“The way we work here, based on trust and love, is more important than anything else.” –
Interview with Évi Losonczi, Executive Director, Co-founder and Creative director of ConceptFlow.
How did you get into event management?
I was still studying architecture when a friend of mine offered me an internship at his event management company. I was mainly in charge of creating the visual image of the events, designing graphics and logos, but I also occasionally designed the appearance of company apparel.
What was the moment you fell in love with event management?
From the very beginning, it was extremely exciting, and the projects were much quicker and more tangible compared to the university tasks. From the very first event, I was captivated by the excitement of on-site work, the organization of the team, and the variety of tasks and situations. Since all of these were extremely inspiring, I can confidently say that from that point on, I was irreversibly drawn to the path of event planning.
When do you feel that this work is worth doing?
Additionally, it’s always an uplifting and motivating experience when, after putting in a lot of time and effort into preparing and submitting a proposal, we win the tender, whether it’s for small or large projects.
What types of projects do you love the most?
What are your favourite moments in the company’s life?
What do you wish for the team?
What is it like to run a company?
Even as a child, I had this kind of personality, so I think it’s part of my nature. Not only as a leader, I’ve always felt comfortable as a team member, but this feels like my true calling, the most authentic to me.
It’s an incredibly big responsibility and a lot of work, but it’s also full of amazing experiences and successes. The team’s feedback means everything. It’s really great.
What challenges do you face day by day?
Managing the logistics with three small children is not easy. I enjoy working in our own company because it gives me a lot of freedom to organize my days as I want. I can go pick them up anytime, be present at every event, and accompany them everywhere.
However, having your own company is also a challenge. It’s much harder to leave work at the office and focus entirely on the kids at home. This often requires a lot of self-discipline, but it’s worth it.
Who inspires you? Who are your role models?
This is a very difficult question. I have inspirations and role models in many ways.
I owe a lot to my parents for showing us the way in terms of determination and work ethic. They provided an incredibly strong example, demonstrating that nothing comes easy, but with hard work and dedication you can achieve great things.
In recent years, Andi and Barus from the TEDx team have deeply inspired me, both in terms of community building and volunteering. They showed me how much this adds to one’s personality and how to do it well.
I also gain a lot of inspiration from reading professional, self-awareness, and self-improvement books, as well as watching TED videos.
What are you proud of?
We put a lot of energy into making it work well in the company and between the two of us. But most importantly, surviving COVID was a period full of challenges. There are many things I would do differently now, but we wouldn’t be who we are today without those experiences.
What advice can you give to those running a business with young children?
After three children, my biggest piece of advice is: find your own balance and don’t depend on other people’s opinions. When my first child was born, for some reason I thought I had to manage both things on my own. I was often stressed about being at home. I tried to work and I couldn’t balance both. I accepted that in order to have time to work and concentrate I would need help from when they were very young. After work I would have time to look after them and not be stressed. It all fell into place when I found my balance.