Meet Linda Pereira, Alexandra Pereira  and Patricia Pereira of CPL Events in Portugal

Tell us about your company, its purpose, mission, target audience, goals, what makes it unique.
I run a company which organizes international conferences and events. Plans and creates corporate incentives and generally markets and promotes international destinations. We provide a menu of services which ranges from choosing the destination to designing and pricing the event, creating WebPages and online payment and registration systems to designing dinners, opening ceremonies, to travel arrangements to content design. Recently we have added a wedding planner (specializing in the renewing of vows and second marriages). Our average conference can have 500 or 5000 attendees.

How did you come to work together in the first place?

I feel that in today’s highly competitive world the more experience of the real world young people have the more successful they will be. So from the age of 16 when work becomes legal for young people my girls both started working part-time both as congress hostesses and then as experience grew they took on more responsibility. It is important to start at the bottom so that you learn to appreciate herd work, the value of Money and that life is not the same for everyone and that respect for other people’s work no matter what it is, is fundamental.

Please describe your respective roles in the company.

Being the most experienced Alexandra now coordinates whole teams of temporary staff onsite during large events. She contributes to their training and then to management of these teams. She is very responsible and has great pride in a Job well-done. She has always had great work ethics. Although this is not her future – she is studying Economics & management at university – she dedicates herself with total energy.

Patricia is the youngest so she is still learning the ropes. Her talents lie more in computers so she Works on technological support of the event which is one of the most crucial aspects of any conference or event.

How has working together affected your relationship outside the “office?” In other words how do you keep family matters separate from work related issues?

When we work together they call me by my Professional title and is a totally boss-employee relationship. WE have agreed that we do not talk about work outside the Professional environment. It has also helped our relationship in the fact that they understand the strains and stress of working life and what my day-to-day is like. And I have learnt to see them as responsible individuals capable of making excellent decisions and so the transition to adulthood has become much easier.

What are some of the challenges you have faced working together (such as power struggles, division of responsibilities, etc.)

I am very proud to say that this has not actually come up and that I have made sure that most of the time they work under another manager and not directly for me. However in situations when we have worked together more directly and for longer periods we have always been respectful of each other’s opinions. They do say however that I am more demanding of them than I am of other employees with similar responsibilities – and I think they are right.

Triumphs?

So many I cannot even think of a specific one but watching my daughters manage events with over 2000 people, smile through 16 hour days standing on high heels and welcoming people from all races, cultures and creeds as if they were long awaited guests makes a mother really proud.

What do you like best about working together? Least?

I like seeing them all day and crossing them in the corridor – there is a sense of all being right in the world.

Patricia says – she hates the long hours least but likes the fact that the work allows her to meet the most interesting people in the world and from every corner of the world.

Alexandra says – she also hates the 16 hour days and frequent weekend work but likes the opportunity to make spur of the moment decisions that will impact hundreds of people’s experience of a destination – and speaking many languages

What tips would you share with our readers for working with a member of the family?

Make a pact NOT to bring the work home. This is more difficult than it sounds. Treat each other by your titles. Put everything in writing, from responsibilities to salaries. It will save arguments later.

Also take time out to have a meal together now and then and to analyze your Professional relationship and really listen to each other.

What’s been the most exciting thing that has happened as a result of working together?

Living in a Latin country this is seen as a very positive thing. The fact that we work together and that although they don’t mention being my daughters, when clients do discover it is always seen as an element of trust in my company. And of course it attracts tremendous attention from the media when they cover our events.

What’s next for this mother daughter team?

We will all be working in the marketing of South Africa as we draw nearer the World Soccer Championship in 2010 which is the largest event in the world and seen by over 3 billion people. We are just so excited over this.

For more information on CPL Events, visit www.cplevents.pt .

This story is featured in the Spring Summer Issue of WE Magazine for Women 2009.

Note: Linda Pereira is the Travel Editor for WE Magazine and graced the cover of our premier issue. You can read her story here: