I was featured in The Charlotte Observer, you guys! And they told everyone my age! HA!

Note: You’ll need to sign up for a FREE account with The Charlotte Observer to read the article, but I think it’s worth it, and I hope you do, too!
Here are Lauren’s Three Biggest Creative Challenges on October 16, 2020:
Have you been wondering how you could POSSIBLY pull off a holiday party this year? You are NOT alone.
Good News: No one has EVER hosted a virtual holiday party in a global pandemic. EVER.
Some More Good News: This means there’s no rule book! There’s no such thing as the “right way” or the “wrong way” to host a virtual holiday party.
Here are my Top 6 tips to best utilize the virtual setting for your holiday party…
Tip #1: Just Freakin’ Go For It! Like I mentioned above, there’s no standard operating procedure for virtual holiday parties! A bit of thoughtful planning will go a long way. And don’t forget to sprinkle in some fun along the way.
Tip #2: Engage, Engage, Engage!
Zoom fatigue is a real thing. And attention spans are WAY shorter in a virtual event vs. in-person. This means your virtual event should be shorter, too. The traditional four-hour holiday company party becomes the two-hour (or LESS) online party.
Q: OK, but how do you get people to stay engaged and interested?
A: By getting and KEEPING your guests active and involved!
Here are two of my favorite ideas:
Pro-Tip: Allow some downtime between activities so people can take a break, grab a drink, make a pit stop, etc.
Tip #3: Let the Games Begin!
Here are a few game ideas that translate well to a virtual setting:
General Fun:
Pro-Tip (for Both): Set up a poll and allow everyone to vote for their favorite! Consider multiple categories: Tackiest, Best Overall, Judge’s Pick, Most Creative, Ugliest, Least Structurally Sound, etc.
For Some Team Building + Friendly Competition
Pro-Tip: For Pictionary, use Zoom’s built-in whiteboard feature! You could also grab an actual whiteboard and marker.
Honorable Mention (and Shameless Plug): Your Company’s Friendly Feud – a fully customizable virtual game show offered by yours truly. You pick the questions, we set up and host the game. Here’s a clip with more info:
Tip #4: Add in a Jingle Mingle (This is one of my FAVORITES)
One of the challenges of online events is the lack of interaction and one-on-one conversations in a larger group. Enter: Break out Rooms! Zoom has this feature down PAT.
How it works: Randomly assign guests to different breakout rooms. Set the timer, and off they go into their smaller groups.
Pro Tip: Give them a conversation starter/topic to help encourage conversation and rotate the groups a couple times.
Tip #5: Trust the Virtual Experts
Professional entertainers who have gone virtual – oh hi again! – are very familiar with hosting and producing virtual events. Why not make your planning that much easier by engaging with us!
We will gladly give you ideas and guidance on what we’ve seen others do in a virtual setting and what could work well for your group. Tell us more about your group, and we can suggest creative ideas and enhancements and help work out the logistics with you to ensure a successful event. Most importantly, engaging with an expert will give you peace of mind knowing your event is in good hands.
Keep in mind: In some scenarios you may just want virtual entertainers who will simply show up to perform – cool – that we can do! In other cases, you’ll want your virtual entertainment to be more involved in the planning process and maybe even host your event (I do that, too!). Whatever your comfort level and preferences, let your entertainers know, so we can meet your needs accordingly.
Virtual Entertainment Ideas:
I book virtual entertainers in ALL of these areas – just sayin’! And here’s a sampling of a holiday party flow by yours truly:
Tip #6: Set Yourself Up for Success with Thoughtful Planning
Last, but certainly not least, it’s important to consider several logistics for a successful online event:
Ultimately, the goal of a holiday party is a celebration of the year – or in 2020’s case – a celebration that the years is OVER. Finally!
Bottom Line: This year may look different, but a virtual holiday party is a totally viable and fun way to show your teams you care. With some thoughtful planning, you’ll be set for success and a fun celebration for all.
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Based in Charlotte, NC, Lauren Ansley is a stand-up comedian, emcee/show host, producer and talent representative. Lauren is an entrepreneur whose mission is to provide entertainment and comic relief that engages employees, boosts morale, and creates memorable moments of joy and laughter.
Lauren has been a featured performer in several comedy festivals throughout the Carolinas, named one of the comedians to know by Charlotte Five.
Her passion to make others laugh and slight southern accent are only overshadowed by her infectious smile and abnormal height of 5’13”.
Now in the world of social distancing, Lauren has taken her services virtual, producing quality and creative entertainment online. In or out of a pandemic, Lauren is committed to providing quality entertainment and comic relief that engages employees, boosts morale, and creates memorable moments of joy and laughter.
Today’s email update contains:
– Upcoming stand-up comedy shows (live + virtual)!
– Now booking virtual holiday parties!
– Shout out to Brittany Whitlock and Big Mood Digital for my recent website audit!
– And more…
Click the image below to view the full email.
Not on the list? Contact me to subscribe!
So very proud to be a part of the Charlotte performing arts community, taking important steps for diversity on and off stage.
“From Broadway to Hollywood to arts organizations across the country, artists are speaking out about longtime injustices, lack of representation and equity in their fields. In Charlotte, artists are coming together to share their experiences and take action through the Diversity On & Off Stage initiative.”
Last night during our third discussion, we all stood in front of our computer screens and pledged out loud together to acknowledge the deficiencies that exist and to work towards prioritizing diversity ourselves and within our organizations.
It’s important, and it’s one of the reasons I started my own comedy show production company.
As Maya Angelou brilliantly stated, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” And we all know better.
Read the full article here.