Getting to know The Filing Fairies (part 1 – Mara)

All the books, blogs and boomers tell me that you lovely people out there in cyberspace would like to know us better, so that you can trust us before you will consider our insights and tips as expert in our field.  We both like to do as we are told so over the coming weeks we will toe the line and introduce ourselves properly.

Hi, I am Mara

I am a daughter, a niece, a friend, a wife, a pet owner, a mother and an entrepreneur (chronological order for those playing at home).

I have been a swimmer, a gymnast, a dancer, an actress and a performer.

I have also been a check out chick, a barista, a cocktail bar tender, a waitress, a concierge, a volunteer, a project manager, an administrator and an event manager.

I usually get what (and who xx) I set my heart on.  Here is an example….did anyone hear the Juan Antonio Samaranch announcement “and the winner is Syd..en…nee”?

In 1997 when Sydney was announced as the host city for the 2000 Olympics I was working in the hospitality industry, I heard the announcement live while I was on cruising on Sydney harbour with a boat full of colleagues – the fireworks and the excitment of that night were amazing.  In 1998 I attended the Sydney Royal Easter Show and there in one of the pavilions was a display from Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) canvassing for volunteers.  At the ripe old age of 24 , full of youth and vigour my response to the question “would I like to volunteer at the Sydney 2000 Games?” was “I will be married with children by then and (as an after thought) if not I will be in a paid role not volunteering”.  Nothing against volunteering but that industry was my vision and goal 🙂

I was not a young bride I had to wait another 10 years to land myself the husband however I did in fact volunteer for a few months and in the end, I landed  that paid role I dreamed of with SOCOG.  It was during the biggest event I ever worked on that my love of event management was born.  It was also there that I learned that events are just lots and lots and LOTS of lists (and I adore lists), I also met some of the best organisers I have ever worked with – only they were called logistics mangers etc and most of them were from defence or special forces (but that is another story).

So there you have a wee insight into one half of The Filing Fairies partnership.

I will pull Jo out of her shell and get her to share her story with you next week.

Mara