With two decades of experience and two companies under her belt, Cindy Lo knows a thing or two about the event industry. As the CEO of Red Velvet and Strong Events, Cindy has seen it all. She considers herself a producer, and much like the producers in the movies, she keeps everything running on time and on budget.
In an industry where burnout is unfortunately all too common, Cindy understands the importance of both survival and leadership are essential in maintaining team sustainability. In this episode of CORTCast, Cindy shares the secrets to team sustainability, stress management, and helping clients to reveal what they truly want. All the while, Cindy leads with purpose.
Cindy’s calendar is her flagpole — it serves not as a barrier to creativity, but as an anchor that allows her to fly free with the space to be creative. It allows her to account for every hour and manage her time effectively.
She also exhorts her team members to cultivate habits that bring focus and creative thinking to the forefront. When team members feel overwhelmed or lose their grip on organization, she asks them, “Have you made that a habit?”
Cindy purposefully provides her teams to “blue sky” early creative brainstorming without concern for logistics and budget. This allows for unfettered creativity that is not hindered by a budget, schedule, or general feasibility constraints.
In her mind, the best ideas may seem impractical on the surface but improve with refinement. Placing too many constraints and filters on the initial steps of the process can squeeze out the best ideas and smother innovation.
“Sometimes, we have to slow down to speed up,” Cindy says. In other words, you should never put too much pressure on a team and rush creativity.
Often, clients come to Cindy seeking an element that’s “never seen before,” but Cindy comes back with the question, “What’s the last thing you saw that truly impressed you?”
That’s because a client’s expectations and their dreams can live on two different levels. More thoughtful questions like Cindy’s can often reveal that the client’s creative bar is lower than they thought, and that allows her team to develop concepts that make an emotional impact.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cindy learned the hard way what burnout was like and, as a result, she views time management and self-care as the responsibilities of a leader. Taking care of herself isn’t a luxury anymore.
Cindy builds time in her schedule for travel, walks, and rest. She encourages her team to do the same as a way of fostering long-term creativity and survival.
Cindy says, “If you don’t block time, someone else will fill it for you.” Keeping this in mind allows her to view boundaries as an essential part of her career.
The right systems, tools, and partners are essential components of creative leadership, and they’re crucial for bringing your ideas to life, no matter the pressure. Enter CORT Events to save the day.
CORT serves as your true partner throughout the entire event planning process, providing you with everything you need to stay focused, flexible, and confident at every stage, from pitch to execution.
Our fast quoting and nationwide availability make the planning process as smooth as possible. Our tools and services help you plan your space and visualize it before it becomes a reality. Our vast catalog of stylish, current furniture and decor gives you the wings to dream big but scale wisely.
If you need to move fast, make last-minute adjustments, or change directions on the fly, CORT is on your side with the consistency, service, and quality that make creative risk possible.
It’s time to team up with a partner who gets what leadership is all about.
Here are some next steps:
Listen to the podcast: Cindy Lo, founder of Red Velvet and Strong Events, lets you in on the secrets about what it takes to lead creative teams, manage burnout, and navigate client pressure without losing your edge. With over 20 years of experience in the business, Cindy’s insights are honest, practical, and grounded in real-world experience.
Apply the lessons: Cindy’s wisdom and experience in leadership can help you with practical ways to structure your time, protect your creativity, and bring clarity to your client conversations.
The bottom line is that event leadership brings its own level of pressure. More sustainable, confident, and inspired ways to lead allow you to move forward and stave off burnout and frustration. Take the next step together with CORT Events toward more thoughtful, sustainable, and empowered event leadership.