Mumtaz President earns her MBA!

We are so very excited to announce Mumtaz President, Joella Hopkins, earned her MBA in Marketing this past Fall. It was a wonderful feat of success, managing two businesses whiling attending school. Congrats Joella! You are a Phoenix!

It's really about Strategic Partnerships! In Full Effect @ IMEX America

The power of strategic partnerships! There's more to just networking and making new business relationships... In today's world it is really about creating a meaningful relationship whether that is with your colleagues in the office, folks you are looking to do business with, and people that you might one day do business with! It's a small world and you never know when the next person you meet will be your next boss or employee! 

This year I had the privilege of working with what has become a great friend of mine! Mr. Frank Robinson of Island Events. We have created a strategic partnership that works in both our favors - not only have we generated a relationship as fellow entrepreneurs but as allies in the cut-throat world of events. We assist each other, represent each other, refer business because ultimately the more business we can generate for the both of us the better we both do in the long run. So, the question is why haven't you created strategic partnerships? 

Frank and I had a wonderful time working the Hawaiian booth at the IMEX America show in Vegas this past October. It was amazing to see Frank in action - he absolutely knows his stuff! I am always so impressed with the professionals in our industry that really work hard to shine - Frank shines because he is flawless. If you are looking for an amazing DMC/Planner on the islands of Aloha - Island Events is who you need to call. They serve all islands but if you are looking at the Big Island - then we get to partner on logistics, design, and creating an unforgettable event/conference for your attendees! 

So, I'll close with - until we see you on the island - ALOHA!

GUEST BLOGGER: Hillary Harris - Adding Hollywood Magic to Special Events at Warner Bros. Studios

It's always incredible when you get to take time and really connect with fellow industry colleagues and especially those that have been doing what you're doing for so much longer! Loved meeting with Hillary and having established a true beginning to a wonderful new relationship above what's just professional. Here's to good friends and to an amazing blog post below! Thanks Hillary! 

Guest Blog by Hillary Harris

A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of having lunch on the lot with Joella Hopkins of Mumtaz Marketing & Events at the Warner Bros. Fine Dining Commissary. Over our lunch of the chef’s special crab cakes, gazpacho and burgers, we talked about everything. My favorite part of the lunch was when Joella told me the story of how she came by the word “mumtaz” for her company.

What was great about it was the way she pulled me into the story – describing everything in detail and engaging all the senses. I felt as if I was with her on her journey inside a pyramid in Egypt. I felt the heat of the desert and the cold dark environment inside the stone. I listened in the silence she described and felt the joy she felt when she emerged. And I understood the word, mumtaz; the exceptional experience – she encountered.

After our lunch, I thought a lot about that word and realized that mumtaz is something we are always creating on the lot -- the exceptional experience for our clients and their guests. Here are a few.

ANOTHER WORLD

The backlot of Warner Bros. has many faces, from a steamy futuristic street in the vein of Blade Runner’s futuristic Asian look …

… to a wild, mod sixties lounge look. 

This is also New York Street, believe it or not! Video digital mapping allowed the studio façade to be completely transformed. As you can see, it’s surprising how easily locations with traditional architecture such as Brownstone and New York Streets can slip into something more exotic. With the right mood, décor and lighting, guests are swept away into another world with sight, sounds, feeling and taste, completely enveloping their senses.

And then some other locations are simply exotic on their own such as the jungle/lagoon area. 

Our lagoon can be drained, as it was here, to create a beautiful and wild setting in the middle of the city! This gorgeous event was the premiere for Game of Thrones. Or, the lagoon can remain filled for the perfect Twilight look, or Cajun Bayou.

HOLLYWOOD MAGIC

Soundstages are a huge part of the studio experience and we are able to hold events on them between productions. Because it’s so unusual, the location immediately ensures a memorable, and well-attended, event. Who doesn’t want to have dinner on a working soundstage? Instant magic.

This event fell right between the wrap of a TV show and the start of a movie. It was the perfect venue for a hugely successful fund-raising event for Providence St. Joe’s.

HISTORY

And of course, there is the history of the lot – our 90^th anniversary was this year in fact! To bring all this magic to the guest experience, events can begin at the SJR Theatre. Here, in the shadow of the famous water tower, a red carpet greeting and step-and-repeat wall can be done for charity, association and corporate events as well as Hollywood events. From here, it’s an easy few steps to Brownstone Street where so many iconic movies and TV shows have been filmed and where, as you’ve seen, event designers can create a multitude of fantastic looks.

After lunch, Joella enjoyed a VIP tour with me at the wheel of my studio golf cart (it’s the only way to get around the lot and a lot of fun as well). As she learned, Warner Bros. has many more locations for events – 13 in all. And we have several additions underway to the WB experience which I’ll be revealing in the coming months on my blog. So stay tuned. There’s a lot happening on the lot and I’m looking forward to sharing it all with you.

Mumtaz has an ISES LA Master of its Own

On Monday, November 12, 2012 The International Events Society (ISES) – Los Angeles, celebrated the 7th Annual Meet the Masters Event where our own President, Joella Hopkins, CSEP, CMP participated as one of the Masters in this special event industry. What an achievement! It was a sold out event where most attendees had a chance to exchange ideas, ask questions and get advice from all masters as they went around and sat at each table sharing their success stories. We are proud of Joella’s accomplishments which continue to make Mumtaz Marketing and Events (MME) grow bigger and bigger every day.

 

This year’s hot topics were the available Social Media tools to help to the success of business and How to achieve a healthy balance between work and family in the crazy Special Event Industry.  It was a fabulous night and full of insight.

 

Congratulations to all 2012 Masters!

Joella Hopkins, CMP, CSEP, Mumtaz Marketing & Events, Ron Rubin, Ron Rubin Events,

Eddie Zaratsian, Eddie Zaratsian Floral Boutique, Allison Callaway, Callaway Gable Photography , Wendy Dahl, Chic Productions, Mark McBride, USC Alumni Association, Brian Callaway, Callaway Gable Photography, Dawn Abbott, CSEP, Fun Productions. Alison Bossert, Sony Pictures, Barbara Brass, Wolfgang Puck,  Laurel Coote, CMP, CMM, Pick My Brain, Kevin Covey, Kevin Covey Wedding & EventCoordination, Rrivre Davies, Rrivre Works , Rachel Hollis, Chic Events, , Greg Jenkins, Bravo Productions, Cara Kleinhaut, Caravents, Inc, Ruth Moyte, Red Dandelion Creative, David Smith, SHOWPRO, Chris Clark, Extraordinary Events

 Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us, we were thrilled to be there!