Event Experience

In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, Rachel Moore moderates a discussion between Alon Alroy, co-founder and CMO of Bizzabo, and Sam Jacobs, CEO of Pavilion, focused on the intersection of events and community building for business growth. They highlight the importance of structure in event planning, the rise of smaller regional events, and the long-term benefits of community over immediate demand generation. Key points include how networking can be enhanced through structured events, the ROI of smaller micro-events, and how to measure the success of community building efforts.

Alon Alroy is the co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Bizzabo. As a refresher, Bizzabo's Event Experience Operating System enables marketing and event teams to manage and scale their event programs. Alon helped build Bizzabo’s go-to-market teams since its founding in 2011. 

Sam Jacobs is the founder and CEO of Pavilion, the world’s #1 private community for GTM leaders. Since 2016, Sam has bootstrapped Pavilion to be a network of over 10,000 go-to-market professionals in B2B tech.

Here’s what you’ll hear about in this conversation:

• How crafting structure for your attendees enhances networking.

• How to see real ROI from hosting smaller events consistently. 

• How to play the long game of community building for overall revenue success. 

• Sam Jacobs on LinkedIn

• Alon Alroy on LinkedIn

• Pavilion Community

• Behind the Cloud by Marc Benioff

For the full transcript, mentions, and more, visit www.bizzabo.com/podcast/sam-jacobs-pavilion-community.

In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore interviews Christine Renaud, CEO and founder of Braindate. They discuss how Braindate fosters meaningful exchanges at events by moving beyond transactional interactions and into true knowledge sharing and the exchange of experience. 

In 2008, Christine embarked on a ground-breaking mission: to transform gatherings into knowledge-sharing feasts. Fifteen years and over 1 million participants from 100 countries later, her technology company, Braindate has deeply enriched the lives of those who’ve engaged in meaningful exchanges. In 2015, Christine was selected as one of the “Most Innovative People in the Events Industry” by New York publication Bizbash, and also won the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ award in 2016 by Startup Canada.  She was also listed in 2018 as one of the Canadian Inspiring Fifty, honoring 50 women shaping the future of technology in Canada.

Here’s what you’ll hear about in this conversation:

• How knowledge sharing improves your event ROI and attendee retention.

• How event professionals can design meaningful networking opportunities.

• How knowledge sharing works philosophically to foster a sense of belonging. 

• Christine Renaud on LinkedIn

• Braindate.com

• Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach

For the full transcript, mentions, and more, visit www.bizzabo.com/podcast/christine-renaud-knowledge-sharing-networking.

In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore talks to Anh Nguyen, principal and co-founder of Spark Event Collective, about her team’s success with the grand opening of the BMO Centre in Calgary, Alberta. Anh shares her insights on managing large-scale events and emphasizing the importance of guiding guests through the experience, which included using over 300 entertainers to create flash mob transitions. 

She discusses the goals of the event, targeting current and prospective clients of the convention center, and highlights the collaborative effort required, involving a team of specialized senior event professionals. The episode also delves into the practical challenges and personal experiences faced by event planners, from footwear choices to overcoming setbacks.

Anh Nguyen possesses over 15 years of event design, production, and management experience. She has managed everything from intimate corporate functions to large, international events and is known for her keen eye for detail while being able to lead, inspire and manage large, global teams. She founded Spark Event Management, an award-winning, full-service event management firm, from which the Collective is spun off from. Having experienced first-hand the challenges, excitement, disappointments, and thrill of entrepreneurship, she is passionate about supporting independent planners in the pursuit of their professional goals.

Here’s what you’ll hear about in this conversation:

• How team culture impacts the success of winning contracts and clients

• How using positive peer pressure among event attendees can support activations

• How to make the event space itself play a leading role in the experience

• Anh Nguyen on LinkedIn

• Spark Event Collective

• BMO Centre, Calgary

• Likeable Badass by Alison Fragale

For the full transcript, mentions, and more, visit www.bizzabo.com/podcast/michael-barclay-energy-exchange-experiential.

In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, Rachel interviews Michael Barclay II, executive vice president of experiential at Essence Ventures, about his career and the critical role of experiential marketing in consumer engagement. Michael shares personal insights, such as event day essentials, his reading interests in Afro futurism, and industry trends like 'funflation.'

Michael Barclay II is a top-tier experiential executive globally, known for driving success across companies, brands, and events. As the Executive Vice President of Experiential at ESSENCE Ventures, he spearheads the ESSENCE Festival of Culture, the largest festival in the U.S. by per-day attendance, attracting nearly 170,000 attendees daily to New Orleans. Recognized as an Industry Innovator by BizBash, Barclay's accolades include a Cannes Lion Bronze Award for the Simone Biles "Pause Is Power" Powerade campaign and a Clio Sports Bronze Award. 

Here’s what you’ll hear about in this conversation:

• How to worldbuild for your event experiences

• How to sustain attendee energy during and after events

• Michael’s new Crowded House creator platform

• Michael Barclay II on LinkedIn

• Essence Ventures

For the full transcript, mentions, and more, visit www.bizzabo.com/podcast/michael-barclay-energy-exchange-experiential.

In this episode of the Event Experience podcast by Bizzabo, you'll get a taste of the full discussion from our webinar featuring leading event tech experts: Liz King Caruso, CEO of techsytalk; Angie Ahrens, director of global events at MRI Real Estate Software; and Clark Hager, senior director of sales engineering with Bizzabo. 

Learn about the inefficiencies of outdated event tech and the benefits of consolidating to modern platforms (like Bizzabo OS), and explore the on-demand event to gain insights from the live Q&A with our panel of experts: 

Angie Ahrens is a lifelong learner and event professional who has found her passion in leading teams to create impactful experiences as the Director of Global Events for MRI Real Estate Software. She thrives on collaboration, communication, and adaptability, all while embracing change and nurturing a strong team culture, both in her professional life and her personal adventures. 

Clark Hager is a seasoned IT leader with over 15 years of experience, specializing in infrastructure and cloud solutions. As the Senior Director of Sales Engineering at Bizzabo, he excels in driving digital transformation, optimizing technology operations, and leading high-performing teams to deliver innovative and scalable software and hardware solutions. 

Liz Caruso has helped businesses and thought leaders grow their audience and sell their products through in-person, virtual, & hybrid events through her expansive knowledge as an event tech expert. For over a decade, as the CEO of techsytalk, she has been recognized as a “techy” and has been named as a Top 5 Women in Event Tech. 

Here’s what you’ll hear about in this conversation:

• Mistakes and gaps found in today’s event tech stacks.

• Benefits of open source technology for integrations.

• Real-world success stories of enhanced event management. 

• Liz King Caruso on LinkedIn

• Angie Ahrens on LinkedIn

• Clark Hager on LinkedIn

• Bizzabo OS solutions

For the full transcript, mentions, and more, visit www.bizzabo.com/podcast/event-tech-stack-liz-king-angie-ahrens-clark-hager.

This episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, hosted by Rachel Moore, features a conversation with Mike Frost, founder of Expocast. Together, they discuss the challenges and opportunities in the recruitment sector of the events industry, particularly post-pandemic, focus on the importance of networking and strategies for job seekers, and reveal the current state of recruitment. Mike also covers the complexity of networking as an event professional and tips for making CVs and interviews more effective.

Mike is the Founder of Expocast, a globally recognised leader in recruitment excellence for the events industry. He has orchestrated the moves of CEOs, MDs, Directors, Managers and Executives into event companies across Europe, Asia, North America, Africa and Australia.

Here’s what you’ll hear about in this conversation:

• Insights to stand out on job applications

• Impact of geographical location on your career

• Importance of seeking mentorship to keep leveling up

• Mike Frost on LinkedIn

• Expocast

• Talent attraction assessment for employers

• Free course for finding a job in the events industry

For the full transcript, mentions, and more, visit www.bizzabo.com/podcast/mike-frost-events-career-tips.

In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore interviews Rachel Stephan, Snöballer-in-Chief at Snöball Event Marketing about referral marketing, the importance of peer-to-peer sharing, and the metrics that matter in event marketing. Stephan also shares her personal journey as an immigrant and her adoption of various channels for sharing event content. 

Rachel Stephan has been on her career journey since 2001, when she started in advertising and moved into the heart of event marketing. As Snöballer-in-Chief for Snöball Event Marketing, she delves into all the ways to create a buzz and get the right attendees to events.

Here’s what you’ll hear about in this conversation:

• Gamifying the “who else is going” factor of event attendance.

• Effectively using AI in personalized marketing efforts.

• Leveraging employee advocacy in event amplification and reach. 

• Rachel Stephan on LinkedIn

• Snöball Event Marketing

• Headway audio book app

• Money 2020 LinkedIn “receipt” post

For the full transcript, mentions, and more, visit www.bizzabo.com/podcast/rachel-stephan-peer-to-peer-event-marketing.

In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore interviews Jessica Connolly, Director of Global Events for Meltwater. They discuss Jessica's role in inheriting and enhancing Meltwater Summit, her emphasis on attendee engagement and satisfaction, and her strategies for creating memorable event experiences. 

With over 20 years of experience in event execution and production, Jessica Connolly is the Director of Global Events for Meltwater. Her career spans the environmental, real estate, and tech industries.

Here’s what you’ll hear about in this conversation:

• Why understanding your event audience is crucial to success.

• How to adapt to physical event spaces.

• Where to balance logistics with creativity. 

• Jessica Connolly on LinkedIn

• Meltwater

• The Glasshouse in NYC

For the full transcript, mentions, and more, visit www.bizzabo.com/podcast/jessica-connolly-meltwater-summit.

In this episode of Event Experience by Bizzabo, host Rachel Moore explores the significant impact of gamification on event ROI with a panel of experts:Incentli CEO and Founder, Jeff Campbell, Director of Revenue Optimization at Informa Markets, MK Granados; and Head of Klik at Bizzabo, Will Curran. 

The discussion covers the practical implementation of gamification strategies to engage diverse audiences, avoid common pitfalls, and leverage AI and post-event data. The experts delve into the enhancement of attendee experience through technology like wearables and the importance of understanding audience personas. 

Here’s what you’ll hear about in this conversation:

• Examples of successful gamification tactics for events.

• How to overcome budget and tech stack constraints.

• Ways to maximize event ROI through data gained from gamification activations. 

• Jeff Campbell on LinkedIn

• MK Granados on LinkedIn

• Will Curran on LinkedIn

• Incentli

• Informa Markets

• Bizzabo Klik badges

• Doctors Without Borders

For the full transcript, mentions, and more, visit www.bizzabo.com/podcast/game-on-jeff-campbell-mk-granados-will-curran.

In this episode of the Event Experience podcast by Bizzabo, Brian Mason, Vice President of Strategy and Operations for CEMA, shares insights about Summit, including the use of innovative technology and strategies for immersive engagement. He discusses the importance of staying true to the audience's needs, the goals of Summit, and ongoing educational opportunities provided by CEMA throughout the year. 

Brian Mason is an accomplished global event professional with 20+ years of experience and expertise in event planning and administration, broadcast production, global account management, and large-scale project oversight. His main focuses have been on keynote production, broadcast and film production, and global events. 

Here’s what you’ll hear about in this conversation:

• Tips to truly network with fellow event professionals

• How AI will change the events industry much like mobile phones changed how we connect

• Tactics for listening to your audience to learn their needs

• Brian Mason on LinkedIn

• Summit by CEMA

• CEMA’s website

For the full transcript, mentions, and more, visit www.bizzabo.com/podcast/brian-mason-cema-summit.