A mock-planned corporate event for Apple.

1. Think Different: Connecting Through Disconnecting
An Apple Retreat
Heaven Irwin

2. Table of Contents
Retreat Overview..... 3
Purpose, Goals, and Mission Statement..... 4
Site Selection..... 5
Venue..... 6-8
Program..... 9-10
Program Highlights..... 11
Site Map…… 12
Floor Plans..... 13-16
Design Ideas and Plans..... 17
Food and Beverage by Day..... 18-19
Gifting Ideas and Plans..... 20
Event Technology..... 21
Event Budget..... 22
Risk Management Plan….. 23
Cue Sheet and Script….. 24
Evaluation Plan..... 25

3. Overview of Retreat
• Who: Top Performing Apple Employees who
Applied and Were Accepted
• What: A Four Day, Three Night Retreat
• When: January 6th-10th
• Where: New York City, New York

4. Purpose and
Goals
Overview
Meeting/Event Type:
Employee Appreciation Retreat
Event Theme:
-Connecting through disconnecting. Apple employees will unplug from their high-tech lifestyles and
connect with each other.
Mission Statement:
-Think different, explore widely, discover more
Retreat Purpose:
Exposing employees to a break from their traditional work life will boost creativity and happiness
within the company. Long term, this will lead to more success for the company.
SMART Objectives:
-Maintain a 74% retention rate in employment among those who attend the retreat until the end of the
2018 fiscal year.
-Increase social media presence by 40% (compared to that of previous company events) using the
hashtag #AppleThinkDifferent2019 to track coverage of the event
-Receive a 90% or higher average rating on attendee satisfaction survey one week after the end of the
event.
Measuring Objectives:
-Keep a record of what employees are at the retreat, and track if they are still employees throughout
the year
-Event coverage resulting in more future applicants through positive social media postings, correlate
number of likes and shares with the number of applications coming through
-Compose a survey with evaluation questions and allow feedback to learn about the quality

5. Site Selection
Benefits Concerns
-Ample opportunity to plan
excursions
-A very desired vacation destination
-There is always something for
attendees to do in their off time
-Broadway shows are available
-After the holidays, so tickets aren’t
as expensive
-Cost will be much higher
-Weather will be cold
-Have to fly people out
New York City is the city that
never sleeps. This gives Apple
employees ample opportunity
to explore outside of official
retreat outings and tasks. It is
also a great city to motivate
employees for further
innovation.

6. Venue Selection-Top Picks
-Five stars
-Beautiful conference/meeting rooms
-Large ballroom
-400-800 dollars per night
-Close to many events planned out for the event
-Doesn’t fit aesthetically with the theme of the event
-Affordable
-Location is a little far from events
-1,000+ dollars per night
-Doesn’t meet the goals of the event
-Ineffective meeting rooms

7. Final Venue
Benefits VS Challenges
Four Seasons Hotel NYC
Benefits Concerns
-Five star hotel
-Spacious conference
room space
-Only 15 minute walk
from Times Square
-Allow for single rooms
for all participants
-Will be newly
renovated by the time
of the event
-Apple has a large
enough budget that it
is feasible
-Expensive
-Hard to book rooms
without a lot of notice
-Have to find
transportation from
and to the airport

8. Final Venue
Continued

9. Program
January 6th January 7th January 8th
8:00-9:00 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Breakfast for participants Breakfast for participants
9:00 - 10:00 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Breakfast for participants Breakfast for participants
10:00 - 11:00 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Breakfast for participants
Participants begin going to conference rooms
assigned to them
Morning yoga for participants begins at 10:30 AM
11:00 - 12:00 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Team building exercises lead by retreat facilitator Team building activities with participants grouped by
the states that they came from
12:00 - 1:00 Arrive at Airport at 12:45 PM Introduction of creativity project for participants.
Groups will be assigned and more team building
exercises in smaller groups
Team building activities with participants grouped by
the states that they came from
1:00 - 2:00 Review a brief overview of retreat schedule, and get
people into shuttles to go to the hotel
Catered lunch with a keynote speaker begins Catered lunch and time to work on group projects
begins
2:00 - 3:00 Check in at 2:00 for designated rooms blocked for
retreat
Keynote speaker and lunch wrap up at 2:30 PM
Groups begin working on projects
Working on group projects
3:00 - 4:00 Employees can relax or explore for the remainder of
the day
The official retreat day is over at 3:30 PM, groups
can continue working, or participants can enjoy free
time
Participants have free time to get ready for the evening
activity
4:00 - 5:00 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
5:00 - 6:00 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
6:00 - 7:00 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dinner at the hotel opens at 6:00 PM Dinner at a local restaurant for participants
7:00 - 8:00 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dinner at a local restaurant for participants
8:00 - 9:00 ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Tour of the city
9:00 - ----------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Tour of the city

10. Program Continued
January 9th January 10th
-9:00 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Breakfast available for participants
9:00 - 10:00 Breakfast at a local restaurant for participants, meet in the lobby at 9:00 AM Breakfast available for participants
10:00 - 11:00 Breakfast at a local restaurant Breakfast available for participants
11:00 - 12:00 Go back to the hotel at 11:30 -----------------------------------------------------------------
12:00 - 1:00 All participants complete Myers-Briggs, Color, Conflict Styles, and Strengthsfinder
personality tests
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1:00 - 2:00 All participants complete Myers-Briggs, Color, Conflict Styles, and Strengthsfinder
personality tests
Catered lunch for participants to enjoy while working on projects with their
groups
2:00 - 3:00 All participants complete Myers-Briggs, Color, Conflict Styles, and Strengthsfinder
personality tests
A light lunch for participants is served
Catered lunch for participants to enjoy while working on projects with their
groups
3:00 - 4:00 Talk about and compare different participants’ results -----------------------------------------------------------------
4:00 - 5:00 ----------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
5:00 - 6:00 Meet in lobby to go to broadway show 5:30 PM -----------------------------------------------------------------
6:00 - 7:00 Broadway show Light dinner is available and participants begin an emotional story exercise
7:00 - 6:00 Light dinner is available and participants begin an emotional story exercise
8:00 - 9:00 Dessert buffet for participants Light dinner is available and participants begin an emotional story exercise
9:00 - ----------------------------------------------------------------- Light dinner is available and participants begin an emotional story exercise
Ends around 12:00 AM

11. Program Highlights
• Event Summary:
• Participants will begin to dive into the world of New York City and new creative
approaches. They will have the opportunity to do individual exploring as well as
pre-planned excursions. During the retreat participants will also be working
together to create a presentation on new innovative ideas for the company.
•
Event Highlights:
• -Keynote speaker during the first lunch
• -Project to help participants be creative and win a prize
• -Team building each day to get participants closer
• -Free tour of the city
• -Free Broadway show
• -Personality and work style quizzes and evaluations
• -Timeline exercises to get participants to know each other better

12. Site Map

13. Floor Plans
To the right is the floor layout
where all buffet style lunches
and workshop breakouts will
happen.

14. Floor Plans
• Small group breakouts is a big part of this
event. Participants will be put into groups on
10 (ten groups in total) and two groups will be
in each room while working on projects/team
building. The Metropolitan Suite will be where
any lunch or snacks will be served. A long
banquet table will have food, and two end
tables will have refreshments and
plates/silverware.

15. Floor Plans
• All small team building groups and work on
the retreat project they are assigned will
take place in these smaller rooms.

16. Floor Plans
This is where the keynote speaker lunch.
Round tables will be set up throughout
the room for attendees. There will be a
stage set up on the east end in front of
the projector.

17. Design Ideas and Plans

18. Food and Beverage
• The largest and most extravagant meal that is to be
served is during the keynote speaker lunch. The Four
Seasons Hotel Restaurant will be providing food.
Participants selected their meals and notified staff of
any allergies two months prior.

19. Food and Beverage-
Menus
FOUR SEASONS STEAK
TARTARE
prepared tableside
MARYLAND CRABMEAT CAKE
mustard sauce
FILET MIGNON
creamed spinach, beurre rouge
BAR ROOM CHOCOLATE CAKE
napoleon
CARAMEL FLAN
pain d’epices
FALL FRUIT CROSTATA
buttermilk ice cream

20. Gifting For
Participants
All Participants upon arrival will
receive a welcome basket with New
York specialty sweets, Voss water,
headphones, a phone charger, and
more.
After the event attendees will get a
“Think Different” hoodie, a “Think
Different” pop socket, and the latest
iPad.

21. Event
Technology
• I will be using PSAV for all my event technology needs. To ensure things go smoothly, I will
provide all team member with a detailed script of what is to be expected during the conference.
There will be three rehearsals prior to the actual event (two without real speakers, one with) to
work through any challenges that may arise. These will be done two days prior to the event, and
the rehearsal with the speaker will occur four hours before the lunch. Because this is such a large
scale lunch we will reserve it for 36 hours to accommodate for set up and clean up on top of the
event.

22. Event Budget
Revenues Expenses
Category Items Budget Category Items Budget
Application
Fee
$50 per applicant @
1,000 applicants
$50,000 Administration Event planner, staff,
insurance
$10,000
Sponsorship Local restaurants,
stores, attractions,
Apple partners, etc
$180,000 Event Technology Cameras, lights,
microphones, etc.
$1,000
Company
Money
Apple’s contribution
to event
$100,000 Entertainment Speaker, excursions $30,000
Venue Four Seasons Hotel
NYC rooms and
meeting space
$150,000
Food and
Beverage
Provided breakfasts,
lunches, dinners,
snacks
$8,000
Transportation Flights to and from the
event, bus and subway
card for the city
$100,000
Revenue Total $330,000 Expenses Total $299,000
Net Income (Revenue - Expenses) = $31,000

23. Risk Management Plan
Risk Categories Naturally occurring Technological Human-caused
Possible risk situations
(Two situations that you prioritize
and need to prepare)
Snow/Cold Weather
Motion Sickness from Flights
Power Outage
WiFi Lost
Allergic Reaction Due to Preparation/Serving Error
Missed Flights
Response strategies
(Term with explanations)
We have to Accept that cold weather
happens and we cannot control it. We
can also Reduce it by warning
attendees of it in advance and provide
how they should dress/prepare.
We have to Reduce this risk
by providing sickness bags, motion
sickness medication, and any other
medical support.
We have to Accept that we may lose
power. There is nothing the event
coordination team can control in regard to
that.
We have to Accept and Reduce that risk.
We must just accept that sometimes an
error can occur with the wifi, but we must
also reduce that chance of it affecting
attendees and provide hotspots for use.
We have to Avoid, Reduce, and Transfer this risk.
We will be reducing it because kitchen staff should be
preparing and serving based on standards provided by
event coordinator. We have to just hope it doesn’t
happen and avoid it. We can also draft a liability
contract with catering to transfer the risk.
We have to Avoid and hope people make their flights.
We also will Transfer by providing travel insurance.

24. Cue Sheet
and Script
This is the cue sheet created
for the most orchestrated
part of the event, which is the
keynote speaker lunch. This
event will occur on the
second day of the retreat.
No Section Time Description Performer Sound Video Lighting Effect
0 Staff Meeting ~8:00 ~ 9:30
•All Staff Review Day’s Schedule and
Tasks
- - - - -
1
Breakfast for
Participants
8:30 ~ 10:00
•Food Provided through the Hotel to
Guests at their Own Time
- - - - -
2 Announcement 10:15 ~ 10:45
•Review the Schedule for the Day with
Attendees
MC MIC Projector MC Pin -
3 Team Building 11:00 ~ 12:00 •Attendees participate in teambuilders -
Stereos w/
Music
- - -
4
Opening visual for
Keynote Speaker
12:00 ~ 12:15
•Connecting Through Disconnecting:
Think Different
-
Stereos w/
Music
Slideshow - -
5 MC Opening 12:27~12:29 •Speaker Introduction MC MIC Slideshow MC Pin -
6 Keynote Speaker 12:29~14:00 •Speech Begins with Lunch Served Keynote Speaker MIC Slideshow KNS Pin -
7 Dismissal 14:00~14:05 (5’) •Dismiss Participants for the Day MC MIC - MC Pin -

25. Evaluation Strategies
Level Expected outcomes Any (program/evaluation) plan or adjustment to achieve these outcomes
1. Reaction and planned
action
Attendees have a fun time meeting other employees and finding new ways to think. Give a survey and cover the enjoyability of the event as well as how they felt about
meeting other employees.
2. Learning Attendees will learn how to critically and creatively think for new ideas for the
company. They will also be able to do some self and group reflection to understand
how and why the people around them behave.
Give a survey and cover if the attendees feel as if the information covered was
useful.
3. Application Employees receive a well deserved break and have fun as well. They also rewire
their brains to produce a more effective workplace after the retreat.
Do daily check-ins on how participants are doing to ensure a good attitude.
4. Business impact Employees have a chance to bounce ideas off each other in a relaxed environment,
giving them solid groundwork to go back to once the retreat is over.
Employees will be asked to try to execute the best ideas brought up during
presentations and eventually get a functioning model.
5. ROI An increase in employee retention and a larger hiring pool after promo video is
released
Track if employees are staying with the company a year after the event. Also
compare previous hiring pools to new ones.
6. Intangibles Employees are actively participating in team building exercises and making
connections with their fellow employees.
Try to motivate employees to explore the city in their free time on the trip.