When Lorena Smit started working as a freelance event professional more than a decade ago, she didn’t imagine she was building the foundation for Golden Goose Events — today one of Europe’s most respected and people-focused event staffing agencies.
Back then, the events industry — especially in Spain — was vibrant, but still driven by old habits. Agencies cared more about appearance than attitude. Staff were expected to smile and stay quiet, not to think, solve problems or represent a brand. English-speaking professionals were rare, and if someone spoke several languages, it was seen as a luxury, not a basic requirement.
Lorena saw it differently. She believed the industry could be better — more professional, more human and more intelligent.
Spotting the gap
Working across corporate events, sports tournaments and international conferences, she noticed the same issue everywhere: global brands were struggling to communicate with international guests because the staff didn’t speak the language or weren’t trained to interact, only to “look good”. Talented hosts and hostesses were often ignored because they didn’t fit the stereotype.
She imagined another way:
A team that not only looked good — but could think, react, sell, engage and genuinely care.
Building a different kind of agency
That idea became Golden Goose Events. What began as Lorena working on her own turned into an agency with a clear set of values:
- Languages as a tool, not a luxury – so brands could communicate confidently on an international level.
- Proactivity over appearance – staff who solve problems instead of waiting for instructions.
- Equal opportunities – both men and women, chosen for talent, not stereotypes.
Lorena’s mission was clear: hosts and hostesses are not decoration — they are the voice and face of the brand experience.
A different philosophy
At the time, many agencies promoted expensive protocol courses and “how to be the perfect hostess” trainings. As if professionalism could be certified on paper. Lorena never believed in that.
For her, real quality staff are not defined by titles or diplomas, but by values: attitude, responsibility, loyalty, common sense and the ability to care about the job.
“You don’t need a degree to be professional. You need initiative, honesty and the will to do things well — even when no one is looking.”
That’s why Golden Goose never relied solely on CVs. Everyone in the company — even the project managers — started by working on the field. Eight hours on their feet, solving last-minute issues, dealing with clients face to face. Because you can’t lead people in events if you’ve never been where they stand.
Skills can be trained. Integrity cannot.
Growing with purpose
Today, Golden Goose Events partners with leading brands in sports, technology, luxury, automotive and corporate sectors. The agency has grown, the projects are bigger — but the philosophy is the same:
People make brands come alive.
Lorena’s journey from freelancer to founder isn’t just a success story — it’s about bringing dignity to a profession often underestimated, giving space to multilingual talent, and challenging an industry that once valued appearance over substance.
Because in the end, the true golden standard isn’t about how things look — it’s about how they’re done: with integrity, intelligence and genuine impact.
