Over the course of the CN 30underThirty programme, Conference News will be speaking to members of the programme about their professional journey and the causes they’re championing to shape a more inclusive, forward-thinking industry.
This week, meet Jerome Vileta, senior project co ordinator at Impact XM. For Vileta, entering the events industry was a natural extension of his passion for creating meaningful, people-first experiences. In this interview Vileta shares his career highlights and challenges and the importance of creating a healthy work life balance.
What made you want to get involved in the industry and why?
With a background in hospitality, I’ve always been drawn to the people-oriented nature of the industry; more specifically the high energy and collaboration shared between teams, clients and delegates. What excites me the most is the opportunity to create memorable experiences that bring people together, along with the endless creative possibilities our industry offers.
What is the first career highlight that comes to mind?
My first career highlight was my first event as a project lead instead of support. It was a four day meeting with several dinners, multiple suppliers and using a new event technology platform.
During the planning stage, I was filled with anxiety when I realised the amount of work and information a project lead processes, and I was nervous about forgetting something. However, by the week before the event, I realised that “I’m confident on the work that I’ve done and I’ve got this!” The whole event week flew by perfectly with no issues, the client shared some lovely words and I went home feeling very proud that I exceeded expectations when leading on my first event.
What is the biggest challenge you have overcome?
The biggest challenge I’ve overcome has been navigating the high-pressure nature of the industry, particularly in the early stages of my career. I entered the field unsure of what to expect and found the pressure to always say ‘yes’, and navigating the juggle of multiple demands, difficult.
This caused some self-doubt that I wouldn’t succeed. Overtime, I learned to manage these internal challenges by setting boundaries, developing confidence in my decision-making, and recognising that growth comes from progress, not perfection. It was a personal and professional turning point that taught me resilience, self-awareness, and the value of trusting my abilities.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice when starting out in events, what would it be?
Enjoy the moments and don’t be scared of making mistakes! Breathe and don’t worry about what may come your way. Be yourself as this will make you a stronger individual and allow you to be confident in your abilities in and outside of work.
How important are schemes such as CN 30under30 and do you believe the industry does enough to support young professionals?
Schemes like the CN30underThirty are very important as it provides a platform for young event professionals to be recognised by industry leaders and be celebrated for the impact they have achieved already within the industry. It is also a great way to accelerate personal and professional development with opportunities to meet like-minded peers, and experts in the industry who we can gain so much experience from.
There are many things that the industry offers to support young professionals but I personally believe that we can do more for the next generation so we can build a stronger, more resilient and future-ready industry.
What is an issue or topic within the industry that you think is important and want to champion? Can you explain a bit about it?
I am passionate about advocating for better work-life balance within the event industry and would like to promote more mental health support and flexibility. Our industry is manic and balancing work and personal life is difficult.
There are many challenges that comes from the industry. From heightened stress levels, countless emails, compromises within personal lives to meet deadlines and long hours are too common in the field which takes a toll on individual’s physical and mental well-being and many professionals struggles to disconnect and recharge after work.
Why is this particular issue or topic important to you?
This is a particular issue that is important to me as I am afraid of the amount of event professionals that burnout within the early stages of their career. A healthier work environment is not only essential for individual well-being but also for long-term productivity and job satisfaction. By championing initiatives that prioritise mental health, flexible schedules, and realistic workloads, it aims to help create a sustainable and supportive industry culture where professionals can thrive.
Throughout my career, I have observed both positive and negative examples of work-life balance. These instances have highlighted to me how an individual’s well-being profoundly influences not only their own work performance, but also their relationships, creativity, impact, and the dynamics of those they collaborate with. These experiences have reinforced my belief in the importance of prioritizing well-being in the workplace.
What do you plan to do to continue to champion/topic?
I am committed to maintaining a more positive work-life balance and leading by example to other team members. I personally embrace the company’s hybrid working and flexible hours and utilising proper lunch breaks and holiday throughout the year to allow recharge.
By turning off work devices after hours, communicating realistic deadlines and seeking support if required establishes and reinforces healthy boundaries. Also, to understand and utilise new technology to manage tasks and schedules, this assists with prioritizing to avoid feeling overwhelmed. I am keen to set a strong example for event professionals and my colleagues especially the junior team members who are new to the industry who can adopt and maintain healthy habits and understand the ways to succeed without the requirements of long hours or burnout.
What can the industry itself do to better champion this topic?
The industry should raise awareness about the importance of work-life balance by encouraging more talks on this critical topic at industry workshops. Allowing for open dialogue and collaboration with others to understand their current process and share ideas on creating healthy work-life models within their organizations.
Additionally, promoting different training opportunities focused on stress management, mindfulness, and time management to provide practical solutions. As an industry this topic needs championed as it will contribute to building a healthier, happier, and more productive workforce.
