Today we’d like to introduce you to Derrick l Mincey, MBA.
Derrick, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I began my foray into the hospitality industry as a home-based travel agent over ten years ago, but with the introduction of the Internet, many people began booking their own travel and that led to a lag in sales for personal travel bookings. A friend suggested that I do research on group travel and that led me to meeting planning. I started by getting information from a mentor who helped me understand the industry and how to enter into it with success as my goal. I was advised to begin with small groups to learn the process and get a sense of if it would be a good fit for me as a profession. I was able to plan and execute some small meetings and events successfully and I discovered that I had a natural inclination toward planning and negotiating.
Over time I have been able to plan both small and large meetings and events and that has been an interesting journey with many successes and some losses as far as not being fully prepared for certain challenges that are inherent in meeting and event planning. The experiences have been great as learning opportunities because the knowledge that I have is first-hand and it has made me a better meeting planner overall, although I do rely on the co-sharing of information and experiences from colleagues in the industry who are succeeding.
As of today, I plan meetings and events internally for my own company and externally for client organizations for both domestic and international programs. My company is a full-service agency offering services including site selection, contract negotiation, on-site meeting management, vendor selection, budget oversight, registration services, booking travel, and other meeting related services as requested.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has been an interesting road to travel. For the most part, I have been able to plan and execute my meetings and events without too many obstacles, but in every industry, there will be challenges and issues that have to be dealt with in order to achieve the desired outcomes. There have been times when I perceived some people to have a negative attitude because I am an African-American male and racism is not absent in the meeting and event planning industry. I have been overlooked for certain events and excluded from different programs that counterparts have been openly welcomed to participate in. But consider, I choose not to allow anyone to block or hinder my success, so I find ways to work around the unnecessary obstacles.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My company is a full-service meeting and event planning agency that plans meetings and events for domestic and international programs, both small and large. Our client base includes Associations, Corporations, Religious Groups, Incentive Programs, Military Reunions, and others. Over our ten year history, we have been able to plan and execute meetings and events that have included conventions, incentives, conferences, exhibitions, tradeshows, training, board meetings, retreats, new product launches, etc.
I am proud of the reputation of my agency for offering quality services and a high level of professionalism that creates an engaging experience for both attendees and staff members. We are able to meet a client’s needs by doing an assessment of their meeting goals and establishing a strategy that will allow us to integrate technology, customer service, destination, and purpose into an interactive and winning program. Our philosophy is rooted in creating a dynamic experience for attendees and not just have them attend a meeting or event with low expectations. Engagement and participation are beneficial for producing a memorable and successful program.
What were you like growing up?
I was very inquisitive as a child and very creative. I would always try to figure out how things were made and how they worked. I remember getting my father’s tools and dismantling my toys to see the inner workings of the toys to see how they were put together. I am interested in how things are made and what steps it takes to make things function. I was both creative and analytical and that led me to explore and try different things, sometimes dangerous things, which caused anguish for my mother especially because she recognized that I, at a young age, had a strong dare-devil spirit. I recall wanting a motorcycle so that I could imitate Evel Knievel by performing jumps over things. Fortunately for me, my mother told my father no when I asked for a motorcycle. Looking back, I recognize that she probably saved my life.
I was consistently the center of attention, but I did not seek to be. My personality is one of being fun-loving, energetic, and usually in the mood to have fun and enjoy laughter with others. When I began reading books during that youth, my imagination was piqued and I developed a strong desire to travel and see the world and all the wonders that are there to behold. Hence, my connection to meeting planning is strong because of the planning and the travel aspects. Creating an exceptional experience in an interesting destination is very satisfying.
Contact Info:
- Address: Atlanta, Georgia
- Website: www.linkedin.com/in/derrick-l-mincey-mba-0158491
- Phone: 404-563-0734
- Email: dmincey@worldclassmeetings.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/worldclassmeetings
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/worldclassmeetings
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/worldclassmtgs
- Other: World Class Meetings & Events, Inc.
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