40 Under 40: Beth Lawrence, CMP ’09

If it were not for my advisor, Dr. Shekhar Deshpande, and Professor Robert Kieserman, I would not be where I am today. Dr. Deshpande was the person who suggested I move toward an individualized concentration in event planning, and Professor Kieserman offered the option of planning a national marketing conference at Arcadia as a choice for a final project. As a result, I was able to gain firsthand experience and guidance prior to graduation. Professor Kieserman, to this day, is a huge advocate for me. He was one of the first people I called when I started my business, and he has been there for me throughout the years as a mentor and a friend. Had I chosen a different university, I likely would have stayed an English major and would have never realized my passion for event planning. 

You don’t find success; you create it. Your education is one piece, and your résumé and experience are another. Upon graduation, you’ve been given all of the tools that a university can offer. What a university can’t offer, however, is the initiative to take your career into your own hands. If it were not for my efforts with networking, continuing education, and an ever-changing list of goals, I would not be where I am today. 

Ironically, I’m great at setting goals but not great at celebrating successes. After getting laid off unexpectedly, I started my own event planning business and signed my first two clients two months later. I learned how to build a website, file a business and make it legally official, and run multiple businesses simultaneously. I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur, and I’m so proud to have made it happen.