23 Layers' Jessica Boskoff Launches Workshop for NYC Corporate Event Planners
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The corporate event planning industry has long operated on an apprenticeship model, with newcomers learning through trial and error rather than structured education. Jessica Boskoff, founder and CEO of 23 Layers, has decided to change that dynamic. In 2025, she launched The Assembly Workshop, a comprehensive educational initiative specifically designed to share the critical operational insights that typically take years to develop through hands-on experience alone.
Boskoff brings 18 years of hospitality and event production experience to her teaching role. Her career trajectory from Soho House New York’s Events and F&B Manager to founder of an agency that produces high-profile events for major brands like Google, Airbnb, Glossier, and Spotify provides a comprehensive foundation for understanding how the industry actually operates at the highest levels. This client diversity demonstrates the scalability of professional event planning expertise across multiple industries and business sectors.
Addressing the Strategic Knowledge Gap
Professional event planning education has historically focused on logistics and vendor coordination while overlooking the strategic thinking that separates successful agencies from service providers. The Assembly Workshop addresses this gap by focusing on what Boskoff describes as “behind-the-scenes processes” that most professionals never share publicly.
These include client relationship management strategies, creative problem-solving methodologies, and the business development approaches that allow boutique agencies to compete with larger firms. Workshop participants engage with real-world scenarios drawn from 23 Layers’ client projects, learning how experienced corporate event planners in NYC handle challenging situations, budget constraints, and changing client requirements.
Strategic Business Development Focus
One workshop module focuses specifically on the storytelling approach that has distinguished 23 Layers from competitors. Rather than simply executing predetermined event specifications, participants learn how to identify the emotional and business outcomes clients actually want to achieve, then design experiences that deliver those results.
The financial aspects of event planning receive particular attention. Many new professionals understand basic budgeting but struggle with pricing strategies, profit margin calculations, and the financial planning required to sustain a successful business. Workshop participants learn how established corporate event planners in New York firms structure their pricing and manage cash flow challenges.
Industry Impact and Future Development
The educational initiative serves multiple purposes for 23 Layers beyond knowledge sharing. By establishing Boskoff as an industry educator, the workshop reinforces the agency’s position as a thought leader among event companies in NYC rather than simply another service provider.
The workshop also creates networking opportunities and helps address the talent shortage that affects many corporate event planners in NYC. By improving overall professional competency levels, initiatives like The Assembly Workshop help ensure a sufficient number of qualified candidates for industry growth.
For newcomers to event planning, The Assembly Workshop provides alternatives to traditional entry paths that often require extensive unpaid internships or entry-level positions with limited learning opportunities. The success of this educational model could influence how other corporate event planning firms in NYC approach professional development and industry leadership.
Jessica Boskoff’s transition from successful event planning entrepreneur to industry educator demonstrates how established professionals can create value beyond direct service delivery. The Assembly Workshop represents both a business development strategy for 23 Layers and a genuine contribution to industry advancement, showing how successful event planning professionals can build sustainable competitive advantages while strengthening the broader professional community.