Getting to Know Our Founder, Tammy Hsu - An Exclusive Interview (Part Two)
Interview Conducted By: Hilda Felicies, Friend & Previous Nonprofit Board Member served with Tammy
Hilda: How have these family traditions inspired you to do what you do now?
Tammy: I think my father was a great chef and he loved cooking and partially why I'm a very big foodie. As most people know, if you know me, I love to eat. Also, going back to the topic of family events, my father was a great host. He loved inviting people over and he was such a people person. He can talk your ear off and I definitely think I took after him in his outgoing, extroverted-ness. I really loved that and when you think about events, the biggest thing that brings people together is food. No matter if you're having a happy hour, or a gala or a wedding ceremony, the food is a big part of it. So I think growing up, these memories really led me to why I think I love events so much. It's the idea of bringing people together, usually in celebration and the fact you get to have really good food you don't get to have on a day to day basis.
Hilda: Do you think your family traditions have played a part into your core values? And also do you mind telling us what your core values are?
Tammy: Great question! I’m so glad you asked. Our core values for Outpland are Leadership, Professional Excellence, Community and Sustainability. When it comes to the Community value, yes I definitely think the idea of bringing people together is kind of where that comes from but more specifically, it really also stems from the fact I did a lot of community service work in college. Even to this day, I volunteer with various nonprofit organizations to pay it forward because I was a recipient of great mentors and support systems. Therefore, I truly believe it’s important you remember your roots and give back. The Professional Excellence and Sustainability values have really been instilled in me since I was young. My father was a businessman. He has always been the innovator in his entire career and demanded excellence. I think I take after him in that regard. I remember when I was in High School, he launched a business venture to bring sustainable food packaging from Taiwan into the US and at the time, it wasn't very prominent and it wasn't something that was top of mind for the industry. I also think that since I was in high school at the time and was thinking about what my career trajectory would look like, he helped influence me to pursue business. Especially when thinking about our business’s impact on our future. Meanwhile, the Leadership value was developed from the key experiences I've been offered through my professional journey. I have taken on various nonprofit leadership roles and I truly see the value in being a thought partner and mentor for others in building something meaningful. I also admire a lot of leaders in our events and meeting planning industry and they inspire me to be better everyday. Thus, I think all these core values have been developed overtime from what is important to me but also what I think is key in our business’s ability to best serve our customers.
Hilda: Besides being an event planner, what are some of your other passions?
Tammy: I briefly talked about this earlier when I mentioned community service but I truly am very passionate about volunteer work. I believe this was because at a young age, my family and I were recipients of support and care from various community organizations. Therefore, I’ve always felt a need to give back. Which then led me to serve over 1,200 hours working with various hunger and homeless organizations through AmeriCorps between 2009-2012. Since then I've been an active volunteer for various organizations such as Jersey Cares and Special Olympics as well as a board member for the Educational Opportunity Fund Statewide Alumni Association and America Needs You mentorship program. So in my free time, I still stay involved with many of these initiatives not only as a reminder of my roots as a first generation college student but also as a means of paying it forward in gratitude for all the support and growth opportunities I’ve been given over the years.
Hilda: Wow. So given our current sociopolitical climate and you being a first generation college student and a woman of color, do you have any advice for aspiring event planners?
Tammy: I would say that an event planning career is definitely not a well known and common career. Even when mentoring college students, it's rare to find someone who says "I want to be an event planner", compared to kids wanting to be doctors and lawyers. Especially in a first generation household, those careers are very valued and event planning is definitely not a go to choice for many people. I would say, really follow your passion and explore different things that you enjoy. As I mentioned, I knew my passion at a young age and I tried different things in college and even my first few years as a professional, trying to figure out what I loved. My very first job full time was actually for a nonprofit organization because I thought that was what I loved most at the time. Thus, I've always followed my passion despite what others may think. Even to this day, my mother still doesn't understand what I do, but the more I talk to her about it and educate her about it, the more she understands. Especially now during this pandemic where virtual events are so important and she's participating in her online bible study groups and virtual Zoom classes, she's really developed more understanding and appreciation for what I do. Therefore, to the young event planners, commit to it and really pursue it. There are different ways to do so and you don’t necessarily need a hospitality degree, depending on the type of planner you want to be. There are also certification programs that you can participate in instead. However, I will say though, there is a lot of glamour that is misconstrued about our industry. Depending on the type of planner you are, there could be traveling involved and also some fun experiential opportunities but it's not just that. There are those long hours during event days and the health, safety, and legal parameters to event planning as well. A good example is the current pandemic. If you're planning an event in person, there are legal restrictions and safety measures and these are the less "fun" sides of events that people tend to forget about. So try different things and see what your ultimate passions are and follow that.
Thank you for joining us for the conclusion of this exclusive interview with our founder, Tammy Hsu.