Great Events

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 role of event leaders. They explore the pressure to do more with AI, the importance of building experiences around the right audiences, and what it takes to grow into a leadership role without losing sight of the people behind the event.

What you'll learn:

• How a commercial mindset helps event leaders earn executive influence
• Why AI should accelerate event work without replacing human connection
• How to create more intentional events
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Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet Tavar James of Forrester

(05:13) Finding the right role for AI in events

(07:58) Growing your scope beyond the title

(11:32) Why people want better, not more

(15:18) Rethinking forced networking

(16:41) Being intentional with your personal brand

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 community, curiosity, and overcoming self-doubt shaped her career. She also explains how AI can help event teams work smarter without replacing the human connection that drives great experiences.

What you'll learn:

• How curiosity and relationships can shape a successful events career
• When an agency partner makes more sense than a full-time employee
• How AI can improve event workflows without replacing human connection
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Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet Angie Smith, CEO of InVision

(01:14) Building a career across the events industry

(05:52) Event pros already think like CEOs

(08:04) Should you hire an agency or increase headcount?

(11:42) Rethinking how AI creates value

(16:56) Hiring for curiosity over experience

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 Mastercam grew its webinar program from a brand-new initiative into a consistent channel for customer engagement. She covers how to create repeatable webinar processes, measure success beyond attendance, use audience insights to inform follow-up, and connect digital and in-person experiences across the customer journey.

What you'll learn:

• How to build repeatable webinar programs that scale engagement
• Webinar success metrics beyond attendance numbers
• The importance of connecting webinars with broader event and field marketing programs

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet Sarah Jordan Usher of Mastercam

(03:43) Understand your webinar audiences and goals

(06:31) Using field events to build brand connections

(09:09) How events build customer loyalty

(11:45) Measuring ROI and customer journey impact

(14:03) Building a repeatable webinar strategy

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 move faster without losing the personal touch, and what it takes to get a whole team to adopt new tools.

What you'll learn:

• How to use data to create more personalized member experiences
• Ways AI can cut admin work for event planners
• Signals that indicate an event program has outgrown its process

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet Nigel Reeves

(02:27) Moving beyond content to create connection

(06:08) Connecting event data across platforms

(07:44) Events for younger audiences

(08:47) Creating innovation teams for AI adoption

(11:43) Advice for navigating event evolution

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 measure performance. Mahoganey explains how she defines stronger event outcomes, evaluates the true impact of event content, and borrows ideas from other industries to create more strategic and memorable experiences.

What you'll learn:

• How to move beyond vanity metrics and measure event impact
• Why event goals should always connect to business outcomes
• How to use feedback loops to evaluate content effectiveness



Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet Mahoganey Jones of Event Specialists

(01:23) Moving beyond registration numbers and vanity metrics

(04:08) Measuring the real impact of event content

(05:53) Using the start-stop-keep framework

(09:00) Meaningful event performance benchmarks

(10:27) Borrowing ideas from other industries

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 talk about how their team built a robust events program from the ground up. They explain how standardized workflows, a two-planner model, and better reporting improved efficiency, strengthened trust, and helped leadership recognize the full value of the events team.

What you'll learn:

• Why clear ownership reduces friction between teams
• How to build processes that flex as your event volume grows
• How to use past event data to justify future budget asks

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet the Wounded Warrior Project event team

(02:08) How events rebuild community and camaraderie

(04:08) Building processes for an event program

(08:59) How the two-planner model works

(11:09) Reporting event value to leadership

(13:35) Becoming strategic subject matter experts

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 integrated growth strategy rather than a standalone tactic. He shares which intent signals matter most, how sales and marketing can improve follow-up, and where AI can simplify reporting and analysis.

What you'll learn:

• How to connect event engagement signals to pipeline
• Why badge scans shouldn’t automatically become MQLs
• How AI can simplify event reporting and analysis

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet Nick Bennett from Reachdesk

(01:29) Why traditional event metrics fall short

(03:36) Identifying the strongest intent signals

(08:11) Nick’s event impact tracker

(10:21) Turning events into a growth engine

(15:00) Opportunities for gifting to create memorable experiences

Impact tracker: https://event-impact.lovable.app/

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 discusses their human-centered approach, their dedication to long-term speaker development, and their strategy for building loyalty among younger audiences.

What you’ll learn:

• How to design experiences that build real emotional connection
• The importance of speaker curation, topic development, and script refinement
• Why you need to serve audience segments through different stages of life

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet Monique Ruff-Bell from TED Conferences

(05:37) The framework behind TED's event design

(09:02) How to create content around hope and optimism

(10:47) TED's three flagship events

(16:28) How TED filters 22,000 speaker recommendations

(18:36) How AI helps content curation and event strategy

(23:08) Using events for a year-round digital and community strategy

(27:17) Where to draw inspiration from as event planners

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 trust is more crucial than ever as AI quietly transforms the events industry.

What you’ll learn:

• Why in-person events are crucial for building trust
• The importance of intentional venue selection and design
• How events are evolving into a performance-driven channel

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Welcome Kelly Cheng, new co-host at Great Events

(07:20) Trust as a differentiator in the age of AI

(17:05) The rise of micro events

(22:03) Why unique venues are trending

(24:40) Event-led growth in marketing

(30:47) Practical advice for teams overwhelmed by event measurement

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 experiences, and why revenue is still the ultimate metric for success.

What you’ll learn:

• The importance of understanding attendee personas and goals
• How to drive business outcomes without compromising attendee experience
• Why tried-and-true practices must be balanced with flexibility and innovation

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet Lori Pugh and Rachel Benedick of MPI

(03:55) Understanding attendee personas and goals

(09:35) Meeting your attendees’ needs

(13:17) Aligning event goals with revenue and growth

(18:09) Quality vs. quantity when attracting attendees

(22:56) Opportunities for growth in the events industry

(26:59) Learning and adapting from attendee insights

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 internal alignment, strategic sponsor partnerships, and fan-first experiences can turn an event into a memorable and profitable venture.

What you’ll learn:

• How sponsorship activations are built from strategy to execution
• What B2B marketers can learn from B2C fan experiences
• Why relationships are the foundation of successful events

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet Paulina Giusti of Fanatics Events

(03:55) The difference between B2B and B2C events

(06:22) What Fanatics Fest actually is

(08:13) Designing memorable fan experiences

(14:22) How sponsorship fulfillment actually works

(19:50) Measuring sponsorship ROI and event success

(22:22) Advice for event marketers moving into B2C

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 comeback, how events have evolved into powerful content and community engines, and why marketers need to rethink their approach to measuring success. Find out how B2B marketers can still stand out, build trust, and drive pipeline in today’s crowded digital landscape.

What you’ll learn:

• Why the obsession with measurement may be hurting creativity
• How events can become year-round content engines, not just one-off efforts
• Why IRL experiences are becoming more valuable in the age of AI

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet Daniel Murray of The Marketing Millennials

(08:07) Why brand and demand need to work together

(13:41) Personality-led content and owning your audience

(16:55) Events as content engines and trust accelerators

(19:19) Should B2B marketers take Reddit seriously?

(25:41) How to make events stand out in a crowded market

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. Stephen also highlights why accessibility isn’t just important; it’s a powerful opportunity to expand your audience and drive stronger results.

What you’ll learn:

• The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and how to apply them
• How attracting underserved audiences can boost ROI
• Why accessibility should be continuously integrated throughout the event lifecycle

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet Stephen Cutchins

(03:02) Accessibility is not a trend

(05:58) How legislation has made accessibility a necessity

(08:50) Vendor and venue sourcing

(14:22) Understanding Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

(21:40) How to accommodate different attendee needs

(28:17) Networking for people with social anxiety

(31:43) Making registration & post-event surveys more thoughtful

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’ve struggled to align events with business goals, this episode offers insight to help you demonstrate ROI.

What you’ll learn:

• Proving event ROI. Learn how to align event goals with business outcomes and prove impact beyond attendance numbers.
• Measuring event success. Discover how to track meaningful metrics that demonstrate the true value of your events to leadership.
• Strategic event planning. Find out how to bridge the gap between event planning and sales to create revenue-driving strategies.

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet Megan Martin

(02:54) Events gone wrong

(06:58) Defining ROI in the events industry

(11:13) Alignment between marketing, events, & sales

(18:12) First steps to understand demand generation

(20:44) Why pipeline influence rate is a key metric

(23:18) The one skill event leaders need

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 latest tips on AI-driven video repurposing and smarter ways to structure your event. Marketers and event planners, it’s time to rethink your video strategy.

What you’ll learn:

• Building trust with video. Learn how video content can help you boost brand awareness and connect with your audience.
• Balancing authenticity and AI. Learn how to combine authentic content with AI tools for maximum marketing impact.
• Efficient content repurposing. Understand how to repurpose webinars and events into high-performing content using AI.

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Meet Kelly Cheng, CMO of Goldcast

(04:10) Why video cuts through the noise

(06:04) Video content vs. written content in building trust

(10:41) Understanding the 95/5 Rule

(16:08) Structuring live events for easier AI repurposing

(20:35) Why authenticity > high-production video

(29:01) Metrics for measuring video marketing success

(35:20) Two common mistakes in video marketing

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 it was more than an event, but an opportunity to build lasting connections and enhance their brand’s presence.

Tune in to learn how to craft an event experience that is unmistakably on-brand and delivers measurable business growth.

What you’ll learn:

• Choosing the right location: Discover key factors for selecting a location that enhances your brand and event experience.
• Linking strategy to metrics: Understand how to connect your event goals to measurable business outcomes.
• Post-event content and follow-up: Learn the importance of content capture and follow-up strategies for lasting impact.

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Introducing Mark Huber and Jillian Hofer of UserEvidence

(03:27) The business objectives behind Highline 2025

(10:00) Crafting a content capture plan to maximize post-event value

(18:04) The importance of pre-production planning

(22:20) Coordinating with sales for post-event follow-ups

(27:28) Leveraging attendee feedback to improve future events

(34:40) Lightning round on event strategy and post-event priorities

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, how to plan smarter for big meetings and big shows, and how to normalize these conversations across teams, including with male colleagues.

Tune in to discover how cycle awareness can sharpen your leadership and protect your energy in high-pressure seasons.

What you’ll learn:

• The four phases at work: How each phase of the menstrual cycle can influence creativity, communication, focus, and detail work in event teams
• Calendar strategy: Practical ways to plan deadlines, show days, and high-visibility moments around your natural energy shifts
• Normalizing the conversation: What it looks like to bring cycle awareness into teams, including male colleagues.

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Introducing Jo Fuller

(02:48) Cycles are a leadership advantage

(06:30) Why this conversation is important for event planners

(15:49) Color-coding your calendar to prevent overwhelm

(17:14) Normalizing cycle talk at work

(25:05) Inviting men into the conversation

(27:08) Show-week survival tips when you’re on your period

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 guarantees success and how AI-powered platforms are changing the game.

Tune in to learn how marketers can adapt their strategies to stay ahead.

What you’ll learn:

• The difference between SEO vs. GEO: Understand the nuances and why you need both.
• The importance of brand mentions in AI platforms: Discover why they’re essential for boosting visibility and driving traffic.
• How to adapt your strategy: Learn best practices for optimizing your event content for AI discovery.

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Introducing Sam Brown

(01:33) What is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?

(05:21) Why brand mentions in AI platforms matter

(08:10) The content types that work well with AI

(13:29) How to use videos for AI and GEO optimization

(17:58) Integrating traditional SEO strategies with GEO

(24:28) Final tips for marketers looking to succeed with GEO in 2026

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 attendees return, how an aging workforce is affecting event participation, and why many events struggle to drive retention.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The future of event planning: Learn what events need to succeed in 2026 and beyond.
• Navigating the generational shift: Discover what Gen Z and Millennials really want from events.
• How to understand attendee behavior: Dive into the data behind why attendees stay or leave.

Things to listen for:

(00:00) Introducing Ken Holsinger

(04:32) How outdated event strategies impact engagement

(06:40) Understanding Gen Z and Millennials' expectations for events

(10:49) How to align event goals with audience needs

(19:06) The X factor in events

(20:46) What event planners should be doing today

Resources:

Freeman End-of-Year Trends Recap: https://www.freeman.com/resources/freeman-end-of-year-trends-recap/

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-focused measurement are redefining how events drive value.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Strategic venue selection: Learn how to choose venues that align with your event's objectives and create the right environment for your audience.
• How to balance innovation and accessibility: Adopt modern event technology without leaving behind those less familiar with new tools.
• Cost-effective event sourcing: Understand how to balance rising costs with creative solutions that still deliver impactful event experiences.

Things to listen for:

(00:00) The next wave of event trends for 2026

(01:08) Using strategic venues to shape engagement

(08:24) Tech adoption across generations

(18:00) How budget cuts affect attendee experience

(23:05) Measuring outcomes that matter