The time: Friday evening. The place: the Two Ocean Aquarium - to be more specific, the I&J predator arena. An arena with well chosen lighting, blending decor and a magnificent display of ocean predators moving on the waterside of the Perspex. The occasion: our first ever annual business function.

October, November, December is usually entertainment time – the business of entertainment for clients and staff is quite a business. We decide: let’s rather celebrate the beginning of the year and do what everyone is doing end of year, in February. We are a dynamic business. We need a dynamic setting where there is constant movement, stimulation for the mind. We enjoy nature. What should our theme be?

An events team is put together and planning, costing, budgeting starts. The theme is agreed on: As a dynamic business we understand: nature gives us a lot to make our day to day lives and work in a dynamic economic, social, political and environmental world, let’s give back.

Venue hire at the Two Oceans Aquarium is agreed on. This will address the dynamic nature of our business: constant movement of the fish will create the dynamic metaphor; for the giving back to nature aspect, we agree to instead of buying gifts for our clients at the end of the year, donate the budget on gifts on our clients’ behalf to support the Aquarium’s Year of the Frog initiative – a programme to highlight the extinction of frogs globally – and we ask the MD of the Aquarium to deliver a 10 minute information talk on the programme ; we agree to invite Quinton Coetzee, a world renowned speaker (and television presenter on programs that deals with nature) who compares how the Koi San, a tiny population of desert dwellers, have survived in the wild for many centuries, applying the very same principles we have to apply in our personal and work lives today. We plan a lucky draw for a Pétanque set – if you have ever held a case with 8 stainless steel boules, you will feel the solid weight…

The invitation list is put together; the invitation designed and sent out.

The menu is worked again and again, the bar is sorted, the music arranged, the sound system and the data projector ticked off the list, the promo slideshow created, edited and polished, the lucky draw prize bought and ready to go, who needs to get paid what when checklist managed, catering equipment hire sorted, decorations hire sorted, engaging with and booking the guest speaker, arranging flights, accommodation and car hire for the guest speaker, sorting the electricity points and cables, ensuring back-up should our national electricity supplier need to load shed on the evening, aligning with an aquarium project and meeting with the Director of the Aquarium to link in with the theme, the custom made chocolates are sorted – an incredible amount of productive time spent by the events team to make sure: this is going to be an event like never before for our guests whom we prepare for with great zest.

Friday night. It comes together.

“This is a first: business has never supported the Aquarium in this manner – I am going to use this amazing initiative to create awareness in the business community” – Dr Pat Garret, MD of the Aquarium

“I have NEVER had the privilege to delivery my work in such an fantastic venue, the backdrop of predators against my slideshow is a first and absolutely magnificent” – Quinton Coetzee

“This is amazing” – Client F

“I thought tonight would just be another business networking type of evening, I have been around, but this surpasses any business event I ever attended!” – Client T

‘What a fantastic idea, what a fantastic evening” – Client C

“This is good…”- Client L

“THIS is brand building! You have set your brand apart from the rest with this event. Continue!” Client T

“So stylish, what I expected of a company like yours” – Client R

“The venue, the speakers, the theme, the food – yes especially the deserts!: I could not have had a better Friday evening ANYWHERE” – Client Z

“Congratulations on such a special evening – you have raised the bar in client and staff appreciation” – Client B

“I will be in touch, I enjoyed your promo slideshow – I did not know the extent of what you do, this has been an enlighting evening for me – all around. Thank you so much” - Associate

“Thank you for hosting such an enjoyable, through provoking evening” – Colleague A

“I am proud to be part of this team” – Colleague A

“Really awesome, even though all the invitees did not attend” – Colleague B

And so on…

It was a proud evening for us.