INTERVIEW SERIES FOR THE WORLD IP DAY 2023, NO. 1: MEET DILA BALCI FROM HIVE EVENTS

WorldIPDay23

          In honor of World Intellectual Property Day, the LexDellmeier Intellectual Property Law Firm, is conducting interviews with deservingly inspiring female IP professionals. By praising and rewarding innovators and creators, a fair IP system makes sure that society benefits from their creativity and brilliance. Join us as we recognize the accomplishments of trailblazing women throughout the globe and spread awareness of the significance of encouraging more women to engage in the IP system. Look at the story of young entrepreneur Dila BALCI, founder of Hive Events. While the company provides event planning and consulting services, it also provides design & development of the digital assets for the event (logos, banners, on-screen collaterals, pre-recorded videos).

Hello Dila! Thank you very much for agreeing to an interview. Can you tell us a bit about you? What led you to this career path?

Being born into a business family I have always been fascinated by the idea of entrepreneurship. Thus, ever since I could remember, I have been attempting to gain exposure to as many industries, ecosystems, nodes and business functions as possible.

I graduated from the University of Bath, UK, in July 2020, after completing a degree in BSc International Management. During my studies, I spent a semester in Singapore, working as a Business Development Analyst at an ecosystem builder start-up, operating within the high-tech industry along with undertaking an exchange programme at Schulich School of Business (University of York), Toronto.

My academic endeavors, along with various extracurricular initiatives I took amid my studies made me realise that I had a passion for event management. Hence, I started off my quest by getting involved in the curation and execution processes of educational events, youth forums and open days. My pleasing experiences compelled me to pursue a career on events management.

Shortly after my realisation, the pandemic hit the events industry drastically (just as it did pretty much everyone). The industry adapted almost immediately to the new “normal”. Multiple event tech tools and event management software were launched, and the new “virtual event” industry started growing. My skillset (mainly technical/technological) allowed a smooth transitioning.

I am now running my own start-up, Hive Events, offering end-to-end event management services to produce innovative, accessible and engaging virtual and hybrid events.

You studied international business in the UK. Have you always known what kind of startup you wanted to create?

At a certain point, as I briefly explained in my answer above, I knew I wanted to operate within the events industry. Yet, the answer to this very question is a definite no, as “virtual events” was an unfavored format before the pandemic. A few years ago, if someone were to tell me that I would be operating within a tech related/heavy industry, I would have struggled believing them.

However, that being said, I was hoping to set up an inclusive and international business since day one. The virtual-mode, albeit hindering the “human” element (i.e getting together, physical connections) allows the reach of entities and initiatives to be broader.

What was the process of creating Hive Events as a brand?

The very first step was to define the audience. During the pandemic, companies, groups and individuals started looking for ways to keep in touch with their stakeholders. Many of them almost immediately started using video conferencing platforms (i.e Zoom, Meets, Teams). These platforms were excellent for meetings, but not really suitable for events. Many key elements, engagement in particular, were getting lost in translation, while these gatherings were being carried from the physical to the virtual world. Thus, I targeted those (entities/individuals) who are looking to produce innovative, accessible and engaging virtual events.

As a young woman entrepreneur myself, I wanted the brand to have a young, innovative personality. The logo, visual identity and approach were all aligned with such character. I worked with multiple entrepreneurs while building the brand up.

Does intellectual property have an impact on your business?

We have a chief designer in our team who does design & development of the digital assets for the event (logos, banners, on-screen collaterals, pre-recorded videos). Since we are talking about logo designs, intellectual property is important for our business. We are happy to support our customers in this way as well. Our customers then directly work with lawyers and law firms to protect their trademarks once created by us.

Where do you look for creative inspiration? Is it hard to stay innovative?

It most certainly is - especially as Hive operates within a fast growing space. I attend many events, organised by various event management companies, read and write blogs and case studies, follow industry trends and product updates and stay connected via continuous networking. Co-creating is a fast growing trend in many industries. Therefore networking, both inter and intra industries, is highly valuable.

Do or did you have a woman leader as a mentor or are there specific women who inspired you and why?

I had the privilege to meet and work closely with Dr. Yvonne Thomson and Cydnie Thompson. Dr. Yvonne Thompson is a business leader, honored by Queen Elizabeth II. She received 2 doctorates for her work in the Entrepreneurship, Global Diversity and Equality arenas. Cydnie Thompson on the other hand works for and with women in business to create mutually beneficial outcomes. Together, they run a women in business network, WinTrade Global.

These two women, who were initially my clients, inspire, empower and support me on my entrepreneurial path. Their success stories alone are inspiring, but they are also mentoring me on PR, outreach, sales pipeline and leads generation alongside entrepreneurial mindset optimization.

Have you been confronted with gender-related roadblocks in your career?

Against all odds, I fortunately did not experience roadblocks. But I often came across microaggressions.

How should women support other women in their organizations?

By empowering each other! The “can do” attitude is contagious. Within organisations, women need to share & spread their stories to inspire each other, and support one another’s growth and well-being to enable progress. Such empowerment eventually would allow everyone in the organisation, regardless of their individual differences, to prosper within highly diverse and inclusive working communities. My personal experiences taught me that individual traits and personal capabilities, when brought together, not only foster uniqueness and innovativeness but also prepare the optimal ground for success.

What advice would you give to young girls starting their careers?

I trust that in today’s world, given that access to information is easier and faster than it has ever been, adaptability is what drives success. Thus, as the “new ways of doing things” often somehow involve technology within the process, my humble advice would be to develop technological and adaptive capabilities.

We would like to thank Dila for answering the questions and sharing her experience with us. We wish her a very successful future and may she continue to be creative. Check out Hive Event's website: HIVE Events - Social Webinars and Conferences (hive-events.org)