Meet Erika Kulovitz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Kulovitz.

Hi Erika, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up I loved the design! I fondly remember spending hours with my grandfather at his drawing desk sketching while he was working on blueprints. We’d spend time in his shop creating and building, too bad some of those power tool skills didn’t stay with me! He taught me the ability to dream, design, and create. He was all about experience, teaching, getting out in nature for inspiration, taking time for details, and being passionate. All the things I’ve held onto with my journey into event design, experience, and leadership.

A fun fact about me is I danced for 23 years, which brought me an appreciation for the arts, stage presence, choreography, theater, drama, and most of all emotion. It continues to guide me, inspire and motivate me to bring this experience to each event.

Over the last 20 years, I’ve had the opportunity to develop my career in events and marketing. It started off with working at an invitation store, developing design and product purchasing. Then to post-college taking steps into conference planning and digital marketing, then onto event design and production. I’ve assisted in scenic set design & creation, creative multimedia concepts, budget and venue negotiations, technical production, tabletop design, and entertainment management.

Throughout the years I’ve produced a wide variety of corporate conferences (intimate to large scale), non-profit galas, and experiential events. Originally from Chicago, but also hold a special place for Los Angeles as I transported myself across the country to spread my wings to produce events throughout the USA and internationally. Hence now, the akire produces 2 offices locations!

Everywhere I go and in every interaction, I have to connect I bring my passion, creativity, design expertise, and knowledge to share with my team and our clients.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Every business has its highs and lows, but it’s in them both that we learn and grow.

Our whole industry was shaken during the pandemic, and with the great pivot came focusing and building up different skill sets. We saw this “low” as an opportunity to re-educate our clients on our ability for video production and streaming. During those months/years, out of that low came exceptional growth of our clients and of our team which continues to grow.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Akire productions were founded in 2013 by Erika (Lohmar) Kulovitz, a Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP). Erika started her career in events in Chicago focusing on event design and production. The knowledge and experience she developed through those years, took her to LA where she was able to spread her wings into large-scale productions, and creative & technology services. Erika has successfully demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and ability essential to perform all components of an event. That all led to a leap of faith to start a company with a mission that emphasizes people’s connection & experiences. Our company culture focuses on meeting everyone where they are, from boundaries and mental health to technology, creativity, accessibility, inclusivity, and beyond.

akire production is a Chicago and Los Angeles-based boutique production company that creates, designs, and produces live, virtual and hybrid event experiences. Our team works on events of all sizes, from large-scale corporate events to non-profit galas, film screenings, multi-day conferences, and everything in between. We work tirelessly to deliver solid results for our clients on every project.

We don’t want to give away our age, but we’ve been in the events industry for a long time. Our team is well-versed in event management best practices, as well as the latest trends in show production, event technology, entertainment, multimedia content, event design, and sponsorship strategy & marketing. With events, you want someone who’s seen it all. We’ve been there, we’ve done that! We’ve worked on events across the country and around the world. We know what works (and what doesn’t). We bring a fresh approach to each and every client, and to each and every event we produce.

We understand the virtual world, working in this space long before Covid hit and it became the buzzword. Whether your audience is at home, at the office, or in person, we know what it takes to produce top-notch meetings, conferences & live events: the constantly-moving targets, the ever-changing schedules, the various learning styles, and the exacting expectations from all constituencies involved. No two events are ever the same yet the consistent themes of flexibility, efficiency, teamwork, and professionalism are always present.

Another fun fact: akire is Erika spelled backward!

That all said we are best known for our design and logistics of the overall event experience. We thrive on that moment guests are inspired, motivated, educated, connected, and gathered. From the first communication to the time they depart the event, and beyond. The lasting impression. The KPI of all events is to change a behavior, leave them wanting more, and create a lasting memory.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Many things in life make me happy, to name a few. Nature for me is the beauty and space to be creative and inspired.

That moment of taking a breath, slowing down, and soaking in the sun. Being out in creation also brings a joyous overwhelmed feeling being caught up by its intricate detail, and the uniqueness of each element, from the colors and sizes of the leaves to the blades of green grass to the stars in the sky. Being given the opportunity to travel so much for business, has allowed me to really see so much of the USA and other countries to capture this beauty. I love soaking in the culture, food, and natural elements of each city.

Additionally, I love the art of dance, the movement, the music, and the emotion of the performance. As I mentioned I grew up dancing so it has a special place in my heart.

Contact Info:

• Website: akireproductions.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akire_productions/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/akireproductions
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/akire-productions/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/akireproduction
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@akireproductions