The heels are off (or are they?), and we’re getting into the real talk. In this Dynamic Dialogue After Show, Megan Martin and her guest Sarah Soliman go beyond the stage and the sizzle reels to talk about what happens when the work gets personal.

Sarah shares the backstory of walking away from a toxic professional relationship, building her business before age 30, and staying poised when it would be a whole lot easier to clap back.

Her dad says it best: “When a dog barks, you don’t bark back.” And that mantra has kept her grounded while gracefully outpacing the people who underestimated her. Plus, we get the truth behind her iconic event stilettos.

Spoiler: it’s not just about the look (though the look does slay). They also share some go-to shoe brands that are style and comfort when walking a show floor for 12 hours.

About the Guest:

Sarah Soliman is the President and CEO of Soliman Productions, and a respected leader in the events industry. From co-leading the #MeetingsToo movement to mentoring the next generation of creatives, she brings vision, strength, and unapologetic authenticity to everything she does.

✨ What You’ll Learn:

• How to walk away from toxic professional relationships without burning down the room

• Why Sarah believes poise and silence can be more powerful than retaliation

• The surprising reason she rocks heels at events

• Tips for navigating career breakups in a small industry where you’re bound to cross paths again

• Why mentorship, storytelling, and representation matter more than ever in events
  

Want more real, unfiltered conversations like this? 

Join the Squared Squad at eventaboutitpodcast.com for bonus content from Megan and you can share your wild event stories!

Connect with Megan⁠ ⁠HERE⁠⁠

Connect with Sarah HERE

If your event awards show feels like a low budget Oscars and your panel session is just three people nodding at each other in agreement, it’s time to tune into this episode.

This week on Event About It, Megan Martin sits down with Sarah Soliman, powerhouse content creator and Founder of Soliman Productions, to say what we’re all thinking: the events industry keeps talking about innovation, but it’s stuck in a loop of recycled formats and last-minute scrambles.

We drag dry panels, boring awards shows, and fake community promises right into the spotlight. With a camera in one hand and a mic drop in the other, Sarah brings the receipts on how the events industry is failing its own narrative and what needs to change to actually engage people.

From all-male panels and highlight reels with zero energy, to CEO fireside chats that are more smoke than substance, we’re calling “cut!” on it all. Oh, and if your networking event involves a sad cheese tray, we’re swiping left.

About the Guest:

Sarah Soliman is the President and CEO of Soliman Productions, a powerhouse event content agency helping brands capture moments that matter. With a background in broadcast media and years of leadership across MPI and beyond, she’s built a reputation as one of the most respected creative and strategic voices in the events industry.

What You'll Learn:

• How to rework panels and award shows to actually keep your audience engaged

• What content creators know about consistency and planning that event pros need to learn

• The biggest frustrations with industry events and why the word “community” is getting overused

• How to deliver content that matches your brand values instead of just repeating buzzwords

• Why events must start practicing what they preach on inclusion, engagement, and innovation
  

Want to hear more from Sarah?

Listen to the Dynamic Dialogue After Show wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube. 

Have a wild event story you want to share?

Tell it to us at eventaboutitpodcast.com so we can play it on an upcoming episode.

Keep growing, keep laughing, and for the love of panels, keep eventing about it.

Connect with Megan⁠ ⁠HERE⁠⁠

Connect with Sarah HERE

You can’t buy authenticity and Julie Mullins is here to prove it. In this After Show, Megan Martin and Julie dive into the sharp contrast between high-volume, group-heavy destinations like Chicago and small, leisure-first towns like Whitefish, Montana.

They unpack how to preserve identity while growing events, why destination meetings need to stay human-centered, and how leaders can mentally navigate the sales rollercoaster through economic uncertainty. This one’s for the marketers, sellers, and planners who know it takes a village—and vision.

What You’ll Learn in This After Show:

• How to apply boutique-level personalization in large-scale destinations
• Why preserving community identity should come before outside investment
• The difference in selling leisure vs. group and what they can learn from each other
• How to stay grounded and focused during economic turbulence
• The power of listening, trusting your team, and playing the long game in sales

About the Guest:

Julie Mullins is the Executive Director of Explore Whitefish and owner of Zeal Destination Consulting. She’s spent decades balancing politics, purpose, and profit across global hotel brands, tier-one cities, and now, one of the West’s most treasured small towns.

Want more raw, real talk like this? 

Join the Squared Squad at www.eventaboutitpodcast.com for exclusive content and candid conversations that go beyond the mic.

Connect with Julie HERE⁠

Connect with Megan HERE

If you've ever booked a city-wide, dodged political landmines, and still closed the deal, this one’s for you. This week, Megan sits down with Julie Mullins, a 35-year hospitality veteran who’s led high-stakes sales in major metros like Chicago and now serves as Executive Director of Explore Whitefish in Montana.

From navigating union drama to managing naked customers on a fam trip (yes, really), Julie shares her unforgettable stories and sharp insights from decades in the trenches of destination sales. Plus, we play Tourism Tinder where igloo bars are hot and mascot costumes are swept left.

About the Guest:Julie Mullins is the Executive Director of Explore Whitefish, owner of Zeal Destination Consulting, and former VP of Convention Sales for Choose Chicago. With 35 years in hospitality and a reputation for high-impact sales leadership, she brings both grit and grace to the conversation.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• What it’s really like to manage sales for a billion-dollar tourism economy

• The pros and pitfalls of heavily unionized event cities like Chicago

• Why pop-up experiences can work and when they’re just a gimmick

• The importance of carving out time for yourself in a career that demands 24/7

• Why managing tourism in small towns is more complex (and critical) than people think

Head to eventaboutitpodcast.com to submit your own wild event stories and join the Squared Squad for bonus content and behind-the-scenes access.

Connect with Julie HERE

https://www.linkedin.com/in/julesmullins/

Connect with Megan HERE

https://msquareddynamics.com/

The funnel is dead, MQLs are out, and your networking events aren’t as human-centered as you think. In this After Show, Megan and Ashley go off the record and into the real stuff: AI myths, event design fails, personalization at scale, and why you should probably stop serving bagels at every conference.

What You’ll Learn in This After Show:

• Why AI isn’t replacing marketers—but marketers who ignore AI might get left behind
• How to scale personalization using content depth and intent frameworks
• The difference between busy work and uniquely human marketing tasks
• Why most networking events fail introverts (and what to do instead)
• The marketing buzzword Ashley wants permanently canceled

Ashley also shares a hilarious booth mishap involving superhero cutouts and the carpet padding lesson no event marketer should forget.

Join the Squared Squad at eventaboutitpodcast.com to access exclusive bonus content, connect with guests, and never miss a behind-the-scenes convo like this one.

Connect with Ashley Faus

https://www.atlassian.com/blog/author/ashley-faus

Connect with Megan Martin 

https://msquareddynamics.com/

If you think lifecycle marketing ends after your event wrap-up email, you’re doing it wrong. This week, Megan is joined by Ashley Faus, Head of Lifecycle Marketing Portfolio at Atlassian and author of Human-Centered Marketing, to explore how events power long-term strategy and trust-driven campaigns.

Ashley breaks down the difference between industry vs. user conferences, how to repurpose event content without boring your audience, and the unexpected details that make attendees feel seen, heard, and valued.

About the Guest:

Ashley Faus is the Head of Lifecycle Marketing Portfolio at Atlassian and the author of Human-Centered Marketing. She's known for connecting content, product, and demand gen strategies across every touchpoint—plus, she might just turn your next marketing framework into a musical.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The real difference between user and industry conferences (and why you need to know it)

• How to repurpose event content for lasting impact without overwhelming your audience

• The right metrics to measure depending on your event’s purpose

• Why little things, like carpet padding, make a big human-centered difference

• How your event strategy fits into the full customer lifecycle, not just the sales funnel

Head to eventaboutitpodcast.com to share YOUR “Vent of the WeeK” and join the Squared Squad for bonus content, guest Q&As, and our exclusive After Show.

👉 Want to hear more from the guest? Tune into the “After Show” HERE www.eventaboutitpodcast.com 

Connect with Ashley Faus

https://www.atlassian.com/blog/author/ashley-faus

Connect with Megan Martin 

https://msquareddynamics.com/

If you send emails to your customers, you will want to listen to this episode 🎧 This "After Show" is packed with game-changing email marketing insights from our guest Jay Schwedelson who brings the receipts. With over 15 million subject lines tested and 40,000+ campaigns executed annually, Jay doesn’t just talk email strategy he lives it. Jay Schwedelson is the founder of SubjectLine.com and GURU Media Hub, the force behind the world’s largest email marketing events. With over 15 million subject lines tested and a top-ranked marketing podcast, he’s one of the most trusted voices in the email game.Host Megan Martin dives into the myths, mistakes, and marketing moves that can make or break your next event campaign.From laugh-out-loud flops to subject lines that crushed it, this convo covers the raw truth behind successful email marketing. Whether you're promoting your first event or managing thousands of attendees, you’ll walk away with real strategies to cut through the noise and convert.🔥What You’ll Learn:How to write event emails that don’t feel like just another promo, PLUS the one pre-show mistake almost everyone makes.Why your subject line might be killing your campaign and what to do instead.The right timing, tone, and segmentation strategies that drive real registration results.What metrics truly matter (and which ones you’re obsessing over for no reason).The do’s, don’ts, and total cringe trends Jay says have no place in your next campaign.This episode is your blueprint for more successful event emails, straight from the expert who’s tested it all.👉 Don’t forget to head over to eventaboutitpodcast.com to send us your vents and stories for a chance to be featured on a future episode. 🎧 While you’re there, join the Squared Squad for access to exclusive bonus content, guest interactions, and our After Show Episodes where we dive deep with our guests for actionable steps you can take after listening.Until next time, keep growing, keep laughing, and keep eventing about it.Connect with Jay Schwedelson https://jayschwedelson.com/Guru Conferencehttps://guruconference.com/ Connect with Megan Martin https://msquareddynamics.com/

Welcome to the Dynamic Dialogue After Show, where the real tea gets spilled! Host Megan Martin is back with entrepreneur and tech guru Adam Saad for an unfiltered, no-holds-barred conversation you didn’t know you needed.Adam left the corporate grind at Salesforce to build his own “rocket ship”, and he’s telling us exactly why (and how) he did it.We’re breaking down:The burnout that pushed him to quit the sales floor for good (it wasn’t because he worked too hard either)Why tiny, niche events beat massive trade shows every timeHow to work smarter (not harder) when planning sponsorshipsWhy event organizers must make it stupid-easy to spend money with themAnd the ultimate debate: branded vs. unbranded swag—Adam’s got thoughtsIf you love events, business glow-ups, and a little spicy event strategy talk, pull up a chair, grab a drink, and get ready for some seriously real conversation.Connect with Adam ⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠https://techstackadvising.com/Listen to Adam’s Podcast HEREhttps://open.spotify.com/show/0aGEEihBcdAvi5n7wC21p6?si=e14bf868dbb94dc2Connect with Megan⁠ ⁠HERE⁠⁠https://msquareddynamics.com/Enjoyed the episode? We want to hear from you and your vent of the week!Head over to ⁠⁠eventaboutitpodcast.com⁠⁠ to leave us a voicemail with your burning questions or your own Vent of the Week story to be featured in a future episode.As a member of The Squared Squad you can:Submit questions for upcoming guestsShare your own Vent of the Week through the voicemail feature on the websiteBehind-the-scenes blogs and insights from Megan Martin

In this Dynamic Dialogue After Show, host Megan Martin and guest Will Curran dive deeper into the future of event experiences, exploring how wearable tech, AI, and real-time data are reshaping the way we plan, design, and deliver events.Will Curran is a renowned event technology innovator, founder of Endless Events, creator of the #EventProfs community, and Vice President of Go-to-Market for North America at Voxo, where he leads the company’s strategic growth in the region.Together, Megan and Will explore topics like:How wearable tech can enhance networking and on-site engagementAI tools that summarize sessions and conversations for attendeesThe power of personalized event experiences that make attendees feel like VIPsUsing health and behavior data to influence smarter event designSustainability tips, like promoting mindful water consumptionWhy real-time data is a game changer for audience experienceHow DJs and planners can adapt in the moment based on audience reactionsThe importance of building community for long-term event successHow wellness-focused design can improve attendee energy and retentionThe role of AI in delivering multi-format, multi-sensory event engagementWhether you're an event planner, tech enthusiast, or just curious about where the industry is headed, this episode offers a forward-thinking look at how we can blend innovation with intentionality to build stronger communities and unforgettable experiences.Connect with Will https://willcurran.com/Connect with Megan ⁠https://msquareddynamics.com/As a member of The Squared Squad you get exclusive access:Behind-the-scenes insights to Megan's expertiseEarly access to new episodesInsider tips from top event pros The chance to submit your questions to upcoming guest interviews before the interview!Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your fellow event enthusiasts.

In this episode of The After Show, host Megan Martin sits down with Anca Trifan, a powerhouse in event tech, AI strategy, and wellness advocacy. With over 20 years of experience, Anca has built a reputation as a leader in AV production, AI integration, and event technology strategy. As the host of Events: Demystified Podcast and Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships, Event Technology & AI at M&IW, she’s shaping the future of how AI enhances event personalization, strategy, and revenue growth.Anca is also the founder of Tree-Fan Events, a woman-owned production company specializing in AI-driven event solutions for live, virtual, and hybrid experiences. In this conversation, she shares:Her journey as an entrepreneur and why she started her own production company.Practical advice for those looking to launch their own business in the events industry.The transition from entrepreneurship to a corporate leadership role and what she’s learned along the way.The biggest misconceptions about AI in events and how professionals can start integrating it without feeling overwhelmed.Her favorite AI tools right now and how they can streamline event planning.Her passion for fitness and biohacking, including how her FIT4EVENTS framework is helping event professionals stay mentally and physically sharp.If you're looking for expert insights on AI, business growth, and wellness in events, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways.Join the dynamic dialogue and get ready to level up with Anca Trifan!Connect with Anca ⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠https://ancaplatontrifan.me/Connect with Megan ⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠https://msquareddynamics.com/As a member of The Squared Squad you can:Submit questions for upcoming guestsShare your own Vent of the Week through the voicemail feature on the websiteBehind-the-scenes blogs and insights from Megan Martin