Better Events

This week, Mary and Logan talk about the value of building your network as an event pro. We compare the difference between networking and building a network, why you need to have a reason behind any cold outreach, and learn how working with, instead of against, your competitors can benefit both of your businesses or careers. —— SHOW NOTES: To learn about the retreat Mary is planning, Event Pros on...

In this week's episode, we sit down with Asian Inclusivity Consultant, Jolene Jang, to talk about celebrating the AANHPI community at events, why we need to avoid whitewashing cultures, and the importance of correct name pronunciation and more. As event professionals, our industry is dedicated to creating experiences that help people feel safe, included, and celebrate so give this week's episode a...

This week, Logan dives into a series of conversations for small business owners, from why we all should do things that scare us to automation that can save you time. Whether you own a business or are looking to advance in your career, there are nuggets to help you save time and build your career strategy in this episode. —— SHOW NOTES: Learn more about Logan's company, Logan Strategy Group: https:...

In this episode, Mary will be talking about her favorite thing - fundraising events, but more specifically the Purpose behind fundraising events. This episode is full of intention and thinking through how to make the most of your fundraising event and setting goals that help your fundraising events be successful. If you're a nonprofit leader, event professional, or just someone that wants to bette...

Let's talk about building your dream team at your company - that can be with full-time employees, part-time, or even contractors. Our guests this week are Courtney and Dana of HUSTLE + GATHER, a training and consulting firm that grew out of three successful businesses our two guests built together. We talk about when you know you need to hire your first employee, the secrets to hiring the right pe...

Event proposals are the building blocks of winning new business as an event pro. We bring you behind the curtain to learn about how we write winning proposals, how we use them in our business after we've won the event, and best practices we use on a daily basis. Learn more about how you can improve your sales and onboarding process with this week's episode! —— SHOW NOTES: Ep. 49 - Event Scope Cree...

If you're looking to grow or market your business, Google Analytics can be a useful tool for helping you hone in your target audience. We sit down with Christie Osborne, event industry educator and owner of Mountainside Media, to discuss how to turn data into dollars, the good and bad of Google Ads, and what insights we can learn from our analytics. She has tips for people just getting started in...

Get ready to travel back in time with us and look ahead to the future as we react to the predictions we made back in July 2021 and make new ones for 2023. Did we get it right? How have our podcasting set-ups changed? All of that and more as we look at the future of events and reflect on how far we've come in just one year as an industry. —— SHOW NOTES: Grossy Pelosi Vodka Sauce - https://www.danpe...

One of the key elements to success in events is the team behind the scenes. We talk through how we staff out in-person events, virtual events, and hybrid events. We also talk about where we find great event staff and how we get staffed at events. And we tackle the controversial question: are volunteers as event staff overrated or underrated? Listen to learn what both Logan and Mary think. —— SHOW...

We're talking all about event budgets this week - why is it important? What do people often forget in their event budget? How do you use the budget during your planning process? We answer all of this and more in today's episode. No matter if you're a seasoned event pro or a beginner, there's something here for you! —— SHOW NOTES: Virtual Event Budget Template (paid): https://www.loganstrategygroup...

One of the most important parts of owning a business is the legal aspect. We interviewed lawyer and small business owner Lauren Boyd of Guide My Business to talk through the steps that every business owner should take to legally align their business. We also dive into contracts, the impact of COVID on event businesses, and more. Whether you’re just starting your business or have been in business f...

This week, we sit down and list out all of the reasons why we love virtual events. Whether you’re in the camp that has embraced the digital revolution for events, between 100% virtual and hybrid events, or someone who’s been a little resistant, we lay out all of the pros of having a virtual event, as a planner and an organizer. Learn more about why we think virtual events are here to stay and some...

No matter if you’re hosting a virtual event or looking to engage with your hybrid workforce, attendee and audience engagement is a vital. We sit down with Hoyin Cheung, the CEO and founder of Remo, to discuss best practices for creating authentic attendee engagement, the future of remote work, and more. Remo is an interactive virtual event platform that empowers you to recreate natural interaction...

One of our favorite things to do on the podcast is to tackle the “Shoulds” of the event industry. And one of the biggest questions to ask yourself as an event host or ask your client as a planner is “Should You Even Have an Event?” We’ve talked about how often we see a disconnect between the mission/goal of an event and the execution and one way to check that you’re staying aligned is to first cha...

Ever wonder what it's like to produce at the Kentucky Derby, the Final Four, and the Olympic Games? This week's guest Kelly Reed of Van Wagner has done just that. She breaks down her experience producing and showcalling some of the largest events in the world and shares tangible tips about how you can get into sports production and overall business advice for achieving your professional goals. ——...

We both love working with VIP guests, speakers, and clients. We sit down to talk about Mary’s recent experience at a hybrid event, how you prepare for working with VIPs, and some classic dos and don’ts —— SHOW NOTES: Episode #15: Emphasizing Hospitality in Events with Laura Yarbrough-Lloyd: https://anchor.fm/better-events-pod/episodes/15---Emphasizing-Hospitality-in-Events-with-Laura-Yarbrough-e14...

Virtual events have opened up events to attendees across the country and even internationally. As you create your hybrid or virtual event, you need to think about your virtual attendees' paths. We interview Arianna Black, an experience architect with Women in Product, about her experience in building passionate online communities and listening to their needs. —— SHOW NOTES: Asking Better Questions...

Let’s talk all about hosting events in Zoom. We talk about why Zoom is so popular, our favorite features, what it means to be a Zoom producer and how you can learn how to become a Zoom producer. —— SHOW NOTES: FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @bettereventspod @loganstrategygroup_events (Logan) @epeventsllc (Mary) Want to support the podcast? Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bettereventspod CHE...

Virtual event technicians and streaming engineers play a crucial role in elevating your virtual and hybrid events. We sit down with Luke Clements to talk about how you can elevate your next livestream, how he started using OBS, and common mistakes he sees clients make and how you can avoid them. —— SHOW NOTES: Follow Luke Clements here: Linktree: linktr.ee/itslukeclements Website: https://www.itsl...

Learn how two connectors pivoted their business during the pandemic and have continued to scaled as a virtual and hybrid event production company. We talk about how they got started, tips for scaling your business, and make a connection between running your business and doing squats. Don’t miss this exciting conversation with West Peek Production co-founders Scooter Taylor and Tre’von Hill. —— SHO...

We made it to episode 50! We reflect on our favorite moments from our first 49 episodes, what we’ve learned so far and a look ahead at what’s coming up on the podcast. We also take you behind the scenes on some of the production that goes into the pod so stick around if you’re looking to start your own podcast. —— SHOW NOTES: http://www.loganstrategygroup.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @bettereventsp...

Scope creep is one of the biggest challenges as an event business or a business really in general. We share what scope creep is, why it’s a problem, what you can do to avoid it in future projects, and flip the script to talk about when scope creep can be good (it’s rare but possible we promise). —— SHOW NOTES: FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @bettereventspod @loganstrategygroup_events (Logan) @epeventsllc...

In this episode, we interview sports journalist and business owner Jen Mueller about the power of asking better questions. We talk about what makes a question good, why it’s important and how you can incorporate better questions into your life, especially if you’re moderating a panel or participating in an interview. —— SHOW NOTES: Jen’s Asking Better Questions Video Series: https://www.talksporty...

In this episode, we recap a book we read called Built to Belong by Natalie Franke and talk about the importance of community over competition. We break down some of the key principles, share examples of how community has helped us in our careers, and have a surprise announcement at the end so stick around! —— SHOW NOTES: Built to Belong by Natalie Franke Be Our Guest Business Etiquette Made Easy C...

In this episode, Mary and Logan sit down to talk through a recent hybrid event, from the event basics, tech set-up, and staffing plan. We also recap our top key takeaways that you can apply to your next event. —— SHOW NOTES: Unity Intercom (virtual comms): https://www.unityintercom.com/cloud ----- FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @bettereventspod @loganstrategygroup_events (Logan) @epeventsllc (Mary) Want...