7.29 Events takes planning to next level
Reggie Ortiz and Marissa Gasparoli
Coordinating events such as conventions, meetings, workshops, and social activities, is part of any company or professional organization’s day-to-day. Generally speaking, companies earmark a portion of their budget to develop these activities, either to motivate employees and members or to introduce their services to prospective clients.
Unsurprisingly, organizing and ensuring that these types of events run smoothly usually falls on the shoulders of company employees, which cuts back on productivity. Upon identifying a need and ensure all major event details are taken care of, entrepreneurs Marissa Gasparoli and Reggie Ortiz founded 7.29 Events.
“Our goal is to save time and money for the businesses and people who hire us because we know how the industry operates, we identify the ideal suppliers, know the real prices and get more affordable costs compared to if the company employee calls suppliers without knowing fair prices and services,” said Gasparoli, a licensed events promoter and is working on obtaining her Certified Meeting Professional Certification.
7.29 Events — named that way because Gasparoli and Ortiz share a July 29 birthday — will run an event from beginning to end, including coordinating and producing the occasion.
“7.29 Events offers a full range of services including photographer, videographer, graphic artists, audio, and many more, and all are services we get from other companies, which makes us a contributor to the local economy and to the development of other local companies,” said Ortiz, 38.
Because 7.29 Events also handles international events, Ortiz said the firm’s work also impacts tourism because of the magnitude of such gatherings and the number of hotel room nights generated.
Currently, 7.29 Events has three full-time employees and five part-timers and since founding the company in 2011, it has reported a 40 percent operational growth. However, no specific revenue figures were provided.
Among the company’s upcoming events is the Puerto Rico Minority Supplier Development Council on March 1 and the 5th edition of the Sangría Fest March 16 — which earned it a Guinness World Record last year for the largest sangria tasting — at the Puerto Rico Convention Center, and several private events.
On the heels of its local success, the partners are looking to new opportunities stateside and in Latin America, “which we’ll work on, and will definitely not reject,” both agreed.
