As an event planner, David Landgraf always goes big to create spectacle and surprise. For example, when he was tasked with planning the celebration for Blackstone’s 30th anniversary at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, attendees danced under dinosaurs and mingled beneath a 94-foot-long blue whale.
In 2018, Landgraf left Blackstone Inc. to found Make It Happen Management, his own private events consulting business. Having started his career as a computer systems analyst and operator at the National Security Agency in 1982, the maestro of the event brings transferable skills such as risk management and a keen eye for detail to his business and travel experience.
Use an itinerary manager for businesses and leisure travel An itinerary manager is very important for my business and personal travel. I use TripIt, which allows you to put your travel plans into your digital calendar and builds an itinerary that can also help with expense management. You want to make sure that the venue can accommodate them. If they’re coming in from Hong Kong, Australia or Europe, I need to know exactly what can be served.