Experience Builders

Are you struggling to make your exhibit agency stand out from the competition?  Learn how to create a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) and discover how to become the top choice for your ideal clients!   Time Stamps 00:47 - Starting the Year With a Bang 02:11 - Episode Intro 03:12 - Understanding the Concept of a USP 09:33 - Developing Your Agency's USP 15:02 - Exploring Different USPs 17:38 - Know...

In the fast-paced world of events and trade shows, attracting and developing new talent is crucial. But what about the talent already in the pipeline? How can we ensure their future in the events industry? Chris Griffin & Sachel Josefson discuss the importance of workforce development, experiential learning, and the "Day of Giving." Hit play!   Time Stamps 01:00 - Episode & Guest Intro 01:...

Are you always chasing the wrong prospects? Don't let overcommitment slack your business! Tune in as we delve into a counterintuitive strategy - growing your business by saying NO. We discuss turning down the noise of excessive opportunities and focusing on the right ones. Join us!   Time Stamps 00:49 - Episode Intro 01:55 - The Importance of Saying Yes in Early Career 02:30 - Transitioning from Y...

Exciting times ahead as Experience Builders partners with Exhibit City News. Listen to Chris Griffin & Don Svehla to get a sneak peek into what this alliance has in store in 2024 and beyond!   Time Stamps 00:50 - Intro to Don 01:39 - Evolution of Podcast Content 03:40 - Future Plans for Content Sustainability 05:13 - Exhibit City News & Experience Builders Partnership 08:12 -  Being True t...

Chris Griffin reflects on the challenges and wins of 2023 and offers his outlook for 2024. Griffin, As EDPA's new president, Griffin discusses the association's work, its mission, and his journey into the leadership role.  There's also exciting news coming up for the Experience Builders podcast, so stay tuned!   Time Stamps 00:32 - Holiday Greetings 01:50 - Chris' Big News! 04:35 - The "Safety Mee...

The experiential marketing industry has been significantly impacted by the pandemic, and as we emerge into a new normal, it's essential to understand how businesses in this field can adapt and thrive. In this episode, Dan Serebin, CFO of Derse and the current President of EDPA, joins Chris Griffin to discuss the economic challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in a post-COVID era.  Time Stamps...

The struggle to repopulate the workforce has become a key problem for most businesses as the industry recovers and companies are rebuilding after the pandemic.  A prevalent challenge is the collision between post-covid employee wants and expectations, and the mindset of business owners and leaders. Michael McMahon of Hill & Partners and Chris Griffin of CrewXP address the issue and discuss why...

In an industry that’s regarded as having one of the most stressful jobs in the US, how do you resist burnout and recharge creativity?  Seasoned experience and exhibit design professor, Sachel Josefson, joins Chris & Khalil to talk about finding creativity through vulnerability, mindfulness, and openness to failure.  Time Stamps 00:50 - Episode & Guest Intro 02:49 - Vulnerability & Beco...

What exactly is great, professional project management? Chris draws inspiration from Seth Godin and reevaluates project management as we know it!  Time Stamps 00:48 - CrewXP's Recent Leadership & Team Meetings 03:33 - Episode Intro 04:33 - What Defines Great Project Management? 06:51 - A Project is a Promise 12:01 - Signs of Amateur Hour in Project Management 14:34 - Tyranny of the Urgent 16:1...

Remote work is a hotly debated topic that many of us who survived the pandemic have realized is more than just a passing trend. On the contrary, it has become a reality that most businesses and organizations must adapt to. So, how exactly does working remotely work? And can you genuinely be productive in this setting?  Let us hear it from someone who has done it successfully both before and after...

It's time for a midyear review! Chris answers 11 rapid fire questions about Crew XP's 2023 developments, forecast for the next six to twelve months, and personal goals for this year!  Time Stamps 00:53 - Episode Intro 01:38 - Personnel Development 02:46 - Cashflow 03:41 - Key Areas of Investment 04:19 - Working "IN" versus "ON" the Business  05:29 - Processes & Systems 07:03 - Getting New Cust...

Have you paid enough attention to your gross profit? If you haven’t, this might be the right time to do so. Your business might be bleeding profits without you even realizing it. In this episode, we’ll talk about margin creep and why it’s critical to address it! Time Stamps 00:58 - Episode Intro 03:41 - Intro to Rich Heagy 07:46 - What is Gross Margin? 14:13 - Focusing on Gross Profit 21:51 - What...

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on businesses around the world. The tradeshow and events industries, particularly, have been on the verge of extinction! Those who have survived are now attempting to rebuild their value and get back on track. How? It might be a good idea to finally get your business organized.  Chris, Khalil & guest Martin Holland discuss the 9 essentials to an organize...

While you may think it can't happen to your business, it's a reality that even the most careful planning can be thrown off course by things beyond your control. From a global pandemic, to bank industry problems, to freight issues, how do you deal with such challenges, especially in the fast-paced events space? Listen in as Chris and Khalil talk about managing through the unexpected! Time Stamps 00...

As many industries look for qualified talents to fill their open positions, the ultimate question remains: Should you hire someone based on their skill set or their mindset? Let's dive deep into this topic with Chris and Khalil! Time Stamps 00:48 - Updates from Chris & CrewXP 03:48 - Skillset vs. Mindset: What Are You Looking For? 10:35 - Considering Talent Overseas 16:33 - Mindset Equates to...

Chris is back from the EuroShop 2023 event in Dusseldorf, Germany! He’s eager to share the incredible things he saw and learned from his trip, as well as his top takeaways. Don't miss it! Time Stamps 00:48 - Episode Intro 01:44 - EuroShop 2023 Postshow Takeaways Part 1 05:56 - EuroShop 2023 Postshow Takeaways Part 2 11:57 - Thank You EuroShop 2023! 12:39 - Episode Outro EuroShop 2023 Takeaways Fro...

Being creative on demand isn't as easy as it seems. And when you’ve been in the business for quite a while, how do you ensure that you always bring something new to the table? Chris talks about EuroShop and how anyone in the retail or creative industries can benefit from attending such an event. You do not want to miss out on this! Time Stamps 00:58 - Episode Intro 02:07 - What's EuroShop? Why Go?...

How do you get out of your own way? When you're trying to grow your business, it's easy to get stuck in your old habits. This is especially true if you have a lot of experience and knowledge about the industry. But there are ways you can break out of this cycle and focus on what really matters for your business. In this episode, we’ll help you figure out where you need to go from here. Stay tuned!

What criteria do customers judge us on? How many opportunities do we lose because we don't account for these things? Listen in as Chris shares this 25-year-old content about 68 nonverbal cues that customers and buyers use to evaluate us.

Do you understand what business you're in? As business owners, it's so easy to get caught up in putting out fires and dealing with responsibilities that we lose sight of what we're actually working towards and who we're becoming as a company. Knowing the industry, market, customers, and your vision will help you make better decisions and identify new growth opportunities. In this episode, join Chr...

What is your sales system, or do you even have one? A sales system is key to growing your business and keeping up with the competition. Listen in as Chris Griffin outlines the components of a successful sales system and the basic principles of a structured sales process. You should not pass this up!

As the events industry welcomes the increase in projects following the pandemic, how do you make sure you have enough people on your team? Should you compromise your company’s values to fill your workforce gap? Michael McMahon of Hill & Partners joins the show to discuss his experiences and challenges in building and developing his workforce, and what the future holds for the events industry i...

What do you look for when determining whether a new project is worthy of pursuing? As the event industry continues to build back after the pandemic, many agencies and build shops are eager to ramp their businesses back up. But should you really take on every project that comes across your desk? Greg Beach of Event Strategy Group joins Chris Griffin to discuss their approaches to qualifying opportu...

Have you ever been caught in the endless cycle of losing money from inaccurate estimates, making mistakes, poor payroll management, and endless customer concessions? Listen in to understand what the SMB Death Spiral is and how to avoid it.

We're excited to share our new show with you. Listen along as Chris Griffin gives you the back story of the podcast and what you can expect from Experience Builders moving forward.