Patricia Byrd
Director, Destination Services, OneSpartanburg, Inc.
Spartanburg, S.C.
Describe your job.
I would describe my job as being a destination concierge. I focus on welcoming meetings and sports groups to Spartanburg, S.C., and connecting them to experiences that make their time here unique. I also work with our hotel partners to promote the destination to meeting planners.
What made you choose the meetings and events industry?
The industry chose me. Before this, I was in retail, and my background in the shopping center industry allowed me to serve on the tourism board where I lived and worked in Upstate New York. That’s when the tourism bug bit me, and I knew I wanted to work in this industry. My move to South Carolina put me in the right place at the right time to pursue that dream.
How did you get started, and what got you from there to today?
I started as an assistant marketing director at a super-regional shopping center in western Massachusetts. I was promoted to marketing director at a smaller center in Upstate New York when I served on the tourism board for the county. My retail career eventually brought me to South Carolina as marketing director of an outlet shopping center. The job was classified as a tourism marketing opportunity and felt like a step in the right direction. The transition from retail to tourism was very fluid, as shopping centers tend to partner with the tourism entities in their communities. While serving on the tourism board, we used the shopping center as a trade show venue to promote attractions to locals for what we now call staycations. This was during the Gulf War, when the economy was soft and people were not planning vacations. I served in that marketing position for four years and was then promoted to general manager. In my quest to change careers from retail to tourism, I learned about a meeting sales position available at what was then the Spartanburg CVB. I fell in love with the job, and the rest is history.
How do you keep up with industry trends, changes, and cutting-edge developments?
I keep up with industry trends through my subscriptions to various trade publications, many of which send regular updates to my inbox. My membership with the Carolinas Chapter of MPI significantly impacts staying abreast of the latest industry trends. AI is the latest hot trend; everyone is looking to see how to use AI to improve time management and the meeting experience.
What essential skills should every industry professional possess?
Listening is an essential skill for this or any industry. In addition, attention to detail is critical when working with clients.
What is the philosophy or approach to work that gets you through stressful times?
My philosophy includes beginning and ending each day with prayer. It is also essential to pause or break to reprioritize your day. It helps to be grateful for the opportunities to help others.
What is the best professional advice you ever received, and what advice do you have for others in the industry?
The best advice I have received is the same as the advice I give: Be yourself. People appreciate authenticity. Also, if you make a mistake, own it, fix it, and move on.
Describe your biggest professional success.
Obtaining Certified Meeting Professional certification was and still is an achievement that makes me proud.
Share an anecdote about a meeting or event that did not go as planned (something funny or odd) and how you handled it:
There have been several events that did not go the way they were initially planned. I love the phrase, ‘It looked good on paper.’ I have learned always to have a plan B and sometimes a plan C. There should be a learning moment to help make the next event better. I remember delegating some critical parts of a fashion show to a group of interns while I was on vacation, only to find that none of the items had been done. Yikes! I spent the weekend creating the script in time for the emcee. Lesson learned here: Be clear about what you delegate and your expectations.
What is the best part of your job?
I enjoy helping planners achieve their goals for a successful event.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love to travel with friends and family, and I am especially looking forward to a girls’ trip abroad next year.
