Live From PCMA Convening Leaders 2020: It’s #EventIcons!

This week's edition of #EventIcons comes to you from PCMA Convening Leaders 2020! It all happened in San Francisco between the 5th and 8th of January. And it was the perfect melting pot of event professionals and industry leaders. Networking was the defining word of the event that saw all sorts of people getting together, discussing ideas, and gaining new insights.

So, whether or not you got the chance to attend, we're giving you the scoop. And that means all things PCMA and event running related! Joining our incredible hosts Linday Martin and Brandt Krueger are Angie Ahrens and Peter Berliner. Angie is the VP of Operations at of Leadercast and Peter is the President of Innovative Entertainment. And they are here today to share all of their best experiences at PCMA Convening Leaders 2020, as well as their perspective on running events. So, are you excited? Then wait no longer and press play, it's time for a new episode of #EventIcons!

#EventIcons 2020 Sneak Peek: New Year, New Content!

It's time for an exciting #EventIcons 2020 sneak peek! Because we're not only diving into a new year, but also a new decade, we decided to give you a taste for what's to come. So, you already know that #EventIcons is the show to pay attention to if you want to know what the icons of the events industry are up to. And we've covered some incredible topics the past year, from crisis communication to event planner burnout, women in events, and many, many more.

With four years of incredible episodes behind us, the bar is quite high. But don't worry - we have all the intention to deliver! Joining us today are our iconic hosts Will Curran, Kaitlin Colston, Alex Plaxen, and Lindsay Bilbrey, the powerhouses behind the show. And they are ready to give you an #EventIcons 202 sneak peek to make sure we get your appetite running for what we have in store this new year. So press play and join us on this amazing journey!

The 2020 Event Design Trends That Will Define The New Year

The trends keep on coming, and today we’re tackling 2020 event design trends! Ahead of the new year, the #EventIcons team is laying down the foundation for what’s to come. And we’ve already covered business and marketing trends, so it’s time to get a little more creative. Design is always one of the most exciting topics we cover on the show. And we can guarantee you that the conversation about the future of design in the industry will keep up that pace.

Joining our amazing hosts Alex Plaxen and Brandt Krueger are icons David Merrell and Susie Perelman. David is an experienced designer, storyteller, public speaker, creative mind and puzzle solver. He’s been in the business for 30 years as the owner and creative director for AOO Events, known for the live immersive events. And Susie has decades of experience in events, a thirst to travel the world and a curiosity to explore trends pertaining to design. She uses her experiences to curate linen collections at Mosaic. So, are you ready for this? Then press play, we’re talking 2020 event design trends!

2020 Event Marketing Trends: What Will The New Year Bring?

It's time to dive deep into the world of 2020 event marketing trends! Because it's December, the next episodes of #eventicons will focus on what's to come. And, of course, what these trends mean for our industry. So today, we kickstart this series of episodes with 2020 event marketing trends. As event professionals, marketing is an enormous part of what we do. And being on top of what will change and what will remain the same puts us one step ahead in the game.

To help us out with this exciting conversation, we welcome two iconic guests, Nicole Osibodu and Mark Granovsky. Nicole is an event planner professor at San Diego State University and the President and co-founder of Haute Dokimazo. Mark is the CEO of G2Planet, an enterprise software company that provides corporate event marketing and management solutions to large companies. So, are you ready for this? Press play, it's time for #Eventicons!

Celebrating 4 Years Of Iconic Conversations!

2020 Business Trends and How They Impact Events

We talk a lot about trends this time of year. And in today’s episode of #EventIcons we’re covering 2020 business trends and how they impact our industry. 2020 is the start of a new year, new decade AND an election year. It’s safe to say 2020 is going to be a big year with new trends and we are covering all that and more today on #EventIcons.

Helping Linsday and Alex forecast the biggest 2020 business trends is the iconic Mike Dominguez, the President & CEO of Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI). ALHI is a Global Sales Organization with a team of nearly 80 professionals located among 26 offices across North America and Europe, ALHI’s serves a membership group of hotels that are Independent Hotels & Independent Brands that are an exclusive luxury collection. Prior to joining ALHI, Michael served in sales leadership positions with MGM Resorts, Loews Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Starwood Hotels and many more. Michael is also actively involved in leadership roles in the Meetings and Events Industry. Could we have a better guest to help predict trends? We don’t think so! Press play, it’s time for another episode of #EventIcons!

For more info and resources, head to the blog.

Auctions At Events: What Planners Can Learn From The Experience

And here goes one, here goes two, here goes…auctions at events! Yes, that’s right. In this week’s episode of #EventIcons we’re covering this exciting topic. Because event planners can actually learn a lot from expert auctioneers. And especially when it comes to charity events and fundraisers, auctions are experiences the whole industry can extract plenty of ideas from. So sit tight, we’re breaking down everything you should know about auctions at events.

And to help us get the most out of the conversation, we have two amazing guests. Joining our fantastic hosts Will Curran and Alex Plaxen are Kelly Russel and Tony Rissley. Kelly is an expert auction strategist and certified benefit auctioneer. She has helped organizations raise over $100 Million in support of their great work. Additionally, Kelly leads her team of fundraising professionals to produce auctions that consistently exceed client goals. And Tony has been in the silent auction business for over a decade. He has created a system to help event organizers run successful silent auctions that boost their fundraising efforts. So, are you ready? Press play, it’s time to get iconic!

How AR And VR For Events Can Revolutionize The Industry

It's time for the coolest conversation ever about AR and VR for events! This topic isn't new for us here at Endless. And the reason we enjoy it so much is because it's slowly but steadily revolutionizing the industry. As event planners, we need to make sure we're always paying attention to the hottest trends out there. And especially those that have the power to improve the attendee experience. So on this week's episode of #EventIcons, we're breaking down all things AR and VR for events.

In order to give you the scoop, we've invited Donny Neufuss to join our lovely host Lindsay Martin. And Donny was previously on Event Tech Podcast with us. He is the Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Brightline Interactive, a company that specializes in providing the latest digital tools and immersively technology experiences for brands, sports, entertainment, and the events industry. So, are you ready to join the technology bandwagon? Press play, we're getting iconic!

#EventIcons Episode 190 -The Power Of Body Language In Events For Networking & Interviewing

On a bit of a different note, today we're exploring body language in events! Because at its core, the events industry is all about people, and relationships between people. Attendees, suppliers, planners - everybody has a part to play. And everybody is, at the end of the day, human. Which is why we're very excited to have a conversation about the power of body language in events, and how it can be used for networking and interviewing.

So, as usual, we brought out the big guns. Joining our amazing hosts Lindsay Martin and Alex Plaxen are Leon Cardenas and Stan Walters. Leo helps sales teams improve their sales using body language techniques. And Stan works with and trains risk management professionals, law enforcement, intelligence agencies, and elite military units on how to accurately spot deception and ask the right questions that will uncover the truth, clear criminal cases and even save lives. So, are you ready to get iconic? Then press play and join the talk, it's time for #EventIcons!

How To Celebrate In Style: The Hottest Holiday Party Trends of 2019!

It's time to learn the ho-ho-ho-hottest holiday party trends of the year! So, Halloween has come and gone. Which means that the holiday season is fast approaching. And as event professionals, we're already thinking about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. But we're sure we're not alone in this, and you're also wondering how you can take the holidays to the next level. It's a time for celebration, love, and happiness. So on this week's #EventIcons, we're super excited to let you know all about the absolute best holiday party trends!

Joining our lovely host Alex Plaxen are David Everett and Sydney Wolf of Metro Connections. David is a leader in the conception and execution of innovative event design and production. He has over fifteen years of creative, technical and management experience in the event industry. And Sydney has an eye for design and the ability to adapt to a client’s style guide, brand, and culture. She consistently designs innovative activations and large-scale events that work to accomplish client objectives and showcase corporate brands in a positive and impactful way. So, are you ready to get iconic? Press play, it's time for another episode of #EventIcons!