Skift Meetings Podcast
by Skift Meetings
The podcast for event professionals featuring the leading innovators in the industry. We cover the latest innovations in event technology, case studies of successful events, new thinking in event design, and exciting destination updates.
Episodes
-
#172: AI and the Human Touch
On this episode of the Skift Meetings Podcast, we delve into the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on the events industry while emphasizing the enduring importance of human connection. This episode — recorded live at Event Tech Live London — features Colja Dams, Co-CEO of VOK DAMS,...
-
#171 The Meetings Industry's Transformation
What happens when AI meets authenticity in the meetings world? As we unpack 2024's most significant shifts - from game-changing acquisitions to unprecedented cost pressures - the Skift Meetings editorial team reveals how these developments are catalyzing a fundamental reimagining of events for...
-
#170 Has Wellness Reached a Tipping Point?
This episode of the Skift Meetings podcast tackles a pressing question: As much as our industry has become consumed with promoting wellness at events, are meetings actually integrating these practices? Skift Meetings editor Barbara Scofidio and executive editor Andrea Doyle are joined by Kelly...
-
#169 IMEX America 2024 in Review: From Baseball to Pickleball, the Industry Is All-In on Personalized Experiences
Join us for an in-depth look at IMEX America 2024, the latest edition of the largest trade show dedicated to meetings, events and incentive travel professionals. With over 15,500 attendees and 86,000 meetings, this year’s IMEX celebrated the global meetings and events sector. We discuss the buzz…
more -
#168 Health-Conscious Nonalcoholic Cocktails Offer an Alternative To Sugary Mocktails
The nonalcoholic beverage industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by consumer demand for healthier and more sophisticated options. Zero Proofed is one company that is promoting this movement to redefine mocktails and promote mindful drinking. Challenges include the high sugar...
-
#167 Making the Most of IMEX America 2024
In today’s episode, we’re gearing up for one of the biggest events in the meetings and events industry—IMEX America 2024. Join Miguel Neves, Andrea Doyle, and Barbara Scofidio as they discuss their personal experiences, offer valuable tips for navigating the show floor, and share strategies for...
-
#166: Skift Meetings Forum: How Did It Go?
In this episode of the Skift Meetings Podcast, we take a closer look at the Skift Meetings Forum, a one-of-a-kind event that brought together senior meeting planners, thought leaders, and industry experts in the heart of New York. From Seth Godin’s thought-provoking keynote to groundbreaking...
-
#165 Behind the Scenes of Skift Meetings Forum 2024
The highly anticipated Skift Meetings Forum is an event tailored for senior meeting planners that promises a full day of thought-provoking and industry-shaping discussions. Hosted in the inspiring Glasshouse in New York City, this forum is more than just a conference—it’s a space for candid,...
-
#164 Rethinking Next-Gen Events
Planners need to rethink every aspect of their events—marketing, hotel and destination choices, room setups, F&B, wellness, gifting and more—with their younger attendees in mind—a candid conversation with one of the top names in event design. Connect with Skift Meetings LinkedIn:...
-
#163 How the 2024 Election Could Impact the Meetings Industry
Skift Meetings editors discuss the potential implications the U.S. presidential election and the many other elections happening worldwide in 2024 could have on the meetings industry. There's plenty to consider based on previous administrations' policies on some of the most contentious topics on…
more -
#162: Behind the Scenes of Skift’s Live Events
Brian Quinn, Skift’s vice president of Editorial Events, shares his insights on how the Skift Global Forum brings together industry leaders for thought-provoking conversations, all within a carefully curated, single-stage experience designed to push the boundaries of travel and inspire the…
more -
#161 Extreme Weather Impacting Events
Skift Meetings Editor-in-Chief Miguel Neves interviews Shawna McKinley, Principal at Clear Current Consulting, discussing the impact of climate change on events and how the industry must adapt to increasing extreme weather disruptions. Ethical responsibility, institutional change, and regulatory...
-
#160: Start Planning Your Holiday Gatherings
Two experts, Carrie Davenport and Jaki Baskow, share their tips for planning holiday parties on this episode of the Skift Meetings Podcast, including: Date Selection: Avoid major holidays; the first two weeks of December or the last week of November are ideal. Venue and Theme: Choose the venue…
more -
#159: DEI at a Crossroads
There’s been a growing backlash against DEI programs in recent years. But for meetings and events, diversity, equity, and inclusion is still important. For planners, the goal is to expose attendees to a wide range of viewpoints, and for everyone to feel connected – regardless of the political...
-
#158: Has AI Jumped the Shark?
Shawn Cheng, founder and lead strategist of Curious Bear Management, believes the jury is still out on whether AI has peaked in usefulness for meetings-related tasks. "It's too early to tell," Cheng said. "We're really just in some way taking a break." Cheng is an experienced events industry...
-
#157 Gerrit Jessen: Hospitality Across Continents
Gerrit Jessen, Director for Germany of the Event Design Collective, shared his experience as part of a pro bono mission in Uganda, where he applied his hotel management expertise to improve the operational standards of a small hotel. Despite unforeseeable challenges and dealing with manual...
-
#156 Melinda Burdette: Planning for Planners
As the senior director of events for Meeting Professionals International (MPI), Melinda Burdette oversees the association’s annual meetings. MPI's main events include the World Education Congress and the European Events and Meetings Conference. Planning experiences for thousands of meeting...
-
#155 Robyn Duda: Creating Genuine Human Connections
Robyn Duda is the co-founder and CEO of RacquetX. From organizing high school parties to launching IBM’s Watson worldwide, Duda has had her fair share of experience in events and trade shows, spending a significant part of her career at UBM, now part of Informa. She took the shift from consulting...
-
#154 Andrea Cadotto: Detroit, a Community That Cares
In this episode of the Skiff Meetings Podcast, we speak with Andrea Cadotto, director of sales at Visit Detroit. Cadotto sheds light on Detroit's dynamic evolution and promising future in large-scale events and urban development. Legacy and Reputation Visit Detroit, established in 1896, was the...
-
#153 The State of Event Tech 2024
In the latest episode of the Skift Meetings Podcast, we take a deep dive into event tech based on the findings of the Skift Meetings Event Tech Almanac 2024. We explore the significant transformations the event tech sector has undergone and discuss the evolving demands on event tech and the…
more -
#152 Ronny Coombs: Career Goal – The Events Industry
Ronny Coombs, a graduate of George Mason University, is exhibits manager for the American Society of Nephrology (ASN). Her main focus is Kidney Week, a medical conference that attracts 14,000 attendees and, on average, 170 to 200 exhibitors annually. Pandemic Pivot During the Covid shutdown, the...
-
#151 Rafat Ali and Brian Quinn: How to Make a Bad Conference Good
In this special bonus episode of The Skift Meetings Podcast, Skift CEO Rafat Ali is joined by Skift Meetings Executive Editor Andrea Doyle and Head of Events Programming Brian Quinn to discuss the current state of conferences. Prompted by Ali’s LinkedIn post critiquing the lack of thoughtful...
-
#150 Helen Bassett: The Power of a Story
Helen Bassett is senior vice president of Live and Events for Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal. Working hand-in-hand with the Wall Street Journal’s newsroom helps Bassett and her team identify what, and who, are making the biggest waves regarding how we live, work, and play. We discussed the...
-
#149 Timothy Glanzer: Elevating by Example
Timothy Glanzer, CMP, is the founder and CEO of Elevated Meeting Solutions. A former banker, he spent three decades working in various MGM Resorts International properties in Las Vegas before founding his company. A full-service meetings and events company, Elevated helps with sourcing and…
more -
#148 Bonnie Grant: Bridging Life Sciences and Hospitality
Bonnie Grant is the executive director of PHL Life Sciences, a division of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB). She is proud of her work in helping Philadelphia generate economic impact and employment opportunities. Her role involves sales and supporting associations in...
-
#147 Gregg Talley: Building Human Connection and Communities
Not many can say they grew up in the events industry, but Gregg Talley can. He has been at it for more than four decades. Gregg H. Talley is the chief executive officer of Talley Management Group, an association and event management firm that works with U.S. national global associations. Talley...
-
#146 Joe Rivers: Venturing Beyond Boundaries
Joe Rivers is the director of experiences and partnerships for Czarnowski Collective, a group of studios that have come together to provide event production, fabrication, and trade show agency services. Rivers discusses his journey as an event professional, starting as a brand ambassador and tour...
-
#145 Lorne Edwards & Jane Vukovich: Driving Economic Growth Through Storytelling
Visit Phoenix is redefining its role in the community. It is positioning itself as a key player in economic development through strategic storytelling and event management. Lorne Edwards, chief sales officer at Visit Phoenix, highlighted the organization's commitment to driving visitation and...
-
#144 Rob Adams: People, Moments and Memories
Rob Adams, the CEO and owner of Bishop-McCann, has a storied career that took a dramatic turn from a 12-year stint at tech giant Microsoft to the helm of a premier events company. Adams' transformation journey reveals some profound insights he's gathered along the way. From the simple yet…
more -
#143 Gianna Gaudini: The Art of Event Planning
What does it take to thrive in the high-stakes realm of event planning? Gianna Gaudini, a seasoned event strategist with a dazzling track record, divulges her insider knowledge on steering a purposeful career course, educating the next wave of event maestros, and why a sommelier certification…
more -
#142 Kinsey Fabrizio: The New Face of Consumer Technology
Last month, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) made waves in the events industry with the elevation of Kinsey Fabrizio as president. She joins longtime CEO Gary Shapiro at the helm of CTA, which owns and produces CES, following a meteoric rise over the past fifteen years. Her journey with...
-
#141 Nicola Kastner: The Event Strategist with Intention
Nicola Kastner is one of the rare people who intentionally entered the events industry. The founder of The Event Strategist, a boutique consultancy firm, she helps her clients optimize their event experiences to drive bottom-line results. Before creating The Event Strategist, Kastner was the…
more -
#140 Thomas Reiser: The Evolution of Association Management
The world of association management is evolving, and Thomas Reiser, the executive director of the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis, is at the forefront of this. Reiser sat down with Skift Meetings to share his insights on what is shaping the future of associations and events in…
more -
#139 Monique Ruff-Bell: Smile Through the Pain
Hard work, resilience, intention, blessings, grit, and luck are what Monique Ruff-Bell, chief program and strategy officer at TED Conferences, attributes to her success. "If anyone told little girl, teenage, or even 20-year-old Monique what she would eventually get to do, she wouldn't have…
more -
#138 Michelle Allgauer: Building a Resilient Career in Events
Michelle Allgauer, senior vice president of education and engagement at the Financial Services Institute (FSI), shares the personal journey that ushered her into the world of event planning—an industry where resilience and relationships are pivotal. From a young age, Allgauer’s curiosity in...
-
#137 Andre Cholewinski: Supporting Local Causes Is Better Than Boycotting Destinations
As associate director of meetings at the American Physical Society (APS), Andre Cholewinski plans a portfolio of meetings. The society's largest, the March meeting, brings together 13,000 physicists each year in a North American city. Meeting planning is not impervious to global socio-political...
-
#136 Martha Donato: Cultivating Community Through Creativity
Martha Donato, founder and President of MAD Event Management, has been orchestrating events and conferences for nearly three decades. Community, collaboration, and connection are the focal points of her work. In this episode of the Skift Meetings Podcast, she shares some of the lessons learned…
more -
#135 Sissi Lygnou: Professional Congress Organizer
In this episode, Sissi Lygnou, CEO of AFEA, discusses her lifelong ties to the meetings industry via her family's organisation, which she presides over today, and the brief step away in the early 2000s when she went to work for the Olympic Games organizing committee. Lygnou advocates for...
-
#134 Dan Macsai: Chief Events Officer
In this episode, Dan Macsai, chief events officer of Time Magazine, shares his inspiring journey from editor to events evangelist. He offers a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of curating the iconic Time 100 gala and other influential gatherings. Discover the strategies behind Time's…
more -
#133 Skift Meetings Megatrends 2024
This special edition of the Skift Meetings Podcast focuses on the "Skift Meetings Megatrends 2024" report, an incisive and forward-looking analysis that explores the ten pivotal trends revolutionizing the meetings industry. We navigate the complex interplay between remote work dynamics, AI...
-
#132 Mathias Sondermann: Creating a Target Audience of One
Mathias Sondermann, senior director of events at SAP, shares his transformative journey from event skeptic to passionate advocate. Sondermann discusses the evolution of events into strategic marketing tools enhanced by technology, especially in a post-pandemic world. He envisions artificial...
-
#131 Joe Pine: The Experience Economy
In this episode of the Skift Meetings Podcast, we host acclaimed author, speaker, and management advisor Joe Pine. Our conversation revolves around turning events into experiences. We explore how events that create memorable experiences are important creators of value and connection. Joe explains...
-
#130 Alex Reynolds: Maximizing Connections to Unlock Event ROI
Alex Reynolds, co-founder and CEO of Vendelux, discusses how the events industry is evolving by integrating connection-making with data-driven technology. Drawing from personal and professional experiences, Reynolds highlights the significance of events in business growth and relationship…
more -
#129 John Hense: Grit - Key to a Successful Event
John Hense, CEO of Nth Degree and Fern Expo, champions grit as the essential ingredient for successful events, particularly in the high-pressure world of trade shows. The necessity for face-to-face interactions has intensified in the hybrid work era, a trend Hense believes will only grow. The...
-
#128 Colja Dams: The Drive to Innovate Live Marketing
Delve into the visionary mind of Colja Dams, CEO of VOK DAMS, as he unpacks the transformative intersection of technological innovation, sustainability, and the enduring magic of live events destined to thrive in a post-pandemic world hungry for authentic connections. Subscribe to ensure you…
more -
#127 Amanda Armstrong: The Intersection of Passion and Impact
Amanda Armstrong is the senior vice president of communications and industry relations at Encore. Her career spans senior planning roles at Enterprise Rent-A-Car before joining Encore, with a wealth of operational and strategic experience. She also led Meeting Professionals International (MPI) as...
-
#126 Jill Blood: Navigating the Legal Middle Ground
Jill Blood is not your average legal counsel. Since joining Maritz Global Events in 2017, she's tackled everything from international privacy laws to the legality of renting blimps. In the high-octane world of event planning, Blood's role is as thrilling as it is crucial. She's the mastermind of...
-
#125 Lance Trebesch: True Partnership
Lance Trebesch, CEO at Eventgroove appreciates the palpable energy of events. He believes a foundational layer to producing events must be matched with a creative layer to make events truly great and memorable. His focus on clear and fair pricing is the basis of what Lance calls a true…
more -
#124 Gary LaBranche: Safe, Not Sorry
In this episode, Skift Meetings Executive Editor Andrea Doyle speaks with RIMS CEO Gary LaBranche. The conversation revolves around risk and risk management, with a focus on the fatal shooting that took place near the 2023 RISKWORLD Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Some topics covered are how to...
-
#123 Gabriel Seder: The Future of Destination Organizations
Gabriel Seder, Vice President, Global Development at Destinations International. discusses the future of destination organizations including the evolving role of destination organizations; the destination marketing vs management debate; the important role of destination organizations in…
more
About this show
The podcast for event professionals featuring the leading innovators in the industry. We cover the latest innovations in event technology, case studies of successful events, new thinking in event design, and exciting destination updates.
Hosted by
Skift Meetings