Suddenly, everyone is an expert on everything. Thanks to Google, Wikipedia, the plague of Mommy bloggers, Twitter, Reddit and message boards there are few things that come up in the news that people aren’t able to armchair quarterback into oblivion. Most recently we saw the entire internet become experts at gorilla behavior, zoological policies and procedures, how to best fight an alligator and the always popular “this is how you should be parenting”.

“Taking a horrific situation and making it worse is something people on the internet excel at…”

It’s an interesting phenomenon and one we see on a daily basis when it comes to the things we do. Creative development, strategic communication, social media, messaging – it seems that reading a couple of articles is all it takes to become a thought leader in any field. Higher education, professional development and actual years of experienced be damned.

This is most apparent in the world of events. Next time you are on LinkedIn, take note of how many of your contacts list event management as one of their many job duties. Sourcing a venue, developing backend registration tools, sourcing quality speakers, creating executive presentations, staffing an event, managing every logistical scenario, printing name badges, etcetera, etcetera…they do all that? Not bloody likely. You may want to rethink that endorsement.

We’ve seen companies make a horrific situation worse. It’s a tired, old adage but the notion that hiring an amateur will ultimately cost more than hiring a professional is totally accurate. Do your due diligence. Look for vendors that are able to act as an extension of your business. Find seasoned professionals that are eager to act as a sounding board for your business plan. A consultancy. A true partner that wants to see you succeed. It’s not as fast as Googling a buzz word, but the journey will be well worth your time.