From an acorn grows a mighty oak

From being a small Event Intern (both in experience and appearance) and stumbling upon her first steps at KMS, to becoming a key member in organizing major events that made fellow KMSers exclaim "How amazing!" - Let's meet Huyen Nguyen, Senior Event Executive at Healthcare business line in this edition of Humans of KMS. Join us along Huyen's journey of over 5 years pursuing an endless passion for event execution at KMS and many more!

Huyen, the "little one" in event management

Huyen feels fortunate to have discovered her passion for event management and execution during her college days, and her internship at KMS marked the beginning of nurturing this passion. Being petite in stature and experience, Huyen always had a young and inexperienced mindset. Even now, my beloved colleagues often mention and describe me as... baby Huyen.

After a few months of my internship at a real estate company in event management, I expected a similar nature of work at KMS. However, it turned out to be different. Joining KMS meant stepping into a new realm - internal events for employees, which were completely different from the customer-focused events I was familiar with.

Tripping and growing along the way

One of the first things that captivated me about internal events was the art of focusing on attendees' emotions and a better understanding of insights. The beauty of organizing internal events is witnessing the immediate satisfaction of people right when the event ends. There were days of late-night meetings, overnight stays at the office, and staying awake until 3 am to meet project deadlines. Although it could be challenging, the moment the event was well-received and loved by everyone, my team and I felt energized, and all the tiredness vanished (it's true!), serving as motivation to continue our relentless efforts.

However, not every event participant always welcomed the event as expected. When I first joined KMS and participated in our "first event," it seemed like it would be a great success, but we faced obstacles due to the weather. I remember that day, the whole team organized an outdoor event for KMSers to bring their children, but the weather turned out to be scorching hot, completely opposite to our expectations and weather forecasts. The event still took place, but there was a gentle reminder from the senior KMSers: "Next time, choose a cooler location, dear." The team and I realized that anything can happen, and as event organizers (although it may sound "unrealistic"), we need to anticipate 99% of possible scenarios. The longer I work in this field, the more I realize that "failure is the mother of success," and at KMS, I have quite a few "mothers"!

When I first joined KMS, I was like a rocket, bursting with ideas for events, and my team members often had to bring me back down to Earth. With my youthful enthusiasm, there were moments of disappointment when my seemingly "wow" ideas were not accepted. Being small, I used to be quite hot-headed, and having my passionate ideas rejected would make my face turn red. However, my team leader remained calm, patiently listened to my "explosions," and then gently pointed out the reasons why those ideas might not succeed. Through those initial experiences, I quickly recognized the issues and learned a lot about the profession, patience, and composure required for event management.

Present-day Huyen - "small" but no longer "little"

In addition to internal motivation and a love for the profession, there is another important factor that cannot be overlooked - the space and time for development. It's about having the freedom to soar with ideas (with some control) and being supported while still experiencing the pressure to grow. I am truly grateful to my team leaders for this. Without these elements, I would not have become the "present-day Huyen".

Now, as the years have passed and I find myself directly guiding young interns, I truly understand how to put myself in the shoes of my team leaders and learn from their management styles. I also have to "bring them down" at times, but I know how to do it gently yet effectively, just as my team leaders did with me in the past. Everyone has nurtured and contributed to shaping the current version of Huyen, no longer soaring like a rocket but floating like... a balloon.

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