget Building — After developing your aesthetic and creative concepts, start preparing a budget for the event. I recommend using Excel or Google Sheets to track potential expenses. Remember to account for sales tax, admin fees, and gratuity!
3. Vendor Outreach — Once you have a sense of the budget for your live event, begin reaching out to vendors to see what availability and pricing look like in your area. Feel free to choose whatever vendor best fits your vision and budget for the event! Don’t forget to keep track of vendor contracts, invoices, timelines, and contact information so you can later prepare a run of show.
4. Logistics and Details — Now that your vendors are booked, start working on the logistics. Does the venue have timelines for load-in and load-out? Do you need a certificate of insurance or access to a freight elevator for the event? What time will different vendors be arriving? All of these questions should be answered in a master document containing a run of show, site map or floor plan, inventory list, and contact list. Feel free to share this document with other event stakeholders so that everyone has an understanding of the key details of the event.
5. Execution and Prep — It’s the big day of your live event! Utilize your master event document to run load-in, set-up, and any other prep before guests arrive. I always bring an emergency kit containing items like Windex wipes, extension cords, a steamer, and more in case there are any quick fixes needed during setup.

Let’s imagine that someone reading this interview has an idea for a live event that they would like to develop. What are the first few steps that you would recommend that they take?

If someone reading this interview has an idea for a live event, I would first recommend they reach out to a planner to help them achieve their vision. Depending on the scope of work and guest count, planning an event yourself can be incredibly taxing and time-consuming, making it difficult to enjoy the big day. For those wanting to plan an event themselves, I recommend starting with any inspiration and ideation before moving on to building a budget and reaching out to vendors.

Super. We are nearly done. Here are our final questions. You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

One of my greatest goals when starting Forbes Functions was to inspire people to get together! I would love to lead a movement to bring back the age of the dinner party. In this digital era, it is so rare that people put down their phones and engage with those around them. Encouraging communities to gather around a table and enjoy each other’s company can have a huge impact on people’s mental health and well-being.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

As I mentioned before, I would love to have a private breakfast with Lauryn Bosstick! I’m happy to fly out to LA and treat her to brunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.