I just got back from the Sprint Cup NASCAR race in Loudon, N.H.  We’ve been going to just about every race since the track opened.  We take the motorhome and have the same spot at Speedway Sports Park at every race.  An event like a NASCAR race is a huge undertaking.  Sunday night watching all the trailer trucks leaving the track for another big event next weekend got me thinking about all that goes into putting on events.

The Blues Festival was this weekend and while it’s not my cup of tea, it’s a big deal and it takes a lot to make it happen.  The Lobster Festival is coming up and that’s another huge event for the area.  Probably most locals have negative thoughts when it comes to these events.  There’s more people, more traffic, all sorts of things to upset their lives.  The things that they do 365 days a year are inconvenienced for a few weekends in the summer and they can’t get over it.

Sitting down there Sunday night I couldn’t help but go back to my days at MBNA.  I spent half of my time there in the Fleet Department supporting the efforts of the company.  Before I go any further, this is not about the merits or faults of credit card companies.  I understand if it hasn’t worked out for you, but I did not force you to buy anything that you couldn’t afford to pay for.  That is a topic to another debate, but not what I’m talking about here.

Without MBNA, there are many people in this area that never would have imagined what it takes to put on an event.  I’m guessing that many former MBNA employees are big-time volunteers at the events that happen every summer.  At the bank, we never thought about or discussed what if it doesn’t work out.  Airplanes were met in the middle of the night in snowstorms.  Complete parking lots were covered with tents for parties.  It was a big deal.  So many people have started their own businesses and done very well because of what they learned at MBNA.  There are two stories that come to mind that I think are worth sharing.

Early on in my days in fleet, there was a need for catering supplies for the annual Corn Boil.  This was a picnic for about 10,000 people. The vendor for the catering supplies was in Wilmington, Del., and I was the one to go pick up the stuff.  They rented the biggest truck Ryder had available in Rockport and I headed out to Delaware.  I got there fairly early the night before I was supposed to load, so I stopped by the company. When they found out I had a single-axle truck, they told me there was no way all the supplies would fit.  A couple of phone calls to explain the situation and I was renting a trailer truck.  The penalty for dropping off a round trip rental was paid the next morning and I was headed to Wilmington in a tractor trailer to pick up the goods.  All the catering supplies arrived in Northport at the designated time.  Just like this weekend’s NASCAR event, there never was a thought that we wouldn’t make it happen.  Of course, four months later when I was questioned about who authorized the expense of the trailer truck, there was some email traffic back and forth, but it all worked out.

Since I did well there, I got promoted and a few years later, I was responsible for the transportation arrangements for the Corn Boil.  Again, it’s a picnic with 10,000 people invited. There is not onsite parking.  Everyone needs to be bused in and bused out.  Two satellite lots. The event starts at 5 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m. You get the drift. For those who have never been involved in something like this it’s important to share that there is a timeline and certain things have to happen way before the event. 

One important lesson I learned at MBNA is that all the work needs to be done before the event takes place. During the event, you are just dealing with the unforeseen and at MBNA, the unforeseen was not acceptable.  So I go to the first meeting and I’m asked about buses.  I tell them that I have 30 school buses lined up. They ask if that’s enough. I reply confidently that 30 will be enough.  They explain that if there are any transportation issues related to not enough buses, they will come to me for an explanation. I share that I will get five more buses. Time goes on. The timeline progresses.  Another meeting.  How is transportation looking, they ask.  I reply that I’m all set with 35 buses.  Great is the response.  Am I confident that 35 buses are enough? Absolutely.  If there are any transportation issues related to not enough buses, they will be coming to me for an explanation. I tell them that 40 buses seem like a good number for this event.

There were no transportation issues at the Corn Boil the two years that I was responsible.  Ten buses didn’t carry anyone.  Everybody was happy. I learned a lot. If you have some little thing go wrong at an event here this summer, remember that a lot of people put a lot of thought and effort into making it happen. Cut them some slack. Lighten up. Enjoy yourself.  Summer is short here in Maine.

Bill Packard lives in Union and is the founder of BPackard.com.  He is a speaker, author, small business coach and consultant. 

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