March 12, 2019
Today we are joined with a dynamic duo Samantha Vogel and Judy Payne of GameStop. Together their event department raises millions of dollars in sponsorships and create an event that crosses generational boundaries, uses creative ideas to engage their audience, all while meeting stakeholder objectives.
For those not familiar, GameStop is a worldwide retailer and the largest selling retailer in the video game industry. They also own ThinkGeek. On top of these impressive facts, they hold an annual trade show and conference with approximately 5000 store owners, 100-200 international partners, 150 different vendor companies and 2000 vendor staff. There are over a quarter million square feet of exhibit space, yes, you read that right. If that wasn’t impressive enough, occasionally they open the tradeshow portion of the conference up to the public which adds roughly an additional 5000 attendees.
In this episode, our iconic guests Samantha Vogel and Judy Payne will answer your burning questions about this truly inspiring event. They will discuss a wide variety of topics including the best out of the box ideas for their events in the past, how they work with their sponsors as partners, ways GameStop creates unique immersive experiences and so much more. This is a truly inspiring episode you do not want to miss.
We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest!
Below, in our Epic Resources section, we link the awesome insider favorites that were mentioned in this episode! You WANT to check these out! What has been your favorite episode so far? Comment below and let us know!
You’re watching this recording of our event industry podcast episode here on our blog, but wouldn’t you rather watch live, ask your own questions, and participate in person? Subscribe now to watch live! (We’ll remind you of upcoming episodes.) We would love for you to join us LIVE and bring your questions for our icons.
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February 26, 2019
Designing meaningful educational settings and formats can truly set your organization apart, improve retention and application of knowledge attendees learn and ultimately deliver on personal and professional needs of participant and organization.
On this episode, our iconic guests Avinash Chandarana of MCI Group, and Dru Cutler of Drury Design Group are here to discuss learning and performance design and how it can enhance your event and improve your attendee’s experiences. If you want your information and sessions to stick you need to watch this episode!
You’re watching this recording of our event industry podcast episode here on our blog, but wouldn’t you rather watch live, ask your own questions, and participate in person? Subscribe now to watch live! (We’ll remind you of upcoming episodes.) We would love for you to join us LIVE and bring your questions for our icons.
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February 19, 2019
Women are everywhere in the event industry, crossing all sectors of the industry and from entry-level positions to the most senior roles. It’s clear women are making an impact and have made great strides. But women still face unique challenges at every level, there are still many glass ceilings to shatter.
Joining us today are three incredible women in the industry Kiki Fox the co-founder of the Association for Women in Events, motivational speaker and social impact champion, Courtney Stanley, and Sarah Soliman of Soliman Productions. They are smart, strong, powerful women and paving the way for others. This episode is a must watch for men and women. If we want to make big changes and see women move up into more powerful roles it takes a village.
We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest!
Below, in our Epic Resources section, we link the awesome insider favorites that were mentioned in this episode! You WANT to check these out! What has been your favorite episode so far? Comment below and let us know!
You’re watching this recording of our event industry podcast episode here on our blog, but wouldn’t you rather watch live, ask your own questions, and participate in person? Subscribe now to watch live! (We’ll remind you of upcoming episodes.) We would love for you to join us LIVE and bring your questions for our icons. This is all for you!
How To Subscribe:
Follow our iconic guests on Twitter:
- Kiki Fox
- Courtney Stanley
- Sarah Soliman
- Alex Plaxen
- Brandt Krueger
Check out the epic resources mentioned in this episode:
What have you seen change for women in the industry, do you think women have made much progress? Still a lot of glass ceilings to shatter? Comment below and let us know.
February 12, 2019
Are you thinking beyond the surface of event sponsorship? Sure almost every event requires sponsorship but long gone are the days that it is enough to just plaster up a few banners from your sponsors and call it good. Now more than ever before event sponsors need to enhance your event and your attendee’s experience, and planners need to be able to highlight the benefits that your event can bring to potential event sponsors. You should have a mutually beneficial partnership with your sponsors.
In this episode, Peter Poehle returns to offer his annual update on the status of event sponsorship. He will answer questions about what sponsors truly need, mistakes planners make in proposals, inbound sponsorship and so much more. Always useful, always interesting, this is a don’t miss episode!
We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest!
Below, in our Epic Resources section, we link the awesome insider favorites that were mentioned in this episode! You WANT to check these out! What has been your favorite episode so far? Comment below and let us know!
You’re watching this recording of our event industry podcast episode here on our blog, but wouldn’t you rather watch live, ask your own questions, and participate in person? Subscribe now to watch live! (We’ll remind you of upcoming episodes.) We would love for you to join us LIVE and bring your questions for our icons. This is all for you!
How To Subscribe:
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Check out the epic resources mentioned in this episode:
What are your favorite event sponsorship experiences you have seen at events? Comment below and let us know.
February 8, 2019
On this episode of #EventIcons we are live from GO WEST! GO WEST is the largest gathering of event professionals in Western Canada. The event focuses on education, innovation, and networking. Getting everyone connected and building relationships is one of the events main goals.
Today our iconic guests; Dustin Westling of OneWest Event Design, Brent Taylor of Timewise Event Management Inc., and Arlene Schilke of Timewise Event Management Inc. are joining us to talk all about the 2019 GO WEST. They will cover why they started the event, how they get attendees engaged in their experience hall, the amazing food served and best moments from the event. If you have ever been curious about GO WEST this is a great show to watch! Lets jump in below!
We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest!
Below, in our Epic Resources section, we link the awesome insider favorites that were mentioned in this episode! You WANT to check these out! What has been your favorite episode so far? Comment below and let us know!
You’re watching this recording of our event industry podcast episode here on our blog, but wouldn’t you rather watch live, ask your own questions, and participate in person? Subscribe now to watch live! (We’ll remind you of upcoming episodes.) We would love for you to join us LIVE and bring your questions for our icons.
How To Subscribe:
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Check out the epic resources mentioned in this episode:
What are your favorite tips and tricks for creating an engaging event? Comment below and let us know.
February 7, 2019
We have come to a time and place where event Wi-Fi is expected. Unfortunately, it’s not always delivered as you expected maybe the quality is terrible or the price is through the roof, none of these are surprises you want to run into your event. But how do you avoid these issues? How can you ensure you are getting great Wi-Fi for your event? Today we are getting down into the nerdy details of just how you can make sure your event Wi-Fi doesn’t suck.
Today on #EventIcons our host Will Curran and iconic guests Matt King of Glisser Ltd., and Ian Framson of Trade Show Internet are going to answer all your burning questions and share their best tips on how to make sure you have the best Wi-Fi possible at your next event. They know planning your event wi-fi can seem daunting and stressful. They will answer questions regarding speeds, signal strengths, contract negotiations, and so much more. This is a can’t miss episode!
We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest!
Below, in our Epic Resources section, we link the awesome insider favorites that were mentioned in this episode! You WANT to check these out! What has been your favorite episode so far? Comment below and let us know!
You’re watching this recording of our event industry podcast episode here on our blog, but wouldn’t you rather watch live, ask your own questions, and participate in person? Subscribe now to watch live! (We’ll remind you of upcoming episodes.) We would love for you to join us LIVE and bring your questions for our icons. This is all for you!
How To Subscribe:
Follow our iconic guests on Twitter:
Check out the epic resources mentioned in this episode:
- Audience & Student Engagement Blog – Glisser – Glisser’s audience engagement and event analytics blog.
- Learn About How to Improve Wi-Fi at Your Next Event! – Endless, Glisser, and Trade Show Internet – the industry leaders in event success – have teamed up to bring you a complete webinar on how to improve your event Wi-Fi.
- Is Your Event Vulnerable to Cyber Attacks?: The Good, the Bad, and the Really, Really Scary – Online event security is often overlooked but an extremely important part of planning an event. There is so much information and data held on event websites and registration platforms such as credit cards, flight info, home addresses and more, it is a jackpot of information for hackers. As an event planner, it is your job to make sure your attendee’s valuable information is safely secured.
- How to Save on Hotel WIFI – After this episode, you will be well on your way to breaking through the costs and saving money on your hotel event WIFI! Watch below.
- TSI’s Bandwidth Calculator – Plan your event bandwidth
- White Paper: Negotiating the Internet Landscape at Hotels and Convention Centers – If you plan to order Internet or telecommunications services for your event, it is critical to understand the underlying business model in play.
- White Paper: How to Discuss Your Event’s WiFi Needs – The white paper touches on the steps to assess your event’s WiFi appetite, the details of picking appropriate bandwidth, questions to ask to ensure proper event WiFi coverage and capacity, and what goes in to high-quality network support.
- Consumer Rights & FCC Protections – rade Show Internet (TSI) encourages all consumers to understand their rights with respect to Internet “exclusivity” rules. We have assembled the relevant information below to help you take advantage of the Federal protections created to preserve your wireless freedom.
What are your favorite tips and tricks for creating the best event Wi-Fi? Comment below and let us know.
February 6, 2019
January is national human trafficking awareness and prevention month. Sex trafficking is an issue that feels almost impossible to solve but if everyone took steps to recognize the signs and help we could make an impact. The International labor organization estimates that over 40 million people are living in trafficking worldwide, 1 out of 4 being children. This isn’t an issue in a far away country either, human trafficking has been reported in all 50 states. Everyone should be aware of human trafficking signs.
Today we will talk about how the Events and Meeting industry can take steps to slow human trafficking down. It’s a difficult and multi-sector issue and we are all responsible for helping prevent and catch it.
Joining us today is the iconic Michelle Guelbart, Director of Private Sector Engagement at ECPAT-USA. ECPAT-USA is a policy advocacy organization that works to end the sex trafficking of children. They are part of a larger international network with offices in 94 countries. She will teach us about human trafficking signs to look for and recognize potential trafficking situations, and why it’s important meeting and event planners take action and so much more. This is an episode you truly must watch.
We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest!
Below, in our Epic Resources section, we link the awesome insider favorites that were mentioned in this episode! You WANT to check these out! What has been your favorite episode so far? Comment below and let us know!
You’re watching this recording of our episode here on our blog, but wouldn’t you rather watch live, ask your own questions, and participate in person? Subscribe now to watch live! (We’ll remind you of upcoming episodes.) We would love for you to join us LIVE and bring your questions for our icons. This is all for you! And now for the main topic in the episode below, how meeting planners and hotels can stop human trafficking by looking for human trafficking signs and so much more.
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Check out the epic resources mentioned in this episode:
January 29, 2019
Today we are giving you an exclusive sneak peek into our 2019 #EventIcons show line up. We are stepping up the game for event industry podcasts. From tips on how to grow your business, to event safety and technology there will be something for everyone! We even are filling you in on some of our mega guests who will be joining us! Don’t miss this preview! What do you want to see from #EventIcons in 2019? Leave us a comment below and let us know.
We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest!
Below, in our Epic Resources section, we link the awesome insider favorites that were mentioned in this episode! You WANT to check these out! What has been your favorite episode so far? Comment below and let us know!
You’re watching this recording of our event industry podcast episode here on our blog, but wouldn’t you rather watch live, ask your own questions, and participate in person? Subscribe now to watch live! (We’ll remind you of upcoming episodes.) We would love for you to join us LIVE and bring your questions for our icons. This is all for you! And now for the main topic in the episode below, #EventIcons 2019 Sneak Peak!
How To Subscribe:
Follow our iconic guests on Twitter:
Check out the epic resources mentioned in this episode:
- VR At Events- Everything You Need to Know – #EventIcons Episode 105 – How do you use VR as a group experience and not have it be isolating? What are the challenges of virtual reality at events in the events industry? We discuss all of this and more in this episode.
- House of VR – Offers a state-of-the-art Virtual Reality lounge and event space.
- Digital Innovation At Events – #EventIcons Episode 106 – In this episode of #EventIcons we are joined by the iconic Charles Truong of PixMob/klik and Victor Bohnert of Innovatis Group to discuss digital innovations in events and how to use technology to enhance engagement.
- Klik – Plan for the unplannable with the world’s most collaborative events platform.
- Why Networking is Dead & Braindates are The Future – #EventIcons Episode 138 – In this episode we discuss what braindates are, how they work, how to set them up and so much more! You do not want to miss this episode! Let’s jump in.
- How to Improve Audience Engagement At Event – #EventIcons Episode 110 – Our episode touch on tools that can help you create an atmosphere that encourages audience engagement and create value at your event! You do not want to miss this!
- E-Gaming Events Revolution – #EventIcons Episode 113 – E-gaming events are an emerging segment of events that you are going to want to know about, and you are in the right place to learn!
- Everything You Need to Know About C2 Montreal – #EventIcons Episode 139 – In this episode of #EventIcons the iconic Julia Cyboran of C2 Montréal joins us to teach us more about the magic and engineering that makes C2 Montréal event truly spectacular.
- C2 Montréal – The annual international business conference that helps established and aspiring leaders unlock their creativity in order to better face disruption and change.
- C2 Montreal – Not Your Average Conference – C2 is all about setting the stage for creativity and involvement; to talk to others and explore new things that you can take back and implement in your business.
- The me you want to be: Roger’s Rules for a Bigger, Better, More Powerful YOU by Roger Haskett – In this inspiring, transformational and truly heartwarming book, celebrated keynote speaker, entrepreneur, actor, teacher, director, and writer Roger Haskett helps you discover incredible new ways to create internal power and become the me you want to be.
- Engagement Unlimited – Creates positive transformational change through active engagement at meetings and events.
- Creating a Epic Team Building Event – #EventIcons Episode 98 – In this #EventIcons episode, we have two ICONIC guests, Sydney Wolf & Roger Haskett are discussing their best tips for creating team building events.
- It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work by Jason Fried – It isn’t a book telling you what to do. It’s a book showing you what they’ve done—and how any manager or executive no matter the industry or size of the company, can do it too.
- Frankly Speaking…: Insider Advice (Most) Meeting Planners Won’t Share with Speakers by Shawna Suckow, Bonni Scepkowski, Maralynn Adams & Tracey Smith – Within the pages of this book, you’ll find the combined wisdom of over 600 years (more or less) of meeting planning expertise, all aimed at helping you book more business as a speaker.
- Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box by The Arbinger Institute – Improve their lives and workplaces—areas such as team building, conflict resolution, and personal growth and development, to name a few.
What are your favorite tips and tricks for using event furniture to engage? Comment below and let us know.
January 8, 2019
Today we are reflecting on 2018 and discussing our hosts favorite tools for event profs from the past year.
In this episode of #EventIcons our hosts Will Curran, Brandt Krueger, Tahira Endean, and Alex Plaxen will share all about their favorite tools for event profs. Our hosts will fill you in on their favorite episodes of the year, books, podcasts, apps, tech gadgets and so much more! If you are looking for new inspiration and tools this episode is for you.
We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest!
Below, in our Epic Resources section, we link the awesome insider favorites that were mentioned in this episode! You WANT to check these out! What has been your favorite episode so far? Comment below and let us know!
You’re watching this recording of our episode here on our blog, but wouldn’t you rather watch live, ask your own questions, and participate in person? Subscribe now to watch live! (We’ll remind you of upcoming episodes.) We would love for you to join us LIVE and bring your questions for our icons. This is all for you! And now for the main topic in the episode below, Favorite Tools Of The Year!
How To Subscribe:
Follow our iconic guests on Twitter:
Check out the epic resources mentioned in this episode:
- VR At Events- Everything You Need to Know – #EventIcons Episode 105 – How do you use VR as a group experience and not have it be isolating? What are the challenges of virtual reality at events in the events industry? We discuss all of this and more in this episode.
- House of VR – Offers a state-of-the-art Virtual Reality lounge and event space.
- Digital Innovation At Events – #EventIcons Episode 106 – In this episode of #EventIcons we are joined by the iconic Charles Truong of PixMob/klik and Victor Bohnert of Innovatis Group to discuss digital innovations in events and how to use technology to enhance engagement.
- Klik – Plan for the unplannable with the world’s most collaborative events platform.
- Why Networking is Dead & Braindates are The Future – #EventIcons Episode 138 – In this episode we discuss what braindates are, how they work, how to set them up and so much more! You do not want to miss this episode! Let’s jump in.
- How to Improve Audience Engagement At Event – #EventIcons Episode 110 – Our episode touch on tools that can help you create an atmosphere that encourages audience engagement and create value at your event! You do not want to miss this!
- E-Gaming Events Revolution – #EventIcons Episode 113 – E-gaming events are an emerging segment of events that you are going to want to know about, and you are in the right place to learn!
- Everything You Need to Know About C2 Montreal – #EventIcons Episode 139 – In this episode of #EventIcons the iconic Julia Cyboran of C2 Montréal joins us to teach us more about the magic and engineering that makes C2 Montréal event truly spectacular.
- C2 Montréal – The annual international business conference that helps established and aspiring leaders unlock their creativity in order to better face disruption and change.
- C2 Montreal – Not Your Average Conference – C2 is all about setting the stage for creativity and involvement; to talk to others and explore new things that you can take back and implement in your business.
- The me you want to be: Roger’s Rules for a Bigger, Better, More Powerful YOU by Roger Haskett – In this inspiring, transformational and truly heartwarming book, celebrated keynote speaker, entrepreneur, actor, teacher, director, and writer Roger Haskett helps you discover incredible new ways to create internal power and become the me you want to be.
- Engagement Unlimited – Creates positive transformational change through active engagement at meetings and events.
- Creating a Epic Team Building Event – #EventIcons Episode 98 – In this #EventIcons episode, we have two ICONIC guests, Sydney Wolf & Roger Haskett are discussing their best tips for creating team building events.
- It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work by Jason Fried – It isn’t a book telling you what to do. It’s a book showing you what they’ve done—and how any manager or executive no matter the industry or size of the company, can do it too.
- Frankly Speaking…: Insider Advice (Most) Meeting Planners Won’t Share with Speakers by Shawna Suckow, Bonni Scepkowski, Maralynn Adams & Tracey Smith – Within the pages of this book, you’ll find the combined wisdom of over 600 years (more or less) of meeting planning expertise, all aimed at helping you book more business as a speaker.
- Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box by The Arbinger Institute – Improve their lives and workplaces—areas such as team building, conflict resolution, and personal growth and development, to name a few.
What are your favorite tips and tricks for using event furniture to engage? Comment below and let us know.
January 2, 2019
As event profs it’s critical we stay on top of trends. From design and pop culture to global trends we are expected to know them all. These trends influence the events industry. Our clients expect us to stay current with trends and know how to implement them at their events when it comes to event design trends and so much more.
In todays episode we will be discussing all about event design trends. Joining us today are the #EventIcons, David Merrell of AOO Events and Susie Perelman of Mosaic. Their keen understanding of how rapidly events need to adapt, and their willingness to share their knowledge on what is next will make this a must-watch episode as you plan your 2019 events. We will cover everything from this years pantones and how you can use them in your next events, how they get inspiration and come up with trend predictions, and ways to use technology to enhance event design trends and so much more!
We want to help keep you up-to-date with the latest and greatest!
Below, in our Epic Resources section, we link the awesome insider favorites that were mentioned in this episode! You WANT to check these out! What has been your favorite episode so far? Comment below and let us know!
You’re watching this recording of our episode here on our blog, but wouldn’t you rather watch live, ask your own questions, and participate in person? Subscribe now to watch live! (We’ll remind you of upcoming episodes.) We would love for you to join us LIVE and bring your questions for our icons. This is all for you! And now for the main topic in the episode below, 2019 Event Design Trends!
How To Subscribe:
Follow our iconic guests on Twitter:
Check out the epic resources mentioned in this episode:
- AOO Events – A multi-faceted creative company, specializing in event design and show production
- Mosaic, Inc. – One of the largest and most unique linen inventories anywhere
- Borelli Strategies – Improving live experiences for attendees by supporting and advancing event professionals globally.
- Social Tables – Plan for the unplannable with the world’s most collaborative events platform.
- ITN International – Optimizes events and delivers actionable data that leads to future improvement.
- Event Tech Tribe – A collaborative ensemble of event tech specialists working together to make events better.
- WWDC18 – Apple Worldwide Developers Conference.
- Sciensio – The Art and Science of AI Chat.
- Chatby Inc. – Create a public chat zone out of any location including, schools, student residences, parks, bars, airports or any other building where people tend to gather.
- Radario – Instant event analytics, powerful CRM and personalized email marketing seamlessly integrated with ticketing platforms.
- The Indoor Lab – Provide the most comprehensive end-to-end analytics for indoor event locations using their proprietary platform and hardware.
- Mention – Get live updates about your brand from the web and social media.
- Feedly – Organize, read and share what matters to you.
- VR At Events- Everything You Need to Know – #EventIcons Episode 105 – In this episode, the ICONIC Jonah Brotman of House of VR discussed the challenges VR brings to the event industry, differences between AR and VR, and so much more!
- Cyber Security For Events : The Good The Bad & The Really Ugly – #EventIcons Episode 131 – Cyber security for events should be at the top of every event planners mind. But often, it’s overlooked or misunderstood. As event profs we need to very aware of cyber security for events. Is your clients data safe? If you aren’t sure this episode is for you!
- E-Gaming Events Revolution – #EventIcons Episode 113 – Discussion on best business opportunities for e-gaming segment and the numbers and statistics every event planner needs to know about e-gaming events.
What are your favorite tips and tricks for using event furniture to engage? Comment below and let us know.
