Established in 2005, Dot-The-Eye has its roots in event management for the defence and engineering sectors. Over the years, it’s grown and diversified, but Emma Jane Taylor has always kept collaboration at the heart of the organisation.

Emma-Jane, where did your journey into events begin?

I worked for a company that developed software for the defence sector. At the time, there were many commercial events serving this sector, but they weren’t always well-organised. High-profile speakers would sometimes be no-shows due to miscommunications.

Then, the US Department of Defence and the UK Ministry of Defence decided to host an event for data links, a secure form of communication. The company I worked for helped develop the software for this event, which was cutting-edge at the time.

During the event, the International Data Links Society was formed, and I became one of the directors. The Ministry of Defence then asked if I would be interested in organising events for them, so I took on that role while also managing every aspect of events for the International Data Links Society.

Additionally, I was working for the International Council on Systems Engineering. In 2005, I decided to set up my own company to deliver these events and manage associations, and that’s when Dot-the-Eye was born. We still work with a lot of defence clients, as well as finance and legal clients.

What does an average day at Dot-The
Eye look like?

I arrive at the office, sit down, and make a list - I’m very much a list person. Then, I check my meetings and prepare for them.

We’re a team of 14, and I have three managers, including myself, who looks after governance, finance, events, and communications. Lynn, my colleague, manages professional development and membership, while Nick heads up IT and web development.

What do you classify as a good day?

My team would say a good day is a meeting in the office because it always involves cake! But for me, a good day is when we receive great feedback at the end of an event, knowing that we’ve achieved something we’ve worked hard for.

What’s your advice for staying motivated?

I thrive when things are moving at a fast
pace. When things slow down, I rely on
lists to keep me organised.

You’ve got a lot of spinning plates - how do you approach challenges?

I view challenges as exciting opportunities. They can bring the team together and spark innovative ideas. Dyslexia presents a challenge for me, especially in writing, but it’s also a hidden superpower because it allows me to think differently and develop unique solutions.

Do you have any advice for aspiring association professionals?

Don’t be afraid of failure—learn from it.

People are generally happy to share their knowledge, so don’t hesitate to ask for help or feedback. There’s plenty of room for event professionals in this world, so let’s support each other and move forward together.

If you weren’t working in association event management, what would you be doing?

I enjoy helping people, so if I didn’t need money to live, I would organise events that benefit the community, similar to the mini festival I organise in my town. We get bands to play for free and give all the local carnival clubs, football clubs, and community clubs a pitch for free, then all the money they raise helps to run them.