Is Everything You Know About Gen Z at Events Wrong?

The events industry keeps publishing research about Gen Z. Nobody thought to read it back to one. So Megan brought her assistant Sierra Siebulrud to Cvent CONNECT 2026 for her first-ever industry conference — and her first major conference of any kind — then sat her down and read out thirteen published Gen Z stats to her face. Some of them held up. Several of them did not. The ones that fell apart are the ones your agenda is probably built on. This is a different kind of Aftershow. So this is net-new: a fact check, a first-timer debrief, and a straight-answer session on the things everyone wants to ask a Gen Z and doesn't.What you'll learn:Why the "Gen Z avoids in-person networking" stat gets pushback from an actual Gen Z, and who she thinks is really responsible for the shiftThe real reason a first-timer will sit through your hour-long session, and the one thing that guarantees she won't remember itWhat actually pulls a Gen Z attendee to a booth (hint: it is not the tote bag, and the answer will annoy your swag budget)The 30-second rule she uses to accept or ignore every LinkedIn request after a conferenceWhere Gen Z goes to learn how to network before an event, and why it isn't Google and isn't AIThe exact sentence that predicts whether a Gen Z hire stays a year or bailsHow she verifies whether "great company culture" is real before she applies, using nothing but LinkedInApproximate chapters:02:40 — Fresh Eyes: walking into CONNECT completely blind04:15 — What surprised her most: the rebrand as a full factory reset06:15 — The purple badge and the partner reception panic11:05 — Her advice for first-timers, and it takes ten seconds a day12:05 — The acronym problem14:55 — A brief and necessary Bravo detour18:50 — Stat Check: thirteen published Gen Z stats, live34:35 — Ask a Gen Z: LinkedIn, swag, managers, and job hopping51:10 — Rapid fire, plus a real conversation about alcohol at events56:15 — Curiosity cardConnect with Megan and M Squared Dynamics:Podcast: EventAboutItPodcast.comNewsletter (Step and Repeat): msquareddynamics.com/stepandrepeatsignupConsulting and strategy: msquareddynamics.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganmartincmp/Instagram: @m2dynamics and @eventaboutitTikTok: @eventaboutitPlus: the purple badge moment, the acronym problem nobody in this industry will admit to, a Bravo detour involving a Montana wedding, and the fastest way an older colleague loses credibility with someone half their age.About SierraSierra Siebulrud is 27, Gen Z, and currently exploring what's next — checking out different industries before landing on her next opportunity. She came to Cvent CONNECT 2026 to help Megan and to find out whether the events industry is a fit for her. She left thinking it might be. Worth naming up front: Sierra shadowed Megan through the creator program, so this is one Gen Z's read from an unusually good seat, not a stand-in for every Gen Z attendee walking your show floor.About Your HostMegan Martin is the founder of M Squared Dynamics, a consulting, facilitation, and content strategy firm helping event leaders, marketers, and sales teams turn live experiences into measurable business growth. She's the host and executive producer of Event About It, co-founder of Opportunity Hunters, and a two-time PCMA Visionary Award nominee (2022 winner). With nearly 20 years in the industry, Megan operates at the intersection of event strategy, marketing alignment, and behavioral intent signals, turning events from line items into pipeline drivers.Keep the Conversation GoingThe best conversations start after the show ends, and the best ones keep going in your inbox. Subscribe to Event About It wherever you get your podcasts and sign up for the Step and Repeat newsletter at squareddynamics.com/stepandrepeatsignup .Until next time, stay curious.