Event Manager Podcast

In this episode we talk with Alon Alroy, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Bizzabo. The main topic of our conversation is the recently launched book, Event Success - Maximizing the Business Impact of In-person, Virtual, and Hybrid Experiences written by Alon along with fellow Bizzabo co-founders Eran Ben-Shushan and Boaz Katz. We discuss a wide range of related topics including: How the best consumer experiences today are hybrid How more than ever before, planners are understanding that value of data  Why a great event is an impactful event Why a hybrid event strategy is necessary in the current climate of uncertainty What a successful event of the future looks like, which involves creating completely unique experiences for every single participant

The latest episode of the Event Manager Podcast focuses on incentive travel and motivational events and features Padraic Gilligan, managing partner at SoolNua and chief marketing officer of SITE Global. Here are a few of the topics we cover: How incentive travel is unique in the way it starts in business environment but actualizes in tourism industry How rewarding and recognizing people crucial to the success of a company How incentive travel has evolved to include motivational events Why it’s important to connect incentive objectives with destinations and to connect incentive participants with people at the destination  Why a lack of human resources and climate justice are the big challenges ahead for the event industry

Episode #41 of the Event Manager Podcast features Alicia Schiro, CEO and founder of Aced It Events. The conversation focuses on how independent planners can deal with the challenges and opportunities they are facing. Providing a better alternative is the secret to managing client expectations Why giving attendees choice is so important Why interaction is crucial in hybrid events What opportunities exist for event professionals in the metaverse Why the event industry needs to be more united in order to be recognized

In this episode of the Event Manager Podcast, we talk with Cathy Breden, executive vice president, and chief operating officer at the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), and CEO of the Center for Exhibition Industry Research Foundation (CEIR). We discuss the recent findings from CEIR’s research and cover some eye-opening topics including: Real-world statistics on the return to in-person events The growing trend of companies embracing digital channels in their go-to-market strategies The continued demand for in-person exhibition opportunities A research-backed forecast for when the exhibition industry will return to 2019 levels

Episode #39 of the Event Manager Podcast features Patrick Delaney, Managing Partner at SoolNua in a conversation about the transformative power of travel.  Here are a few of the topics we cover: Why destination marketing requires an alternative view How destinations have two masters, the visitors and the local community Why event professionals should get involved in industry associations and how that can really benefit them How event professionals are fortunate to be able to contribute to societal issues, sustainability issues and inclusivity issues Why the event industry should aim to be more reflective rather than reactive

Episode #38 of the Event Manager Podcast features Stephanie Cheung, Director of Strategy & Insights at MarketID. The conversation focuses on the exciting world of destination marketing. Here are a few of the topics we cover: How cultural exchange can make events truly enriching experiences How destinations can help events drive change The importance of managing expectations for any destination Recipe for destinations to make use of technology in their marketing strategy Why a long-term investment strategy in the metaverse, web 3.0 and NFTs may be important for destinations

This episode features Georgia Suttie, Venue Find Operations Manager at Agiito, and Sophie Conlon, Events and Communications Manager at the University of Essex, both mentees of the Fast Forward 15 program. The conversation focuses on how mentoring can empower and inspire women in the event industry. We discuss:  Unusual career paths in the event industry How mentoring inspires and supports event professionals The value of a structured mentoring program How shared mentoring experiences bring people together What can we expect from the current supply chain crunch, the brain drain challenge and dealing with more and more last-minute requests

This episode features Sabrina Meyers, founder of the Sabrina Meyers Consultancy in a conversation around online visibility.  We discuss:  Why documenting your experience should be the basis of your own content The challenges of taking on multiple overlapping roles in events Why there may still be challenges ahead for the return of in-person events  The rising expectation for in-person events to be transposed online for both live streaming and on-demand content The new challenges of getting attendees to commit to virtual events

This episode features Heidi Legein, founder of The MICE Guru, in a discussion around digital strategy for events. We discuss:  The importance of consciously creating a digital strategy for both events and businesses in the event industry Why event tech vendors should work collaboratively with digital event experts to help clients create outstanding digital events Overcoming the challenges of creating engaging digital events How digital events can absolutely benefit venues and destinations, provided there is a well-defined digital strategy What events can and should be hybrid in format

Tim Arnold is the President of Leaders for Leaders and the author of two books, the newly released, “Lead with And - The Secret to Resilience and Results in a Polarized World” and “The Power of Healthy Tension” In this episode, Tim Arnold covers the concept and the ins and outs of what he calls Both/And Thinking. We cover a lot of ground including: The key differences between a both/and approach and an either/or approach Why an either/or approach is not useful when we are looking for connection and cooperation Why it is possible to have both innovation and having something familiar and safe Why taking time to listen to others with different perspectives can be the best way to make decisions Why dealing with healthy tensions is positive How taking time for tone setting and naming the core issues can really improve outcomes How connection is a hugely beneficial feature of events Beyond the spectacular events can really be impactful when they change the way we think, or when we create new connections

In this episode we talk with Marco Giberti, Founder and CEO of Vesuvio Ventures, about entrepreneurship and investing in event tech. Among other topics we cover:  The fantastic mission of the event industry: connecting people Why the event industry should work better and closer with tech Why having lots of event problems to solve is great news for event tech entrepreneurs Success stories of always-on events Which verticals of event tech are most exciting right now Why having digital offices and digital venues really is the future

In this episode, Samme Allen, founder of conferenceemcees.com, discusses why building a community is the key to growing a sustainable business and more including: Why difficult journeys make us more resilient and lead to better products and services Why sustainability needs to be a major consideration for all event professionals Why building a community and not an agency is the key to success The key differences between a TV host and a conference emcee How many of the big challenges the event industry is facing come down to siloing Dealing with the permanent changes to business travel and events

This episode of the Event Manager Podcast features association leader Kai Troll. Join us as we discuss how we can learn to have a positive mindset and much, much more. We cover topics such as: Job titles and accolades are not as important as what you are creating The importance of choosing our environments, which include the people, and the activities around us How a good leader must be authentic to lead effectively How many investors are really looking to invest in people, more than products or services How the absence of long term planning adds stress and takes away the feeling that people can achieve their objectives

Joe Atkinson, Co-founder of Lineup Ninja   In this episode EventMB's editor-in-chief, Miguel Neves, and guest, Joe Atkinson, discuss stress, technology, conference planning and much more including: How bad event experiences can lead to important insights How Joe’s unique IT and events background led him to create an event tech tool Why the time-based nature of events makes the event industry different to others, for good and bad Compounding challenges around stretched workforces asked to do more Why event tech vendors dream of creating SaaS products and why that doesn’t work for the event industry

Carina Bauer, CEO at IMEX Group, talks with EventMB Editor-in-chief Miguel Neves about the need for flexibility and collaboration in the events industry. They cover topics such as: How flexibility and cooperation with all clients and partners is key to delivering events in times of uncertainty Why creative approaches to online events in 2020 have shifted to more practical content-driven approaches in 2021 How IMEX plans to continue to experiment with ways to bring the trade show to life online How IMEX is internationally not called a hybrid show and is not trying to offer business appointments online What drove the resilient IMEX team is be closer to clients and partners than ever before Why IMEX has invested in IT, innovation and marketing and design What a hybrid workforce means for the event industry Why more sustainable events are possible should be the goal of all event organizers

Shane Lewis, Business Development Manager at VenuIQ and Elliot Jakobsen, Global Marketing Manager at Canapii   In this episode, EventMB's editor-in-chief, Miguel Neves, and guests Shane Lewis and Elliot Jakobsen discuss not only their experiences with imposter syndrome but also cover lots of ground about the future of events and how event technology will continue to be part of all events going forward, and more including: How there may have never been a more exciting time to work in event tech How social side of the event industry is a major motivating factor for event professionals Shane and Jakob’s specific experiences with imposter syndrome The possible reasons why so many event professionals suffer from imposter syndrome How the added pressure of pivoting to virtual impacted event professionals The best ways of working with content, now and in the future Predict how event tech vendors may shift their focus post-pandemic

Anh Nguyen, Head of Community Engagement at twine   In this episode, EventMB's editor-in-chief, Miguel Neves, and guest, Ahn Nguyen, discuss the humanizing of event tech and other topics including: Why the high we get from in-person events is hard to replicate in virtual events How listening to planners is crucial to developing great event technology The tangible value of raw and human social media  How the saturation of events is causing reduced attendance and rushed production The audience exhaustion and how the novelty value of virtual events is long gone Why asynchronous communication technology will play an important part in the future of events 

Dahlia El Gazzar, Tech Evangelist + Idea Igniteur at DAHLIA+Agency, and Gemma Edwards, Co-founder of Canapii   In this episode EventMB's editor-in-chief, Miguel Neves, deputy editor, Angela Tupper, and guests discuss hybrid engagement strategies, and topics including: Covid fatigue - best advice to planners What do you say to those who say it's time to drop virtual and go back to in-person-only events? Event data  - Why do we need to really understand data to make it actionable? How do we prepare for working with data in 2022 and beyond? Event promotion - Speakers and sponsors as brand ambassadors key to event promotion? Making the best use of event content during and after events

The latest episode features Tracy Halliwell, Director of Tourism & Convention Bureau for London & Partners, in conversation with EventMB deputy editor, Angela Tupper.   In this episode titled, “Why London’s Event Industry Is Booming Again,” Tracy Halliwell discusses how London’s meeting and event sector is growing exponentially, and how this rebound relates to larger industry trends. Topics include: Whether revenge attendance is already happening How London's sustainability initiatives are changing the game When global business travel will return to pre-pandemic levels How to pick hybrid-event-friendly destinations The value of government programs like subvention and event insurance

Kathryn Frankson is the Director of Event Marketing of Informa Connect   In this episode titled "How Data and Strategic Marketing Drive Better Event ROI", Kathryn Frankson shares her expertise on mining event data for insights and designing marketing strategies for today’s hybrid world. Topics include how to build on what’s working well, how to target specific audiences, and how to make your virtual and in-person experiences work together for the highest possible event ROI.

Leanne Calderwood, Personal Branding and LinkedIn Trainer   In this episode EventMB's editor-in-chief, Miguel Neves, and guest Leanne Calderwood discuss:  How our personal brands become part of what our clients experience Why you should always tie your personal branding efforts to professionals goals Why investing in one main platform for personal branding is the way to go Why LinkedIn is the ideal place advocate and share our thought leadership What are the content styles that work best right now on LinkedIn Why the industry needs innovation and why simple returning to normal is not the best possible outcome of the pandemic

This episode features Josh Hotsenpiller, CEO of JUNO in conversation with EventMB editor-in-chief Miguel Neves. They cover a number of topics around community and technology including: How do you make technology a catalyst of community and not a deterrent to community The important difference between functional and utility-based software Why tracking what people do rather than what people declare is a game-changer How organizations are ultimately looking for value and that value may not necessarily come from events as we know them How we need to adapt to the reality of the hybrid attendee

In this episode EventMB's editor-in-chief, Miguel Neves, and guest Martin Sirk, Owner of Sirk Serendipity, discuss: The flight to quality across the event industry The real purpose of meetings Events are more about rituals than content because they give us a sense of shared purpose How remote workforces means more regional-wide meetings to build culture and promote understanding How smart destinations use resources (people/companies) for the benefit of events which ultimately benefits the destination Future predictions include: failed meetings, merged meetings and whole companies departments attending meetings as a retreat The meetings of 20 people today are the events of 1,000 in the future

Ori Lahav, Vice President Client & Operations at Kenes Group and President of IAPCO   In this episode EventMB's editor-in-chief, Miguel Neves, and guest, Ori Lahav, discuss: Why conferences need to think and act as brands Explore the reasons behind developing your own virtual events solution Some of the surprising challenges of virtual events The advantages and disadvantages of different hybrid event models How event professionals need to also be experts in on-demand content Why harmonizing travel policies is needed to restart international in-person events

Ho Yin Cheung, Founder and CEO of Remo   In this episode EventMB's editor-in-chief, Miguel Neves, and guest Ho Yin Cheung discuss: Content is no longer king, interaction is king and content is now queen How events add purpose to human gatherings Ho Yin's mission to create meaningful connections The challenges of marketing a virtual office product Why Ho Yin sees the SaaS Model and partnering with agencies as the way forward How Ho Yin is looking to offer carbon credits as a way to carbon offset the in-person side of hybrid events. 

Ade Allenby, Global Head of Digital and Data Innovation, Reed Exhibitions   In this episode EventMB's editor-in-chief, Miguel Neves, and guest, Ade Allenby, discuss: How there is a big people component to leveraging new technologies Why speed is crucial to innovation Why we need to understand attendee needs at different key points of the attendee journey Why only some events may be suitable to become year-long communities Why in-person event attendees should recognize and appreciate the advantages of getting away from day-to-day work

Entrepreneur and Investor Dan Berger   In this episode EventMB's editor-in-chief, Miguel Neves, and deputy editor, Dylan Monorchio discuss: Love for bringing people together and it brings him joy How the word community is thrown around a lot and the concept deserves to be better understood How Dan defines community as something that gives people a sense of belonging How communities needs more than one qualifier to get people to really connect How focusing on community management may really powerful for event planners despite  The challenge of creating a sense of exclusivity while respecting diversity, equity and inclusion Dan believes that event planning is in everybody’s job description but it’s not in every person’s job title Community organizing skills are the differentiator between good and great event professionals. How event organizers should define what community means for them and their event and also name the community

Shawn Kanungo is a Disruptive Innovation Keynote Speaker with Speakers’ Spotlight and General Partner at Queen & Rook.   In this episode EventMB's editor-in-chief, Miguel Neves, and guest Shawn Kanungo discuss disruptive innovation, among other things including: Hybrid events and how they are still so new and how we are developing different ways of using them Shawn’s amazing studio production and the team he works with to make his videos and virtual events look as good as they can The importance of looking good in virtual or any events and how that helps to carry the message The next season of events and how they are going to be hybrid, in-person, and a mix of different events NFTs and how we can apply NFTs to events

Elliott Ferguson is the President & CEO of Destination DC   In this episode EventMB's editor-in-chief, Miguel Neves, and guest Elliot Ferguson discuss diversity in the event industry, among other things including:  The evolving role of Destination Marketing Organisations How planners are now assessing destinations in terms of sustainability as well as diversity and inclusion The state of DEI (Diversity Equity and Inlusion) in the event industry How we can help make the event industry more diverse and inclusive? What are the best ways to inspire young event professionals to be part of this industry?

Brandt Krueger is the Technical Producer of Event Technology Consulting   In this episode EventMB's editor-in-chief, Miguel Neves, and guest Brandt Krueger discuss: How technology has made it easier to deliver hybrid events Is it ever a good idea to have onsite attendees network with the online attendees? The concept for equivalent value, where we look for ways to deliver value for online audiences but not replicating exactly what onsite audiences have The data "gold" of online event experiences and also why data flows between platforms can be challenging The amazing value that custom-designed sponsorships for online events can deliver Why going from free to paid events is going to be very hard Why is there a need for an event technologist on each event’s design team and the simple business case for the role Why it's so hard to recommend specific event platforms Why Brandt would rather see old technology used well than new technology used badly