The EPN Journal Podcast

What is the current state of the jobs market in the events industry? How has recruitment changed?Around 5 years ago, recruitment was affected by COVID-19 lockdowns and now the conflict in the middle east.To discuss this and the current state of the job market, I’m joined by Robert Kenward of Jigsaw Talent Solutions.Robert has 25+ years’ experience advising senior leaders across events, MICE, and experiential sectors. He’s a recognised industry voice who blends honesty, humour, and hard-won experience.How do you feel about recruitment and the state of the job market? I would love to hear what you think, head over to ⁠EPN Journal Community⁠ and find out how you can share your thoughts.A huge thank you to our partners ⁠Vividink⁠ and ⁠Eventflow⁠. You can ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠find out more about them on EPN Journal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening!

Jonathan Kazarian is the founder of Accelevents. A company that specialises in event registration websites and badge printing.The company has been around for more than 10 years, so Jonathan knows how event registration websites should be made and what goes into designing good forms.Along with website design, we also talk about badges and when you should start marketing your event.I would love to hear what you think about registration websites and good badge design. Head over to EPN Journal Community and find out how you can share your thoughts.A huge thank you to our partners ⁠Vividink⁠ and ⁠Eventflow⁠. You can ⁠⁠⁠⁠find out more about them on EPN Journal⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening!

In February at International Confex, which was held at ExCel at London, I spoke with Paul Cook of Planet Planit who shared a story about travelling.He discusses a recent trip and shares a tip or two involving suitcases and how to have them ready when you’re doing many trips, especially if you arrive home and need to leave again almost immediately.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you'll be notified of new episodes.A huge thank you to our partners ⁠Vividink⁠ and ⁠Eventflow⁠. You can ⁠⁠⁠find out more about them on EPN Journal⁠⁠⁠.Thanks also to ⁠MMG⁠ for recording this episode.You can show your support by liking, subscribing, and by leaving a comment. Thanks for listening!

This week, BMA House revealed that their event data showed a shift towards alcohol free drinks, despite a change in alcohol consumption. We dive in to that, looking at the context and how their numbers compare to published reports on alcohol consumption.We also discuss a bar that's due to open in May that offers games such as darts, shuffleboard and axe throwing. Also, there's a bar in the USA that seems to offer burgers, chips and bullets!Discussing this with the host, Bob Toovey of Event Planner News, Paul Richardson of Vividink and joining us for the first time, Adam Baggs of Soaring Worldwide.The articles mentioned this week are...BMA House reports marked shift towards alcohol-free optionsActivity bar, with axe throwing & darts, to open in Leicester SquareThe UK on-trade is still failing to grasp the low-and-no opportunity Burgers and BulletsIf you have something to share about the topics discussed head, then head over to ⁠EPN Community⁠ and find out how you can give your feedback.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues.A huge thank you to our partners , you can ⁠⁠⁠find out more about them on EPN Journal⁠⁠⁠.You can show your support by liking and subscribing.Thanks for listening!

How would you like to host your next corporate event or meeting in a unique piece of British heritage? With 700 years of regal history, grade 1 listed Ashridge House sits secluded in 190 acres of Grade II* landscaped gardens in Hertfordshire.Joining me to discuss it’s history, sustainability challenges, and how they work with local businesses, are…Matthew Wright, Head of MarketingDavid Evans, Managing DirectorNoel Busby, Banqueting Head ChefIf you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you'll be notified of new episodes.If you would like to share your thoughts about Ashridge House and this episode, then you can find out how on the EPN Journal Community page.A huge thank you to our partners ⁠Vividink⁠ and ⁠Eventflow⁠⁠. You can ⁠⁠⁠find out more about them on EPN Journal⁠⁠⁠.You can show your support by liking, subscribing, and by leaving a comment. Thanks for listening!

A major UK event organiser, EMC3, is increasing its efforts toward the health of attendees and delegates. And the Venues Collection has introduced allergen emergency kits to the venues it represents. Does this mean there's an increasing focus on health and wellbeing?Discussing this with the host, Bob Toovey, is Kristyna O'Connell - a writer who specialises in venues.Links to his weeks articles...emc3 Collective launches healthcare agencyThe Venues Collection to introduce allergen emergency kitsIf you have something to share about the topics discussed head over to EPN Community and find out how you can give your feedback.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues.A huge thank you to our partners ⁠Vividink⁠, ⁠Eventflow⁠ and ⁠There.app⁠. You can ⁠⁠find out more about them on EPN Journal⁠⁠.You can show your support by liking and subscribing. Thanks for listening!

At this year’s International Confex, held over two days in February at London’s ExCel, I spoke with Ash Austin, Director and Founder of Evolution Dome. Inside their brand new Nexus Pod that was set up on the show floor, we discussed his new industry guide to temporary inflatable structures and their 15 year anniversary. You can read more about Ash Austin's founders story on EPN Journal.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you'll be notified of new episodes.A huge thank you to our partners ⁠Vividink⁠ and ⁠Eventflow⁠. You can ⁠⁠find out more about them on EPN Journal⁠⁠.Thanks also to MMG for recording this episode.You can show your support by liking, subscribing, and by leaving a comment. Thanks for listening!

This Week In Events is a weekly series that dives in to industry stories from last 7 days. This edition was recorded live on Thursday 26th at International Confex 2026. This week, the team consists of Paul Richardson of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VividInk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Jill Hawkins of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aniseed PR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and hosted by Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Event Planner News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Journal⁠.We discuss confex, the organised events that happen outside of a show (morning breakfast get togethers, sponsored evening drinks etc), and a news item from Exhibition News, London Excel welcomes 23 additional major events.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you'll be notified of new episodes.A huge thank you to our partners ⁠Vividink⁠, ⁠Eventflow⁠ and ⁠There.app⁠. You can ⁠find out more about them on EPN Journal⁠.And big thanks to First Sight Media and their team for their expertise in making this episode possible.You can show your support by liking, subscribing, and by leaving a comment. Thanks for listening!

This Week In Events dives in to event industry news stories from the last 7 days. This edition, for Friday 20th February features Paul Richardson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Paul Cook and hosted by Bob Toovey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.This weeks discussion was inspired by a recent LinkedIn post by Julius Solaris. His suggestion included running an event party on the morning of the second day. We discuss the idea, and how we should be fixing what we have now before 'revolutionising' the attendee experience.During our chat we mention a report, you can find that here - Freeman Trends Report - Insights on Retention & ExperienceWe would love to hear your thoughts and comments, check out the EPN Community page and find out how.Discover ⁠more episodes of This Week In Events⁠ on EPN Journal.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you get notified when new episodes are published.Thank you to our partners ⁠Vividink PR⁠ and Eventsflow for their continued support.

Alastair Winsey is the owner of the wedding and corporate event venue, Silchester Farm. He has first hand experience of how venue staff are struggling to keep up, not just with the current economic situation, but also with the pressures of the work and the admin involved.In our conversation, we explore the needs of venue staff and how the business tries to support them, the ways in which AI can help with admin, and the history of Silchester Farm.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you'll be notified of new episodes.A huge thank you to our partners ⁠Vividink⁠, ⁠Eventflow⁠ and ⁠There.app⁠. You can ⁠find out more about them on EPN Journal⁠.You can show your support by liking, subscribing, and by leaving a comment. Thanks for listening!

Welcome to Backstage Pass, where we chat with those who work behind the scenes in the event industry.Eden Caterers and 15Hatfields have a strong and long standing relationship. Between them, they have demonstrated that sustainability can be more than just ticking box, and it can become a business advantage.In this episode of Backstage Pass, I’m joined by Joe Harris of 15Hatfields and Nick Mead of Eden Caterers to talk about how they work together and how they have pushed sustainability forward.Our conversation ranges from how the long relationship between Eden and 15Hatfields started, and their involvement with defining a sustainability standard inspired by the Olympics, to providing sustainable food options and what their collected data is revealing.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you'll be notified of new episodes.A huge thank you to our partners ⁠Vividink⁠, ⁠Eventflow⁠ and ⁠There.app⁠. You can find out more about them on EPN Journal.You can show your support by liking, subscribing, and by leaving a comment. Thanks for listening!

Welcome to Backstage Pass, where we chat with those who work behind the scenes to make events happen.My guest is Jennie Plumlee, who has many years of experience, which includes being a Marketing Director, organising Conference Sponsorships and creating global Webinars. And there’s much more, as you can see on her LinkedIn profile.She’s currently sharing her expertise with university students, in particular, helping them discover a career in corporate events. Jennie is also sharing some of that knowledge on Instagram.Jennie found a few minutes in her busy day to have a quick chat with me. I start by asking why corporate events are different.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you'll be notified of new episodes.EPN is supported by the event industry community, Vividink, Eventflow and There.app. Discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This is a short episode as it’s the last one for 2025. We’re taking a break and we will be back in January 2026.Our amazing team has taken part in 20 episodes, so a huge thank you to Paul Richardson, Jill Hawkins, Paul Cook and Kristyna O'Oconnell.As mentioned in this episode...Listen to our most popular episode Apply to be a guestDiscover how to become a supporterA huge thank you also goes to our amazing patrons and sponsors, Vividink, Eventflow and There.app for their continued support. Event Planner News is fueled and supported by the amazing event industry community. It’s because of our patrons and sponsors we keep doing what we do. If you would to offer your support, then please get in touch. Lastly, a huge thank you to you and all those who took the time to listen. I really look forward to you joining me in 2026 for more great episodes!

This Week In Events dives in to event industry news stories from the last 7 days. This edition, for Friday 28th November, features Paul Richardson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Paul Cook and Bob Toovey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Stories discussed this week...Evissio report on the ‘Awards Industry’A look at IBTM, the exhibitor and attendee experienceThe UK Budget: minimum wage and the freeze on train fares for 2026We would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.Discover more episodes of This Week In Events on EPN Journal.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you get notified when new episodes are published.Thank you to our Patron Vividink PR for their continued support. Discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

This Week In Events, a weekly series that takes a deeper look at some of the stories and trends from the last 7 days.This edition, for Friday 1st November, features Paul Richardson of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VividInk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Jill Hawkins of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aniseed PR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Event Planner News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.This weeks topics include...Eventwell Launches Operational Benchmark For Event Quiet Rooms Events Apprenticeships programme moves under The Power of EventsNew report exposes accessibility challenges for disabled delegatesWe would love to hear your thoughts on the stories discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe where you prefer to listen to podcasts.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening!

As mentioned in our last episode, we recorded a special edition of ‘This Week In Events’. The team met on the first day of Event Tech Live at the First Sight Media podcast stage, it was the first time we had recorded an episode face to face. We were also the first podcast to be recorded at the show.The team featured myself, Paul Richardson, Jill Hawkins and Paul Cook. The topics under discussion included…MPI now offering consulting services, possibly competing with membersMIAlist, second year of all female rising starsNavigating trade shows, carpets, stand numbering & colour codingWe would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you get notified when new episodes are published.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Our lead story this week, why are Eventex Awards getting so much attention? Are they a true reflection of the industry or simply a popularity contest?We also discuss 20 minute sessions and the associations with almost identical logos and names.PLUS we have news of where and when the next episode is being recorded! This edition, for Friday 7th November, features Paul Richardson of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VividInk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Paul Cook, ⁠storyteller⁠ and creator of specialist content consultancy Planet Planit,  and Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Event Planner News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Links to this week's stories...Event Industry Awards: The Good, the Bad, and the ShamelessSkift Meetings Power RankingsEventex AwardsLinkedIn post by Vanessa LovattAMI article on associations with matching logosWe would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you get notified when new episodes are published.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Inside Event Education is a new monthly series that features students and academics.In this first episode, the discussion is about the start of the academic year, the use of AI and what attracts students to event management courses.Taking part...Amelia Curtis - Student, BA events Management - University of NorthamptonDavid Jarman - Educator at Edinburgh Napier University Claire Drakerly - Educator at University Of NorthamptonBob Toovey - EPN JournalDiscover some of the excellent dissertations by students on the EM Dissertation Research website.

In this week's episode, we discuss if organisers have any responsibility regarding the content of exhibitor stands, do they need to sure it's legally and morally correct? It seems in China they take it very seriously.Plus we discuss alcohol at events, inspired by a LinkedIn post by Robert Kenwood. This episode features Paul Richardson of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VividInk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Events Journalist ⁠⁠⁠Kristyna O'Connell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Event Planner News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.We would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe where you prefer to listen to podcasts.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening!

When you think about accessibility, what comes to mind? Wheelchair access, visual or hearing impairment? You might, perhaps, consider neurodiversity? There’s more to it than that, for example - have you considered accessibility requirements for your event or conference registration website?To help me discover the challenges and some of the things you need to be aware of, I talked to Stephen Cutchins, Cvent’s senior manager covering accessibility. Our discussion took place in October at the Cvent Europe Conference held at the Intercontinental London, right next to the O2 in North Greenwich.The small conference room we were in was just outside the main ballroom, so from time to time you’ll hear music, as the dancers practice for a keynote session.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you'll be notified of new episodes.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Top story this week, did the recent AWS outage affect the event industry? Both Cvent and Eventbrite experienced problems, but it appears no one else in the industry did as very little, if anything, has been written about the problems. Another great topic we discuss, does your branding matter more than ever now that AI is answering your search queries. And the upcoming CHS show gets a mention This edition features Paul Richardson of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VividInk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Jill Hawkins of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aniseed PR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Event Planner News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.We would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe where you prefer to listen to podcasts.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening!

On the 15th of October, I attended the 2 day Cvent EuropeConference. It seemed bigger than last year’s event, and it feltlike there were many more attendees. This was possibly due to the location, the Intercontinental London right next to the O2 in North Greenwich.One of the reasons I was there was to speak to Jake Dennett about his session that was due on the second day. "The Agile Event Planner, Staying Ahead in the Ever-Evolving World of Events"We discussed the session and some of the issues that event planners are currently experiencing. If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you'll be notified of new episodes.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Julia Danmeri speaks multiple languages, she has done since an early age. It has proved to be a very useful skill that has been invaluable during her 20 years of international event ops. Focusing on her multilingual abilities led her to launch TranslateAble, switching from organiser to supplier. While there is a movement towards AI translations, there are many times when a human is needed.We start our conversation with her move away from South London, and on to learning and speaking different language.You can connect with Julia on LinkedIn, and discover more about her new company, TranslateAble, here.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you'll be notified of new episodes.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠Event Planner News and Paul Cook at Planet Planit, spent two days at the recent Cvent Europe 2025 Conference in London.To help explore our thoughts and experiences on this big newsworthy event, we asked Jill Hawkins of ⁠⁠Aniseed PR to act as host.We do make reference to Paul and Bob being part of a boy band, you can see what we were talking about via Adam Baggs on LinkedIn. As a reminder, on the 19th October, Bob Toovey is taking part in a fundraiser for ⁠Hospitality Action - Walk For Wellbeing. It's⁠ on the 19th of October, please consider making a donation for this worthy cause.We would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe where you prefer to listen to podcasts.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening!

In this week's episode, we discuss the idea that there are too many Industry Events, how an automated PR tool is bombarding UK media with AI-generated content, and the ATPI launch of their trainee programme aiming to tackle industry talent shortage.This episode features Paul Richardson of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VividInk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Events Journalist ⁠⁠Kristyna O'Connell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Event Planner News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Links to this week's stories...Both Planners and Suppliers Agree: There Are Too Many Industry EventsAutomated PR tool is bombarding UK media with AI-generated contentATPI launches trainee programme to tackle industry talent shortageOn October the 19th, Bob Toovey is taking part in the fundraiser for Hospitality Action's Walk For Wellbeing. Please consider making a donation for this worthy cause.We would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe where you prefer to listen to podcasts.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening!

In this episode, we take dive in to the top news stories from the last 7 days. We take a look at the figures unveiled at the recent Labour Party Conference in ACC Liverpool, where the EIA joined politicians, industry and association members. Plus, how did the Isle of Wight festival increases profits despite fall in attendance, and the launch of the Power Of Events Schools Engagement Program for London.We also take a moment to remember Ian "Irv" Irving who passed away earlier this year.This edition, for Friday 3rd October, features Paul Richardson of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VividInk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Jill Hawkins of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aniseed PR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Event Planner News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.The links to this weeks storiesUK events industry adds £11.5bn to UK economyIsle of Wight festival increases profits despite fall in attendanceThe Power Of Events websiteWe would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening!

Hospitality Action recently published a report based on it’s yearly industry-wide wellbeing survey. The aim of the ‘Taking The Temperature’ survey, is to reveal insights about mental health, support systems, and the daily challenges faced by people at every level of hospitality.I talked with Jeremy Gibson, Marketing & Operations Director at Hospitality Action. We discuss the insights and issue raised by the survey.Hospitality Action WebsiteWalk For WellbeingTaking The Temperature survey resultsWe would love to hear your thoughts on the issues discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe so you'll be notified of new episodes.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

We have questions! Such as, have event awards become exclusive? Why have event planners become too overwhelmed to innovate? And just who exactly is the APPG and what do they do?Jill Hawkins of ⁠Aniseed PR⁠, Paul Cook, ⁠⁠storyteller⁠⁠ and creator of specialist content consultancy Planet Planit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and Bob Toovey of ⁠Event Planner News⁠ discuss these questions, which are based on topics and news stories that caught their attention over the last 7 days.Stories mentioned this week include...Leonardo Hotel & Conference Venue Hinckley Island Retains its Gold Award at the M&IT Awards 2025Victory Services Club Wins ‘Excellence in Wellbeing’ at HR in Hospitality AwardsTelford International Centre joins the APPG for EventsEvent Leaders Are Too Overwhelmed by Logistics to InnovateWe would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe where you prefer to listen to podcasts.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening

In this edition, for Friday 19th September, Jill Hawkins of Aniseed PR and Bob Toovey of Event Planner News discuss the first Accessible Events Show, three London venues upgrading their spaces and the results from the M&IT Awards survey.Links to the stories mentioned...The Accessible Events ShowOlympia’s National Hall receives £2m upgradeWestminster Venue Collection and partners transform Central Hall Westminster for annual showcaseNational Gallery gets £375m donations for new wingAI top of 2026 opportunities, budgets still biting says M&IT Awards surveyWe would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe where you prefer to listen to podcasts.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening

In this edition, for Friday 12th September, the talk is about analytics, metrics & meaningful event data, the updated guide from MIA regarding Martyn's Law, and the first ever event industry show that's all about accessibility.The team this week features Paul Cook, ⁠storyteller⁠ and creator of specialist content consultancy Planet Planit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Events Journalist ⁠⁠Kristyna O'Connell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Event Planner News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Links to this weeks storiesAre You Prioritising the Wrong Metrics? Why Quality Beats Quantity in Event Reporting - VenueIQHSBC announced as headline sponsor of the Accessible Events Show 2025 - Conference & Meetings WorldMIA updates guidance to help venues prepare for Martyn’s Law - Conference NewsTube Strikes Could Cost Industry £150M - Access All AreasNew U.S. Visa Fee Threatens International Attendance at Trade Shows - Skift MeetingsAs mentioned in this episode, here's the link to the Accessible Events Show.We would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe where you prefer to listen to podcasts.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening!

We're back talking about venues again, along with news of The Power Of Events and their expansion of their UK schools program, plus do we know what attendees really want from events and conferences?This edition, for Friday 5th September, features Paul Richardson of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VividInk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Events Journalist ⁠Kristyna O'Connell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Event Planner News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Links to this weeks stories...Power of Events announces region expansion and London launch event for schools engagement programmes Conference Trends 2026 | What Attendees Really Want Olympia to host The Hybrid GamesWe would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe where you prefer to listen to podcasts.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening!

This week the discussion is mainly about venues, and Rickshaw racing in and around London Excel!This edition, for Friday 29th August, features Paul Richardson of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VividInk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Jill Hawkins of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aniseed PR⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Event Planner News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.The links to this weeks storiesVenues Trend Report 2025 by Kristyna O’ConnellTech driven location-based entertainment market to triple by 2034Northstar has signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by JTB CorpLondon’s Largest Convention Center Unveils Expanded Space, Draws North American BookingsWe would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe where you prefer to listen to podcasts.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening!

In this weeks episode, attendee data sharing without attendees being made aware, Gamescon event app uses AI to book meetings but doesn't tell you, and do small festivals need big acts?This edition, for Friday 22nd August, features Paul Richardson of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VividInk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Paul Cook, storyteller and creator of specialist content consultancy Planet Planit,  and Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Event Planner News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Links to this week's stories...Vendelux is offering event organizers a free way to expand their targeted marketing outreach data, provided they share their own data in exchangeGamescom, one of the biggest video game industry trade shows in the world, used AI to book meetings for attending publishers, developers, and media even if they didn’t want them (via LinkedIn)Festivals don’t need to have the biggest acts playing in a rented field to be successful. They just need to serve their communityWe would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe where you prefer to listen to podcasts.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening!

David Harris, also known as Magicman London, started his lifelong passion for magic at the age of 6 when his father showed him a simple trick.Since then, he has become one of the most popular magicians in London, performing at corporate events, trade shows and conferences – from very small groups to stages with big audiences.We discuss how his dyspraxia has affected his performances and how he has adapted to the condition, and why a husband jumped off a river boat while David was performing close up magic.The self confessed wizard also shares what his future holds, including the possibility of live performances from an aeroplane and plans for entertaining on cruise ships.You can find David on the followingLinkedIn personal pageLinkedIn business pageInstagramYouTubeWebsiteEPN Patrons get early access to episodes, plus other benefits - ⁠⁠discover more on KoFi⁠⁠.

In this episode we discuss the potential demise of event apps, July's increase in event job ads, and consent and deep fakes in AI.This edition, for Friday 15th August, features Paul Richardson of ⁠⁠⁠⁠VividInk⁠⁠⁠⁠, Jill Hawkins of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Aniseed PR⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠⁠⁠Event Planner News⁠⁠⁠⁠.Links to this weeks storiesThe death of event apps? Presso shares stats and a possible answer to low install ratesFrom C & IT - UK event manager job ads went up by 14% in JuneFrom The Meeting Room - bias, consent and deep fakes in AI (video)We would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe where you prefer to listen to podcasts.EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠⁠.Thanks for listening!

Five years ago, during the Pandemic lockdown – Andrew Perolls decided to make a difference.Armed with a phone, a laptop and a list of contacts – he created Greengage Solutions.Since then, Andrew and his team have changed the way venues, hotels, and the event industry as a whole, views and takes action on - sustainability.I had the pleasure of talking with Andrew, during which he shared how got started, his inspirations and some amazing, yet very troubling statistics.We also discussed why company culture matters when it comes to sustainability and who is driving the change to do better.Listen through to the end, as Andrew shares the one simple thing you can do right now to make a difference.EPN Patrons get early access to episodes, plus other benefits - ⁠discover more on KoFi⁠.This episode is part of the EPN Collective series.

This Week In Events, a weekly podcast series that takes a deeper look at some of the stories and trends from the last 7 days. This edition, for Friday 8th August, features Paul Richardson of ⁠⁠⁠VividInk⁠⁠⁠, Jill Hawkins of ⁠⁠⁠Aniseed PR⁠⁠⁠ and Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠⁠Event Planner News⁠⁠⁠.Topics and stories this week include...Rising cost in the industry - C&IT study reveals 95% of planners see costs as top challengeWorthy mention - Speakerstacks share their speakers guide, Top Public Speaking Anxiety Tips to Boost Confidence Follow up to the TomorrowLand fire, by Andrew Roby on LinkedInA great discussion on speakers paying to appear on stage, should those talks be marked as sponsored content?Margaret Reeves at RefTec writes a follow up article to that controversial post, and it's published on Exhibition NewsWe would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with friends and colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe where you prefer to listen to podcasts.This episode, and many others, are also available on Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music. If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with a friend, and don't forget to subscribe!EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠⁠you can become a patron⁠⁠.Thanks for listening!

This Week In Events - a weekly series that takes a deeper look at some of the stories and trends from the last 7 days.This edition, for Friday 1st August, features Paul Richardson of ⁠⁠VividInk⁠⁠, Jill Hawkins of ⁠⁠Aniseed PR⁠⁠ and Bob Toovey of ⁠⁠Event Planner News⁠⁠.Topics and stories this week are...Why are award submissions deadlines packed so close together, and does paying to take part tarnish winning?What are the robots reading? A new report suggests 95% of links cited by AI are from non-paid media. Good news for PR professionals...And that story from Exhibition News where hotels, restaurants, taxis, stand builders and onsite caterers are said to be not contributing back to events ecosystems.We would love to hear your thoughts on the topics discussed, so please leave a comment.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with a friend, and don't forget to subscribe!EPN is supported by the event industry community, discover how ⁠you can become a patron⁠.Thanks for listening!

This Week In Events - a weekly series that takes a deeper look at some of the stories and trends from the last 7 days.This edition, for Friday 25th July, features Paul Richardson of ⁠VividInk⁠, Jill Hawkins of ⁠Aniseed PR⁠ and Bob Toovey of ⁠Event Planner News⁠.We discuss, AI and have we had enough? Plus Tomorrowland’s Stage Fire and WeTransfer's revised terms and conditions.Links to this weeks stories...Have we hit peak AI?Tomorrowland’s Stage FireWeTransfer terms and conditions, LinkedIn mention and and an explanation of what was actually meantPlease leave a comment with your thoughts on the topics discussed.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with a friend. EPN is supported by the event industry community. Discover how you can become a patron.Thanks for listening!

This Week In Events - a weekly series that takes a deeper look at some of the stories and trends from the last 7 days.We talk about venues outside of London, Christmas in July and the new report from Wyboston Venue Management.This edition, for Friday 18th July, features Paul Richardson of VividInk, Jill Hawkins of Aniseed PR and Bob Toovey of Event Planner News.The featured stories for this week are...Six venues outside London that are competing for big-brand B2B showsThe Venues Collection Launches Christmas Party Packages With Low & No Alcohol OptionsChristmas Party Checklist: The Secret to a Stress-Free Corporate Christmas PartyCelebrate the Festive Season with Unforgettable Christmas Parties at Church House!New research report reveals insights into how it complements online learning and AIPlease leave a comment with your thoughts on the topics discussed.If you enjoyed this episode then please share it with a friend. Thanks for listening!

How has the event industry changed over the years? Have things become better, stayed the same or somehow become worse?My guest, Richard John, is an industry veteran with more than 30 years experience. He is an author, columnist and considered by many as a ‘go to’ events expert. He’s also written a romantic comedy called, ‘The Tag’. A man of many talents.Inspired by two of his books, collected articles going back to the early 2000’s, we take a look at early practices and see how things have changed.We discuss events and exhibiting, why Powerpoint is not as bad as you think, and why registration desks should be renamed.Richard shares many stories and ideas, and his thoughts on how things could be better. So please join us for what is a very interesting episode.Just to let you know, there is a single four letter swear word mention in this episode.Books by Richard...Exhibitionista: Advice, Guidance, Wisdom and a few Confessions from the Wonderful World of ExhibitionsA Pain in the Plenary: The very best (or least worst) of over ten years of "Conference News' columns from Richard JohnThe TagEPN Patrons get can early access to episodes, discover more on KoFi.

With the reopening of the National Gallery's Sainsbury Wing, event and meetings planners have a new inspiring venue.I had the pleasure of talking with Clare Arouche, who is the head of hospitality and events at the National Gallery. In this new podcast episode, we explore what the Sainsbury Wing offers event and meeting planners.Discover more about the National GalleryNational Gallery on InstagramNational Gallery Events on InstagramMany thanks to our patrons, partners and friends, including Vividink and ShoutOut.Event Planner News is independent and advert free, supported by our patrons and partners. Become an individual patron or a business patron and get early access to episodes, discover more on our Ko-Fi page.

Welcome to the May edition of the EPN Journal update, featuring the top news items, this months most popular guest story and we welcome the first article by our new columnist, Claire Drakeley. We also have Richard John, co-founder of realise and IdeasNest, sharing the best advice he’s been given.The top stories mentioned are...Venues Of Excellence Welcomes Yorkshire’s The Royal ArmouriesThe National Gallery’s Sainsbury Wing Reopens With New Event SpacesCaterful Aims To Make It Easier To Match Caterers With ClientsMost popular guest postMamma Consulting: Built On Heart And Driven By FreedomBy new columnist Claire DrakeleyBuilding Resilience: Skills Students Need To Thrive Under PressureCheck out the brand new feature, The EPN Collective.This episode features Richard John, co-founder of Realise and IdeasNest, who shares the best advice he’s been given.Huge thanks to our patrons, Vividink and Where.app, our partners ShoutOut and the Power Of Events, and to Gorden Gleniester and all our industry friends. Your support is really appreciated!Event Planner News is independent and advert free, supported by our patrons and partners. Details of how you can be a patron can be found on the EPN Journal website.Thanks for listening!

In this episode of the EPN Podcast, the top stories that were published on EPN Journal in April, along with a top wellbeing tip from Sandie McCoubrey, Co-Founder of MESA. The stories featured are...The checklist Businesses Need To Ensure Waste Regulation ComplianceHow St Saviourgate York Hosted A Festive Pop-Up Picturehouse CinemaImage Sizes On Instagram, Everything Event Planners Need To KnowEvolution Dome Delivers 137 Meeting Pods With Only 12 Hours For Set-UpTUC’s Congress Centre To Cease Trading At The End Of JuneMany thanks to our patrons, partners and friends, including Vividink, ShoutOut, and Membership Strategy Consultant, Gordon Glenister.Event Planner News is independent and advert free, supported by our patrons and partners. You can support Event Planner News by becoming an individual patron or a business patron.Thanks for listening!

This episode of the EPN Podcast is based on the article - When It Comes To Sustainability, We’re All Part Of The Problem..."Booking systems used by hotels to reduce costs and increase efficiency, A.I. platforms that we use to save time, and all those productivity services we access through the Internet, are all hosted in large data centers. They are also used for website hosting, your favourite note taking app and all the other cloud services you enjoy. And let’s not forget, each and every social media app that’s out there lives in a data center.Here lies our shared problem – each data center needs power for the computer systems, and water for cooling."Huge thanks to our patrons and partners who support the work of Event Planner News…MESAThe Power Of EventsVividInkThere.appYou too can help support Event Planner News by becoming a patron.Plus special thanks to Influencer Marketing and Membership Strategy Consultant, Gordon Glenister.

At the beginning of November, I attended World Travel Market at ExCel London for the first time, which was quite an experience! One of the reasons I was there, other than finding out what it was like, was to meet Dorothee Anjos - General Manager of Multilem Middle East. Multilem was the company behind the huge exhibition space for the Saudi Tourism Authority – at an impressive 3,214 sqm. If that’s hard to imagine then this might help – the combined space of just under three Olympic swimming pools. Once I started talking with Dorothee, I knew I had to invite her on to the podcast, and thankfully she agreed! In this episode, we talk about how Multilem started with 8 women, the experience of the first male employee, balancing work and family and of course her favourite music track. Here are the links that are mentioned in the episode... Multilem website Information on becoming an EPN Patron How to become a guest There are more podcast episodes on our main page, you can also listen to them all on Spotify and on Amazon Music. Big thanks to our partners and supporters - There.app, MESA and The Power Of Events.

When your team is on location, for example at a large venue for a big event, you need to know where they are. Are they situated in the right place? Is anyone in the team missing? More importantly, when a situation starts developing – who is the closest to deal with it? Each team member needs to have at hand the most up to date information, and having the ability to message each other really helps everyone to stay organised and keep on top of things. There.app was created to address all these issues. Founder and President, Seth Kenvin and head of Business Development, Colleen Coll join me for a chat about the app. Seth shares how he was inspired by a ski trip where members of his group became separated and hard to find. Colleen discusses how the app can help event planners and gives a few examples of how it has helped her. Here are the links that were mentioned in this episode... There.app partner program Information on becoming a EPN Patron How to become a guest

When it comes to recording your podcast, don't get lost choosing which microphone is best. You already have everything you need to start recording. In this episode, I give examples of using your smartphone, laptop and webcam, to record your audio. If you think your laptop is not up to it, think again. Considering buying a new and expensive external USB microphone? Make the best of your existing one by knowing the best positions to put it for better audio quality. Don't let the stress of getting perfect sound quality and choosing the ideal microphone stop you from getting started! In this episode, I mention... Zoom Spotify For Podcasters Fifine USB Microphone Audacity If you have any questions, or more tips and advice, then please get in touch. Big thanks to EPN Patrons and supporters - MESA, Power Of Events, Phizzpod, and RAVL. Discover how you can become a Patron here.

In the first part of this series on starting a podcast,I asked three US based podcasters to share theirthoughts on the subject.That episode was fun, packed with info and a really great discussion. It went so well, here’s part 2!This episode has the same question, how do you get started, but this time the views, experiences and stories come from 4 amazing UK based podcasters. Jack Saward - ⁠Event Insights podcast⁠ Clare Forestier – Not The Same As Last Year Paul Cook – creative writer and podcaster at Paul Cook Story Teller Alexa Martinez – Events ObsessedJust to let you know, the ‘F’ word is used a couple of time in the discussion, but we’re all grown ups, so I’m sure it’s not going to be a problem.The range of topics include, how to find and select guests, a real example of what can go wrong during recording and the equipment a beginner should considerI hope you enjoy this episode, let me know what you think.If you would like to be a guest or have an idea for a future topic, then ⁠please get in touch⁠.A huge thank you to our patrons and partners!If you would like to be a guest then you can ⁠apply here⁠.Discover more about event planner news...➡ ⁠EPN Daily⁠ ➡ ⁠EPN Journal

I have a question for you, what does it take to start a podcast? There’s a lot to think about. For instance... What equipment will you need? How do you find the time to record when you have a job & family? How do you approach people to be guests? As a beginner, it can be quite daunting. To discuss this, I invited three amazing event industry podcasters to share their advice on getting started... Naomi Tucker, host of Planners On Purpose Anca Trifan, host of Events Demystified Victoria Matey, host of What If I Told You…? The Event Psychology Podcast There’s plenty lots of great advice, top tips and a few interesting stories too. If you would like to be a guest or have an idea for a future topic, then please get in touch. A huge thank you to our patrons and partners! If you would like to be a guest then you can apply here. Discover more about event planner news... ➡ EPN Daily ➡ EPN Journal