Great Events

Execution will always be part of the job, but event leaders who want to grow their influence need to think beyond logistics.   In this episode, Kelly Cheng sits down with Sara Ann Straw , Senior Director of Corporate Events at Kong , to discuss her approach to building more strategic event programs. Drawing from her SAS Framework, Sara explains how asking better questions, creating intention...

Better events do not always come from doing more. As expectations change, event teams are being pushed to rethink how they create value, where they focus their energy, and what actually makes an experience worth showing up for.  In this episode, Rachel Andrews sits down with Tavar James , VP of Marketing & Global Head of Events at Forrester , for a wide-ranging conversation on the changing ro...

Event professionals need to be fluent in marketing, operations, and finance. That range is what makes them qualified for leadership even if they don’t feel ready for it.  In this episode, Rachel Andrews sits down with Angie Smith , Chief Executive Officer of InVision Communications , to discuss her unconventional career path and the lessons she learned along the way. Angie shares how communit...

Don’t underestimate the power of webinars. A well-built webinar program can create ongoing opportunities to educate audiences, build relationships, and support sales teams.   In this episode, Felicia Asiedu sits down with Sarah Jordan Usher , Global Events and Field Marketing Manager at Mastercam , to discuss how they built a scalable webinar strategy from scratch.  Sarah shares how Mas...

Great content isn't enough to wow audiences anymore. When every event can deliver a polished keynote, personalization becomes the real differentiator.  In this episode, Stephanie Sweetland sits down with Nigel Reeves , Senior Director of Event Operations at YPO , who runs over 500 events a year for 37,000 members worldwide. They discuss how member data should inform event design, how to use AI to...

A sold-out event does not always mean it’s successful. Big registration numbers and packed rooms are nice, but those numbers alone don’t tell you whether an event achieved what it set out to do. In this episode, Felicia Asiedu sits down with Mahoganey Jones , founder and CEO of Event Specialists , to discuss how event professionals can move beyond vanity metrics and focus on meaningful KPIs to mea...

Planning an event is hard enough. Without the right processes in place, it's chaotic and nearly impossible to scale. For the Wounded Warrior Project, building a stronger event program meant replacing fragmented processes with clear systems, defined responsibilities, and leadership support. In this episode, Felicia Asiedu sits down with Paige Marg and Sarah Lutz from the Wounded Warrior Project to...

Your event had 1,000 attendees. Great. But how many showed buying intent? Attendance, booth traffic, and badge scans only tell part of the story. In this episode, Stephanie Sweetland sits down with Nick Bennett from Reachdesk , to discuss how marketers can connect event engagement to pipeline and prove business impact. Nick explains why events work best when they are treated as part of an integrat...

TED is so much more than just an events company.  Globally, their audience trusts them to spread big ideas, spark important conversations, and create meaningful experiences. In this episode, Rachel Andrews sits down with Monique Ruff-Bell , Chief Program and Strategy Officer at TED Conferences . Monique takes us behind the curtain of their global ecosystem and world-class event strategy. She...

Events are getting smaller and smaller in 2026. It’s got a lot to do with AI. Audiences are skeptical, overloaded, and craving something authentic. Intimate gatherings, personalized experiences, and IRL events foster real connection. In this episode, Felicia Asiedu and Rachel Andrews sit down with new Co-host and Goldcast CMO Kelly Cheng for a mid-year trend check-in. They discuss why building tru...

Can events be both data-driven and people-focused? According to MPI’ s Lori Pugh and Rachel Benedick , absolutely. In this episode, Rachel Andrews chats with industry veterans, Lori and Rachel, about how to design experiences that delight participants while aligning with revenue goals. They discuss what it really means to know your audience, how data can transform events into meaningful experience...

Meet the woman who built the sponsorship strategy behind Fanatics Fest. In this episode, Rachel Andrews and Felicia Asiedu sit down with Paulina Giusti , Director of Sponsorships at Fanatics Events . Paulina shares what it takes to craft activations, energize brands, and drive revenue for a festival that draws 175,000 sports fans. She takes us behind the scenes of Fanatics Fest, revealing how inte...

Daniel Murray on How B2B Marketers Earn Attention in 2026 What’s broken in B2B marketing? And how do we fix it? In this episode, Camille Arnold and Daniel Murray , founder of The Marketing Millennials , discuss why earning attention is harder than ever before.  In this age of AI, creating content is easy, but standing out feels impossible. Daniel shares why brand marketing is making a comebac...

Accessibility is not a trend. It’s a fundamental part of how great events are designed and delivered.  In this episode, Felicia Asiedu sits down with Stephen Cutchins , Director of Accessibility at Cvent, to talk about how to make events accessible for more people. From registration to on-site execution, they share practical ways to remove barriers and create better attendee experiences. Step...

People know that events work, but how do you prove it? In this episode, Rachel Andrews and Megan Martin , founder of M Squared Dynamics , discuss the strategies and metrics you need to effectively prove the ROI of your events to leadership. They explain how events can directly contribute to business growth and why event planners need to be involved in sales and marketing strategies.  If you’v...

In an AI-dominated digital world, earning audience trust is hard.  But that also means it’s more important than ever. In this episode, Kelly Cheng , CMO of Goldcast , explains why video content is crucial for building trust and connecting with your audience. She shares how authenticity and AI tools can actually coexist, and why you need both to succeed in B2B marketing. You’ll learn the lates...

Great events aren’t just about the day itself. What you do before, during, and long after creates experiences that truly resonate and drive long-term value. In this episode, Camille Arnold sits down with UserEvidence’s VP of Marketing, Mark Huber , and Director of Content Marketing, Jillian Hoefer , to talk experiential marketing. The two take us behind the scenes of Highline 2025, explaining why...

What on earth does the menstrual cycle have to do with leadership? Everything, if you care about performance, burnout, and team dynamics. In this episode, Felicia Asiedu and Jo Fuller , Founder of The Merry Menopause , talk about cycle literacy in the workplace and why it matters for event and marketing teams operating under constant pressure. Jo explains how energy shifts show up across the month...

SEO is no longer enough in an AI-powered world. With tools like ChatGPT and Claude changing consumer search behavior, event marketers need to rethink how they approach visibility and discoverability. In this episode, Camille Arnold sits down with Sam Brown , an SEO lead at Cvent , to discuss Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and why it’s crucial. Sam explains why traditional SEO no longer guara...

Many events are designed by boomers, for boomers—even as Gen Z becomes the fastest-growing demographic in the workforce. As a result, these events struggle to connect with the next generation of attendees. In this episode, Rachel Andrews talks with Ken Holsinger , SVP of Industry Research and Insights at Freeman . Drawing on data from millions of attendees, Ken discussed why only 30% of first-time...

Some things never change in the events industry. But as we look ahead to 2026, we’re seeing shifts that can’t be ignored. In this episode, hosts Alyssa Peltier , Rachel Andrews , Felicia Asiedu , and Camille Arnold continue their discussion about the next wave of trends shaping event planning and strategy. They explore how purposeful spaces, evolving tech expectations, rising costs, and outcome-fo...

As we kick off the new year, the events industry is buzzing with exciting new trends that will redefine how we plan experiences. In this episode, hosts Alyssa Peltier , Rachel Andrews , Felicia Asiedu , and Camille Arnold discuss the top five trends shaping the future of event marketing. They explore how these shifts will impact the way we engage audiences, leverage technology, and create lasting...

2025 was a big year for events. Elections reshaped the global landscape. AI became more disruptive and unavoidable. And teams were stretched thinner than ever. In this episode, Felicia Asiedu , Alyssa Peltier , and Rachel Andrews gather to reflect on the year that was. They also introduce the newest host joining the podcast, Camille Arnold . Together, they reflect on the trends they predicted, the...

Events bring your brand to life like no other medium can. But creating an unforgettable experience requires a perfect blend of creativity and technology. At Cvent CONNECT 2025, Matt Heinz sits down with Jennifer Perry , Senior Director of Brand Storytelling, and Mark Correira , Director of Go-to-Market Technology at Workhuman . Together, they reveal the secret to successful collaboration between c...

All it takes is one great event to prove the value — and before you know it, it’s evolved into a full event ecosystem. At Cvent CONNECT 2025, guest host Matt Heinz sits down with Andrew DePaul , Director of Digital Marketing at CAIS , to share how his team built a data-driven event strategy that drives measurable business growth. Andrew explains how he turned one successful event into a scalable p...