#EventIcons - Meet The Icons Of The Events Industry (Audio)

It’s been nearly two years since event planners first witnessed mass event cancelations and scrambled to plan virtual events. Since then, we have seen the landscape of the events industry change dramatically. But just as we thought that we were getting through the worst of the pandemic-related uncertainty, the Omicron variant came and took over the world.

Event planners essentially have three options: to cancel, to postpone, or to pivot. But how to choose? Since strategizing Omicron is one of event planners’ top concerns right now, we’ve decided to dive into proactive event strategies to best handle the current situation. We’ve brought on an expert on all things event strategy: Keaton Watson, the Principal Relationship Architect at Endless Events!

Keaton is going on his ninth year in the events industry. He’s worked in hotels in Dallas, Cleveland, Florida, and joined the Endless Events team a year ago. He firmly believes that event technology should be at the core of any event strategy in this day and age. Make sure to tune in to find out how to strategize in times of uncertainty and how implementing event platforms can make last-minute pivots a bit easier to navigate.

This week, the #EventIcons podcast comes with a three-day delay, but we’re so excited about this amazing episode that we couldn’t wait any longer to share it with the world! First, let’s get the most exciting part out of the way. Will is joined by a brand new host: the fabulous and inquisitive Karmen Jericevic, AKA the Event Opportunity Creator at Endless Events. Some of you might remember her from the episode we did with the Endless team about managing virtual fatigue. As she constantly talks directly to event planners, she knows exactly how they think, what they want to know, and what their main pain points are. And alongside her bubbly personality, that makes her an exceptional interviewer!

And then, there’s our iconic guest: Ellis Davis, the Chief of Equation Equilibrium at Endless Events. But even though that’s one impressive title, it barely encompasses all that Ellis is and does. He’s this industry’s knowledgeable visionary, a charismatic yoga teacher, and a delightful conversationalist. Make sure to tune in: you’ll leave inspired, informed, and more exuberant than before!

We’re back today with a very special episode of the #EventIcons podcast. Will’s guest is Isaac Holt, the Master of Technimagic at Endless Events. This week, he put on the shoes of the podcast’s host and did quite an amazing job.

Will and the live audience had a lot of questions for our new host. To make him feel welcomed and at ease, they mostly talked about technical production, but also touched on the future of virtual events and hybrid events – the works. So, press play, and please welcome Isaac Holt!

New week, new guest, new host! #EventIcons is back with a very special episode! Recorded at Event Tech Live, Will had a great conversation about the evolution of SXSW with none other than their former Chief Innovation Officer, Scott Wilcox. Today, Scott has a new consulting venture, Here and Tomorrow.

We’ve talked about SXSW (South by Southwest) before in this podcast’s history. We’ve watched them do their first-ever 4K live stream, and included them on the list of our favorite events in 2018. Today, we’ll explore how they went from being a company without emails to thought leaders in innovation and technology.

The iconic guest takes us back to the year 1996 when business was still done via snail mail and CD ROMs ruled the world. Almost three decades later, SXSW is a household name among trade shows, conferences, and events. How did they do it? Tune in and find out, it’s an episode that you really shouldn’t miss!

Do you consider yourself an entrepreneur? Today’s iconic guest, Deanna Nwosu, thinks that all event and meeting planners should nurture an entrepreneurial spirit. She joins Sarah to talk about her vast experience in the events industry, what the future holds for event organizers, and the importance of community engagement.

For almost 20 years, Deanna has worked on fundraisers, conferences, trade shows, and other events ranging in size from 10 to 20,000 attendees. Creating an ideal attendee experience is almost second nature to her. As an event strategist, Deanna now focuses more on facilitating the front-of-house experience for attendees through moderating emceeing and public speaking, while providing clients some limited behind-the-scenes logistics support as well. Welcome to #EventIcons, Deanna!

When we talk about movement at events, our minds might go to walking around the venue at in-person events or walking to the fridge if we’re attending a virtual experience. But what if we told you that a little movement goes a long way even before or during speaker presentations? Taking care of the health of the attendees is a growing trend in the events industry – and we’re not just talking about COVID-19 compliance at events. PCMA EduCon 2021, for example, hosted a gamified health challenge and encouraged attendees to move their bodies. So, we brought on an iconic guest to explain to us what movement at events is all about.

Our #EventIcons guest is Lizzy Williamson, an event and meeting energizer who coined the term Two Minute Moves. As a wellness and fitness enthusiast, she knows all about the science behind moving our bodies. Not only is it good for our mental and physical health, but it also boosts engagement at virtual, hybrid, and in-person events. So press play and join Sarah and Lizzy as they talk and demonstrate how to elevate your event with movement!

Planning a safe event is by no means something that is new in the world of event planners, but it has definitely gained new meaning in the last 18 months. When we think of staying safe and sound at events these days, our minds first go to COVID-compliance officers, screening procedures, and hand sanitizers. And since the #EventIcons podcast is all about talking about the hottest topics in the events industry, we brought on a special guest who specializes in all things event safety and security.

With over 25 years of experience in meeting planning as well as public safety, Alan Kleinfeld from Arrive Management Group is the perfect person to talk to about the vast world of event safety. Not only does he comment on the state of the pandemic and the importance of COVID-19 compliance, but he also elaborates on other security issues that the events industry and the world at large are facing, such as the effects of climate change and the importance of cybersecurity.

There is only one thing that seems to be certain in these trying times in the events industry: virtual events are here to stay, no matter the state of the pandemic and our personal preferences. And that’s why it’s time to talk about virtual event production -again. The #EventIcons podcast strives to talk to the very best in the events world. And wow, did we deliver this week!

Today, we don’t introduce you to one, but two #EventIcons guests: Kara Gladish and Sheehan Hubbard from Socio. For those who might not know: Socio is an event technology company that helps enterprises and SMBs optimize their events in more than 40 countries. Their clients include big names, such as Microsoft, Google, and Pinterest. Join Sarah as she has one of the most insightful, information-packed conversations ever witnessed on this podcast!

The year 2020 has established itself as the year of the pivot in the events industry. Since then, countless #EventIcons guests were brought on the podcast to talk about how they turned their in-person events into virtual ones and the importance of their community in these trying times. And because no two stories are the same, we’re back this week with another one!

Host Events is a Boston-based company that focuses on building community through top-notch virtual experiences. Today, Sarah welcomes two guests, Amy O’Neil and Katie Kosa, to talk about what they do and how they got there since March 2020. Before 2020, they worked exclusively in person, but today, they offer virtual happy hours, various fitness and cooking classes, and games. Tune in to hear this awesome story of success and learn more about the power of a tight-knit community!

Before the pandemic hit us, we took genuine human interactions at events for granted. Attendees mingled, networked, formed everlasting bonds, and had a great time while doing all of that. As the industry pivoted to virtual events, virtual audience engagement became one of the most talked-about challenges. How do we replicate genuine interpersonal dynamics in the virtual world? Is it even possible? Today’s #EventIcons guest thinks that it definitely is.

The iconic Steve Gottlieb is a serial entrepreneur and angel investor. And most importantly for this podcast, he is the founder and CEO of Shindig, a virtual conference, event, and meeting platform that has mastered the art of online engagement. Just like many of our guests on the podcast, he is a huge advocate for the virtual revolution. Join Sarah and Steve in a lively conversation that is bound to inspire, challenge, and encourage you to keep up with the times and embrace all things virtual.