The Power of She: How a Collaborative Culture Helped This Events Manager Thrive

“Women supporting women is the most powerful force for change in the world.” — Ntozake Shange

This quote from the award-winning Black feminist poet and playwright rings true in every place run by women, especially in the events industry.

According to a survey by IBTM, of the 2,000 people working in the event management industry, 76.9% are women. Perhaps due to their eye for detail and meticulousness, women tend to succeed more in this industry. Plus, due to their collaborative nature, events organized by women are likely to exceed expectations.

Take the story of Claudine Hidalgo whose success stems from collaboration, inspiration, and the power of she.

Meet Claudine and KE Creative Events

Claudine joined KE Creative Events through Penbrothers in April 2023. As an Events Manager, she oversees projects from start to finish including event styling, logistics, supplier management, and finances.

She came with a wealth of experience, having worked in the events industry with her mother’s events management company in the Philippines.

KE Creative Events provides end-to-end services to Australian clients. This all-women agency, led by its director Nadia Kentera, specializes in what they call M.I.C.E.: meetings, incentive programs, conferences, and exhibitions. They also do brand activations and trade shows in Australia for clients of diverse industries.

What Claudine found in KE Creative Events is a culture of support and empowerment.

See also: The Accidental Manager: How A Millennial Unexpectedly Rose from the Ranks

The Power of She

Claudine is no stranger to witnessing women in action in the events industry as she shares the load of her mother’s business. Her mother also guided her as she traversed the early days of her career.

Now having Nadia as her mentor and inspiration, Claudine shares that, even though she already has experience in doing events, she’s still learning a lot from her boss.

KE Creative Events’ all-women team also encourages her to learn more.

“In turn, the insights and lessons I gain help me build my career path and become better at work,” Claudine shares.

An example of the Power of She that Claudine experienced was her proudest work achievement so far: her first project as the lead.

It was a large conference in Melbourne with over 300 delegates for KE Creative Events’ client of over 10 years.

There were so many moving parts and changes that Claudine was surprised to see the smooth flow of everything that day. All her preparations and hard work paid off—thanks to the collaborative nature of the ladies in her team! 

There was no competition; it was all just sheer empowerment of each other.

She also says, “It was an honor for me to be entrusted with this project for a long-time client. My boss, our client, and the delegates were all very happy with what I produced. That in itself is very rewarding for me.”

Read others inspiring stories of empowered women:

• Detour to Destiny: A Young Leader’s Journey to Self-Discovery
• Journey to the Top: Finding Success in Taking on Bigger Responsibilities

Penbrothers As A Bridge

For a long time, Claudine worked as a freelancer in the events industry before joining the creative agency through Penbrothers.

“When I was hired by Penbrothers, I felt grateful and blessed for having not only a job that I love to do but also the full government-mandated benefits and other perks that come with it. I also like the job security that Penbrothers offers and the opportunity to work for global companies,” Claudine shares.

She also recalls how helpful her HR Business Partner and his team were in the process of her visa application when she needed to fly out to Australia to complete her project. They treated the need (and all her concerns) with utmost urgency, making her feel that Penbrothers has her best interest at heart.

Now she thanks Penbrothers for bridging her to such an amazing team of women at KE Creative Events.

Women Empowering Women

Claudine’s story is a tale of how women supporting and lifting each other results in a better world where inclusion and empowerment are the norms. A world where everyone works together towards one common goal, and teams work not in competition but in solidarity—all thanks to the power of she.

Claudine is one of millions of Filipinos who have what it takes to take your business to the next level. 

Filipinos have plenty of years of experience in diverse specializations. Their impressive skills and outstanding work ethic make them the top choice for businesses looking to solve talent shortages, scale sustainably, and grow effectively.

Partner with a trusted offshore staffing provider to explore how to find, hire, and build a winning Filipino offshore team.