Catherine Duhaut has worked in event management since 2007 with a specialism in outdoor. In 2014 she co-founded BeaconHouse Events and has brought together a team that now delivers more than 100 events annually, working with companies such as Fenwick, Bridgestone and the Great Run Company.
What was your first job (and what did it pay)? My first job was a summer job at Broughshane Daffodil Farm. I worked with my brother and some local kids from our village to dig (in all weather!) daffodil bulbs, they then got dried, we cleaned them and then packaged them to send all over the world. We got paid £2.50 per hour, worked five days a week, got to play on their tennis court during lunch and had apple pie for elevensies - it was a dreamy job. Some of the daffodil bulbs cost hundreds of pounds per bulb - so when we were digging and accidentally put a garden fork through one…
What is the best advice or support you’ve been given in business? Be present. Whatever you’re doing, no matter how many clients you’re working with, how many jobs are on your to do list or what your priorities are - be present then and there. This really resonated with me, working in an industry which is fast paced and ever-changing. While running a business it’s easy to always find other things to distract you and prioritise but if you give your everything to the meeting you’ve scheduled, the task you’re accountable for or what you are doing in that moment then you will feel much more productive and get so much more meaning from everything.
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What are the main changes that you’ve seen in your business/sector, and what are the challenges you're facing? Sustainability has always been a focus of our business, but not of our industry. The events industry as a whole has a lot of work to do in terms of reducing their carbon impact - we’re undergoing a deep-dive into our practices as a business to develop a new more sustainable strategy that will have genuine impact on the way we operate as a business and in how we run our events. One of the challenges we face in regards to this ambition is the influence we have on client events, we use TRACE to measure the carbon footprint of events to create a benchmark to work with our clients to reduce the environmental impact of the event year on year. The events industry has a long way to come to meet sustainability standards, our ambition is to help set those standards and show best practice.
How has the pandemic changed the way you work? Before the pandemic we only loosely discussed the benefits of hybrid event with clients and now we are delivering 85% of hybrid events for a whole new range of national clients. More and more we are working with clients who are actively aware or keen to learn more about the benefits of hosting a hybrid event.
Who is your role model in business? I have many - but Yvon Chouinard is definitely up there. Ever since reading ‘Let My People Go Surfing’ I started to think much more about business for good, it seemed so much more achievable and necessary. When we set the business up in 2014, there was no business plan - we just wanted to do something that worked for us, as well as others. Nearly nine years on we still live by the same mantra, but now we’re consciously aware of the impact that even our small business can have on our networks, our environment and our team - we strive for excellence and goodness in everything we do as a business.
What would your dream job be? A film location scout! It scratches an itch for me - ticks all the boxes of my unfilled dream of ‘film director’ when I was a bright eyed student at University of Sunderland, as well as fulfilling that wanderlust that still occasionally gets visited with any free time; and of course maintaining my focus on production, discovery and creativity. I can just imagine that feeling when you find a real hidden gem as THE perfect location.
What advice would you give to someone starting out a career in your sector? It’s not all parties and bedazzled clip boards! Events is a serious business - we work really hard and what might seem like the most incredible experience at the end of it is the result of hours, months, years of detailed research, negotiation, administration, creativity and team work. Come into the sector with your eyes wide open and event management is an adventure that deserves all the hard work and don’t underestimate the level of detail you’ll need to explore to achieve the best quality events. If you’ve watched ’The Wedding Planner’ and set your sights on being an event manager (at BeaconHouse Events)…I’d recommend watching 'Fyre Festival’ next and seriously reconsidering whether you’re ready for the challenge.
What makes the North East a good place to do business? Everything! I started working in events in the North East in 2007 and I’ve never ever considered relocating - I’ve never had the time! The North East offers a whole world of opportunity for those open to explore it. Working in events over the years has given me access to many of the incredible sectors represented across our region and I still feel like I’ve only scratched the surface. We’ve been lucky enough to attract most of our client base and grow our business through referrals across the region - the close network business community has played a huge role in getting us to where we are today.
How important do you think it is for business to play a role in society? Very, but it took me time to realise that businesses of any size have their place and make a difference. Now, I never underestimate the impact that we can have as a business on society - locally, regionally, nationally, globally. We listen to our team, we listen to our clients, we learn from others and we always do everything with purpose.
Outside of work, what are you really good at? Organising events! I’m the friend that gets others sorted, I plan holidays, I create spreadsheets for Christmas dinner preparation, I know the new places to go and I research before making decisions!
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