Not your main job
Events arrive on top of everything else.
Planning an offsite or away day? Start here.
Organising events is often part of an EA or PA's job, without ever being in the job title. Business Event Space gives you a clear starting point: free tools, suppliers and venue facts in plain English.
Unfamiliar jargon
Venues and AV companies speak a language of their own.
Free tools
Tools for executive assistants and pas
Diagramming & PlanningRegistration & TicketingAudio & Comms
Diagramming & Planning01
draw.io
draw.io is free online diagram software for making flowcharts, process diagrams, org charts, UML, ER and network diagrams.
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Audio & Comms02
Cleanfeed
Software for long-distance professional audio enabling real-time high definition audio with low latency for interviews, recordings, podcasts, radio, and film production worldwide.
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Suppliers
Suppliers executive assistants and pas work with
Production & AV01
32June
32June is an AV and event production company based in London UK. Work includes Event production, AV, and Set build.
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Event Management & Agencies02
Broadsword
Broadsword is a London based, full-service events agency bringing leading brands and their global audiences together through strategic event management and technical production. Founded in 2006, our team has decades of experience bringing corporate events to life from first brief to post-event strategy. As a B Corp™ agency, we believe events can create meaningful connections and positive change. We have offices in London, New York and Hong Kong.
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Event Management & Agencies03
The Event Agency
Full-service event management agency specializing in corporate conferences, incentives, and hybrid events. They handle venue finding, AV production, logistics, and theming for conferences across London venues like ExCeL.
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Production & AV04
Bubble Events
Bubble Events is an AV and event production company based in London UK. Work includes Conference production, Roadshows, and Festivals. Operating since 2003.
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Production & AV05
Production Beat
Production Beat is an AV and event production company based in London UK.
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Event Management & Agencies06
Temptations Events
Specialists in corporate events including conferences, with full end-to-end management from planning to execution. Focus on London conferences with AV, logistics, and theming.
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Venue packs
See what a venue pack looks like
Floor plans, rooms, screens, power, rigging and access in one place, gathered with the venue and kept accurate. The example uses a fictional venue.
Events land on your desk
It usually starts with a short message: "Can you sort the leadership offsite for March?" or "We need somewhere for the board meeting and dinner." Suddenly you're comparing venues, working out room layouts, wondering whether the meeting room screen will connect to the CEO's laptop, and arranging transport, catering and an agenda.
You're organised and resourceful, which is why it landed with you. What you may not have is the event industry's vocabulary or a list of who to call.
A simple offsite checklist
- Purpose and numbers: what's the offsite for, and how many people?
- Format: one main room, breakouts, a dinner, overnight stays?
- Venue: check capacities and layouts, screens and how to connect to them, accessibility and travel.
- Tech: will presentations or video calls be needed? Does anyone need a microphone?
- Suppliers: do you need an AV company, a facilitator or an agency?
- Tools: how will you invite people, share the agenda and handle changes?
Questions worth asking a venue
Ask how many people fit in each room in the layout you want, what screens are installed and how you connect to them, where power is, how guests arrive and access the space, and who is on hand if the tech fails. For venues that take part in Business Event Space, much of this is already gathered in a venue pack, kept accurate with the venue and shared through a secure link created for a specific request, with an expiry date. You can forward that link to your executive or an AV supplier. See the example venue pack; the venue is fictional, and real coverage is growing.
Tools and suppliers
Our free tools directory lists planning, invitation, registration and communication tools, each with a short, plain-English write-up. The supplier directory groups agencies and production companies by category for when you need extra help. Neither needs an account to browse.
Keeping everyone informed
Once the offsite is booked, the questions start coming to you: what's the dress code, where do we park, is there step-free access, what time does the room open? Keep one simple document or tool for attendee information and update it as plans change, so you're not answering the same question twenty times. A communication tool from the directory can help with that.
When BES isn't the right fit
If your offsite is large or complex, a specialist agency may be worth it. BES can help you find one, but we don't plan events on your behalf.
Questions from executive assistants and pas
I've never organised an offsite. Where do I start?
Start with the purpose, numbers and format, then look for venues that fit. The checklist on this page walks through the main steps.
What should I ask a venue before booking?
Room capacities in your layout, which screens are installed and how to connect, power, access and who supports you on the day.
Can I share venue details with my executive?
If the venue has a BES pack, the venue can create a secure link for your request with an expiry date, which you can forward.
Do I need an AV company for a small offsite?
Often not, if the venue's screens and sound cover your needs. For bigger sessions or video calls with remote attendees, an AV supplier can help.
Is Business Event Space free?
Yes. Browsing tools, suppliers and venue information is free.
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Make the offsite the easy part of your week.
Browse free event tools