Business Style: November

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Party Planning For the Holi-Daze: Go for Effective and Fun

By Jeanne Winnick Brennan and Carol McCain
It is possible. You can enjoy the holidays without feeling like you have run a marathon, been run through a wringer, or just plain been run over. Whether you’re being fêted on the party circuit or fêting others, the holiday social season runs at Mach speed.
    Take the hectic out of the holidays this season when you entertain your clients and colleagues. Pace yourself, plan wisely and pick up the phone to call a caterer for help.
    How you entertain is a reflection of your personal style or your company’s successful image. What’s the best way to plan your party? Understand who you are entertaining, try to picture the desired result, build yourself a timeline and budget and work backward. The one piece of advice all professionals emphasize? KISS — keep it simple and seasonal.

Define Your Style
Do you prefer to entertain colleagues and clients by hosting a series of small dinner parties in a more personal setting, such as your home? Or, is a large cocktail party with heavy hors d’oeuvres, music and dancing more the style you’re seeking for your company’s persona? Maybe an elegant brunch with just business partners and spouses is more appropriate. Or, would an open house in your offices with staggered hours suit multiple purposes? Does your budget allow for a professional party planner or a caterer who does it all?
    Catering director and associate team leader Cornelius Tinzy of Whole Foods Market in Sacramento begins each project by asking clients to define what type of event they’re seeking. A key question is whether you see your guests mingling with finger food or sitting down to main entrees at dinner. And what is the hottest appetizer that everyone wants? “I get postcards from clients about the mini crab cakes with the chipotle dipping sauce — my signature dish,” says Tinzy. “But we offer about a dozen different appetizers at all times.” If you’re planning on finger food only, Tinzy recommends four to five different appetizers and approximately four per person.
Continued...

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