10x Your Team with Cam & Otis
How can you unlock your team’s untapped potential? Learn how to maximize your team’s performance from leaders who have really done it. From veterans, researchers, and high-powered entrepreneurs to pro athletes and CEOs of multi-million-dollar companies. Cam and Otis go through each guest’s story to pull the leadership lessons that they learned along the way. This father-son business podcast takes the philosophy of lifelong learning and applies it to leadership to help you learn how to lead a high-performing team. Otis is a former Green Beret and currently coaches high-performing business owners and their leadership teams, helping them implement Green Beret leadership principles in their business to 10x their staff. Camden is an entrepreneur and coaches rugby at the developmental and collegiate levels, and he coaches college athletes through the transition to life after sports. With two different generational and professional perspectives, the father-son co-hosts mix old-school wisdom with new ideas, which creates a unique dialogue with the guests. This show is made for lifelong learners who want to solve problems and make an impact!
10x Your Team with Cam & Otis
The Art of Vendor Management: Creating Consistent Event Experiences - Deana Mitchell | 10x Your Team Ep. #442
Ever wondered what it takes to design events that deliver specific outcomes—not just pretty decorations? In this conversation with Deana Brown Mitchell, award-winning entrepreneur and three-decade event professional, Cam and Otis explore the fascinating intersection of architecture, event planning, and team leadership.
"It was a creative challenge, kind of like architecture to me," Deana explains, revealing how her unconventional background prepared her for building a successful event company that served Fortune 100-500 clients. From managing custom proposals that were "always pretty intense" to building a team that became an extension of her vision, Deana shares the journey of growing—and eventually losing—her business to COVID.
What makes this episode especially compelling is Deana's insight into controlling outcomes when you're dependent on 15 different vendors. "At first, it's kind of trial and error," she admits with refreshing honesty, before explaining how she developed a network of trusted partners who became "like an extension of our team."
Whether you're in the event industry, building a team that needs to deliver consistent results, or just fascinated by resilient entrepreneurs, Deana's story offers practical wisdom about turning creative vision into reliable execution.
More About Deana:
DEANA BROWN MITCHELL is a driven, optimistic, and compassionate leader in all areas of her life.
As a three-decade event professional and an award-winning entrepreneur, Deana authentically shares her experiences for the benefit of others. Starting in college, Deana worked her way through the hospitality and event industry, from food & beverage, to banquets and conference services, to owning her own DMC (Destination Management Company) for 10 years. She has an impressive client list of Fortune 100-500 companies and eleven awards to show her creativity and execution abilities!
Her work as a consultant allows her to use her unique perspective on customizing a path forward for any situation.
Also, Deana is the Founder and Executive Director of The Realize Foundation. She is a suicide survivor herself and vulnerably uses her own mental health journey to let others know there is hope. The Realize Foundation produces events, a podcast, and a bestselling book series that let people know they are not alone.
Find out more about Deana's endeavors at https://deanabrownmitchell.com/
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Chapter Times and Titles:
From Architecture to Events [00:00 - 05:41]
Introduction to Deana Brown Mitchell
The unexpected journey from architecture school to entrepreneurship
How design thinking translates to event planning
Building a Business from Scratch [05:42 - 15:00]
15 years in hotels before starting her own company
The challenge of designing events for specific outcomes
Growing from solo entrepreneur to team leader
The Custom Proposal Process [15:01 - 25:00]
"The proposal process was always pretty intense."
Balancing client expectations with realistic execution
Communicating complex ideas to the team
Controlling Outcomes with Multiple Vendors [25:01 - 35:00]
"At first, it's kind of trial and error."
Building a network of trusted partners
How vendors became "an extension of our team"
Losing It All to COVID [35:01 - 45:00]
The impact of the pandemic on the event industry
Resilience in the face of business loss
Transitioning to new opportunities
The Purpose Behind the Work [45:01 - End]
Founding The Realize Foundation
Using personal experience to help others
Final thoughts on leadership and resilience