Katherine Frost, 33, is the CEO and founder of ORO Planner. She's based in Denver.
What I do:
I oversee daily operations for each department with the ORO team. The sales team and I work very closely in selecting conferences we will be attending and what our role will be within the conference based on the attendee profile. Working with the tech team through new features and how the look and feel should be for the users is by far my favorite part of my job.
Why I love my job:
Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine being in the tech space and still getting to work with so many great event professionals. Listening to planners and how we can help them grow their business is always an exciting moment.
My career journey:
I started working in destination management, working with Denver conventions and into the mountains of Colorado with group sizes anywhere from 12 to 3,000 people. I ultimately wanted to start my own company, and loved events so much that I decided to start my own planning firm—until a lightbulb went off that there had to be an easier way to plan all these details and be able to do it from my phone. From this "aha moment," ORO was born and took about three years to create with a robust tech team.
My greatest career accomplishment:
I am proud that I was able to take the plunge, not just once, but twice with starting companies. I am proud I have been able to continue to evolve as the industry evolves with how we plan events.
How I helped my organization during COVID:
We have been very supportive of our planner community, as we understand how hard the industry has been affected the last two years. Our tech team has been responsive to changes and has continued to develop new features to keep the planning forging forward.
The time I averted a complete event disaster:
Just one mistake? Event planners are detailed and meticulous people! We have no room for errors, and my joke is that if you make a mistake, then it's easily relatable to public shaming because everyone knows. It’s like the mic dropping in a silent room or having your zipper break on your dress while you’re already at the event.
We have all heard these horror stories. My first wedding to ever sign with me asked if I thought they should have their first look before the ceremony or after, and I said that based on the timing, with a five-course seated dinner for 225 people, we needed to do the pictures before. So, this couple happened to have one of the biggest wedding budgets I have had the pleasure of working with up to this point in my career, and we even had a vintage Porsche Turbo shipped from upstate New York to Beaver Creek, Colo., to kick things off. I had to work on permitting with the National Forest Service and Vail Resorts to have permission to drive this Porsche onto the mountain for their “16 Candles”-style first look pictures. The Porsche was hard enough to drive on the dirt roads to get it into position—also the hotel did not read my timeline or any notes in relation to this unique experience. There was tension between myself and the hotel and where my permit allowed for me to drive on the side of the mountain that they claimed was their property. My app would have been beneficial for this back then by highlighting the permit with the National Forest Service!
Best advice I’ve ever received:
Listen and smile to everyone because you never know who they know and how you can help each other.
Impressive stats I’m responsible for:
Planners can take on 50% more events with less full-time staff with ORO Planner than without. The customer service and client management app keep all parties well informed with less direct communication so planners can still deliver excellent customer service to their clients.
What’s next?
I hope to increase how many conferences I can speak at each year. I have started taking an improv class to hopefully speak like some of the speakers I have really enjoyed over the years. Their delivery is what I admire most.
What I do outside of work:
I am the president of my HOA, which means I also serve on the board for our block in downtown Denver. I also serve on the board for 2Hearts, an organization that works with teenagers with congenital heart defects. This organization is particularly close to my heart since my father died of heart failure before I started my entrepreneurial endeavors; this is my way of staying connected to him.
Dream vacation:
I would really like to go skiing in Japan. I have always wanted to go to Japan, so being a winter sport enthusiast I think this would combine several of my favorite activities into one trip.
Favorite icebreaker line:
I like to talk fashion; there is a reason someone is wearing what they are wearing and put a lot of thought into the particular outfit for this event. Everyone has such unique answers, so it’s fun to learn about their personality this way.
Connect with Frost on LinkedIn and Instagram.
“Connect x BizBash 40 Under 40” is sponsored by VDA, an experiential marketing and event design agency based in Massachusetts that specializes in custom live, virtual and hybrid experiences.
