October 2003
Inevitable course

As a young female in the top spot, Tamara Christian has increased NTP’s revenue by 250 percent in less than three years

By Dawn J. Grubb

Perhaps it was written in the stars that Tamara Christian would become President of National Trade Productions (NTP) at the tender age of 34. At least that’s what a psychic told her back in 1992 when she was a brand-new intern at the company and attended a “psychic party” with some other employees. The psychic told Christian she’d be NTP’s President by 34 and, sure enough, just 12 days after her 34th birthday Christian was promoted to the position.

But Christian, and those who know her, attribute her success to her driven, goal-oriented personality. “I don’t believe in psychics,” says Christian, “But I’d like to find that person again!”

Since taking over in December 2000, the 36-year-old Christian has grown NTP into a thriving company with three key divisions: Proprietary Shows, Managed Shows and the Creative Solutions Group. Christian’s approach is the same as that of any financial planner — diversify. She decided to take NTP from a company that only manages shows to a company that also owns shows and offers marketing services. Today it boasts an 80 percent increase in staff and 250 percent increase in revenue. Quite a feat, considering many companies have reported losses, layoffs and even bankruptcy during these woeful economic times.

The frantic pace necessary to create such growth is nothing new to Christian. During college, she once held down four jobs while going to school. When she arrived at NTP as an intern, she pursued an MBA from George Washington University while learning the industry’s ins and outs.

Upon taking the reins of NTP, Christian went about building a winning team and defining the path the company would take (see sidebar). Six months later, Christian and her seven-member executive team had identified core competencies and strategic goals. On the to-do list: Hire someone to focus solely on business development and launch two new divisions to complement NTP’s Managed Show division. The key to thriving, says Christian, is hiring the right people.

“Attitude and vision must come from the top down,” she says. “We test candidates’ personalities when they interview to gauge their work ethic and attitude about growth and customer service. They also interview with managers and peers to see whether they fit in. It’s very much a team here: a vice president better be willing to fill in for a receptionist. Every job is important.”

Christian learned this essential philosophy at age 8 while stuffing envelopes for her father’s medical practice and pulling weeds in her parents’ garden. She credits her parents with developing her work ethic. Allowances were never a matter of course, but rather tied to the work she did. “My parents were always asking me questions that helped to frame goals, and they went out of their way to praise us when we did a good job,” she says.

NTP predecessors, Diane Simmons and Steve Richardson, were also instrumental in helping Christian develop her management style. She looked to Richardson’s open-door policy as inspiration, while Simmons helped build the confidence the thirty-something needed to direct a growing company.

In addition, Christian’s MBA education helped sharpen her aggressive business philosophies and overall savvy. She says the credentials lended credibility when colleagues doubted her age and experience.

 “I learned so much — management skills, business theories and how companies operate. It was an extremely valuable experience and allowed me to make better decisions.”

Better decisions that have led her to the top. But Christian isn’t finished. Her long-term goals for NTP include owning six shows (twice as many as the current three) and adding another division (probably Conference Management). She wants to continue the company’s current growth pattern: steady and serious.

But Christian isn’t all work. She works out five times a week to train for sprint triathlons. Currently, Christian is working on a non-fiction book (not related to the expo business). She also volunteers for DC Cares, an organization that acts as a clearinghouse for volunteer opportunities, such as the management project Christian took on cleaning out a Good Will warehouse. Christian says she needs these outside diversions to be productive, and she knows her employees need the same consideration.

“Ultimately, I want NTP to be known as the best trade show management company to work for,” she says. “I’d also like to be the indisputable leader in the trade show industry with instant brand recognition.”

Create a winning team
Tamara Christian, President of National Trade Productions (NTP), isn’t just on the fast track to success, she runs it too. After sprinting from the position of intern to president of NTP in just nine years, the triathlete shares her secrets for going the distance in the show industry:

Create a shared vision. “If staff doesn’t know where you’re going, how can they make proper decisions?” asks Christian.

To empower her employees, Christian seeks their input into strategic planning. In fact, developing NTP’s goals and vision statement was a companywide group exercise. She asked every employee to identify the values they associated with NTP. The group came up with 50 phrases and then consolidated those into seven words that form the basis of NTP’s core values: innovation, excellence, teamwork, integrity, fun, dedication, responsiveness.

Hire only the best. Christian is a firm believer in surrounding herself with people who are “better” than she is. “Trust the people you work with, and empower them to make decisions,” she says. “This means accepting the fact that sometimes decisions will be made that you wouldn’t have made, and it means you have to be willing to relinquish control.”

Christian learned this firsthand after being promoted from Director of Marketing to Executive Director. Peers told her that Paige Prindle Cardwell was the best marketer in the industry, so Christian spent months trying to hire her away from another area company. Her persistence paid off, and now Christian and NTP are reaping the benefits.

 “Paige took our marketing to a whole new level. We’ve been able to launch a new company (Creative Solutions Group, which launched in January 2002) around her talents,” she says.

Prioritize and review goals. Each year, Christian and her executive team sit down to prioritize goals. The group identifies 12 major concerns NTP must address and then chooses the top three. Departments are assigned tasks, and the group meets quarterly to track progress. Christian says many companies often try to tackle too many goals, resulting in missed deadlines and opportunities.

And to keep staff focused and NTP on course, Christian routinely reminds employees about company goals. She “torments” them with weekly e-mails and internal communications announcing new business deals and project updates, as well as company and staff news.

Reward staff. Little things motivate people. That’s why Christian sends handwritten thank yous and way-to-go e-mails for jobs well done. Every Friday morning, NTP treats staff to bagels. And she regularly grants departments the afternoon off to play. Company outings have proven to be great team-building events: Staffers "compete" during miniature golf and kickball contests, oftentimes creating team shirts that add to the competitive spirit.

If employees have conflicting commitments, she encourages them to leave work and take care of outside responsibilities. Other perks include flex time, telecommuting and bring-your-dog-to the-office days. It’s all part of Christian’s master plan of creating a laid back work environment where employees thrive and remember that all work and no play leads to stress and burnout.