Event Companies During Pandemic: Adam Leffel Productions

As we continue to speak with event professionals throughout our industry who were panelists during the Connecting Our Community webinar series,  we reached out to Adam Leffel of Adam Leffel Productions to check in and see how his floral design business has been since he last joined us for a webinar in the spring.

How has your business been since we last spoke during our Connecting Our Community Webinar?

Needless to say, we have all been thrown for a loop. Business is off dramatically, many postponements to 2021, but there is a glimmer of hope in many short term opportunistic clients making the best of what we can do in the here and now with smaller micro-events.

Is there anything popular right now that wasn’t popular for you before the pandemic?

YES! The idea of a micro-hybrid event, which can work for both weddings and mitzvahs.  This ‘new’ concept was born due to the pandemic and has been embraced significantly since it has been ‘safe’ to get back together. In venues and private homes alike – the ability to host the allowable amount of guests in person, usually family, combined with the virtually unlimited allowance of friends via ZOOM, it’s as if they are at the party, and don’t have to miss the special moments due to restrictions or health issues.

What does the fall look like for events in the Tri-State Area?

So the term “Tri-State” has been a very touchy item locally throughout the pandemic, most recently with the relaxation of restrictions to allow indoor dining. There is no ‘one size fits all approach’, and the complications of what works for New Jersey, that does not work for NYC, but works for Nassau County, but not for the other boroughs is a very tough subject at this time. The roller coaster of emotions from our clients that are trying to salvage their dream event, scheduling and rescheduling, keeping their venues – or switching them, even with additional expense has made for an exhausting experience for all involved. Lastly, the ‘fear of the unknown’ – whether the virus will come back with enough force to shut us down again and send us back to zero is a real concern that is overhanging the event industry and preventing further progress in getting many back to work, and many clients from having the confidence to keep what events remain for the balance of 2020.

Safety measures: have you needed to implement anything safety wise for your staff and/or clients when it comes to florals?

Safety of course is paramount to everything. Our staff has been given masks to wear in the warehouse and studio as well as onsite at our events, sanitization stations were increased in our space, acquisition of more gloves to minimize contact, the spacing of work areas, and constantly wiping down common use items like racks and doorknobs. In the front of the house, we have installed a clear acrylic table based shields between reception and guest entry, as well as in our consultation space. When coupled with proper mask use, this provides a high-quality barrier to the spread of droplets, and our clients have expressed their feelings of safety.

Has there been anything positive to come out of this extremely challenging time period?

Absolutely. Time with the family like never before – QUALITY TIME. Many in this industry know the extreme demands it requires in terms of time commitment. Over the years and decades of our lives as we once knew them – the drive to succeed and grow, achieve, and surpass has oftentimes come at the extreme expense of quality time with loved ones. A necessary evil of sorts, one can always reason ‘it comes with the territory’ to justify the collateral damage of being in this line of work. Yet with the experience of the past 6 months, after 18 years in the industry – I can assure you I’ve learned a valuable lesson regarding this ‘mistake’, and will surely not repeat it.

I have taken my life back and will use this experience to recalibrate my work/life balance for the benefit of all, a challenge for any business owner when you live to work and you work to live.