Fay Beauchine on the power of travel, the key to success and the joy of fountain pens.There is so much more to travel than seeing new places. It is about immersing yourself in a new culture, eating unusual food, taking in local attractions, observing the way others act, and interacting with new people. As a traveler boards an airplane, gets on a train, or zooms off in a car, her world is magically expanded. She will never see things the same way again.
Growing up in the agricultural community of Crookston, MN, the opportunity to travel wasn't readily available, explains Fay Beauchine, Carlson Marketing's president of engagement and events. A part-time job at a travel agency during college was her key to the world, and she shared it with her parents.
"I am so proud that I gave my mom and dad wings when they were alive. I took them on their first trip to Hawaii when I was in my twenties. This was the first time they were ever on an airplane," Beauchine explains. "Then we were off to Europe. Eventually, I made the arrangements for them to go on escorted tours on their own. They were participants, not just sightseers, in the travel experience. As they became older, these trips were the source of cherished memories and stories they could tell the rest of their lives."
Today, at Carlson Marketing, Beauchine shares the gift of travel and motivation with her clients. "I just love watching people discover other cultures, both on the event and leisure side of the business. That experience of broadening your mind as you begin to understand that the United States is not necessarily the center of the universe," makes it all worthwhile, she says. "You understand this when you stand in the middle of Tiananmen Square, when you stroll the streets of London, or when you take in the hustle and bustle of Dubai. You realize there are other centers of the universe, but that people are the same everywhere. This is how you broaden your perspective."
Never Give UpBeauchine has been involved in the travel and hospitality industries for more than 30 years. She started with Northwest Airlines in the sales department and worked her way up to vice president. The airline was expanding its route system to Asia and Europe, where Beauchine would often travel.
Today, at Minneapolis-based Carlson, she leads a team of approximately 300, spread across 22 states. She is extremely proud of the fact that client retention at Carlson Marketing is 98 percent. A client's volume of business may ebb and flow, but they remain clients.
Beauchine feels fortunate to be part of a company that was run by the woman she most looks up to in the world of business, Marilyn Carlson Nelson.
"I admired her long before I joined the company. She is a leader who did it all. She raised her family, ran the company, and made such an impact on the world through her involvement in the World Economic Forum in Davos and the President's Women's Council for Business," says Beauchine. "It is a privilege to work for her and see her close up. She is so incredibly authentic."
Today, as chairman of the company, Nelson is not involved in the day-to-day, but contributes to big-picture strategies.
Not only does Nelson continue to live by the credo tirelessly promoted at Carlson but so does Beauchine: "Whatever you do, do it with integrity; wherever you go, go as a leader; whomever you serve, serve with caring; whenever you dream, dream with your all; and never, ever give up."
Giving up has never been an option for Beauchine. Today, her persistence is helping meetings and incentives. She has been vocal about the attack on the industry following the AIG brouhaha. "I'm pleased that major event travel marketers have come together to collaborate within our trade associations to benefit the industry," she says.
No One Is Smarter Than AllCollaboration is a major emphasis in her role as a leader. "I have learned that I don't have all the answers in my head. No one of us is smarter than all of us. Although I do not manage by consensus, I do collaborate with my team and within the industry," she explains.
The time she spends on collaboration is something Beauchine doesn't lose sight of. "One of my biggest challenges is time management. I am constantly aware of how much time I spend on client and people management, strategic planning, and new business development. These four things have to engage most of my day in order to be successful. There isn't any room to manage from the hip; I must be precise. Doing that under the great pressure of this environment and trying to stay calm adds to the challenge."
She credits her husband for helping her stay grounded. Married for 20 years, she has four stepchildren, now all adults. The family has a home on Minnesota's Gull Lake, Beauchine's "great haven."
She also unwinds by playing golf and, in her college years, she played the drums. "Many are surprised to learn that I was a percussionist. John Philip Souza's protege was my drum teacher and I learned all the classical rudiments of drumming. I don't have a good singing voice, but I have good rhythm. You get blessed with a few things and other things you do not."
An issue of contention for Beauchine was that women were not allowed to be part of the marching band at the University of Minnesota when she attended because "women were not strong enough." She used all of her strength to change the policy but was not successful so she played with the jazz band and orchestra.
She was, however, successful in eliminating "women's hours" at the University. "I led the fight to get rid of this policy. Women had to be in by 11 p.m. on weeknights and 1 a.m. on weekends. The school overprotected us; we could take care of ourselves. I went to the dean of students and told her by removing these hours, we'd probably come in earlier. When you have an artificial barrier you take it to the limit," she explains. "Sure enough, the policy was eliminated. I love stuff like that, changing the rules that don't make sense."
Collecting fine and limited-edition fountain pens is another passion. "A fountain pen can be filled with different colors of ink and allows one to write with a beautiful signature. There's still nothing like a handwritten note. It's a meaningful one-to-one engagement," she says. As Beauchine looks to the future, her signature is an important one in the fight to demonstrate what effective business tools meetings and incentives are.
Originally published Aug. 1, 2009For more ideas, tips, and tools for better meetings and events,
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