Building Event Success Beyond Tech with Smart Event Academy

In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore sits down with Jen Santos, Founder of Smart Event Academy, to unpack what truly drives successful events beyond just technology. Drawing on her background in IT consulting and event tech, Jen explains why operational readiness is the foundation of every high-performing event. From detailed planning and documentation to pre- and post-event analysis, she shares how structured processes create the stability teams need to stay agile onsite. The conversation also highlights the importance of building a collaborative culture across teams and vendors. Jen emphasizes that alignment, open communication, and shared goals are what prevent silos and keep events running smoothly, especially when challenges arise. Importantly, Jen reframes how event professionals should think about ROI. Rather than focusing solely on financial outcomes, she encourages a broader view that includes time, energy, and attendee experience, ensuring every investment contributes to meaningful impact. She also challenges common misconceptions about event technology, noting that most issues stem from people and processes, not the tools themselves. By adopting a mindset of curiosity and leveraging frameworks like Smart Event 360, event professionals can continuously improve and elevate their approach. This episode is packed with practical strategies to help you strengthen operations, foster collaboration, and measure success in more meaningful ways. For transcriptions, mentions, and more, visit:  www.bizzabo.com/podcast/event-readiness-smart-event-academy