I Used to Think the Answer Was Hiring
If you’d asked me a few years ago how nonprofits could run better events, I’d have said, "Hire an event manager." Someone dedicated, experienced, and organized. It made sense: events were chaotic, volunteers were stretched thin, and nobody had the time to focus on details. A professional could fix that, right?
Back then, I worked with a cultural association putting on an annual heritage festival. We had 5,000 attendees, 100+ volunteers, and a lot of moving parts. Our treasurer suggested hiring a Manager, Conference & Events — a full-time role that would oversee planning, ticketing, and follow-ups. The budget was tight, but we thought the investment would pay off.
Spoiler: it didn’t. Not because the person we hired wasn’t good — they were great. But the problem wasn’t just a lack of staff. It was a lack of systems.
The Moment That Changed My Mind
Here’s where it clicked for me: one month before our festival, our new event manager was drowning. She’d inherited a patchwork of spreadsheets, email chains, and manual RSVPs. Ticket sales were scattered across different platforms, with no way to reconcile payments. Volunteer shifts were tracked on paper. Every time she needed a simple update — like checking how many tickets were sold — she had to ask multiple people.
One night, she called me at 10 PM, nearly in tears. "I’m spending more time chasing down information than planning the event," she said.
That’s when I realized: hiring someone wasn’t enough. Without the right tools, we were setting her up to fail.
What Went Wrong?
The problem wasn’t just that our new hire was overwhelmed. It was that she was trying to manage chaos without the infrastructure to streamline the process. Here’s what we were doing wrong:
- Disjointed Data: Information was scattered across too many places — spreadsheets, email threads, and even paper notes. This made it impossible to find what we needed quickly.
- Manual Processes: Tasks like tracking RSVPs or assigning volunteer shifts required hours of manual input and follow-up. This wasted time that could've been spent on strategy or creativity.
- No Centralized System: Without a centralized tool, there was no "single source of truth" for our planning. Miscommunication was inevitable.
These mistakes meant that even the most talented person we could hire was set up to fail. We had underestimated the toll bad systems can take on even the best people.
Why I Held Onto That Belief
Looking back, I get why I thought hiring was the answer. People like to solve problems with people. When something’s broken, you bring in help. And there’s no denying that skilled staff can make a difference — if they’re set up for success.
But I ignored the deeper issue: the systems were the problem. Our tools (or lack thereof) were creating bottlenecks. Even the best event manager can’t work magic when their data is scattered across 17 tabs and 5 platforms.
The Myths I Believed
- More Hands = Faster Solutions: I thought adding staff would automatically lighten the load. What I didn’t consider was that poor systems would drain their time and efficiency.
- Systems Are Too Expensive: I assumed that implementing a centralized software solution would require a hefty budget, one that our nonprofit simply didn’t have.
- People Over Tech: I believed in the power of people — and to some degree, I still do. But I underestimated how much some tasks could be automated or streamlined with the right tools.
The combination of these myths made it easy to overlook the real bottleneck: the lack of effective systems.
What I Do Differently Now
These days, I tell nonprofits to start with systems, not staffing. Specifically, I recommend platforms that consolidate everything into one place. For example, our team recently switched to an event management platform, and it’s been a game-changer.
Here’s why:
1. Centralized Event Management
A good platform handles ticketing, RSVPs, and volunteer coordination in one dashboard. No more spreadsheets or chasing updates. This allows event managers to see ticket sales, guest lists, and capacity limits in real time. For example:
- Platforms like Eventbrite or Cvent offer centralized dashboards that integrate ticket sales, attendee data, and post-event analytics.
- Volunteer management tools like SignUpGenius or VolunteerLocal allow you to assign shifts, track hours, and communicate with volunteers in one place.
2. Reduced Fees
Many platforms offer pricing models that allow nonprofits to retain more of their revenue. For example, platforms like Eventbrite offer discounted rates for nonprofit organizations, allowing you to save on ticketing and processing fees. Some platforms even offer free options for smaller events.
3. Flexible Pricing Options
Some platforms support Pay What You Can (PWYC) pricing, which can make events more accessible to a wider audience. This flexibility allows nonprofits to engage with their communities in a more inclusive way. Ticket Tailor is one such example that offers PWYC models.
4. Branded Websites
Many platforms provide customizable subdomains, giving events a professional online presence without the need for a dedicated web designer. Tools like Squarespace or WordPress can integrate event management plugins seamlessly, offering a polished look that reflects your brand.
These tools didn’t just make the event manager’s job easier — they made it possible. Instead of spending hours reconciling payments or tracking RSVPs, she could focus on what mattered: creating an unforgettable experience for attendees.
What It Cost Me to Be Wrong
Believing that hiring alone could solve our problems cost us time and money. We spent months recruiting, onboarding, and training someone, only to realize we hadn’t equipped them to succeed. Worse, we burned out a talented event manager who genuinely wanted to help.
And here’s the kicker: the tools we needed weren’t as expensive as I’d thought. Many platforms offer free trials and low-cost options, designed specifically for budget-conscious nonprofits. If we’d started there, we could’ve saved significant resources and avoided a lot of stress.
Time vs. Investment
Here’s a simple comparison to illustrate the cost of our choices:
| Approach | Cost | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiring only | ~$50K+ | Expertise and focus | Relies on existing poor systems |
| Investing in tools | $0-$5K | Centralized, scalable, cost-saving | Requires initial research and setup |
By investing in technology first, we could have made the event manager’s work more efficient and achievable, saving both money and stress in the process.
The Bottom Line
If your nonprofit is considering hiring an event manager, ask yourself this: are you solving the right problem? Staffing can help, but only if your systems aren’t holding your team back.
Platforms designed for nonprofits make it easier to manage events, tickets, and members in one place. Start there. It might save you the cost — and frustration — of fixing a system that was never built to work.
