In this episode of The Event Solutions Podcast, host Jorge Lopez sits down with Bobby Fader, Director of Catering at La Valencia Hotel & Spa in La Jolla, California, to explore a decades-long career built on work ethic, relationships, and genuine care for people.

Bobby shares his journey from starting as a dishwasher at age 13 to leading one of Southern California's most iconic boutique hotel catering programs. The conversation dives into what truly makes events successful, from personal connection and listening to clients to mentoring teams, navigating staffing challenges, and maintaining perspective under pressure.

Through candid stories, Bobby reveals the realities behind catering costs, the unseen labor that powers events, and why smaller, more personal gatherings often require more attention than large-scale productions. He also shares a powerful real-world crisis moment—when a wedding lost power, and how calm leadership, strong community relationships, and collaboration turned a potential disaster into a success.

At its core, this episode is about people: how you treat them, how you listen to them, and how relationships, more than any checklist, are the true backbone of the event industry.

• Work ethic starts early. Early hands-on experience builds responsibility, discipline, and respect for the craft.
  
  

• Small events can be harder than large ones. Intimate gatherings often involve first-time hosts who need guidance, reassurance, and structure.
  
  

• Catering costs go far beyond food. Labor, preparation, utilities, insurance, and staffing all factor into pricing.
  
  

• Listening is a competitive advantage. Understanding who the client is and what truly matters to them creates trust and better outcomes.
  
  

• Voice-to-voice communication matters. Phone calls and real conversations often solve issues faster than emails or texts.
  
  

• Mentorship means letting people grow, even if they leave. Developing talent and celebrating their success strengthens your leadership and reputation.
  
  

• Calm leadership solves crises. When things go wrong, breathing, pausing, and focusing on solutions keep teams grounded.
  
  

• Relationships save events. Strong community connections and vendor relationships can turn impossible situations into wins.
  
  

Bobby Fader is the Director of Catering at La Valencia Hotel & Spa in La Jolla, California, a historic boutique hotel overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

With over 30 years of experience in catering and hospitality, and a career that began at age 13, Bobby has worked across restaurants, private clubs, hotels, and event-driven properties. His expertise spans social and corporate events, with a deep passion for weddings and highly personal celebrations.

Known for his people-first leadership style, Bobby is respected throughout the Southern California hospitality community for his mentorship, calm problem-solving, and commitment to treating clients, vendors, and team members with genuine respect.

In this episode of The Event Solutions Podcast, host Jorge Lopez welcomes Annette Zeller, Director of Catering and Conference Services at 1 Hotel West Hollywood, for a deep dive into the realities of hospitality, luxury events, and the psychology behind high-expectation clients.

Annette shares her journey through some of the most iconic luxury hotel brands, including Park Hyatt, Beverly Hills Hotel, Four Seasons, and Beverly Hilton, and how those experiences shaped her approach to service, creativity, and problem-solving. She offers an inside look at what makes 1 Hotel unique, from its sustainability-first mission and nature-driven design to certified sustainable meetings and hyper-local, organic catering.

The conversation explores the fast-evolving world of luxury events, influencer-driven brand activations, compressed timelines, and the importance of urgency, adaptability, and collaboration. Annette also candidly discusses mistakes, high-pressure challenges, and the lessons learned from decades in the industry, reinforcing why mindset, responsiveness, and creative flexibility are essential to success.

• Luxury clients expect solutions, not limitations. Saying "no" too quickly can shut down opportunity; buying time and offering alternatives keeps creativity alive.
  
  

• Urgency wins business. Fast, thorough responses complete with budgets, diagrams, and clear next steps set you apart in a crowded market.
  
  

• Experience must transfer through layers. In luxury events, you're often selling through planners or agencies; clarity and detail help preserve the vision for decision-makers.
  
  

• Sustainability is no longer optional. Eco-conscious design, local sourcing, and certified sustainable meetings are becoming key differentiators.
  
  

• Cookie-cutter thinking kills repeat business. Clients return when they trust you can reinvent the experience each time.
  
  

• Mistakes are inevitable; ownership matters. Taking responsibility, acting quickly, and fixing the issue builds trust and credibility.
  
  

• Measurements matter. Small technical details can create major challenges; precision is critical in event execution.
  
  

• The industry thrives on collaboration. Vendors, planners, and venue teams succeed when they support one another, especially under pressure.

Annette Zeller is the Director of Catering and Conference Services at 1 Hotel West Hollywood, where she oversees luxury events, meetings, and brand activations in one of Los Angeles' most sustainability-driven hospitality environments.

A graduate of Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, Annette brings over 20 years of experience in the luxury hotel market. Her career includes leadership roles at Park Hyatt Los Angeles, Hyatt West Hollywood, The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Wilshire (A Four Seasons Hotel), and The Beverly Hilton.

Known for her sense of urgency, creative problem-solving, and client-first mindset, Annette specializes in high-touch events, influencer-driven activations, and bespoke experiences that break the mold while maintaining operational excellence.

In this episode of The Event Solutions Podcast, host Jorge Lopez sits down with Brenda Biggers, a seasoned administrative leader at Setpoint Medical, to explore the realities of planning internal corporate events inside a fast-paced, highly technical organization.

Brenda shares her journey into event planning, not through a traditional events background, but through organization, adaptability, and trust earned over time. From leadership offsites and milestone celebrations to company picnics and themed events, she walks through how thoughtful planning, leadership buy-in, and flexibility can transform ordinary gatherings into meaningful employee experiences.

The conversation dives into the nuances of engaging diverse personalities from introverted engineers to competitive team players while balancing logistics, budgets, and evolving expectations. Brenda also offers practical insights on learning from challenges, knowing when to ask for outside help, and why preparation and timing are often the difference between stress and success.

• Leadership buy-in drives engagement. When leaders actively participate and support the event vision, employees are far more likely to engage and step outside their comfort zones.
  
  

• Purpose matters more than the venue. A clear event objective, paired with creative production, lighting, décor, and music, can transform even modest venues into memorable experiences.
  
  

• Organization is the foundation of success. Brenda's "event bible", a detailed, portable planning notebook, keeps vendors, contacts, schedules, and contingencies in one place.
  
  

• Flexibility is essential. Late changes, such as adding plus-ones or adjusting timing, are inevitable. The ability to adapt calmly is key to successful execution.
  
  

• Outside expertise adds value. Bringing in professional event partners or an external MC helps keep events moving, maintains energy, and allows internal leaders to stay in their lane.
  
  

• Timing reduces stress. Backward planning, early preparation, and avoiding last-minute decisions lead to smoother events and a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
  
  

• Know when to ask for help. As organizations grow, event complexity increases. Recognizing when to bring in additional support can dramatically improve outcomes.
  
  

Brenda Biggers is a highly experienced administrative leader with over 20 years of operational, organizational, and executive support experience. She has been with Setpoint Medical since 2014, where she plays a central role in managing day-to-day office operations and planning a wide range of internal and external company events.

Her responsibilities span venue selection, logistics, vendor coordination, budgeting, hospitality, and onsite execution, ensuring events align with company culture and strategic goals. Brenda's strength lies in her ability to bring structure, creativity, and calm execution to complex environments, helping teams celebrate milestones and successes while keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes.