Rishi Patel, 37, is the CEO and chief creative officer of HMR Designs. He's based in Chicago.
What I do:
Design and production of luxury events stateside and across the globe. From floral, furniture, fabrication, lighting and scenic design, having full control of all things aesthetic helps me create incredible experiences for my clients. When not designing, I lead our team of 127-plus at HMR headquarters in Chicago.
Why I love my job:
The ability to fully design or transform to create an environment that is stimulated by emotions and happiness is priceless to me.
My greatest career accomplishment:
Being recognized as one of the best event designers in the world at the age of 34. Designing Jennifer Gates’ wedding was an experience of a lifetime this past October.
How I helped my organization during COVID:
With strong relationships across the industry, our destination work was able to thrive during COVID, as we ventured into rural areas of the U.S. to design stunning parties and events. Our team was fortunate to have 0% attrition during and after COVID due to the incredible support and loyalty from clients and planners alike.
The time I averted a complete event disaster:
Luckily, I’ve not been in a situation like that!
My most memorable event experience in the past year:
Creating an incredible wedding in Cape Cod for one of my favorite, long-time clients.
Best advice I’ve ever received from an industry peer:
Be transparent, always.
Impressive stats I’m responsible for:
Our company has grown organically by 73% in the last two years. The amount of people we have been able to hire, employ and collaborate with has been nothing short of heartwarming, to say the least.
What’s next?
We are launching two new exciting arms of HMR, HMR Destinations & HMR Experiential. There are very few production houses in the country that produce and design almost every aesthetic element of a party. With our skillset and capabilities, we are so excited to not only continue creating events in Chicago, but all over the country and the world!
What I do outside of work:
I am a husband and a father of two incredible children. When I’m not working, it’s usually anything I can do to be around them.
Dream vacation:
An African safari—in the works soon, I hope!
Connect with Patel 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.
