Event Experience brings the best and brightest Event Experience Leaders together to share stories, tips, and lessons learned from creating some of the world's biggest events. Featuring conversations about event marketing, event management, audience engagement, and how to measure event success.
Breaking Down Event Trends, Budgets, and Engagement with 6sense
In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore welcomes Bethany Murphy, the Head of Events at 6sense, to discuss her extensive experience in event planning and marketing. They explore current trends in the event industry, including the integration of AI, the importance of non-alcoholic beverage options, and how to infuse fun into brand experiences. Bethany shares insights on how to manage event budgets effectively, emphasizing the importance of real-time updates, contingency p
Leveraging Event Tech to Enhance the Attendee Experience with BW Events Tech
In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore welcomes Brandon Wernli, CEO of BW Events Tech, to discuss the evolving landscape of event technology. They explore the importance of understanding client needs, selecting the right tools, and the practical application of technology in real-world events. Brandon shares insights on tech adoption in events, highlighting a real-world example involving augmented reality and AI to enhance attendee experience. He emphasizes the
Predicting the trends with experts from 6sense, Sparks, and BW Events Tech
In this episode of the Event Experience podcast, industry experts discuss the trends that will shape events in 2025, focusing on experiential learning, immersive events, and networking opportunities. The panelists, including Bethany Murphy, Erica Spoor, and Brandon Wernli, share insights on how these trends can be integrated into event planning, emphasizing the importance of understanding audience preferences and leveraging technology to enhance attendee experiences. The conversation also explor
Elevating Attendee Experiences Through Event Tech – A Conversation with Forbes
In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore welcomes Sydney Melin, Executive Director of Audience and Community Marketing at Forbes, to discuss the role of event technology in enhancing attendee experiences. Sydney shares insights on how Forbes uses event tech to streamline processes and improve engagement, highlighting the importance of integrating technology to provide a seamless experience for attendees. Sydney Melin emphasizes the significance of using event technology
Embracing Non-Alcoholic Options and Wellness at Events with Elevate Travel Company
In this episode of Event Experience by Bizabo, host Rachel Moore interviews Sarah Reuter, CEO of Elevate Travel Company, about her experiences and insights in the event industry. Sarah discusses the shift towards providing non-alcoholic options at events and the importance of mindfulness in both professional and personal lives. Sarah shares her personal journey with alcohol and addiction, emphasizing the need for inclusivity and healthier lifestyle choices at events. The conversation highlights
Community-Led Events, Diverse Audiences, and Innovative Activations with IMEX
In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore interviews Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group, about the recent IMEX America event. Carina discusses the unique aspects of the event, including the introduction of a Brand Experience Summit aimed at bridging the gap between marketers and the events industry and the importance of community-led events that enhance the overall experience for attendees. Carina emphasizes the significance of building a network within the events industry a
Beyond the Budget with Ashley Casal
In this conversation, Rachel Moore and Ashley Casal delve into the intricacies of event planning, focusing on budgeting and financial forecasting. Ashley shares her expertise in managing event logistics, emphasizing the importance of understanding costs, setting realistic budgets, and communicating effectively with stakeholders. The discussion also covers the significance of vendor relationships, the necessity of organization in budgeting, and practical advice for new event planners. Throughout
Big Ideas on Tight Budgets with Zendesk, Catalyst, and Intuit Canada
In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore discusses tips for effective budgeting in 2025 with Noelle Feist, Senior of Global Strategic Events at Zendesk, Ashley Casal, Director of In-Person Events at Catalyst, and Rachel Burden, Head of Events and Sponsorships at Intuit Canada. They highlight the importance of contingency planning, how creative thinking is the key to creating exceptional experiences on a tight budget, and how to manage-up when budgets are stretched thin.
Cracking the Case of Generational Trends in Events with Sarah Gannon
In this episode of the Event Experience podcast by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore welcomes Sarah Gannon, director of corporate events at MathWorks, to discuss key trends and priorities for the year 2025. They cover the importance of strategic measurement, addressing generational considerations in event planning, and incorporating wellness into events. Sarah shares her journey in the events industry and offers valuable insights on how to create impactful and memorable event experiences while also emp
Hosting 1,000 Dinners to Build Community with Sam Jacobs and Alon Alroy
In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, Rachel Moore moderates a discussion between Alon Alroy, co-founder and CMO of Bizzabo, and Sam Jacobs, CEO of Pavilion, focused on the intersection of events and community building for business growth. They highlight the importance of structure in event planning, the rise of smaller regional events, and the long-term benefits of community over immediate demand generation. Key points include how networking can be enhanced through structured events,
Knowledge Sharing is the New Networking with Christine Renaud
In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore interviews Christine Renaud, CEO and founder of Braindate. They discuss how Braindate fosters meaningful exchanges at events by moving beyond transactional interactions and into true knowledge sharing and the exchange of experience. In 2008, Christine embarked on a ground-breaking mission: to transform gatherings into knowledge-sharing feasts. Fifteen years and over 1 million participants from 100 countries later, her technology
Grand opening glory: Anh Nguyen amazes with the launch of BMO Centre in Calgary
In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore talks to Anh Nguyen, principal and co-founder of Spark Event Collective, about her team’s success with the grand opening of the BMO Centre in Calgary, Alberta. Anh shares her insights on managing large-scale events and emphasizing the importance of guiding guests through the experience, which included using over 300 entertainers to create flash mob transitions. She discusses the goals of the event, targeting current and prospecti
Amplifying event energy with Michael Barclay II
In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, Rachel interviews Michael Barclay II, executive vice president of experiential at Essence Ventures, about his career and the critical role of experiential marketing in consumer engagement. Michael shares personal insights, such as event day essentials, his reading interests in Afro futurism, and industry trends like 'funflation.' Michael Barclay II is a top-tier experiential executive globally, known for driving success across companies, brands, an
Getting unstuck from outdated event tech stacks with Liz King Caruso, Angie Ahrens, and Clark Hager
In this episode of the Event Experience podcast by Bizzabo, you'll get a taste of the full discussion from our webinar featuring leading event tech experts: Liz King Caruso, CEO of techsytalk; Angie Ahrens, director of global events at MRI Real Estate Software; and Clark Hager, senior director of sales engineering with Bizzabo. Learn about the inefficiencies of outdated event tech and the benefits of consolidating to modern platforms (like Bizzabo OS), and explore the on-demand event to gain i
Crafting your career in the events industry with Mike Frost
This episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, hosted by Rachel Moore, features a conversation with Mike Frost, founder of Expocast. Together, they discuss the challenges and opportunities in the recruitment sector of the events industry, particularly post-pandemic, focus on the importance of networking and strategies for job seekers, and reveal the current state of recruitment. Mike also covers the complexity of networking as an event professional and tips for making CVs and interviews more effec
Boosting event visibility through peer-to-peer marketing with Rachel Stephan
In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore interviews Rachel Stephan, Snöballer-in-Chief at Snöball Event Marketing about referral marketing, the importance of peer-to-peer sharing, and the metrics that matter in event marketing. Stephan also shares her personal journey as an immigrant and her adoption of various channels for sharing event content. Rachel Stephan has been on her career journey since 2001, when she started in advertising and moved into the heart of event m
Making Meltwater Summit Magical for Marketers with Jessica Connolly
In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore interviews Jessica Connolly, Director of Global Events for Meltwater. They discuss Jessica's role in inheriting and enhancing Meltwater Summit, her emphasis on attendee engagement and satisfaction, and her strategies for creating memorable event experiences. With over 20 years of experience in event execution and production, Jessica Connolly is the Director of Global Events for Meltwater. Her career spans the environmental, real
Game On to Event ROI with Jeff Campbell, MK Granados, and Will Curran
In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore explores the significant impact of gamification on event ROI with a panel of experts:Incentli CEO and Founder, Jeff Campbell, Director of Revenue Optimization at Informa Markets, MK Granados; and Head of Klik at Bizzabo, Will Curran. The discussion covers the practical implementation of gamification strategies to engage diverse audiences, avoid common pitfalls, and leverage AI and post-event data. The experts delve into the enhan
Making Summit a Family Reunion Event with Brian Mason
In this episode of the Event Experience podcast by Bizzabo, Brian Mason, Vice President of Strategy and Operations for CEMA, shares insights about Summit, including the use of innovative technology and strategies for immersive engagement. He discusses the importance of staying true to the audience's needs, the goals of Summit, and ongoing educational opportunities provided by CEMA throughout the year. Brian Mason is an accomplished global event professional with 20+ years of experience and expe
Building Resilience Conference with Leslie Hitchcock-Stone
In this episode of Event Experience, meet the co-founder of the new Resilience Conference, Leslie Hitchcock-Stone. As a former Director of Global Events at TechCrunch, Leslie shares her passion for hackathons, and the creation of a mission-driven event focused on defense, security, and societal resilience. Leslie has designed and produced technology conferences of up to 5,000 participants in San Francisco, London, Berlin, Zug, Stockholm, Tel Aviv, Lagos, and Nairobi. She is now involved in prod
Unveiling event A/V success strategies with Cameron Magee
In this episode, you’ll learn how technical production effectively merges with event planning through constructive communication and a spirit of service. Cameron Magee shares the critical role of saying “no” as technical production teams strive to serve event planners. His journey from a young volunteer at his church to owning a national event production company informs his experience with common pitfalls in event production, the necessity of early and deep engagement with A/V teams, and the un
Mastering event design strategy and technology with Smyle and Bizzabo Studios
In this episode, host Rachel Moore and experts from Smyle and Bizzabo explore the fundamentals of strategic event design. The panel features professionals from Smyle — James Howitt, Director of Client Experience & Development; Sophie Hulf, Senior Creative Strategist; Nick Thomas, Technical Director; and Jacob Palmer, Producer — and from Bizzabo — Kacie Finance, Vice President of Sales. Together, the panel discusses key pain points and priorities like defining event briefs, integrating technolog
Telling a story through experiences with Geoff Thatcher
In this episode, you’ll learn the importance of combining entertainment, education, and branding for successful events, the psychology of team roles, and Geoff's advice for taking career risks to advance in the event planning industry. Geoff Thatcher is a creative leader who has crafted world-class experiences such as the grand opening of Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and the new College Football Hall of Fame GAME ON! AI Experience. Whether it’s a video dome in Dubai or working with the Mercedes
Driving revenue and impact through event content with Nazya Ayaz
In this episode, you’ll learn about content’s dual role in events: driving revenue and creating impact. Nazya Ayaz discusses the significance of understanding event goals and understanding cultural nuances as event professionals craft winning content. This episode is packed with actionable tips and expert guidance for event professionals looking to elevate their content strategy. Nazya Ayaz leads the content strategy and development for all Catalyst’s events and helps create world class experie
Getting rave reviews of your event with Ankush Gupta of Eventible
In this episode, you’ll learn about the realities of our review-based economy, easy ways eventprofs can establish social proof, and how to embrace both positive and negative reviews. As the visionary founder of Eventible.com, Ankush Gupta is spearheading a paradigm shift in professional event discovery and evaluation. With over two decades of leadership experience, Ankush is leveraging cutting-edge technology and user-generated insights to make Eventible the Glassdoor of business conferences. H
Unleashing Event Creativity and ROI with Kelly Markus
In this episode, you’ll learn about balancing creative and logistical aspects of events, ensuring a high return on investment, and integrating experiential marketing with traditional marketing methods. Kelly Markus is the CVO at Hunters Point. Here’s what you’ll hear about in this conversation: Experiential vs. traditional marketing ideas Examples of social media and public relations campaigns Advice to measure ROI during and beyond event delivery Mentioned in this episode Kelly Markus
Speaking of success for event ROI with Cliff Kennedy
In this episode, we’ll examine the speaker lineup for today’s events and how adequate preparation can lead to astronomical payoffs. Cliff Kennedy is the Communication Success Coach at Kennedy Speech Communications. Cliff shares his expertise about how speakers should inspire audiences, the priority we should place on speaker preparation and rehearsal, and how non-native English speakers and technical experts can be more included and successful in event content. Here’s what you’ll hear about in t
Demanding attention through compelling events with Kelly Carlsted of Dremio
In this episode, we’ll zero in on the role of events within integrated marketing with Kelly Carlsted to understand the critical aspects of managing event revenue and demand generation. Kelly Carlsted is the Senior Manager of Global Field Marketing and Events for Dremio. Kelly shares her journey and insights on why revenue-oriented thinking is essential for event planners. From blending awareness campaigns with field marketing initiatives to striking a balance between virtual and in-person events
Improving exhibitor experiences at trade shows with Adam Jones
In this episode, we’ll walk a mile in exhibitors’ shoes with Adam Jones to reduce frustration and maximize value at your events. In our own version of Undercover Boss, we examine the realities of the exhibitor experience at today’s trade shows with Adam Jones. From applications consisting of hundreds of pages to a mashup of different vendors for booth activations, the trade show journey may leave much to be desired, which means we have all the opportunity to make it better in the future. Adam
Then and Now: The state of 2024 event industry trends
In this episode, you’ll take a journey back in time to late 2023 when event industry experts delivered predictions for the new year, and then fast forward to the present as host Rachel Moore and a panel of experts discuss the current state of event industry trends. Learn about the latest impacts of conscious conferencing, micro-events, AI, and event tech consolidation on successful attendee experiences. One by one, this episode tackles tactics and trends you can incorporate into your event plan
Get Ready for Season 5 of the Event Experience Podcast!
Are you ready for Season 5 of the Event Experience podcast? Named one of the top event industry podcasts by multiple outlets and celebrated in the inaugural Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Event Technology Platforms, this podcast is one you can't miss. Dive into the collective wisdom of top event planners and prepare for an all-new season on July 1. 🌟 Season 5 brings unprecedented access to the strategies that power the world’s most dynamic events. Packed with insights from industry leaders, this
Celebrating 100 episodes of Event Experience with Alon Alroy
This milestone 100th episode of the Event Experience podcast features a conversation between Host Rachel Moore and Bizzabo CMO and Cofounder Alon Alroy. This episode delves into the challenges and transformations in the event industry, particularly in light of recent technology advancements and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alroy shares his insights on driving innovation at Bizzabo, the importance of taking a customer-centric approach, how Bizzabo has navigated changes to maintain its
Rising above the bounce: Advanced email strategies for event professionals
In this fresh episode of Event Experience, host Rachel Moore is joined by email marketing experts to discuss how to overcome common email marketing challenges faced by event professionals. Tune in to hear about effective strategies for improving email open rates, crafting compelling content, and using advanced segmentation and automation to enhance attendee engagement from the following experts: ➡️ Kendra Ellis, former director of client services at SmartBug Media and current Sr. Director of Gr
Transforming conferences through AI and event tech with 6sense’s Angela Sadighian
Grab a coffee or hit the open road to listen to Senior ABX Manager of Corporate Events at 6sense Angela Sadighian share her extensive experience and strategic approach to corporate event planning. Sadighian discusses her journey from organizing weddings to orchestrating large-scale corporate events, emphasizing the importance of integrating AI technology to enhance attendee engagement and optimize event outcomes. With a focus on 6sense's annual user conference, Breakthrough, Sadighian outlines
Mastering the art of experiential marketing in event production with Brad Jackson
In this episode, host Rachel Moore dives into the vital role of networking within the event industry with Brad Jackson, the visionary behind Live Out of Office. Brad shares his journey from working with giants like Live Nation to founding an experiential marketing hub, emphasizing the transformative shift toward collaborative platforms that support freelancers, agencies, and brands. Through discussions on career transitions, the value of a robust network, and leveraging technology for efficiency
Go behind the scenes of White House events with Deesha Dyer
In this engaging episode of Event Experience, host Rachel Moore sits down with Deesha Dyer, the former White House Social Secretary and current president Hook & Fasten Consulting, to delve into the intricacies of planning high-profile events at the White House. Dyer shares her journey from being an event geek to orchestrating one of the most notable events of the Obama administration: the visit of Pope Francis. The conversation provides a rare glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of managin
Harnessing the power of content, AI, and data for event success with Natasha Wood
In this episode, you’ll hear from Natasha Wood, the Head of Strategy for FT Live, the events division of the Financial Times. Wood shares her extensive experience in the events industry, focusing on strategically using event content to enhance attendee experiences and achieve organizational goals. She also offers personal insights into her go-to resources and her passion for classic crime dramas and strategic business books, providing a well-rounded view of her professional and personal interes
Mastering encore-worthy event entertainment with Makenzie Stokel and Channing Moreland
In this episode, Host Rachel Moore brings together Makenzie Stokel and Channing Moreland, the cofounders of EVA, to explore the transformative power of entertainment in event planning. Delving into their unique roles and the genesis of EVA, an online marketplace for booking vetted entertainment, Stokel and Moreland share their expertise on selecting the right speakers and the impact of out-of-the-box activations that leave lasting impressions on attendees while advocating for the infusion of fun
Harnessing the power of TIME100’s influential people lists for event success with Dan Macsai
In this episode, hear from TIME Executive Editor and Chief Events Officer Dan Macsai, whose dual role sees him curating influential people lists like the TIME100 while spearheading the magazine's event portfolio. Macsai shares insights into the list-making process and the challenges and triumphs of executing events in new locations. He also emphasizes the importance of community building beyond events, leveraging editorial content to create year-round engagement and the indispensable human elem
Show me the money: Navigating event sponsorship and strategy challenges
In this episode, you’ll learn about the evolving landscape of event sponsorships in 2024, providing invaluable insights for event professionals grappling with sponsorship challenges from three industry powerhouses: 1. Arianna Black, Director of Events and Digital Experience for Women In Product 2. Evan Babins, Event Manager for Intuit 3. Jennifer Feeney, Head of Event Sponsorships for The New York Times Together, they explore strategies for engaging sponsors, navigating budget constraints, and e
Corporate social responsibility in events: It’s just good business with Pauline Kwasniak
In this enlightening episode, we’re joined by Pauline Kwasniak, a seasoned event professional and advocate for integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR) in events. As CEO at Finedeeds.com — a platform for businesses and events to engage employees and measure their collective social impact — she discusses the importance of CSR in creating memorable and impactful events. She emphasizes that doing good is not only a noble pursuit but a strategic business decision. Through her work, Kwasnia
Mud, music, and grit: Building the ultimate festival community with Billie Jo Aasen
In this episode of Event Experience, host Rachel Moore sits down with Billie Jo Aasen, CEO of The Festival Company, to dive into the muddy waters of organizing Canada's largest mud and music festival: Extreme Mudfest, a four-day mud and music festival located in Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada. With a decade of experience under her belt — and a journey from aspiring country singer to festival mogul — Aasen shares the highs and lows of festival planning, from the early days of scraping by to the trium
Turning post-event data into event success with Nicola Kastner and Jon Wolff
Tune in as Host Rachel Moore dives into the intricacies of using post-event data to shape future event successes with industry experts The Event Strategist Founder Nicola Kastner and Lenovo Global Events Manager Jon Wolff. The discussion opens up the challenges of analyzing event data, the potential of AI in streamlining this process, and the practical steps toward transforming these insights into actionable strategies for 2024. Through a blend of expert opinions and actionable advice, the con
Maximizing ROI and relationships through micro-events with Aleksandra Panyukhina
Say hello to Aleksandra Panyukhina, the Director of Experience Marketing at Pixelz, who brings more than 12 years of expertise in the events industry to this episode of Event Experience. Listen in as Panyukhina (pronounced Pan-YOO-keenah) discusses the importance of creating intimate, memorable experiences — aka micro-events — that foster genuine connections and trust. For Panyukhina, these smaller events contrast with larger-scale events where such personal engagement is often lacking. She a
Aligning event technology, design, and experience with Google's Ryan Howard
Join Event Experience host Rachel Moore as she invites Ryan Howard, Senior Technical Program Manager at Google, to delve into the integration of technology in event spaces. Howard has more than 30 years of experience in engineering and technology, and his role at Google involves leading the technological strategy for the giant’s global event spaces, supporting various business units, and driving the company's tech-forward approach to events. Howard also co-leads the Google Experience Institute
Cultivating event team success and longevity with Ashley Ronkowski
In this episode, Event Experience host Rachel Moore interviews Ashley Ronkowski, a seasoned event professional with extensive experience in event planning and marketing. Ronkowski shares her comprehensive approach to event management, emphasizing the importance of being prepared and having a versatile event kit. She discusses her recent role at Calm and her journey through various facets of event planning, from managing social media to leading global events. Ronkowski highlights the significance
Building community while merging physical and virtual event spaces with Arianna Black
Welcome to the Event Experience podcast by Bizzabo! This episode features Arianna Black, the Director of Events and Digital Experiences for Women in Product. Join Black as she delves into her extensive background in event production and explores her current role at Women in Product. She shares her insights on creating engaging virtual and physical event spaces while emphasizing the importance of community-driven events and boosting sponsor ROI. She also explores how virtual events have evolved,
Building an iconic festival experience with SXSW's Hugh Forrest
In this episode, host Rachel Moore sits down with Hugh Forrest, the Co-president and Chief Programming Officer of SXSW. With roughly 35 years of experience with SXSW, Forrest explores the evolution of this monumental event and its impact on — and takeover of — Austin, Texas. He delves into the complexities of managing a city-wide festival, emphasizing the importance of community engagement and adapting to the changing events landscape. Forrest's insights into fostering community, embracing crea
2024 event trends and insights from the industry’s top leaders
Join us as we dive into the future of event planning! This episode explores event trends and insights for 2024, particularly conscious conferencing, DE&I, sustainability in event planning, the evolving dynamics of sponsorships, and the increasing role of AI and event tech in enhancing attendee engagement. The conversation offers a comprehensive outlook on how these elements will shape the future of events, providing valuable insights for professionals in the field. Tune in to hear host Will Cur
Maximizing post-event impact by building a year-round marketing machine
In this dynamic episode about maximizing post-event success, host Lauren McCullough — Bizzabo’s VP of Marketing — is joined by this panel of experts: Monique Ruff-Bell, Head of Events, TED Gianna Gaudini, Event Strategist, Advisor, and Author of The Art of Event Planning Anthony Kennada, Cofounder and CEO, AudiencePlus These three industry insiders delve into the essentials of nurturing and converting event-generated leads, fostering communities for brand advocacy, and creatively repurp
From model and actor to experience-driven event producer with Eric Rutherford
In this engaging episode of the Event Experience podcast, Eric Rutherford — Senior Producer at 15|40 Productions and former Director of Events at Hollywood Reporter — shares his fascinating journey from being an actor and model to becoming a celebrated event producer. He discusses his passion for creating impactful, emotional experiences through events and his transition into the industry, emphasizing the transformative power of bringing concepts to life. Rutherford delves into his philosophy on
Navigating Event Tech and Sustainability with Adam Parry
In this episode, Adam Parry, the Cofounder and Editor of Event Industry News, shares his extensive experience and insights into the evolving world of event technology and sustainability. He discusses the triumphs and challenges of organizing Event Tech Live and Event Sustainability Live. Parry reflects on the expansion of Event Tech Live into North America and the inaugural Event Sustainability Live. Throughout the conversation, he offers a candid opinion on the current state of event technol
Harnessing AI in event management with Atlassian's Josh Shepherd
In this episode, Josh Shepherd, the Head of Event Technology and Innovation at Atlassian, delves into the evolving landscape of event technology. With a rich background working for companies like Microsoft, BW Events Tech, and Swoogo, Shepherd discusses how technology — especially AI — is reshaping attendee experiences in both digital and in-person events. Shepherd shares insights from his role at Atlassian, highlighting how a robust event tech stack is crucial for creating fresh, engaging expe
Wheels Up: Crafting Engaging Employee Events with Delta’s Marrah Thomas
In this engaging episode, we sit with Senior Manager of Global Internal Events and Conferences at Delta Air Lines, Marrah Thomas. She shares insights into the dynamic world of corporate event planning, emphasizing the importance of creating meaningful employee engagement events. Thomas explores the crucial role events play in building company culture and fostering employee engagement, particularly in large organizations like Delta. She also outlines the airline’s approach to large-scale events,
Shaping events in 2024: Networking, AI, inclusion, sustainability, and more with Will Curran
In this episode, Event Experience podcast host Rachel Moore interviews Bizzabo Head of Klik Will Curran (aka the founder of Endless Events). Curran discusses the evolution of event management, emphasizing the integration of data analysis and the growing influence of AI in the events industry. He shares his experiences with Klik technology, which provides more in-depth data for in-person events — similar to what was available for virtual events. He also looks back on his predictions for 2023 an
Crafting captivating events with industry veteran Yvonne McNair
In this episode, we sit down with Yvonne McNair, the Chief Experience Officer and Founder of Captivate Marketing Group. A two-time Emmy-nominated event producer with 20 years of experience in the events industry, McNair shares her journey from the music industry to establishing her own business. McNair — one of our 2022 Top Event Experience Leaders — is known as a powerhouse behind the scenes, closing deals and sculpting entertainment — one exquisite experience at a time. She has worked with s
How the Financial Times event team drives growth at scale
This episode — which aired recently as a webinar — provides a deep dive into the strategic world of event management, spotlighting the strategies and experiences of FT Live, the event arm of the Financial Times. Managing Director of FT Live Orson Francescone and Bizzabo’s Experience Lab Head Oren Berkovich explore the nuances of managing and scaling 200+ FT Live events annually. Francescone emphasizes the criticality of comprehensive processes, strategic scaling through investment, and the will
What's changed (and what hasn't) about in-person gatherings
Join us for a dynamic episode about the state of in-person events today — based on responses from more than 4,000 organizers and attendees who participated in Bizzabo’s in-person B2B conference survey from June 2023. In this podcast episode, you’ll hear from Kathryn Frankson, the Global Director of Marketing for Money 20/20; Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX — the largest global trade show for the events industry; and Huong Nguyen, the Head of Client Services at Shiloh Events. These industry experts ag
Crafting an engaging, quota-crushing sales kickoff
It's that time again: You're gearing up for your next sales kickoff (SKO). In this episode of Event Experience, we’ll share how you can outdo last year's event, blend education with celebration, and set your sales and go-to-market teams up for a triumphant year ahead. Reimagine your SKO and gain insights to elevate your internal gatherings in this timeless discussion featuring industry experts Kerry Taylor from Workday, Lauren Grady from Vimeo (formerly of Bizzabo!), and Sarah Shaheen from Ampli
Debunking Diversity and Inclusion Myths in the Events Industry with Mita Mallick
In this episode, we talk with Mita Mallick about how her own event experiences inspired her to write a book debunking myths about inclusion. Mallick is head of inclusion, equity, and impact at Carta and previously led diversity & inclusion and cross-cultural marketing at Unilever. Her inclusive culture-building efforts led to Unilever's gender-balanced management and recognition as the #1 Company for Working Mothers in 2018 and #2 for Best Employers for Women in 2020. She also co-created a Cu
Lights, camera, engagement! Crafting personalized experiences with Dropbox at Sundance
Would you believe that more than half of the feature films at the Sundance Film Festival rely on Dropbox? It’s true! In this episode, we host Vanessa Karlsson Dorau, Head of Global Events and Experiences at Dropbox, as she delves into two powerful engagement activations at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Vanessa underscores Dropbox's strategic alliance with IndieWire Studio, which paved the way for meaningful interactions with filmmakers at the world-renowned event. This exclusive event activa
Rebranding and Transforming IMEX from Frankfurt to America with Carina Bauer
In this episode, IMEX CEO Carina Bauer discusses the meticulous planning required to execute large-scale events with her hardworking team of 83. Bauer took on the monumental task of revamping IMEX Frankfurt, which underwent a significant technological shift and a much-anticipated rebrand after two decades. Bauer talks about IMEX’s diverse global audience and how the brand’s objectives transcend mere attendance. She also shares key learnings from Frankfurt that made it easier to overhaul the Ame
Unboxing Success by Creating Memorable Roadshow Experiences with Evan Babins
In this podcast episode, Evan Babins, Experiential Marketing Specialist at Bond Brand Loyalty, discusses his experience producing successful roadshow events in four cities for a software client. The events brought together small- to medium-sized businesses in the accounting and financial services industry. Babins sheds light on the complexities of planning successful events and the importance of prioritizing attendee needs, data-driven decision-making, and professional adaptability in the ever-c
Building Influencer and Partner Relationships While Crafting Immersive Experiences with Mike Allton
In this episode, Agorapulse Head of Strategic Partnerships Mike Allton dives deep into his experience as an event producer and his journey from virtual events with influencers to hosting the Agency Summit with more than 3,000 attendees. Mike shares insights into marketing tactics and relationship ROI, emphasizing the importance of talking to the target audience to understand their challenges and create events that address their needs. Here’s what you’ll hear about in this conversation: Wh
Empowering Attendees by Delivering Transformative, Actionable Event Takeaways with Howard Givner
In this episode, hear from Howard Givner, Senior Vice President of Knowledge and Innovation at PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association), as he shares insights on creating meaningful event experiences and discusses EduCon. You may also know Givner as the former founder and CEO of the Event Leadership Institute, which PCMA acquired. Tune in to this episode to learn more about empowering attendees with actionable takeaways to create truly transformative experiences. Plus, hear about ho
Creating Memorable Events Through Attendee Obsession and Unconventional Experiences with Liz King Caruso
In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore sits down with Liz King Caruso, CEO and Chief Event Strategist of Liz King Events, to explore the power of attendee obsession in event planning. With more than 13 years of experience in the industry, Liz shares her insights on designing events that allow participants to be themselves and connect authentically. The discussion centers on a recent event Liz organized for a foundation client with the goal of bringing their employees
Achieving Event Scalability with Standardization, Localization, and Continuous Learning with Mathias Sondermann
In this episode, Mathias Sondermann talks about SAP’s Sapphire and embracing standardization for scalability, the importance of localization, and the power of continuous learning. Meet Senior Director of Events Mathias Sondermann, who has been with SAP for more than 15 years. In this episode, he takes us into SAP's largest customer-facing event, Sapphire, and does a bit of cultural globetrotting as he discusses the power of standardization, regional adaptation, and continuous learning — all in t
Exploring How To Foster Belonging in Event Design at IMEX Frankfurt with Naomi Clare Crellin
In this episode, you’ll hear from Storycraft Lab’s Naomi Clare Crellin about facilitating a popup activation of taking the Google Xi (Experience Institute) community to IMEX Frankfurt. Naomi Clare Crellin is the founder and CEO of Storycraft Lab and editor and host of the Futures Forum, an innovation think tank. Her activation’s goal was to explore the Xi Days case study — from the launch of the Neu Project at IMEX 2022 to the recent Xi Days event — and the many industry tools and frameworks be
Organizing a Personalized, Inaugural Marquee Event for Airtable with Gianna Gaudini
In this episode of Event Experience, you’ll learn how Airtable Head of Events Gianna Gaudini planned and executed the brand’s inaugural marquee event, the Airtable Leaders Forum (ALF). The team at Airtable designed ALF to accomplish multiple goals for different audiences, including driving pipeline, announcing a new category, and showcasing thought leadership from the CEO. Gaudini shares the ins and outs of the event planning process and setting goals for ALF, including the strategic decision-ma
Sponsorship Hacks: Creative Strategies for the Modern Events Era
Ashley Jenkins, Meg Fasy, and Brent Turner discuss fresh strategies and get guidance for attracting new event sponsors and retaining current ones.
Rethinking Attendee Networking To Drive Meaningful Connections
Kelly Hoey dismantles everything you thought you knew about event networking in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Elevate the Debate: Addressing the Events Industry’s Hottest Topics
Julius Solaris, Alon Alroy, and Nicola Kastner sit down for a lively discussion about the event industry’s most pressing issues.
Ask the Experts: A Playbook To Nail Your Next IRL Event
Monique Ruff-Bell, Tania Capaz, and Paul McAvinchey join Kyana Shamloo to look back at the past six months of in-person events and explore what the future holds.
Leveling Up From Event Manager to Event Experience Leader
Devin and Daphne discuss the new role of the Event Experience Leader and the skillset needed to thrive in the evolving events environment.
Creating Experiential Moments That Matter with Candina Weston and Liz Lathan
Candina and Liz discuss building intention into every stage of the attendee journey. You’ll learn digital and event design strategies to grow your audience and enhance the experience from beginning to end.
Julius Solaris, Boldpush: The State of the Events Industry
In this episode, we talk with Julius Solaris, one of the most influential people in the events industry, well-followed for his research and analysis. He has founded several companies, including EventMB, which was acquired by Skift in 2019 and recently rebranded as Skift Meetings. Solaris is the founder of Boldpush, a management consulting agency for the event industry. He is a frequent keynote speaker at events all over the world. Here’s what you’ll hear about in this conversation: The status o
Rachel Heller, Bizzabo: Championing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Your Event Strategy
In this episode, we talk with Bizzabo's Rachel Heller about how to champion DE&I at every stage of your event plan. Rachel Heller is an event content professional with more than a decade of experience working in the technology space on events ranging from 50 to 50,000 attendees. Heller leads content strategy for Bizzabo-hosted events and contributes to programming for additional thought leadership initiatives. She is a member of the Event Content Council and has held event content strategy roles
Ryan Schefke and Brad Froese, Captello: Fostering Engagement at Events
In this episode, we talk with Ryan Schefke and Brad Froese about new ways to increase engagement at events. Ryan Schefke is the Founder and CEO of Captello, a premier end-to-end lead capture and event engagement software platform. Brad Froese is a marketing professional with over 20 years of experience in network television, public speaking, magazine publication, non-profit, and SaaS marketing. Here’s what you’ll hear about in this conversation: Overcoming the challenges of engagement at even
Orson Francescone, Financial Times: Building Community Through Strategy Events
In this episode, we talk with Orson Francescone of The Financial Times about building community through strategic events and investing in a digital-first event approach. Francescone has worked in the B2B media and events industry for more than 15 years. He has led global conference and exhibitions businesses for Euromoney Institutional Investor, and Haymarket Media Group. Since November 2019, he has been managing director of FT Live, the global event business of the Financial Times. Throughout
Nicola Kastner, The Event Strategist: Developing a Data-Driven Event Strategy
In this episode, we welcome back Nicola Kastner to the show to talk about the power of data to define event strategy and how to start to rethink the ‘why’ behind events. Nicola Kastner is a multidimensional event trailblazer, Nicola has led from both the brand and agency sides of the business. She is the Founder of The Event Strategist, a boutique consultancy firm that offers event strategy advisory services to global brands to help them successfully optimize their event experiences to drive bot
Event Success with Alon Alroy and Eran Ben-Shushan
In this episode, we talk with two of the three authors of the new book, Event Success: Maximizing the Business Impact of In-person, Virtual, and Hybrid Experiences. They also happen to be two of the three founders of Bizzabo, Eran Ben-Shushan and Alon Alroy! Eran Ben-Shushan is Bizzabo’s Co-Founder and CEO. For three consecutive years, Eran has been recognized as The Software Report’s Top 50 SaaS CEOs. In 2021, he was named to Goldman Sachs’s “100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs,” Business Travel
The Rise of Event Experience ft. Eran Ben-Shushan and Megan Murphy
Eran (guest speaker), Megan Murphy (guest speaker), and Devin (host) discuss the Event Experience category and its origins in the evolving expectations and challenges of event organizers.
Kim Darling, HubSpot: Unexpected Inspiration, Sponsorships, and Business Cases in a Hybrid World
Kim Darling (Vice President & Executive Producer, INBOUND) shares how HubSpot is thinking about the hybrid future, from sponsors and budgets to inspiration, all with an audience-first lens. Kim leads the global event team at INBOUND, one of the most well-respected B2B events in the industry. Since 2014, Kim has grown the Global Events team from 2 to 20+ people and grown INBOUND registrants from 7,500 to 26,000+ and many more virtual attendees in 2020. Under Kim's leadership, ticket and sponsorsh
Richard Black, Superfly: Experiential Marketing in an Ever-Changing Industry
Richard is the President and General Manager of Superfly. Richard oversees Superfly’s agency services business and drives the development of award-winning strategic and creative marketing solutions for leading brands by leveraging Superfly’s unparalleled expertise in cultural storytelling, community building and experience creation. With over 25 years of experience, Richard has held a variety of executive roles within global agency networks. Most recently, Black was Chief Growth Officer at Momen
Rex Serrao, Salesforce: Turning Insights into Action and Guiding the Attendee Journey
Rex Serrao is the Senior Director of Marketing Technology at Salesforce. For years, Salesforce has successfully led the way for in-person events with household name event brands like Dreamforce and the World Tour Series. More recently the Salesforce team has pioneered the virtual event space, and are now paving the way for the hybrid models of the future. Rex has held IT roles across a variety of industries for more than 10 years. Starting as a remediation consultant bringing troubled projects a
Keyana Kashfi, Spotify: High-End Virtual Event Production and the Power of Audio
Keyana Kashfi is the Global Director of Experiential & Content Production for Spotify where she acts as the Executive Producer, bringing Spotify’s brand to life through events and experiences across the globe. Keyana spearheads production for Spotify’s largest executions at industry events such as Cannes Lions and other global tentpoles, as well as major owned events like Stream On. Keyana has spent her career in event production with a focus on media and entertainment brands, executing both B2B
Sean Doyle, Pinterest: Sean Doyle, Pinterest: Designing Inclusive Experiences and Driving Culture Through Internal Events
Sean Doyle is an experiential event marketer who has leveraged his passion for events to tell brand stories and amplify their messages. Since graduating from the Cannes Lions School, Sean has worked in multiple different creative capacities and has helped many clients and companies successfully connect with their audiences through event marketing. As the Experiential Marketing Lead at Pinterest in Europe, Sean creates live events and experiential marketing campaigns that engage their community o
Brad Ehrlich, Markey’s: Billie Jean King and How To Produce a Hybrid Event
Brad Ehrlich, (General Manager, Markey’s) shares his experience helping clients shift to virtual events and how he and his team are already supporting the technical aspects of hybrid. Brad joined the Markey's team in 1994 as a driver/rental technician and quickly learned all facets of the event industry. He was soon promoted to management and took over Markey’s in-house services at multiple hotel facilities in the Indianapolis area. Now as the General Manager at Markey’s Rental and Staging, Brad
Joey Graziano, NBA: How The NBA Designed The Bubble
Joey Graziano is the Senior Vice President of Global Business Operations and Global Events at the NBA. Joey leads strategic planning, business development, data analytics, and process improvement for the NBA's marquee global events, including the NBA All-Star Game, NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV, and NBA draft. He and his team also orchestrated the NBA Bubble.
Jessica Vogol, Movable Ink: Snackable Content and Designing Hybrid Events with Empathy
Jessica is an experienced marketing professional with a demonstrated history of success at SaaS businesses, growth-stage companies and tech startups. She is a strong leader invested in developing marketing talent and teamwork. Jessica has been at Movable Ink for 6 years, holding 4 roles within the marketing team. As Vice President of Marketing at Movable Ink, Jessica leads a team responsible for all global performance marketing activities including demand generation, ABM, client, partner, conte
Angel Micarelli, Cramer: Atomizing Content to Drive Attendee Experience
Angel Micarelli is an experienced writer who has leveraged her passion for storytelling in marketing and events. After graduating from Harvard, Angel went on to help brands tell their stories and connect with their audiences through carefully crafted messaging. As the Senior Vice President of Strategy and Content at Cramer, Angel helps their clients realize their vision through marketing and events. With over 20 years of experience, she offers clients the unique talent of conveying complex produ
Stacey Gromlich, Siemens: Highlighting the Value in Virtual and Hybrid Events
Stacey brings 25 years of experience in the marketing and events industry and is a big believer in prioritizing engagement and events as part of an integrated marketing plan. With a focus on strategically aligning audience needs with brand go-to-market strategy and desired outcomes, Stacey leads teams from ideation through implementation while identifying transformational efficiencies and improvements. Stacey is currently Director, Audience Engagement and Global Events for Siemens Digital Indust
Adele Durham, Haymarket Media: Michael Phelps and Driving Value for Virtual Sponsors
Adele Durham, (VP of Events, Haymarket Media) opens up about her experience creating engaging events and shares her tips for uncovering what audiences really want, driving value for sponsors in a digital world, and proving virtual event ROI. Adele has spent over a decade following her passion for media and events from London to New York City. She started at Haymarket Media 14 years ago as a senior sales executive, working her way up, and now leads the events team as the Vice President of events.
Donna Stewart, National Urban League: Voting, Influencers, and Driving User Experience with Virtual Events
Donna Stewart (National Urban League) shares her passion and tips for focusing on the end-user experience with virtual events, the role of timelines and time management in virtual broadcasts, and the access that virtual events afford when it comes to featuring speakers and influencers that resonate with your audience. As the Vice President of Events Management at National Urban League, Donna Stewart brings over 20 years of experience developing brand strategies for experiential touchpoints for c
Kyle Suzuki, Qualtrics: From the Gaming Industry to B2B Marketing
Kyle Suzuki (Head of XM Events, Qualtrics) shares his journey from building passionate communities of gamers to building passionate communities of corporate professionals and what these audiences share in common. He also shares his thoughts on following your passion, building a 5-year plan, the value in turning virtual events into campaigns, and how he and his team have been adjusting to the new skills and circumstances of 2020. As the Head of XM Events at Qualtrics, Kyle oversees the event tea
Lauren Lawson, The National Audubon Society: What Corporate Event Organizers Can Learn from Nonprofits, and Birds
Lauren Lawson (Director of Events and Engagement Programs at the National Audubon Society) opens up about her trajectory from healthcare to conservation, lessons that she’s learned throughout her career in the nonprofit sector, and how the events team at the National Audubon Society is creating engaging virtual events now and planning for the future. As the Director of Events and Engagement Programs at the National Audubon Society, Lauren oversees the events program taking place across the netwo
Jennifer Hoffmann Roach, Bloomberg Live: Empathy, Grits, and, the Business of Virtual Events
Jennifer Hoffmann Roach shares how she and her team are taking a diversified approach to virtual event monetization, lessons learned from staging 30+ virtual events, and why a good grit is hard to find. Jennifer is the Global Head of Audience for Bloomberg Live, the editorial live events division of Bloomberg Media. Prior to Bloomberg, Jenn managed global marketing and audience development for The Wall Street Journal Conferences division at Dow Jones and spent 10+ years in media and communicatio
Marco Giberti: Black Swans, Virtual Events, and The Future of the Industry
Marco Giberti shares what event and marketing professionals can learn from COVID-19. Featuring tips on producing virtual events and embracing a hybrid event strategy. Marco has more than 25 years of intensive experience as Co-Founder and CEO in media, technology, and the events industry companies. In this capacity, he sits on Boards of Directors as well as on advisory boards and he assists co-founders and CEOs in consultative capacities to help drive business planning, growth, and strategy.
Sara Gorlick, Rakuten: ROI and Leading with Resiliency
Sara Gorlick (VP of Events at Rakuten) shares how to tie events to categories of ROI, align with sales teams, lead with resiliency through crises like COVID-19, and more. Sara Gorlick is the VP of Events at Rakuten where she leads the Americas event team in planning the company’s flagship event Optimism as well as 30+ other events around the world. Sara has worked in events since 2006. She’s been named Corporate Event Planner of the Year by BizBash and Corporate Planner of the Year by Event Solu
Nani Shaffer, Demandbase: The Power of Events in ABM
Nani Shaffer (Senior Director of Demand Generation & Marketing Operations at Demandbase) shares how events fit into a larger ABM strategy, how to align event KPIs with goals, and why event teams should think like sales teams. Nani Shaffer brings a decade of B2B Marketing experience across Marketing Operations, Product Marketing and Demand Generation. Nani is responsible for the measurement and optimization of the Marketing organization and oversees the strategy and execution of integrated progra
Heather Odendaal, WNORTH: From Grassroots to a Global Brand
Heather Odendaal (CEO of WNORTH) shares how her career in events led to the launch of WNORTH. We also discuss content, speakers, and scaling an event community from grassroots to a global brand. Heather is the CEO of WNORTH, an event series for women on a path to executive leadership. Heather is an accomplished entrepreneur and event producer. She has worked on Canada’s most influential events including the Whistler Film Festival, Crankworx Mountain Bike Festival, and the Vancouver 2010 Winter O
Gianna Gaudini, SoftBank Vision Fund: The Holy Grail of Event Planning
Gianna Cardinale Gaudini (Global Director, Head of Events at SoftBank Vision Fund) shares her thoughts on building an events team, work-life balance, wine, and more. Gianna is an award-winning Executive Event Producer and author of The Art of Event Planning with over 15 years of experience in the marketing and hospitality industry. Gianna is currently the Global Director, Head of Events for the SoftBank Vision Fund, and previously ran events for Google’s Events and Experience team for 9+ years.
Erin Flannery, Lattice: Kickstarting an Event Program
Erin Flannery (Head of Events at Lattice) shares her thoughts on prioritizing budget within a growing event program, launching a user conference, sponsorship negotiation, feels vs. metrics, where direct mail can fit into a larger event marketing strategy, and much more. As the first Events hire at Lattice, Erin built the events program from the ground up creating a full-scale program that includes sponsorships, dinners, workshops and Lattice’s inaugural conference—Resources for Humans Live.
Chris Duke, Rubrik: Empathy in Events
Chris Duke (Senior Manager, Global Event Marketing at Rubrik) shares his thoughts on leading with empathy, working with agencies, launching a global field marketing campaign and a user conference, event exhibition strategy, working with agencies, and his final verdict on the latest entry in the Fast and Furious franchise. Chris oversees Rubrik's global event program. Before joining Rubrik, Chris worked at brands like DC Shoes, Red Bull, and GoPro—granting him a unique B2C perspective on B2B mark
Trista Myers, Salesforce Ventures: Dreamforce, Venture Capital, and Bread
Trista Myers (Head of Events, Salesforce Ventures) shares a behind the scenes look at Dreamforce, how Salesforce Ventures creates executive experiences, tips for working with multiple event partners, baking recipes, and why you should never sell yourself short when interviewing for your next role. Trista leads all global events for Salesforce Ventures. In 2018 she was selected for Event Marketer's list of 35 National Experiential Event Professionals under 35 for her work at AOL and on Dreamforce
Monique Ruff-Bell, Money 20/20: Making Big Events Feel Small and Supporting Women in Leadership
Monique Ruff-Bell (Events Director at Money20/20) discusses Cannes Lions, growing your career with mentors and sponsors, how to make big events feel small, supporting women in leadership, and singing karaoke around the globe. Monique is the Event Director at Money 20/20 USA and VP of Events at its parent company Ascential plc. Monique’s responsibilities include setting the show vision and strategy with the Global President, plan execution, P&L management, and sales and marketing support and perf
Andréa Long, Twilio: Driving Diversity and Inclusion Through Events
Andréa Long (Global Diversity Events Manager at Twilio) discusses Twilio's After Hours Events program, how employee resource groups can be a powerful catalyst for change, diversity and inclusion best practices, and weighted blankets. Prior to Twilio, Andréa managed branding, marketing, and events on the recruiting team at Lyft, co-led Lyft's black employee resource group, and launched the company's first series of events celebrating Black History Month. She also co-founded Our Collective, a comm
Helen Stoddard, Twitter: Driving Revenue with Events (#PinkSweats)
Helen Stoddard (Head of Global Events at Twitter) discusses what it takes to create buzzworthy events, why B2B and B2C events aren't really that different after all, and how events help drive Twitter's revenue strategy. Helen owns Twitter's presence at large events like South by Southwest, Cannes, and CES. Prior to Twitter, Helen led events at Toys "R" Us and Nickelodeon, founded and managed her own event production company, and spent several years working on David Letterman's Tonight Show. #Pin
Karen Merritt, LinkedIn: Talent Connect, Customer-centricity, and Space Mountain
Karen Merritt (Head of Owned and Operated Events, LinkedIn) shares a behind-the-scenes look at Talent Connect, how she and her team take a customer-centric approach to events, tips for creating networking opportunities, thoughts on segmenting audience data, and what marketers can learn from Disney Land. At LinkedIn, Karen oversees the strategy and execution of roughly 200 proprietary events across the globe. Prior to LinkedIn, Karen had the opportunity to lead events at companies like Cisco and
David Adler, BizBash Live: Caviar, Gummy Bears, and the Future of Events
David Adler (CEO of BizBash) shares the most unconventional fundraising story that you’ll ever hear, how to develop an event from an online brand, tips on securing sponsors and partners, event trends, and restaurant recs. David founded Bizbash back in 2000 with the idea of creating the first marketplace for events and meeting professionals. Since then, BizBash has become a leading voice in the industry—boasting digital and print offerings, and producing the city-spanning BizBash Live event serie
Nicola Kastner, SAP: IKEA, Disney World, and Revamping SAPPHIRE NOW
Nicola Kastner (Global Head of Event Marketing Strategy at SAP) shares how she and the team transformed SAPPHIRE NOW—SAP’s annual flagship conference. Along the way we discussed ABM strategy, creating data-driven content journeys, what IKEA, Disney World and grocery shopping have to do with professional events, and why it pays to be an Excel nerd. Working alongside the Head of Global events, Nicola is in charge of overseeing SAP’s event strategy. Before Nicola formally joined the team in 2016, s
Devin Cleary, PTC: Growing Events, Retaining Top Talent, and Making a Positive Impact
Devin Cleary (VP Experiential Marketing, PTC) shares lessons learned across his eclectic career, how to use data and personas to grow an event, how to retain and hire top talent, and why events need to try harder when it comes to diversity and inclusion. By the time Devin joined PTC in 2016, he had already spearheaded the growth of HubSpot’s INBOUND event, overhauled the event program at the American Red Cross, and spent nearly 6 years orchestrating conferences and trade shows at his own events
Janna Erickson, Drift: Hijacking Events and Hand-to-hand Combat
Janna Erickson (Director of Events at Drift) discusses why you should consider hijacking events, the art of event marketing hand-to-hand combat, managing an events team from “startup” to “scale-up”, and parleying event expertise in discussions with key stakeholders. Janna joined Drift in 2017 to help take the team’s event strategy to the next level. Prior to Drift, Janna accumulated over 8 years of event experience from working at brands like HubSpot, Kayak.com, and TomTom.
Vasil Azarov, Growth Marketing Conference: How to Growth Hack Your Event
Vasil Azarov (Founder, Growth Marketing Conference) shares how to launch an event from scratch, how to collaborate with partners and sponsors, the best channels for driving growth, the emergence of the “event marketing” category, and wine. Since founding GMC, Vasil has scaled it to over 106K members. He is also the CEO of Startup Socials—which is dedicated to providing resources for founders—and has worked with large brands like IBM and Delta Airlines and high growth startups like Autopilot and
Alyson Griffin, Intel: Augmented Reality Butterflies and The Power of Storytelling
Alyson Griffin, VP of Global Marketing at Intel, shares why events are a powerful medium for storytelling. Along the way, we discussed virtually dissected frogs, snot bots, whales, Star Wars, and how Alyson made went from being a pharmacist to a global marketing VP. For the past three years, Alyson has been on a mission to spread awareness around Intel’s B2B Operations. Before working at Intel, Alyson spent 15 years at Hewlett-Packard which culminated in her role as Vice President of Americas Ma
Eleni Thomas, KPMG: Mitigating Risk and Dirty Glassware
Eleni Thomas (Director of Events and Meetings, KPMG) discusses the kind of processes needed for managing 2,500 events a year, the value of networking with other event planners, what it means to be a service-oriented events department, mitigating risk in a compliance-heavy industry, and owning mistakes. Between Eleni's current role at KPMG and her 13 years of leading the events team at Weil, Gotshal & Manges, Eleni has spent much of her career spearheading events for professional services organiz
Joey Hinson, TechCrunch: Scaling Disrupt and Democratizing Tech
Joey Hinson (Director of Operations, TechCrunch) discusses the challenges of scaling TC Disrupt, the value of qualitative feedback, why sometimes you're better off not feeding attendees, the future of event technology, and how events are helping to democratize the startup landscape. Leading the operations behind Disrupt and TechCrunch’s events and advertising programs, Joey has been with TechCrunch for over seven years. During that time has seen first-hand how the organization’s event program ha
Andrea Rosen, 99U: The Art of Curating Creativity
Andrea Rosen (Head of 99U, Adobe) shares the history of 99U and how it has evolved over the years. she discusses curating creativity, balancing experience and substance, and some of the best ways to organize to-dos. Having lead the marketing team at a company that serves architects and press relations for a music festival, Andrea has a long career of working in marketing roles for creative audiences. She is passionate about curation and has an encyclopedic knowledge of trends, influencers, and e
Steve Randazzo: Authenticity and the Power of Brand Experiences
Steve Randazzo (President, Pro Motion) shares lessons learned from 30 years in events, advice for breaking through the marketing clutter, how to measure return on emotion from experiential, and how to charge your brand with authenticity and purpose. Steve has worked with clients like The Walt Disney Company, Hewlett-Packard, Anheuser-Busch, Citgo, the NBA, and many other great organizations. He's also the author of Brand Experiences: Building Connections in a Digitally Cluttered World.
Karl Vontz, Rubicon Project: Dog Parks, Vikings, Award Shows, and Representation
Karl Vontz (VP of Brand Experience at Rubicon Project) discusses the quirky expertise of awards shows, speaking to the aspirations of your audience, and what it takes to push for diversity and representation in events. Karl has a long history of working in events and festivals from the Shorty Awards to the Lions Festival and Clio Awards—among others. He’s worked with leading brands like The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, and Adweek. In 2012, he was named the Most Innovative Event Pro by BizBash
Chardia Christophe-Garcia: Curating an Audience and the Art of Taking It Slow
Chardia Christophe-Garcia (Marketing Director, Forbes) shares how Forbes is leveraging in-person events to further their editorial brand, which promotional channels work best, why sometimes it pays to take it slow in your career, and the importance of knowing that not everyone is going to like you—and why that shouldn’t hold you back. With over 10 years of experience in media marketing—at brands like Time, New Bay Media, and American Express—Chardia has achieved a comprehensive understanding of
Heather Henderson Thomas, Cisco: The Solutions-finding attitude, Collaboration, and Shining on
Heather Henderson Thomas (Sr. Manager, Strategic Ops & Event Experience) discusses the benefits of consolidating an events strategy, the four pillars of the Cisco Live brand, and the value of technology in creating agency for attendees. Heather has worked in events at Cisco for over 14 years. As the head of Cisco Live, she combines the skills of a COO and CFO with a keen focus on attendee and customer experience. Before working at Cisco, Heather worked in weddings, catering and incentive travel.
Allen Yesilevich, MC²: Blindfolds, Return on Emotion, and Billie Eilish
Allen Yesilevich (VP of Marketing + Growth, MC²) shares a behind-the-scenes look at how agencies work, the power of emotion in events, the history of MC2, and the most terrifying activation that I've ever heard of. Allen has worked with brands ranging from Global Fortune 500 to VC-backed startups in a variety of industries. He has over 15 years of brand, marketing and advisory experience—and now heads marketing and growth efforts at MC², an award-winning globally-recognized brand experience agen
Kendyl Wright, LOUDER Experiences: “Doing cool sh** with cool people”
Kendyl Wright (Founder of LOUDER Experiences) shares her perspectives on working in-house and at agencies, challenging institutional norms, battling anxiety, and her personal journey to founding her own experiential agency. Before founding LOUDER, Kendyl worked with heavy-hitting PR and marketing firms like Fleishman-Hillard, Octagon, Inspira Marketing Group and Peppercom. She also has some in-house experience under her belt at Benjamin Moore.
John Heiman, Sprint: Empathy, Event ROI, and Fortnite
John Heiman (Director of Experiential at Sprint) shares how Sprint’s event strategy has become more focused over the years and how he and his team are making complex technologies more accessible with immersive activations. We also discussed event ROI, empathy, and Fortnite. For over 32 years, John has worked in different roles at Sprint. Today, he oversees programs around executive briefing centers, corporate events, sports & entertainment sponsorships and consumer and B2B experiential initiativ
Colleen Bisconti, IBM: Data-driven Events, Global Teams, and Space Jam
Colleen Bisconti (Vice President of Global Conferences and Events at IBM) shares her perspectives on how the events team at IBM has become more data-driven and agile over the years, leading a team of 350 event marketers, and Space Jam. Having been with the company for more than 25 years, Colleen is an eyewitness to how the company has evolved. She has worked with a number of different departments in different roles, ultimately leading to her current role as head of the company’s events program.
Dana Pake, InVision: Hiring for Rapid Growth, Leading with Resilience, and UX-Focused Events
Dana Pake (Senior Director of Global Experiences at InVision) shares her UX-focused approach to events, what it’s like to work as part of a globally distributed team, how to hire for a rapidly growing events program, and what it means to lead with resiliency. At InVision, Dana oversees over 150 events worldwide. She previously worked at Tableau where she grew the annual Tableau Conference from roughly 1,200 -12,000 total attendees in four years.
Carina Bauer, IMEX: Sustainability, Mental Health and Coffee
Carina Bauer (CEO at IMEX) shares a behind-the-scenes look at the world’s largest events industry trade show and her thoughts on sustainability, mental health, and finding a good cup of coffee in Las Vegas. Carina’s been named one of the 25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry and one of the Top 25 Women in the Meetings Industry. She has held numerous positions in MPI, is a winner of ICCA’s 2018 Inspirational Women Awards, and is a member of the board of directors at the SITE Founda
Hugh Forrest, SXSW: Crowd-sourced Content, Community, and Why Growth is Overrated
In this episode of IN-PERSON, Hugh Forrest (Chief Programming Officer, SXSW) shares his perspectives on curating great content, what it takes to maintain a strong sense of community at an event with hundreds of thousands of attendees, and how events can bring people together in an increasingly digital—and at times divisive—world. In addition to his role in curating content, Hugh is the Director of SXSW Interactive Festival. He has been with SXSW since 1989 and was their first full-time employee.
Kira Willner, Dow Jones: Breathing New Life into Media Brands with Events
Kira Willner is Executive Director of Brand Experience at Barron's Group, a Dow Jones Company. In this episode of IN-PERSON, Kira shares how Barron’s Group is breathing new life into many of its brands with live events, balancing the needs of sponsors and attendees and more. Kira oversees live journalism events for all of the brands within Barron's Group, including Barron's, MarketWatch, Mansion Global, Penta and Financial News. She also oversees brand marketing and business strategy for several
Lindsay McKenna, Yext: Sales/Marketing Alignment and Branded Fruit
Lindsay Niemiec McKenna, VP of Revenue Marketing at Yext, discusses how events can be used to define a company brand, the importance of sales/marketing alignment, the concept of revenue marketing and branded fruit. Lindsay is the mastermind of ONWARD, Yext’s award-winning annual flagship conference. In 2018, ONWARD brought together nearly 6,000 in-person attendees and over 1,000 virtual ones. Lindsay is a Salesforce alum and was named to the 2018 list of DMN’s Marketing Hall of Femme & Women to