Event Industry News Podcast

A key part of the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) since January 2009, Dawn Lauder has been head of international conferences at the venue for nearly six years. In this episode, Dawn digs into her learnings from COP26, which was at the SEC in late 2021 making equally sought-after and stellar steps - not least $130tn towards net zero and climate risk disclosure for companies. Dawn talks host James Dickson through the ‘corona-coaster’, the prestige of hosting COP26 despite the tension wrought by Covid-19 in the run-up, the sense of team it fostered, the “off the charts” media coverage, maintaining that sense of purpose, why it’s worth reading the subsequent Sustainability Report, how hosting the summit has influenced Dawn Lauder’s manifesto for change and much more. To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.

Yaw Owusu, executive manager at Playmaker Group (PMG), has curated the Liverpool International Music Festival (LIMF) since 2013.   Typically focused in Sefton Park, Covid 19’s impact on the city’s celebrated portfolio for live music has seen a telling switch in LIMF’s structure for 2022. This episode is the story of a festival working for its surrounds, for its community – fans, artists and promoters.   Recorded two weeks ahead of the event, Yaw discusses how, coming off the pandemic, with Liverpool venues suffering, LIMF model 2022 is moving indoors - delivering a cultural tour of the city and making sure venues “get the fair end of the stick”.   In a fascinating 40 minutes Yaw talks inclusivity, logos and theming the event around Liverpool’s huge appetite for music.   This year the theme, and the formula for his longlist of potential players, is Power To The People & Purpose – a mission Yaw fully explained to performers so they can play a full part in its delivery.   To keep up to date with all the new

Working out of Boston on the US east coast, Devin Cleary is VP Global Events for Bizzabo, the event experience operating system, and a regular on the podcast.   In this episode, the focus is back on event tech - in the particular context of 2022, the uptick in optimism, getting back to live events and analysing the changes post-pandemic.   Devin Cleary highlights the new air of confidence, going on to compare tighter commercial purse strings with consumer spending and balancing the cost/sustainability equation in light of the big virtual/hybrid steps taken through the last two years plus.   Cleary goes on to talk, at some pace, about on demand, getting creative and the happiness hangover, the podcasts model, the greater post-event follow-up, a host of invaluable show floor tips, be it in-person, hybrid or virtual, delivering takeaways and much more.   To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.  

Formerly senior logistics manager for Jack Morton Worldwide, Adam Goodman founded full-service creative agency ACA Live in 2008. In this episode, Adam talks host James Dickson through his 20 years plus in events world, from studying hospitality business management in Leeds via a conference and banqueting role at the Langham through to setting up ACA. With drinks brands a core component in the company’s impressive list of clients, then and now, that’s the focus as Adam discusses their presence, their value, at green field sites, adding to the audience experience, the post-pandemic appetite for the festival model, its pain point, using technology, social media, and much more.  To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.

Rick Stainton, the man behind creative agency Smyle, founded One Industry One Voice (OIOV) in the eye of the pandemic as a ‘coalition of associations and businesses created to champion the entire events industry’.   In this episode, Rick explains why OIOV has recently been rebranded The Power of Events (TPOE) – a partnership with, but not limited to, Greenwich, Westminster, Surrey, Leeds Beckett, Bournemouth, UWS, Edinburgh Napier, Ulster, Swansea and Cardiff Met.   A persuasive speaker with a whole lot to say, Rick talks about the Covid-19 impact and his ‘diplomatic crusade’ which brought OIOV together two long years ago, getting commitment from myriad trade associations and businesses.    Rick goes on to mention the opportunities and the recovery process, the potential for newcomers, as well as the lack of respect from the media and government, and how that fits with a ‘completely party agnostic, non-lobbying’ TPOE.  

Jelmer van Ast, founder and CEO at Conference Compass, a company – based in the Hague – which is behind customisable event engagement platforms, comes back to the podcast some 12 months after last time. In this episode, Jelmer talks event adaptability with host James Dickson, the science of technology and increasing engagement. He goes on to discuss investing in product development and, crucially, why organisers have to build in an ongoing level of malleability post-pandemic. Despite the inherent fear of dramatic change, it’s ‘adapt or die’! To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.

Louise Findlay-Wilson is founder/managing director of award-winning agency Energy PR and an investor in green energy.   In this episode, under the umbrella ‘Consumers’ attitudes to events’, Louise talks about shows’ sustainability initiatives pre-pandemic having to catch up with the public’s invigorated passion for the subject, how quickly negative, and positive, communications can spill out from an event, how crucial it is to get the message right from the start of a campaign and how the collective social consciousness has sharpened up, and become more particular, over the last couple of years.   Louise uses Energy PR clients to detail her thoughts, telling host James Dickson about the Packaging Innovation Show’s zero landfill policy and how the green room at Plant Based World is truly green – everything in there being plant based.   Louise and James also discuss making use of venue ‘downtime’, where possible, for community projects, how shows have stepped up, incorporating tech to make takeaways digital rat

Ex-pat American Dax Callner, strategy director at creative agency Smyle and president of the Experiential Marketing Measurement Coalition, returns to the EIN podcast 18 months after his last appearance. In this episode, which has more answers than questions, Dax’s primary focus is a job Smyle did for the National Grid and how that relationship started during lockdown. Dax looks at best means of telling the story that helps brands connect with their audiences and how Smyle’s creative/stratgic expertise solutions helped National Grid  to revinvent its capital markets day. Dax Callner tells host James Dickson about the power, the potential, in dumb questions, how National Grid is ‘super cool’ in its initatives, picking key stories and ‘rock starring’ them, updating antiquated systems, finding key high emotion moments in the room and online, creating a sense of intimacy via video and much more.

Founded in 1991, Sledge is an award-winning event, content and creative agency. In this episode, Ben Heaysman, film and content creator at Sledge, discusses the company’s experience with the hybrid model pre-pandemic and bringing it to bear for clients caught out by lockdown; framing shots, lighting, sound quality et al. Among much more, Ben tells host James Dickson about crafting content to keep a virtual audience engaged, gamification, indoor v outdoor shoots, studio time, audio-only presentations and changing technology. To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.

A digital/tech mind working in the event industry since 2014, Ryan Kenny launched Seatlab at the end of last year, raising capital to revolutionise ticketing with blockchain technology.  In this episode, Ryan, who thinks and talks quickly, explains the premise for Seatlab, how its NFT (non-fungible token) or ‘smart contract’ solution amplifies and secures proof of ownership, beating touts, bots and fraud in the process. Ryan tells host James Dickson about bridging the gap between traditional tickets and NFTs, how simple the system is to use, the control it gives, royalty splits and the benefit to artists in the resale market, educating people in the ideas, getting the world to listen and more. Much more.

Denzil Rankine, author and thought leader in the global events and exhibitions industry, founded AMR in 1991 as a specialist in due diligence before developing the business into a strategy consultancy. In this episode, after doing the background on AMR, Denzil talks about writing Reinventing Live – The Always on Future of Events with Marco Giberti through lockdown, before digging into the company’s new Exhibition 3.0 framework.     To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.

Simon Howard, a professional host and compere with more than 200 virtual and 100s of live events in his portfolio over the course of some seven years, came to the job after a considerable tenure as an event manager in both hemispheres. In this episode, Simon discusses ‘Why the right event host is more important than ever’, looking at the pandemic impact on his role in the short-term and its legacy as the world started to open up again. He talks about tailoring his practice in engagement to lockdown events, getting people involved physically, leftfield thinking, being unpredictable, the difference between a good storyteller and a good host, relating to an audience and, of course, much more.

Hong Kong-based Hoyin Cheung founded interactive virtual event platform Remo in 2018, to ‘humanise the online event experience, and bring people together worldwide’. Triggered by his background in social media and years spent managing remote teams across eight years in marketing, Remo rings the changes. In this episode, Hoyin talks connectivity, what’s stopping us from cultivating online relationships every bit as deep, meaningful and enriching as those that develop in person, developing the idea for Remo, the time spent in testing and market research, Covid-19’s ‘accelerator’ impact, changing the business post rather than pre-pandemic, how it works and much more.

Founder/CEO of customer acquisition agency MCM, John McMahon, added to his lockdown To-Do list researching and writing The Power of Leading With Empathy, which was published in January to much acclaim. A product of interviews with business leaders and fellow agency owners coupled with John’s own considerable experience - empathy is a cornerstone to his leadership style at MCM – this episode looks at the motivation behind the book and its ambitions. Aimed at anyone running a small team, in any sector, John McMahon discusses being described as a ‘soft leader’, the limits of the workplace, the benefits of working from home on the back of all the pandemic lessons, the power of trust and much more.

Nicola Underhill is general manager at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole – a venue built in step with the NEC, where it sits. The biggest UK hotel outside London. Nicola came to the job from six plus years in a similar role at the Hilton St George’s Park - home to all 24 England football teams and a centre for coach education. In this episode, host James Dickson asks Nicola Underhill about the Hilton Birmingham Metropole’s multi-million-pound refurbishment; due to complete in April it includes all the hotel’s event spaces along with a new bar, a new restaurant and a new executive lounge. Nicola talks digital technology too, staying competitive – with a spotlight on the Hilton Metropole’s event relations managers – as well as looking back on her career to date.

Emma Tietze, director of sales and events at Brooklyn Bowl, has a 10-year history in live events, turns at the Manhattan Center and at CBS Radio reflecting her passions. Emma joined the team at Brooklyn Bowl, a former iron foundry in ‘hip’ Williamsburg, three years ago. A sought-after mix of live music, award winning food and bowling, since its 2009 launch Brooklyn Bowl has spawned three other venues in the group, one in Vegas, one in Nashville and one in Philadelphia. In this episode, Emma Tietze talks through her background before emphasising the Importance of venues like the Bowl post-pandemic, not least the flexibility of the room and how much that helps in responding to client wants. Emma goes on to discuss leadership roles for women in events, business development and targeted marketing, networking at the Bowl, working with other venues, partnering with local hotels and watching the neighbourhood grow. To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in

Carlo Zoccali joined Farnborough International Ltd in 2016. Responsible for venue sales, operations and customer service he also oversees relationships between the venue and the wider events industry. Involved with trade associations throughout his career, Carlo was president of the ILEA from 2017 to 2018 and continues to be an active board member of the Europe chapter. In this episode Carlo Zoccali’s focus is beyond the airshow (FIA) which, cancelled in 2020, comes back to the site in July this year. It’s on newer heights instead, the 12,500sq m exhibition hall opened in 2018 and the similar size space outside among them – and how that combination delivered as live events slowly came back to life from mid-2021. Carlo Zoccali talks about the Farnborough footprint facilitating everything from exhibitions and experiential events through to conferences and product launches in its new meeting room portfolio, re-connecting people in 2022, audience-driven demand, niche events, elevating experiences and contempor

Since 2011 Chicago-based Ink Factory has been delivering visual note-taking, physically and virtually. Creating pictures that summarise key takeaways for conferences, meetings, brainstorming sessions, show content and much more, Ink Factory clients include Adobe, Amazon, CAT, Deloitte, Ford, Unilever, Whole Foods Market and the YMCA, In this episode, Ryan Robinson, the company’s co-founder and CMO, discusses the business before digging into the immediate gratification audiences get from visuals and its benefits in retaining information and recalling it. Ryan Robinson goes on to talks bookmarks in the brain, using keywords, colours, the focus on training, listening and adapting, videos, illustrations and preventing distraction. To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.

Verbose, in the best Los Angeles tradition, Marley Majcher is CEO of The Party Goddess, an A-list full-service event planning and catering company in LA,, and author of acclaimed business guide for entrepreneurs, But Are You Making Any Money? In this episode, Marley details her background, from cooking school in Paris and egotistical chefs right through to standing out in the event planner crowd. The conversation with host James Dickson covers celebrity endorsement/the publicity machine, organising events in LA, big budget clients, contracts, confidentiality agreements, young starters’ expectations and much more.    

Launched at the threshold of the pandemic, March 2020, Vendoir is a platform for sole traders, freelancers, start-ups and existing suppliers to showcase their service to customers without paying for marketing. Vendoir also allows clients to book vendors based on their reputation, budget, location, event type etc., with just a few taps. In this episode, co-founders Oshoma Zekeri (CEO) and Yoma James Kukor (COO), discuss the personal and professional experiences that got them thinking. They highlight the app’s focus on quality, ratings and reviews, local talent – everywhere - calendar/geography/budget functionality, payment protection, getting the best out of everybody and opening doors for freelancers.      Music: Wish Background by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4633-wish-background License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license