WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND 360?
These days 360 is a strategic sponsorship and capability-building company backed by over 25-years of event and project management expertise.
360 was created by me, Karen Hamilton, to service a gap in the market for contract corporate event management services and to champion the production of festivals and consumer expos, but it quickly grew beyond that vision.
As a full service event management company, 360 built a strong reputation for being a trusted pair of hands capable of understanding a client’s objectives and working with them to develop event and campaign concepts to achieve their desired outcomes. From concept development through to post-event reporting the 360 approach has always been one of immersion in the client’s world, supported by a can-do attitude and willingness to do things differently.
Operationally strong across all facets of event and project management, 360 is sought-after for events and campaigns that have complex requirements, often with multiple stakeholders, high levels of compliance, a large pool of suppliers and requiring commercial support via sponsorship.
Earthquake - shake-up…
Following the Canterbury Earthquakes we lost all of our clients, until I identified a niche market for events associated with creating the Christchurch Blueprint and for opening significant buildings throughout the city - we have championed the opening and public tours of many Christchurch buildings and monuments… from the Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial and the Justice & Emergency Services Precinct to the Christchurch Airport International Terminal, Christchurch Town Hall, Turanga City Library and more… each one representing a milestone in the rebuild of our city. They are all legacy projects that still make me proud of my association with them today.
Diverse portfolio…
Over time the team grew and the portfolio diversified with festivals, sponsorship activations, gala events and product launches providing great variety. We added both venue management and fundraising to our established event management offering and we had dedicated teams for each specialty. We needed a larger office - the events industry was booming for 360!
Our passion for doing things differently to achieve maximum results for clients was paying off and we were fortunate that word-of-mouth became our best form of advertising. Direct appointments without the need to tender saw us become the preferred event partner for many of NZ’s leading organisations and government agencies.
I had established a strong reputation for being calm under pressure and thriving on the frontline, this coupled with my ability to work with multiple stakeholders and lead them towards a common goal led to an invitation to work with the Ministry of Justice as the Operations Manager for the Sentencing of the Christchurch Mosque Shooter. It was a complex project that will forever remain a career highlight.
Time to pivot…
Our work was taking us to all corners of the country and our pipeline was full of exciting projects. That is until COVID-19 came along…
Then like all robust and innovative businesses, after navigating mountains of paperwork to undo perfectly formed event plans and update compliance procedures, 360 pivoted. Partly in response to our primary venue, which we had managed for seven-years, being taken offline by the landlord and converted into commercial office space (triggered by the impact of COVID-19 and lack of venue hire income during that time - it made good business sense, but it was heartbreaking)… and partly because it was time!
“Once a 360 gal, always a 360 gal”… the team were supported into other roles and slowly six became one again… you could say, I did a 360!!
A new chapter…
My focus has moved to the things that I am most passionate about; filling resource or knowledge gaps and working with clients to get the best outcomes for them and their projects. By building capability in other people’s teams I’ve been able to mentor and support events industry personnel and corporate teams alike.
Clients were consistently asking for assistance in the sponsorship arena, so I responded by developing a workshop to provide sponsorship seekers with the fundamentals they need to be able to identify what they have to offer sponsors, who would make a good sponsor, how to approach them and how to ensure they don’t drop the ball once they secure a sponsor! It has been well received and the content continues to underpin my sponsorship coaching work.
In 2023 I took on a 12-month Fractional Director role for an international PCO who was launching into the NZ market, while actively building my sponsorship coaching offering and continuing to provide event and project management expertise to a select group of clients. This combination provided great variety as I transitioned into a different business model.
What’s next?
These days 360 has two primary focuses: sponsorship and capability building.
My sponsorship services include; coaching others on how to secure commercial support, helping client teams to build and pitch customised proposals and working with sponsors to elevate their leverage campaigns.
My capability building services can be customised to suit the needs of the client; from strategic guidance and leadership to event management services that provide additional expertise and resources for in-house teams. I also offer these services as professional development workshops for teams looking to upskill.
What is the secret to 360’s success?
360 has always aligned with campaigns and events that celebrate business and government achievement, that bring people together for entertainment and education, that foster B2B relationships, that announce new products and services and that raise awareness and funds for good causes. Every project has been anchored in purpose and the 360 team have always embraced that purpose, which has allowed us to put ourselves in our client’s shoes and be solution orientated.
We also:
Look for efficiencies and we execute with precision.
Bring a balance of analytical and creative thinking to the table.
Have endless ideas and we love to think outside of the box.
Foster strong relationships and are advocates of open communication.
Never compromise on our service levels or the professionalism of our communication and delivery.
Are enthusiastic and passionate about the projects we work on; we always go above and beyond in everything we do.
Thrive on the frontline representing our clients with integrity and passion.