Local News
print
April 4, 2008
That’s Entertainment
HeidnSeek is an events planning outfit for professionals.
Maayan Jaffe
Staff Reporter
Click here to purchase photos.
Young professionals are the future of Baltimore, and Heidi Klotzman, founder and CEO of HeidnSeek Entertainment, knows it. She launched her company in 2005 to bring a network of 21- to 39-year-olds together, to offer them venues for entertainment and exploration, and to plan, promote and carry out their events.
Three years later, HeidnSeek’s exclusive parties draw as many as 250 people, and the establishments Ms. Klotzman uses to put on these events say her work has increased their business.
“She draws people to my club,” said Leonard Clarke, managing partner of Mount Vernon’s Red Maple. “She’s passionate, dedicated and very committed. She’s extremely detailed and thorough and cares a great deal about her clients.”
Ms. Klotzman, 26, said she knew she would be an events planner in high school when she received an award at Roland Park Country School for bringing people together. She started toying with the career in college, planning birthday parties and the like for her Goucher College classmates.
In 2004, she put on a rock-the-vote festival with then-Mayor Martin O’Malley, and more than 500 young professionals registered there.
Her mother, Helene Miller, is a longtime wedding planner. (She now works for Ms. Klotzman.) Ms. Klotzman’s father, Howard, was once one of the nation’s top concert promoters. She chose to focus on young professionals because, she said, “they are educated, have spending power, and care about their entertainment and leisure lifestyle.” For Millennials who are less settled than their older counterparts, she said going out “is still the highlight of their lives.”
Ms. Klotzman divides her work into two departments. The first is the HeidnSeek network. For the 12,000 young professionals registered with HeidnSeek, she offers an e-mail newsletter, an online and real-life social scene.
“I have always known a lot of people from everywhere. I realized I know all these exciting individuals and they don’t know each other, so I felt compelled to hold social and networking events where they can connect with each other,” said Ms. Klotzman.
She recently introduced Moves, a monthly networking series at decorated area restaurants. On Thursdays, with buffet, drinks and entertainment, she said, “It’s exactly the channel for these young people to come together and meet each other and see how they can better each other’s lives — meeting friends, finding a new job, hiring someone, or even if there’s some kind of romantic agenda.”
If you become a member of the network, you receive all event invitations and can also use the company Web site, HnSeek.com , and its broadcasting channel to show off your stuff and the causes you or your company believe in.
“We are trying to revitalize the social life in our city and highlight the great places there are to go,” said Ms. Klotzman.
The other aspect is the party planning. She does corporate events — happy hours, holiday parties — and non-profit affairs. Recently, she hosted the Glam Rock Hair and Fashion Spectacle at the Den Lounge on St. Paul Street to showcase the work of two new entrepreneurs, Geometric Hair in Canton and Babe Boutique in Federal Hill. Bloggers called it “a treat,” “a night of fun, friends and fabulous eye candy.”
Ms. Klotzman said she put the event together from start to finish, from seedling to orchard. This is one of the aspects she feels sets HeidnSeek apart.
“We handle the logistics from the first phone call to the night of and the aftermath. It’s a one-stop shop. We do everything,” she said.
And that’s everything even for personal parties. Ms. Klotzman handled James Davis’ birthday events for the past four years. He said she organized the party, got his friends deals at the clubs that hosted the parties, and encouraged his friends to attend with dynamic invitations and e-mail reminders.
He first chose Ms. Klotzman because she was a friend and he knew she was scrambling to start her business. Today, he said, he can’t envision a birthday without HeidnSeek. (For Mr. Davis’ 30th at downtown’s Havana Club earlier this year, he had 120 friends, double the number that was at his 27th.)
“She does the footwork so you don’t have to do much of anything. If you want to throw a party and you want people to come, she has the network. She builds her network and she’ll build yours,” Mr. Davis said. “She’s a fun and real energetic person — even in the middle of the night. Heidi is easy to talk to and enthusiastic about everything!”
Party Time
Preparing for a company party?
Heidi Klotzman says you have to have the answers to these three questions in mind before you plan:
• Size: How many people will be there?
• Occasion: For what is the event?
• Objective: What’s the purpose? What do you want your employees to get out of it?