Barbara Edelin: The planner behind Boston’s foremost events

Vidya Rao

For Barbara Edelin, putting together the event that everyone will be talking about is not just what she does as a hobby — it’s what she excels at and what she does for a living.

Edelin, who recently planned the Banner’s monumental 40th Anniversary Gala, runs her own business, B. Edelin Events Planning, Inc., which has been serving Boston since 1989.

For Edelin, planning an event is not just about being the project manager; rather, she says, “it’s about conceptualizing, planning, find the site, being there the day of the event and doing everything from A-Z to make sure the execution is perfect.”

Her interest and capability in event planning took root while she was still a student and developed as she started volunteering for political fundraisers and various benefits. She received her bachelor’s degree from Fisk University and has a master’s in Public Administration from Penn State.

In 1986, Edelin had the opportunity to plan a large benefit for Roxbury Comprehensive Health Center, as it was just coming out of financial troubles. She worked with then-executive director Deborah Jackson on the “We Take Your Health to Heart” benefit, which attracted 500+ attendees.

“I did this event at a time when nonprofits weren’t doing these large events,” says Edelin. “The success of the benefit gave me the confidence that I could do even larger events—that I could do what I love and make money doing it.”

Edelin also chaired as a volunteer for the Ebony Fashion Fair for six years. “It was an exciting undertaking,” she says. “I was working with the magazine, coordinating and marketing the event, selling tickets, everything.”

With two children at home, Edelin decided to go into business for herself to maintain flexibility in her schedule that she would otherwise not have working for someone else. She and her husband then invested the money to get B. Edelin Events Planning, Inc off the ground.

Since then, B. Edelin Events Planning, Inc. has worked on several political campaigns, golf tournaments, galas and other special events, earning Edelin a reputation in the city for putting on quality events. “Every event has to be special,” Edelin explains. “Every event, big or small, is important and needs to fulfill a vision of what the organization or person wants.”

In 1991, Edelin worked with then-president of the Urban League’s Boston chapter, Joan Wallace-Benjamin, to conceptualize and implement the 21st Century Gala, which became an annual event that Edelin co-ran for ten years.

“Barbara took the event from 250 attendees to over a 1,000,” says Wallace-Benjamin. “She made the event very successful. Organized, thoughtful, creative and professional—that’s what Barbara brings to event planning.” Wallace-Benjamin, who is currently the CEO of the Home for Little Wanderers, was so impressed with Edelin’s work that she is continuing to use her services for the 2006 Boston Magazine Design Home.

As the sole proprietor of her company, Edelin sub contracts others and uses minority vendors as much as she can. “I am committed to working with other minority businesses as much as I can and to serve a very diverse group of clientele,” she says.

Throughout the years Edelin has also seen changes in the Boston business community, with fewer charitable dollars available for nonprofit organizations. Thus, she has had to learn to be strategic in fundraising, as a goal of her business is to help nonprofits maintain financial stability.

“I’ve had to get out of my comfort zone and work on development,” she says. “And budgeting has definitely been a challenge.”

Edelin’s toughest challenge , however, is to ensure the growth of her customer base without the use of formal advertising. “You have to stay current and make sure people know you, and that can be a challenge when networking is your only option,” she says.

Throughout the past 16 years Edelin has been able to see steady growth of her company simply through the word of mouth of satisfied customers and through networking by actively participating in organizations such as the National Coalition of Black Meeting Planners, Boston Lynx and Delta Sigma Beta.

In regards to the work she’s done over the years, Edelin thoughtfully explains, “I have been fortunate and humbled to serve so many wonderful organizations. What I do is a lot of hard work, but I wouldn’t change it for anything.”