Every now and then we'll be talking to someone we work with about how they got to where they are, where they hope to go next and what advice they'd give to anyone wanting to get into the industry. To kick off we're going to keep it in-house and talk to our very own Polly Betton, who - it is well known - will talk the hind leg off a donkey on the subject, especially if it coincidentally also allows her to avoid a particularly unappealing admin-related task.

Teatime: So, Polly tell us - how did you end up at the helm of Teatime?

Polly: In common with a lot of people who do this type of work, I took a circuitous route. I studied Graphic Design at Camberwell, did a short stint at a Cuban cocktail bar and then worked at 291 gallery in Shoreditch. 291 is a now-defunct performance space and venue housed in a neo-gothic church. After I'd worked there for about a week a promoter dropped out at short notice and I volunteered to put an event on in their place. 

I ended up doing regular events after that, as well as the odd bit of freelance stage management at clubs, for example the infamous Kashpoint. 

After a while I thought I ought to get a 'proper' job, and ended up in the customer service department at Foyles. I love books, and Foyles is a fab place, but the department was in a damp basement and a bit of career graveyard: it was full of people who'd been stuck there for years but still described themselves as musicians, artists and actors. I lasted exactly one calendar month before leaving for a co-ordinator role at the newly formed Kemistry Gallery in Shoreditch.

Kemistry was - and still is - an amazing Graphic Design gallery. I was there for two years (quickly self-promoted from Co-ordinator to Manager, no-one seemed to mind as I was the only employee), and I gained lots of useful experience setting up exhibitions, writing press releases and holding previews.

Sadly, I was made redundant by Kemistry and spent a few months unemployed. I really wanted to be freelance but hadn't really picked up enough skills, or developed the confidence to go for it. So I ended up taking a job at Cultural Co-operation, a charity helping displaced creatives from around the world. It was a lovely job, but not for me and I moved over to work for StolenSpace gallery on a freelance basis after less than a year. I lasted exactly a month there, we really didn't get on very well. I kept trying to organise them when they really wanted me to deal with sales. I'd talked my way into the wrong role (not the first time either...).

I was pretty naffed off to be unemployed again so soon, but it did me good as I finally go it together to have a go at freelancing, picking up small jobs here and there just being generally useful. I was offered more or less back-to-back employment producing fashion shoots for the high street through a friend-of-a-friend and started to make a good living out of it. It was really useful because I stopped being scared of big numbers: these shoots often had budgets of £250,000+. If I wanted to something for a shoot I had to find it myself, so I learned to just have confidence in my choices and just get on with it. 

When the recession hit in 2008 the work tailed off, but I'd coincidentally started to get lots of requests for elaborate afternoon teas and midnight feasts after making a few for friends birthdays. So I got my kitchen certified, did some Food Safety training and moved over to catering. It was great fun, working with people like the Last Tuesday Society and The Powder Room. Gradually I got more general event requests and ended up being asked to produce a series of promotional events for Stoke Place hotel, which is how the White Blackbird series ('Bringing back the country House Party) came about.

The White Blackbird - Tainted Love Party from Jonathan Burt on Vimeo.

About halfway through the series I realised I ought to have a proper company and formed Teatime. Shortly after I got a book contract (Party! How to throw a Brilliant Bash: The Essential Guide) and the rest is history.... you can see some of Teatime's work on our website.

Teatime: Zzzzzz.....

Polly: I told you it was circuitous.

Teatime: What should people take away from your (epic) story?

Polly: That sometimes it takes a while to find the right spot, but all the things you encounter along the way will be useful in the end.

Teatime: What are your hopes for the future?

Polly: I'd like to carry on doing what we're doing and ideally expand a little so we can take on some of the amazing people who currently freelance with us on a full time basis.

Teatime: Any advice for budding event planners?

Polly: If you're working for yourself you'd better give it some welly. It's not the moment to wait for someone to validate you, you have to get out there and show everyone how good you are. Be nice: you'd be amazed how small a world it is and acting like an arse gets noticed quickly. Do good work (and don't pinch other people's): a re-hash doesn't do you any favours, and neither does an overworked idea. Don't give your time away: a certain amount of 'work experience' is fine if there's a genuine benefit to both parties, but anyone worth their salt will pay you for a day's work, especially when they have a client who's paying for the event. I have a massive problem with a business model that's based on a constant flow of unpaid interns (although there are exceptions: I'd probably pay to intern with Sam & Harry at Bompas and Parr, so much fun).