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PCMA’s 20 in Their Twenties program honors exceptional young leaders in the business events industry. Class of 2025 member Lillian Nguyen, MS, event security planner at Meta via Milestone Technologies, offers her tips to achieve work/life balance in the events industry.
Do you think work/life balance is a particular challenge within the industry? How do you achieve work/life balance in your position?
I do find that achieving a work/life balance as an event planner can be particularly challenging. Like many event planners, I love, love, love what I do, and I always want to ensure that everyone involved has an exceptional experience. To maintain balance, I’ve learned to be more disciplined about drawing clear boundaries for myself. I also rely on my teammates and counterparts for support, ensuring that I can delegate tasks when needed. Having a manager or team lead who helps keep me in check is also crucial — they make sure I’m taking care of my wellbeing and encourage me to step back when necessary. Balancing the demands of the job with personal time requires a team effort, and it’s something I continuously work on to maintain my sanity and overall wellbeing.
What do you like most about your job?
Every day brings something new. I thrive on variety and the constant opportunity to adapt, which keeps me engaged and challenged. Planning and executing different events is both exciting and rewarding, and I never feel like I’m just “going to work” — it feels more like gearing up for a new game each morning. I also truly enjoy my work colleagues. Our shared energy, values, and commitment to delivering exceptional events — our team effort — is incredibly fulfilling.
What made you choose the events industry as a career?
For context, I was born and raised in Nebraska and moved to California for my job. I chose the events industry as a career after realizing late in college that medicine wasn’t the right path for me. I had always been involved in volunteering and planning events for clubs, and a friend pointed out that I should consider turning that passion into a career. Coming from a first-generation U.S. family, I thought once you chose a career, you were in that career for life. But my friend’s story about their dad changing careers opened my eyes to the possibility of pivoting. What I love about events is the full-circle process from the planning stages to seeing everything come to life. It’s incredibly rewarding and exciting to be part of a team where every detail comes together, and I can directly witness the impact of my work. Planning is just something that feels natural and fulfilling to me, and I can’t imagine doing anything else.
Members of PCMA’s 20 in Their Twenties class of 2025, supported by PCMA Foundation and Experience Columbus, were recognized at PCMA Convening Leaders 2025, Jan. 12-15 in Houston, Texas.