For this week’s Tales, we dialed in to the 212 encore une fois to meet another one of the big apple’s young philanthropists by the name of Tatiana Perkin. Ms. Perkin, a Harvard grad, has been living in NYC for the past 12 years and has chaired everything from The Winter Antiques Show at The Park Avenue Armory (benefitting East Side House Settlement), the annual junior fundraiser to benefit The New York Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, and the Samba et Soleil fundraiser to benefit Volunteers for America.

In her spare time, she partnered up eight months ago to launch the eco-friendly, globally-authentic jewelry company called Tribal Societé. Each stunning piece of jewelry (priced at an average of $60) is handmade by female artisans in underdeveloped countries around the world and a portion of the proceeds are donated back to the Global Fund for Women.

Ms. Perkin is yet another inspirational woman and selflessly spends her time enpow(H)ering others, especially women. In an exclusive Vivanista interview, she shares her words of wisdom in the world of volunteer fundraising:

V: What makes a successful event?

TP: In my book, any event where our guests feel comfortable, are having fun, and get to learn about the organization without being overwhelmed is successful. If you achieve all three goals, chances are your guests will return to your next event, but more important, they will ask to start ask about getting involved in the organization in whatever capacity they can.

V: From a fundraising standpoint, who is your role model?

TP: My uncle, who passed away in 1997, was my role model. He was the Director of Leadership Giving for the Harvard College Fund for years and taught me the most important lesson about fundraising:”give what you can give knowing that every bit counts.”As a graduate of Harvard College and the niece of a Harvard College Fund Director, I always felt obligated to give as much as I could to my alma mater. My uncle made me understand that I shouldn’t feel pressured to give, more that I should feel good about giving, even if it was a smaller amount than I had hoped to contribute. I think a lot of times people shy away from giving, because they don’t believe $100 can help. The truth of that matter is that your $100 goes a lot farther than you can imagine so you should be very proud of your contribution.

V: How do you motivate a volunteer committee?

TP: Again, I believe it’s about making them understand that each person’s role is essential to the common goal. Whether you donate your contacts, funds, or time, each contribution is highly valuable. So utilize your strengths. If you have a lot of event space contacts, call them! I myself have always been particularly motivated when an organization shows special appreciation for my groundwork, not just for my financial contribution. For example, if I secure a silent auction donation valued at $100 that raises $600 at our event, I have in effect raised $500 for the organization. That one solicitation makes a huge difference and may even be more than I could donate on my own. As President of the Junior Committee of the New York Society for Prevent of Cruelty to Children, I try to relay this to my volunteers as I feel it is highly motivating when you understand how easy and impactful such seemingly small contributions are.

V: If you could have done something differently in your last event, what would that have been? What would you do the same?

TP: Sometimes your budget forces obstacles that you have to work around. For example, at our last junior event for the New York Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, the one space that could accommodate our large size group and stay within our tight budget had two floors. Never ideal for a party as it decentralizes the action. In this case, it was particularly challenging, because only one floor had workable space for a silent auction and unfortunately, it was upstairs away from the main action. One way to mitigate this challenge was to add a second bar in this silent auction room to attract people upstairs. If our budget allowed, I would have secured a more centralized space, but, given the situation, I think solved it as best we could.

V: What are the qualities that make an event Chair successful? What is one of your best practices?

TP: An Event Chair has to constantly be on alert to find volunteers, financial supporters, sponsors, entertainers, etc. Whenever I meet someone that I think would be a great addition to my cause, I ask for their business card immediately and e-mail them the following day. As for best practices, the most important thing you can do is reach out to these people every now and then to check-in. You never know what they are up to and if there are any opportunities on which you can work together. For all you know your friend at Belvedere Vodka could be looking to sponsor an event for young professionals in your area. Or your former graphic designer could be looking to expand his portfolio by including non-profit work. He may love to design your next invite!

V: When you set out to Chair an event, what goals do you set for yourself?

TP: My goals are always to raise money and make the event something guests want to return to the following year so that they ultimately join our cause.

V: What is the most difficult part of chairing an event?

TP: In this modern age, people seem to RSVP last-minute which is highly frustrating for an Event Chair. I do admit that there is an adrenaline rush when the RSVPs start pouring in, but the waiting period is very difficult. Please don’t do this to your Event Chair and RSVP in advance. It helps build buzz around the event and helps us plan for things, such as food, more efficiently.

V: What was your impetus for becoming involved in philanthropy and volunteer fundraising?

TP: I have always believed that it is important to give back to your community- it’s a tradition in our family. But, as my grandfather and uncle taught me, be prudent and pick the causes that really mean something to you so that you are more motivated to work hard. One time a colleague asked me to get involved in a charity that saves abused dogs. Personally, and I hate to admit it, but my good friends know that I am not an animal-lover. I politely declined as not only would I have lost credibility with my friends if I had accepted, but because I knew there were other causes that mean more to me, such as the New York Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

V: Name one women who empowers you or who has empowered you and tell us why.

TP: I can’t name one women unless we call this one woman “My Best Friends”. Each of my best friends has empowered me by supporting me through the tough times and the good times. It’s really the people who step up to the plate for your when you face life’s challenges that you never forget. They also show their support by coming to my events, which means the world to me.

V: What three words would you use to describe yourself?

TP: Personable. Team-player. Creative.

V: If your house were on fire, what would you grab?

TP: My husband, all our framed pictures, and my small jewelry box.