P.J. Wright sets sights high

Latoya Grindley, Gleaner Wright

"In another 10 years I see myself as one of the main persons controlling the entertainment industry in Jamaica, and establishing a chain of restaurants and clubs." For some this may seem far-fetched but for Peter Jason Wright, more popularly known as P.J., this is a dream that will, in a matter of years, become a reality. To ensure this, he started the necessary groundwork at the age of 19.

Now 26 years old, Wright got baptised into the world of event planning years ago when he hosted his first official session, Good Fridays at the Rib Kage Bar & Grill. This was followed by the staging of Plush, which saw a turnout of between 800 to 900 patrons. This served as a stepping stone for launching forth, right into hosting all-inclusive parties. From these early official parties and other unofficial ones, he developed a love for party promotion and planning.

Sitting at the helm of his company, Wright Image, along with his brother, Gregory, Wright is keen on providing good entertainment to appeal to a diverse market and audience.

At present, Wright Image is synonymous with three independent 'brand' parties- Day Dreams, Sun Dance and the more recent W.

"Day Dreams is now a brand and in many cases it's the brand that gets the best attention," says Wright.

As it relates to the relatively new party series for Wright, both parties originated from different concepts and intentions. "For W it's about transforming different venues to give the look and feel of a club. The first location was Devonshire, Devon House, we moved to Hilton Hotel and then we will be moving on to other locations. The response has been overwhelming, and persons are always looking forward to seeing the next venue."

Gaining popularity

This he says caters to people who are not so keen on handing over thousands of dollars to attend an all-inclusive party, and just prefer to pay an entry fee and spend on the number of drinks they desire. This element is also in keeping with the characteristics of a club.

In trying to appease several groups, the annual Sun Dance party is now gaining popularity among the young socialites. Quite intentionally, Sun Dance is Wright Image's corporate brand, as it targets employees, including young executives employed to these companies. "This one is more like a networking party where we cater to about 500 people, and is held twice per year. We have had it in Portland, St Thomas and we will be going to Irie Beach soon. We always try to get a unique and tropical venue."

Having staged so many popular and successful events, other than the extensive planning that goes into the execution, the event planner says there is one hugely important factor. This he says determines the success of it. "The people that come, make a good party. It doesn't matter what else you have at the party, ultimately it is the people. This is a service industry and we will have hiccups and stumble. We don't have a 100 per cent track record, but we still have many who support us and we try to please them every time."

To get the support of patrons, Wright knows the importance of a properly developed and delivered package. "The most important details when planning a party are location, sponsorship negotiations and supplier negotiations. Also, for us, emphasis is placed on consistent quality and execution."

Gaining respect

Planting a firm foot in the industry over the years, Wright has received the respect of corporate sponsors and loyal supporters. With years of experience, he, along with his brother, have decided to place more importance on the family company. "We just thought that we had established Wright Image in 2004 and it was getting good recognition, and so we thought that we should really put more focus on it as an events planning and marketing company."

He continues, "We will be assisting and consulting with others who are keen on taking up our services." As it relates to hosting parties, Wright says this will never stop. "We will not necessarily put on events for other people; what we will do is to consult in that area. However, we will be putting on other events for ourselves because there are so many markets to tap into. It is not all about parties where people go and get drunk."

Right now Wright spends his days doing research and formatting proposals. "I spend a lot of my time expanding on ideas and format these into words to present to sponsors. There are many areas to pursue as it relates to events, and I just have to come up with the various concepts to market them."

A St George's College and Hillel Academy past student, the very personable young man says he has benefited from his line of work tremendously. He thinks if it were for any other job, he wouldn't have achieved this level of development. "Event management is perhaps the only career that deals with everything: from marketing, to PR, to negotiations, accounting and a lot of other areas. The experience adds up and has given me an all round development rather than say a career in marketing.

With a very time-consuming career, Wright says he enjoys taking trips to the country. "I love going to the country and this is where I end up finding party venues." He also enjoys spending time with his small circle of friends.

Despite, intention of being an architect in his early teenage years, the well driven P.J. Wright is glad he stumbled upon his love, which he is pursuing passionately. By all accounts, Wright is definitely in the right place and frame of mind to make his dream of transforming and leaving an indelible mark on the entertainment industry in Jamaica, a reality.

latoya.grindley@gleanerjm.com

'I spend a lot of my time expanding on ideas and format these into words to present to sponsors.'