If you work in the events industry, you already know: This industry is not for control freaks.
Sure, we meticulously plan run-of-shows, manage vendors, and forecast attendee engagement down to the minute. But reality? Reality laughs in the face of our best-laid plans. Clients change their minds. Attendees ignore activations. Budgets shift mid-project. And just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, the fire marshal comes through and reroutes your entire setup.
This is why The Let Them Theory isn’t just good advice. It’s a survival strategy.
Because when you stop fighting reality and start embracing it, you unlock something bigger than efficiency. You unlock professional freedom. And in a world where the unexpected is inevitable, that freedom is the difference between burning out and breaking through.
Let Them Be Who They Are—And Stop Playing Fixer
Event profs have an unspoken addiction to fixing.
We fix impossible budgets. We fix last-minute client changes. We fix vendor mistakes, missing inventory, and the fact that somehow, a VIP, always, shows up late.
But here’s the hard truth: Not everything is ours to fix.
- If a client habitually ghosts emails until the last minute, let them. Instead of panicking, anticipate it. Build deadlines around their procrastination.
- If a partner consistently overpromises and underdelivers, let them. Either adjust your expectations or move on.
- If an attendee doesn’t want to engage, let them. Not every person in the room needs to be transformed by your activation.
Letting them doesn’t mean ignoring problems. It means choosing which battles are actually yours to fight. And that? That’s professional peace.
Let Go of the Need to Prove Yourself
In this business, the pressure to prove yourself is relentless. Prove that your ideas are groundbreaking. Prove that you can pull off the impossible. Prove that you’re worth every dollar in your proposal.
But the most powerful professionals—the ones who lead, not just execute—are the ones who stop proving and start trusting.
- Not every client is your client.
- Not every event is your event.
- Not every opportunity is your opportunity.
When you stop trying to convince people of your worth and start moving toward those who already see it, everything shifts. And suddenly, you’re no longer chasing validation—you’re setting the standard.
Let the Industry Evolve—And Lead the Change Instead of Resisting It
Look, the events industry isn’t what it was five years ago. AI is reshaping workflows. Attendees expect more from less. Hybrid events are evolving into something new. Sustainability is no longer optional.
You can resist it, roll your eyes, wish things would go back to how they were. Or? You can let it happen and use it to your advantage.
- Instead of complaining that AI is automating tasks, let it—and redirect your energy to what can’t be replaced: creative strategy, human connection, intuitive execution.
- Instead of trying to force in-person events to behave like they did pre-pandemic, let them evolve—and design experiences that meet modern audiences where they are.
- Instead of waiting for clients to “get it,” let them come around on their own time—while positioning yourself as the expert who’s already ahead.
The industry is changing. But the best in the business? They don’t fight change. They architect it.
Let Your Team… Own Their Strengths
Finally, let’s talk internal dynamics. If you’re leading a team, you know the struggle of trying to shape people into the exact version you think they should be. But what if you just let them be who they already are—while aligning them to the bigger vision?
- Got a producer who thrives under pressure? Put them in high-stakes client moments.
- A creative who’s great at ideation but terrible with deadlines? Pair them with a structured project manager.
- A logistics person who doesn’t want to “sell” but can make ops sound like magic? Let them support sales with killer technical pitches.
Trying to mold everyone into the same “ideal” event prof is a losing game. Instead, let them be their best selves in roles that make sense—and watch how much smoother everything runs.
Let Go of the Illusion of Control—And Find Real Power Instead
At its core, The Let Them Theory isn’t about passivity. It’s about power.
Because power isn’t controlling everything. It’s knowing what needs your energy—and what doesn’t.
- Power is letting the right opportunities come instead of chasing the wrong ones.
- Power is letting your work speak for itself instead of over-explaining.
- Power is letting yourself trust that if a client, an idea, or an opportunity isn’t a fit—it’s not a loss. It’s a redirection.
The most successful people in this business aren’t the ones who force things. They’re the ones who move with clarity. The ones who set the standard, protect their energy, and focus on what truly matters.
Because when you let them—whoever them is in your world—you finally get to focus on the only person you do control. Yourself.
And that? That’s when everything changes.
