< Previousyour meeting, can have a significant impact.” But such an adjustment does more than cut costs. It plays into creating smarter meeting design, a much-needed consideration to take care not just of attendees’ meeting related needs but of their total selves. “We’re moving away from having attendees on the go from that 7 a.m. breakfast and then jumping from session to session through the day with just 20 minutes in their hotel room to check email, call home, change clothes and brush their teeth before going to an evening event that runs until 10 o’clock,” McNairy said. Instead, she suggested that meeting organizers arrange shorter bursts of education, like 15-min- ute sessions followed by 45-minute breaks, which would allow attendees to “get some fresh air and do whatever they need to do to be complete human beings. Whether that is checking in with home, doing 10 minutes of yoga or something else, that’s our greatest rec- ommendation in terms of really looking at, and challenging, the status quo.” Getting Ahead of the Problem Sarah Buchbinder, regional direc- tor, meeting broker division, Meet- ings Made Easy, takes some preemp- tive approaches to clients potentially facing high fees. She advises clients to be flexible on dates and destination because, of course, that allows for more possibilities and can enable a group to fill an empty spot on a hotel or city’s calendar and pay much better rates than asking to be, say, in Miami in December. Buchbinder also tries to secure a strong attrition clause, as well as staffing and service guarantees to ensure that increasing hotel costs don’t affect the quality of the ser- vice or product being provided. Additionally, she cautions groups to expect to pay higher prices than they did for their last meeting. “When we start sourcing meetings with a cli- ent, especially if we haven’t worked with them for a while, we’re making sure they know from the get go that food and beverage prices and service charges will be higher, plus hotels are going to be less likely to waive room rentals and resort fees because they’re dealing with inflation.” Planners also can trim the budget by cutting some items that might have been typical in past years, like certain off- site activities, attendee or speaker gifts or even some ser- vices that were planned for VIPs, while still keeping some special treatment plans in place. Budget woes are no big surprise to anyone in the meet- ings industry. Nikki Yep, senior event planner and partner, Event Solutions, said, “I’m not telling you something you don’t know because you’re seeing it first hand in your per- sonal life.” Like most Americans, she has noticed that food costs are up everywhere you turn, from your local market to restaurants and hotels. “But some of the ignorance comes from senior level workers who came to meetings post COVID and they likely are just focused on a need to have a meeting, not on what’s involved in the planning, deadlines for booking with suppliers before prices rise and related concerns,” said Yep. “Shorter lead times can partly be driven by organiza- tional hesitancy to approve and book meetings,” McNairy added. “If there are new stakeholders in the meeting pro- cess, they may not be fully aware of the dynamic nature of top meeting costs such as airfare and room rates, and the potential benefits of booking fur- ther in advance.” Planners reportedly are seeing flat budgets, and those who anticipate an increase are not exactly projecting big surges. According to the AMEX survey, which had over 500 respondents, only 13% of those who said budgets will increase expected them to show more than a 10% gain. In Knowland and ConferenceDi- rect’s annual report, 2024 State of the Meetings Industry, the collaboration reveals insights to help industry profes- sionals understand what meeting plan- ners and event managers expect and will prioritize in 2024. “Planners are optimistic about 2024, with almost half expecting to book more meetings than in 2023,” the report said. “But the pressure is on to deliver high-quality events and game-changing attendee experiences while staying within budget. Rising costs combined with less experienced hotel staff are changing how and where planners book, resulting in smaller events, a move to secondary markets and modified experiences.” That lack of major funding for organizations also poses problems for both corporate and association groups. Compa- nies with fixed budgets are seeing their expenses rise without event budgets to match. That’s a challenge for pharmaceutical meetings with healthcare professionals in attendance because they are under strict limits for what they are allowed to spend on food and beverage, housing and other costs, because of the Sunshine Act, Buchbinder noted. “The menu prices are rising but their meal cap numbers are not.” This is forcing planners to once again get creative, changing agendas to cut a day or reducing off-site activities. When we start sourcing meetings with a client... we’re making sure they know from the get go that food and beverage prices and service charges will be higher. SARAH BUCHBINDER Regional Director, Meeting Broker Division, Meetings Made Easy 40 February 2024 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comSuch condi- tions drive plan- ners to really hunker down with clients on what are must haves, nice to haves and really not necessary. “I always like to ask the client for their budget, not to spend their money, but to understand what I can include to give them the best event possible,” said Yep. “Once we’re planning, food is first and foremost; then you need a venue. Those are the two areas where I put the budget and then I start working backwards. Enter- tainment is last.” Groups can also save money when meeting planners embrace technology, such as attendee management systems and registration tools. “Such additions to a meeting make the planning process more efficient, in terms of securing all of the logistics and better leveraging efficiencies in the planning process,” said McNairy. Adding those tools, theoretically, can free up some of the meeting planners’ time and allow them to take a more consultative approach with the meeting owner and design a more thoughtful meeting agenda that has maximum impact — also known as Return on Investment [ROI] – and help attack the cost. Labor and Pay Battles Beyond budgets, planners are plagued by issues that have arisen because of the labor shortage. Event staffs sometimes include workers who are new to the industry, or the venues simply don’t have enough people, while some third-party planning firms find themselves having to scale back their own teams and do more with less. RED VELVET now has 17 full-time employees, Lo noted, yet that costs the same as it cost to have 27 people in 2019 and 2020, before she had to lay off 10 workers. Now, the firm brings on temporary workers wherever its meet- ings are held, she said. “We have augmented our entire contract staff because that’s the only way I can afford to do all these bigger events and we still need them. I just can’t keep them year-round unfortunately, because we don’t get enough contracts to justify them.” On the plus side of the current landscape is the fact that independent planners are asserting what they want, and need, in the form of higher fees. “We had to raise our fees a small percentage, across the board, due to the economy,” Yep said. “If you’re wanting reliable, quality work, we are priced accordingly. Our jobs are complex and depending on the scope, fees change.” Event Solutions sometimes loses business over fees, Yep said; but to her, that just means the client and the firm were not a good fit. At RED VELVET, which also had to raise rates and does sometimes lose bids solely based on price, customers are not just paying for frills, they’re pay- ing for a professional operation, Lo noted. “We are a team where we’re training all of our people and we have a support system. We have an accounting team, legal people; we have a whole team so it’s not just an independent planner. And, she advised other planners, “When you’re oper- ating with fewer people, you need to make sure you’re hiring the right people, because if you don’t, it can taint everything.” Her firm lost part of a big contract because they just had a person in place who was not the right fit for the business. On a Positive Note In the meantime, Yep remains optimistic about the year ahead. “I see 2024 as the year of the industry coming back, because there was uncertainty in 2023 with the economy but now I think more companies will want to have events. I feel good about the climate of the industry,” Yep declared. “And I have had a lot of clients who postponed in 2023 say we’re going to do something in 2024 instead, mostly because of budget.” AMEX’s survey respondents sounded a similar positive tone. Asked in the AMEX survey about their confidence in the industry, 82% or respondents rated the industry eight or higher out of 10, which is an increase from 77% in 2022 and 71% in 2021. “There’s an optimism that the value of meetings is fully established,” McNairy said. “The ability to accomplish an organization’s objectives through meetings and events is definitely being proven. It’s exciting to see.” C&IT Photo by TheFDOTlife.com Planners are trimming their budgets by cutting some items that might have been typical in past years. TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | February 2024 41T hink about the people in your professional life who truly stand out in the crowd. They may have inspired you to take your career more seriously, to follow your professional dreams more closely, or perhaps they’ve mentored you along the way, helping you become the corpo- rate meeting and event planner you are today. Of course, building a solid independent event plan- ning company is no small feat. Just ask Wendi Freeman, whose passion is to create unique, life-changing experi- ences through live and virtual events that spark engage- ment, inspire change, and enrich lives, communities and organizations. For over 15 years, Freeman has been planning events, conferences, workshops, retreats and masterminds for corporate groups ranging from 12 to over 850+ people, and budgets ranging from $1,000 to over a million. “In the fall of 2019, I founded my company, Be Bright Events, driven by a desire to create events that could truly impact people’s lives. I was motivated by the idea of focus- ing on transformational events,” Freeman said. At that time, she had spent 12 years with a company where she was the fourth employee and had worked her way up the corporate ladder. Over the years, the company had grown to over 700 employees, and while Freeman enjoyed her work and the role she played in the company’s growth, she real- ized that there was limited room for career growth within the organization. “The company had lost its family feel, and although the events were becoming larger with increased budgets, they began to feel repetitive,” Freeman said. She craved the opportunity to create unique and transformative experi- ences that would leave a lasting impact on the attendees, and leave her with a feeling of purpose. Additionally, Freeman yearned for the freedom and flex- ibility that comes with owning your own business. Work- ing over 60 hours a week in her previous corporate role, she recognized that if she was going to put in that level of effort, it should be on something she was passionate about and something that allowed her to chart her own course. “Starting my own business was the natural step to align my passion with my work while enjoying the independence and flexibility that entrepreneurship offers,” Freeman said. Today, Freeman’s focus primarily centers around in- person events and retreats, which include a diverse range of gatherings such as events, conferences, workshops, retreats, and masterminds. One of her specialties lies in orches- trating three-day enrollment events for transformational coaches, as well as curating smaller immersive, experiential destination retreats designed to enrich the experiences, connection and transformation of their clients. “What I enjoy most about being an independent plan- ner is the privilege of working with clients who are making a profound impact on their own clients and communities,” Freeman said. “The variety of clients I get to collaborate with and the diversity of events I plan keeps every day exciting and dynamic. Each event presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities, allowing me to think cre- atively and craft truly exceptional experiences.”. A Lifelong Journey When Cassie LaMere, founder and creative director at Cassie LaMere Events, looks back through childhood photos and videos, she realizes that she was born ready to entertain. Her mom tells her stories about how she was insistent on making holidays and special occasions a big event; she created menus, suggested attire, baked cakes for celebrations and designed her own table décor. Building Their Brand Rise of the Independent Meeting & Event Planner BY MAURA KELLER INDUSTRY INSIGHT 42 February 2024 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com“Growing up in a small town with limited access to arts and culture, I was drawn to anything that allowed me to be creative,” LaMere said. “I found myself seeking out environments where I could study artists, entertainers and destinations around the world, which furthered my enthu- siasm for many of the sources of inspiration that still influ- ence me to this day. Even at a young age, I pursued oppor- tunities to plan and design experiences for others.” After over a decade of overseeing experiential events in- house for various corporate brands, LaMere decided to take the leap to start her own boutique event design and plan- ning agency in 2018. “I consider bootstrapping my company from the ground up and solely funding my own business my great- est achievement to date,” LaMere said. “I’ve drawn on my experience working in the industry for over 15 years to build a company on the foundational pillars that are impor- tant to me and the values that I believe are the keys to a successful, meaningful event experience.” Today, Cassie LaMere Events specializes in designing and producing corporate lifestyle luxury event experiences for Fortune 500 companies and elite brands. The creative briefs LaMere supports range from executive hospitality events connected to a conference, to offsites, pop-up shops, brand activations, influencer trips, VIP client experiences and employee engagement events. “I enjoy being the agency of record for a select number of clients who entrust us to support all of their events. I can’t imagine a greater compliment than being told that we’re the first phone call they make when they decide to host an event,” LaMere said. “To hold such a close rela- tionship with our clients is a privilege that we do not take lightly. Our hosts value that we prioritize discretion and uphold a discerning level of standards that aligns with their worldly lifestyle. To know that we are successfully deliv- ering an experience that exceeds our clients’ and guests’ expectations motivates us to continue to raise the bar.” Venturing Along a New Path For independent corporate meeting planner Kimberly Stanséll, her corporate background in human resources and project management afforded her the opportunity to be involved in planning employee functions and c-suite meetings. “A mentor encouraged me to become a CMP. His wife was the head of physician education and a CMP at a Los Angeles hospital, so he was familiar with the process. His encouragement planted a seed in my thinking that becom- ing a corporate planner might be a career for me, though I did not heed his word immediately,” Stanséll admitted. Several months later, a colleague recommended Stanséll for an opportunity to partner on a conference with a non- profit organization. “It was such a great experience and I loved the work — I knew that being an independent planner was for me,” Photo by Robert Keith Wendi Freeman What I enjoy most about being an independent planner is the privilege of working with clients who are making a profound impact on their own clients and communities. TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | February 2024 43Stanséll said. So she began researching the profession and the industry — attending local MPI meetings; joining on- demand planner networks and cold-calling companies to pitch her services. “My first big opportunity came through a MPI listing for an independent planner to work on a project for a health- care company. From there, my incredible journey began in the meetings and events industry,” Stanséll said. Currently, she provides event strategy consultations and produces meetings, events, trade shows and conferences in the healthcare, pharmaceuticals and medical device sectors. “I love being able to partner with clients on projects that align with my values — joyful and meaningful work that supports my flexible working lifestyle,” Stanséll said. When she meets with potential client-teams, she scrutinizes them to assess whether or not she can see herself partnering with them for the long-term, e.g., two to five years. Throughout the years, Stanséll has become comfortable and skilled at passing on opportunities that are not a fit. “I encourage my mentee-students to be mindful of this strategy as they venture out — the sooner you pass on ‘unfit’ opportunities, the sooner you’ll get connected to the project portfolio you desire.” Recently, Stanséll was a co-producer of a healthcare conference for 12,000 attendees. She was contracted 90 days before the conference date to manage the exhibit trade show and sponsorship relationships. It was an arduous yet exhilarating process. The project pulled on every skill, talent, knowledge nugget and resourcefulness Stanséll possessed. “We had an incredibly talented and dedicated group of professionals who developed a deep bond. When we arrived onsite for the load-in, it was hard to see the vision,” Stanséll said. “However, by the end of day one, it was coming into fruition. It was an impactful conference for its attendees and for us as a planning team, an incredibly meaningful experience.” Embracing Challenges One of the biggest challenges Freeman faces as an event planner is the coordination and timely communication with various stakeholders involved in the event. This includes speakers, sponsors, vendors and venues, among others. Obtaining the required information from these stakehold- ers within the necessary timeframe can be challenging. As Freeman explained, effec- tive event planning demands meticulous organization and per- sistent follow-up to ensure that all essential details are secured in a timely manner. While it’s crucial for all parties involved to adhere to their respective deadlines, if any of them miss their commitments, it often results in a compressed timeline for her. “In addition to the coordina- tion challenges, another significant aspect I face in event planning is working with visionary clients who often have grand and ambi- tious visions for their events,” Freeman said. These visionary aspirations sometimes come with a substantial price tag. While it is Freeman’s responsibility to ensure that she and her team work within a budget, bridging the gap between their ambitious visions and budgetary constraints can be a daunting challenge. “To meet this challenge, I strive to find creative solutions and innovative approaches to bring their visions to life with- out compromising the quality and impact of the event,” Free- man said. “Flexibility, resourcefulness and effective commu- nication are key in addressing this challenge and ensuring that my clients’ visions are realized to the fullest extent possible.” Currently, one of the biggest challenges LaMere faces is helping to educate the client on the role of a planner and when to engage her services. As she explained, clients fre- quently have the mindset that they need to have the entire vision for their event mapped out before they bring LaMere into the conversation. Photo by Summer Maulden Cassie LaMere What I like to remind our clients is that you don’t have to have it all ‘figured out.’ Our job is to take any inspiration or vision that you have and ideating to build upon that direction. 44 February 2024 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com“What I like to remind our clients is that you don’t have to have it all ‘figured out.’ Our job is to take any inspira- tion or vision that you have and ideating to build upon that direction, creating concepts, sourcing vendors and devel- oping a plan to reach a client’s goals,” LaMere said. “The sooner we are looped in, the better to allow our clients to receive the full benefit of our services. This enables us to draw upon our experience to influence and guide the decision making process, solidify project timelines and set everyone involved in the event up for success.” Teamwork In Various Forms Currently, Freeman does not have any full-time staff members on her team. Instead, she has established a net- work of individuals who are fellow entrepreneurs and share the same commitment to excellence in their respective businesses. This network includes Freeman’s core team of event support staff, videographers, photographers and audiovisual providers, who play crucial roles in executing successful events. “Over the years, I have cultivated strong relationships with a network of trusted vendors who excel in their respective fields. These are our go-to partners for various aspects of event planning, most importantly the audio- visual team and on-site support staff,” Freeman said. This level of teamwork is evident in the successful corpo- rate events that Freeman has planned. Among the multitude of events she’s had the privilege to orchestrate is one that holds a special place in her heart. She’s had the opportunity to design and plan it for two consecutive years, with prepara- tions currently underway for the third edition in August 2024. “This event transcends the ordinary; it’s a three-day immersive transformational experience tailored for high- achieving, impact-driven entrepreneurs and leaders. The core focus is on elevating their leadership capabilities, blending elements of leadership development, personal growth, ceremonial rituals and deep emotional connec- tions,” Freeman said. While meticulous planning, curated experiences, the perfect location and attention to detail are vital compo- nents, what truly sets this event apart is the remarkable individuals who attend. As Freeman explained, they arrive with a commitment to fully engage, radiating pure love and positivity throughout the entire experience, making it an exceptional and unforgettable gathering. “Each year, this event serves as my much-needed recharge. Typically, after planning and executing events, I tend to leave with my energy reserves depleted,” Freeman said. “However, this specific event has a unique quality — it has the power to refuel me, reignite my passion and leave me utterly invigorated.” When LaMere engages with a corporate client to plan an event, she hand selects vendors for each project and her roster includes an “A-team’” that she has extensive experi- ence collaborating with, which greatly contributes to the success and outcomes of the event. “We are constantly developing relationships with partners in various markets, as most of our events are destination based,” LaMere said. “The vendors we choose to work with are those who we have the utmost confidence in their ability to understand our vision, deliver on the desired experience, and operate as consummate professionals.” LaMere recently planned a corporate event for a For- tune 500 company in three weeks, which was a massive undertaking given that the event included over 1,000 guests, multiple complex moving parts and numerous high profile guests in attendance. “In these moments, it really gives us the opportunity to show what we’re capable of and how having key relation- ships can make all the difference in successfully executing an event within a tight turnaround,” LaMere said. “Because we knew exactly who to call, we were able to reduce the learning curve and timeline required, which allowed us to move mountains in a short amount of time to deliver upon the desired experience in peak season.” Full Speed Ahead Many professional meeting planners decided to venture off on their own during the tumultuous time of the pan- demic, and this continues to be a growing situation. Freeman firmly believes that independent event plan- ners will continue to grow compared to those who are employed within corporations. “The demand for event planning services remains con- sistently high, driven by the increase and need for transfor- mative and impactful experiences and events. While event planning can be a rewarding profession, it is also known for its challenges and high-stress nature, as evidenced by its frequent inclusion in Forbes’ list of most stressful jobs,” Freeman said. “This high-stress environment, coupled with a turnover and burnout rate within the industry, further amplifies the demand for independent planners who bring fresh perspectives, creativity and dedication to their work.” LaMere also anticipates that professionals who choose to become independent corporate planners will continue to grow, and her hope is that planners value experience and hard work, keeping in mind that there are no shortcuts. Indeed, venturing into independent event planning demands determination, organization and a strong work ethic. Freeman advises that a well-structured business plan and clear goals are essential, and success requires a high level of self-motivation, especially in the early stages. While the journey may be challenging, the rewards are worth it. “Building a reputable name takes time, so focus on consistently delivering exceptional service and exceeding client expectations,” Freeman said. “Networking, market- ing and effective client acquisition strategies are vital to finding success in this field. Adaptability and patience are key when working with diverse clients, and maintaining a client-centric approach ensures lasting relationships.” C&IT TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | February 2024 45DepositPhotos.com INDUSTRY INSIGHT E vent podcasts are designed to give listeners a backstage pass to the world of event planning. In today’s market, a podcast keeps corporate meeting and event planners in tune with their industry. From inter- views with thought leaders and topics ranging from new trends in event design, event technol- ogy and management to setting up your events and so much more, these kinds of podcasts also highlight the world’s most daring events and the people who make them happen. Podcasts are recorded audio files produced and distributed online for free. It’s like an on- demand radio show for a certain demographic, genre or fanbase. For corporate event planners, always on the go, podcasts take a lot less effort to listen to than watching a video or reading a Top Tips for Starting Your Event Podcast BY ALANA CASTILLAS Event Podcasts 46 February 2024 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comnewsfeed. So it’s no wonder that the industry is seeing high-quality, industry-related event podcasts pop- ping up everywhere. “Podcasts have been around for a long time,” said Keith Johnston, managing partner of i3 Events in Chi- cago, IL. “All of the things in podcasting now are those that public radio stations used to play back in the day. Then, you would have someone who would have a little show about planning events on your local public radio station on a Sat- urday morning. Now, podcast- ing allows people to produce niche content that anyone can listen to anytime.” There are many places to listen to podcasts, but the big three are Spotify, Apple and YouTube Music. “There is a great number of industry-related podcasts, and my col- league Bob Toovey and I created a site called Phizzpod, which has become the home of the event industry podcasts. Anyone that we can find that’s active is there,” said John- ston. Toovey is also the founder of Event Planner News and co-host of the Bullet List podcast. Leading the pack of event podcasts is EvenIcons, hosted by Will Curran, an experienced event professional and founder of Endless Events and the creative force behind #EventProfs Community. He is also head of Klik at Bizzabo, an event operating system platform that features smart wearables, deep insights and even apps. On his podcast, he sits down with event industry influencers to discuss topics like event technology innovation, man- agement and AV, just to name a few. “EventIcons got started primarily as an experimentation for a live-streaming conversation platform called Blab that was tied into Twitter,” explained Cur- ran. “This was before the Periscope or Meerkat streams were huge. These streams allowed four people to get on screen and talk to each other quickly.” Curran thought it would be interest- ing to experiment with a live interview- style podcast for the events industry. So, on a whim, he started EventIcons in 2000. Since then, he’s done over 400 episodes. “I wasn’t necessarily setting out to create a long-term podcast, but I realized the livestream recorded conversations could be repurposed as a podcast. So that was how that started.” Today, EventIcons is the longest-running podcast in the events industry. “Fortunately, and unfortunately, we’re sun- setting it just because the interview format is kind of over- done now,” he said. “But out of that, we spun out a podcast called the Event Tech Podcast. My co-host, Brant Krueger, and I became good friends. He was a guest on the show sev- eral times, and we realized that our banter was really good. We could complete each other’s sentences. We noticed that no podcasts were talking just about event technology, so we started that podcast.” As event technology has become increasingly critical for any event planner, Krueger and Curran interview and discuss the essential tools. Guests on their show have included Scott Owens, director of Event Technology at Salesforce, and Alon Alroy, CMO and Co- founder of Bizzabo. “What’s that word when you like pain? Yes, well, I decided to start a third podcast called the Event Brew Podcast,” said Curran with a chuckle. Event Brew talked about the podcasts that were circling around the things that everyone really needed to talk about in the events industry but didn’t. The podcast’s design is “to tell it how it really is” — the kind of unfiltered conversations plan- ners usually have in the lobby bar at an industry conference. One of their first epi- sodes was about why everyone in the indus- try needs to stop talking about the word “busy.” Curran developed two pieces to fit the topic. “One is that whenever people say, ‘Hey, how are you doing? They say, ‘Oh, I’m busy.’ And it’s like, look, being busy is not necessar- ily a good barometer for how you are doing. The other piece we uncovered is that we uniquely love to ask other people how busy they are as a barometer for how well the industry is doing or how well you’re doing compared to the rest of the industry. So people love asking, ‘How are you doing?’ And if someone says, ‘I don’t have a lot of events going on,’ and the other person does, you wonder, is my marketing working? Is my event design or tech not working? What’s going on? But in Courtesy of Will Curran Will Curran has planned many events worldwide and enjoys using the podcast platform to talk about various aspects of the industry. We created this for the events/ marketing community, and our vision is it will help educate and uplift. AMANDA MA Founder, EventUp podcast TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | February 2024 47reality, there are so many different events going on!” And the reaction from the industry? “Oh, they loved it!” Curran said. “Honestly, after that episode, I thought people would either stop wanting to work with my company or be angry that we call people out. To be clear, we don’t call peo- ple out by name, but we call out the typical things we see, which just shows that people crave realism in the world. Sometimes, we are so nice about things, we sugar-coat things, but in reality, there are some big things that every- body’s talking about, but no one will really say it out loud.” This kind of transparency is what attracts Cheyenne Nelson, HMCC MMP, with McVeigh Global Meetings & Events (MGME). MGME is a leading full-service global events agency with over 30 years of expertise in event plan- ning. InteleTravel, an integrated travel distribution group, recently acquired it. “I listen to podcasts all the time,” said Nelson. “While many offer insight into events and trends that might affect us, my focus is on global trends and to hear what’s in the zeitgeist. If you are hearing a topic across multiple podcasts or even across several mediums, you know that it is on everyone’s mind and isn’t isolated for one group.” Event Podcasts “The topics I find interesting are event technology trends and innova- tions, strategies for effective event planning and management,” said Nel- son. “I also like to listen to topics like industry best practices and case studies, as well as sustain- ability initiatives within the event industry and negotiation techniques for vendor contracts and partnerships. And, of course, personal and professional development for event professionals, crisis management and risk mitigation strate- gies for events.” The podcasts on Nelson’s radar include: • GatherGeeks • The Event Planning Podcast • The VIP Collective • The Event Tech Podcast • Event Industry News Podcast • Event Marketing Redefined Amanda Ma, founder of the EventUp podcast, has worked in the events industry for over 20 years as an event planner. Her podcast was “formed out of a desire to help others gain insight into the current happenings within the events and marketing industry.” She continued, “EventUP has blossomed into having guests from multiple industries spanning marketing, PR, and topics that can help propel event and marketing professionals. Another purpose is to highlight other top diverse and women professionals.” Ma’s listeners love to hear how big brands such as the NFL, Fox, Amazon and Zoom run their events. Every episode is packed with tips and advice she knows will benefit the audience. “Thought leadership is always our goal,” she said. The Topics | The Guests With that in mind, how do podcast hosts determine what topics to cover and which planners/personalities to have on their shows? “We look at their experience and what that company is known for,” explained Ma. “Whether it is Zoom with what new event tech is available or how the NFL prioritizes and engages the fans, we always touch upon what we know they do best! Our guest speakers are leaders and top professionals in this field.” Last year, Ma had Erin Edwards from the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation as a guest. “It was a treat to hear how they incorporate the Los Angeles com- munity within every event they produce. They know the Dodg- ers fans make the experience special, so they prioritize it. We’ve had so many fantastic guest speakers on the EventUp podcast.” The topics that event podcasts talk about today differ from a few years ago, added Curran. “The thing that we’re talking about now that we didn’t before is the big data con- versation. This is where I spend a lot of my time now.” Those conversations start with, ‘How do we actually properly gather data at our events, and how do we use that data to plan better events?’ “With Klick, we have the ability to know where attend- ees are at any given moment. So why are we not designing our events around that data, knowing where they’re moving around our venues?” Curran said. Something to Talk About The event podcasts are not like other industries or careers, explained Johnston. “Event people tend to get wrapped up where our job is our life, and our life is our job. Because we’re traveling, we’re moving. There’s all this new education that we need, and podcasts can help with that. Not everybody is a reader. Not everyone wants to go to a web page and read all about Costa Rica, for example, and what it can do for meetings and events,” he said. “Whereas with a podcast you can sit down and listen to someone talk about that country, the hotels that are there, the activities, and you can consume this content all the time.” With a podcast, you can sit down and listen to someone talk about that country, the hotels that are there, the activities, and you can consume this content all the time. KEITH JOHNSTON Managing partner i3 Events 48 February 2024 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comJohnston’s favorite time to listen to podcasts is when he flies. He said the second the door shuts on the airplane, he dials into one of the many podcasts he listens to. “I learn things every single time. And there are podcasts on every subject in the event industry. Tess Bismill and I have the Event Tech Pull Up podcast, which is a podcast that talks about event technology. It’s a great way to gain knowl- edge and learn about software products without sitting through a sales call.” Sustainability and DEI are two hot topics in the indus- try, said Curran. “I’m not the foremost expert at both of those, and everybody’s talking about them, so I don’t tend to spend a lot of time on them. But I think one of the inter- esting things we’re talking about this year is last-minute registrations and struggles around sponsorships.” Creating more white space for attendees is another dialogue Curran finds worth chasing. “I consistently hear that we need to serve up lots of content, but in reality, you can watch a thousand TED talks back to back online. What makes the in-person experience different is our ability to network — to talk to each other, to process the information and build through the conversations of what we learn.” Starting Your Event Podcast So you want to start your own event industry podcast? Curran offered some great tips. “If you’re going to start a podcast today, you must be everywhere, sharing it in all the groups and telling everybody you know that you have a podcast. If you’re doing the interview style, rely on your guests to be the self-promoters and bring in their audience. And then I would say, too, find a way that you can do collaborations with other people who already have audiences.” So, for example, you may try collabo- rating with Bizzabo, a software company with a vast audience, by hosting one of their webinars. It worked for Curran. “The more I put myself out there to host webinars and to do guest speaking engagements, it drew just the audience back to the podcast, and then the podcast drew those on themselves and became this kind of flywheel.” The audience follows the conversations, and they, in turn, feed other dialogues. When Curran was asked if there was anyone in the industry he would like to have on his show, he said, “Amy Kule from Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.” Why, we asked. “It has always been a joke that she was the one person I couldn’t get on the show. We’ve had everybody on EventIcons, but not Amy.” And again, why her? “She planned one of the most iconic events there is in the world. What’s also really inter- esting is the security, coordination and live broadcast chal- lenges. And those are the kinds of things that I like to talk about with guests who I like to have on the show. We could have 1,000 conference people come and talk about confer- ences, but our best learnings came from the people who were doing just wild, different events. The festival people learn from the conference people; the conference people learn from the festival people. And I very much believe in that nonlinear thinking in terms of inspiration.” Ma suggested planners must be clear about the why and who they want to attract. Is it more seasoned planners or those who are just starting in the industry? Like any new venture, there are challenges involved in starting and maintaining a successful events planner podcast. “That depends on your structure, of course,” concluded Ma. “Ours is all self-funded, and we’re looking forward to having sponsors in the future. With that said, we invest our time and resources in building this platform, which we are very proud of.” C&IT The meetings and events industry podcasts have it all covered — f rom episodes featur- ing industry professionals discussing real-life event experiences and cutting-edge innovations, to programs covering the international events industry, highlighting topics like growing and attracting talent, planning events and bleeding-edge marketing strat- egies. Here’s a list of the most pop- ular event-planning podcasts: • EventIcons • IN-PERSON Podcast • Techsytalk Unscripted • Event Tech Podcast • Turn Of Events • The Meeting Planning Madness Podcast • Meetings Podcast • The Savvy Event Planner • Eventful: The Podcast for Meeting Professionals • GatherGeeks • Event Industry News Podcast • The Exposure Podcast • EventLAB • Meeting Minds with Charles Eide • Events Unpaused The Most Popular Event Planning Podcasts TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | February 2024 49Next >