Event costs are climbing. Expectations are higher. And marketers are being asked to do more—with less.

In this episode, Rockway Exhibits + Events' CEO Matt Kleinrock and Director of Marketing Coty Adams break down what’s really going on in the events industry right now—using fresh data and trends Matt’s been tracking across the field.

They’ll talk about:

✅ What today’s rising costs mean for your 2025 planning

✅ The metrics that actually matter (and how to align around them)

✅ Smart ways to reframe your strategy—even if your budget’s been slashed

If you're tired of recycled playbooks and ready for a clearer, more creative path forward, this one's for you.

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Connect With Us:

Matt Kleinrock: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/

Coty Adams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotykadams/

Our Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/ 

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined 

EXHIBITORLIVE 2025 brought together some of the smartest minds in event marketing—and we captured their thoughts straight from the show floor.

Matt wasn’t there, but Coty Adams (Director of Marketing) and Mollie Stahl (Senior Account Executive) at Rockway Exhibits + Events were. And in this special compilation, you’ll hear direct insights from event pros on what’s shaping the industry now: AI, sustainability, CTSM education, workforce development, event design trends, and why this community still matters more than ever.

✅ Real perspectives from first-timers and 25-year veterans

✅ What’s changing in booth design, material usage, and sustainability

✅ Why education, community, and creativity are fueling the future of events

Hit play and catch the pulse of what’s next in face-to-face events—live from San Antonio.
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Connect With Us:

Matt Kleinrock: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/ 

Coty Adams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotykadams/

Mollie Stahl: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molliestahl/ 

Our Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/  

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined  

Everyone wants a booth that turns heads, but pulling it off takes more than just flashy lights and bold graphics.

Matt teams up with Stuart Fingerhut, Creative Director – Events & Experiences at Production Club, an award-winning creative with two decades of experience designing immersive brand experiences for companies like Google, AWS, and Hyundai.

They’ll break down what it really takes to design a booth that connects and converts:

✅ Common design mistakes that dilute your brand presence

✅ How to use AI as a creative partner—not just a shortcut

✅ How to translate complex services into tangible, memorable experiences

Listen now to learn how to design with purpose and create experiences your audience won’t forget.

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Connect with Stuart
On his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartfingerhut/ 

Connect with Me
On my LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/   

On my Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/   

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined 

Event marketers rarely get to hear directly from the person whose opinion matters most when it comes to budget, strategy, and impact: the CMO.

But without that insight, it's hard to know where your event program really stands—or how to level it up.

Matt Kleinrock sits down with John Seeds, CMO at TTEC Digital, for a rare and candid look at how a top executive actually views events inside a go-to-market strategy. They unpack what CMOs care about, how event teams can align with business goals, and what a “wildly successful” event looks like from the top down.

Expect to hear:

✅ Where events actually fit in modern GTM planning

✅ What moves the needle—and what CMOs wish event marketers would stop doing

✅ How to reverse engineer event success based on executive expectations

If you want a seat at the table, start by understanding how the C-suite sees the game—join us live!

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Connect with John
On his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnseeds/

Connect with Me
On my LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/  

On my Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/  

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined 

You’re great at planning events, but you want to make a bigger impact. Maybe even move up. And that means proving you’re more than logistics.

In this episode, Sarah Gannon, Director of Corporate Events at MathWorks, shares the mindset and strategies that helped her grow from tactical planner to trusted business partner. With 25+ years in tech events and multiple industry accolades, Sarah breaks down what it takes to earn buy-in, align with sales, and show the true business value of events.

You’ll hear:

✅ Why aligning with sales is the shortcut to C-suite buy-in.

✅ How to think about pipeline—not just leads—when planning events.

✅ The tools and tactics Sarah uses to fill her calendar before the show starts and how she measures success after.

If you’re ready to lead with impact—not just logistics—this is the episode for you.

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Connect with Sarah
On her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahehamilton/ 

Connect with Me
On my LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/   

On my Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/   

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined 

Event marketing is expected to deliver real business outcomes—and you want to lead with strategy, not just execution.

But translating high-level goals into a measurable, aligned plan? That’s where most teams get stuck.

In this live strategy session, Matt Kleinrock and Pablo Gonzalez bring the Event Success Framework to life—showing how to bridge the gap between ambition and action, one stage at a time.

You’ll walk away with:

✅ A step-by-step breakdown of how to align stakeholders, goals, and KPIs

✅ How to reverse-engineer your entire event using budget, resources, and pipeline goals

✅ The real conversations and strategic decisions behind event success

Listen in and watch strategy in motion, so you can plan with clarity, lead with purpose, and drive better results in 2025.

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Connect with Pablo
On his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablotheconnector/

Connect with Me
On my LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/  

On my Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/  

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined 

Part 1 had people talking—and asking for more.

You leave a trade show with a stack of business cards, a lead list, and big opportunities. But if your follow-up strategy isn’t airtight, those opportunities vanish.

Most post-show outreach is slow, generic, and ineffective. Leads get cold. Follow-ups sound the same. And before you know it, you’re starting from scratch at the next event.

In this highly requested Part 2, Matt Kleinrock and Doug Foley, President of Giant Goat, reveal the exact AI-powered prompts you need to make post-show follow-up smarter, faster, and more effective.

✅ AI-powered lead segmentation to focus on the best opportunities.

✅ Automated LinkedIn and email outreach that actually gets responses.

✅ How AI can analyze trade show ROI and optimize future events.

You asked, we delivered. Now, let’s make post-show follow-up effortless. Listen now.

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Part 1 (AI & Events: The Playbook for Pre-Show Tactics & Better Engagement): https://www.buzzsprout.com/2035112/episodes/16692463
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9oAtKetqQs

Connect with Doug 
On his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglasjfoley/ 

Connect with Me 
On my LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/ 

On my Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/ 

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined 

Sometimes you get 6 months to plan an event.
Sometimes your VP drops a booth on your desk and says, “We need to be there in 30 days.”

In this conversation, Matt and Pablo walk through how to make smart, fast decisions that still move the needle. It’s not about doing everything—it’s about doing the right things, fast.

Expect to learn:

✅ How to avoid overspending (or underdelivering) when timelines are tight

✅ How to set realistic expectations (and when to skip the booth entirely)

✅ What to prioritize: graphics, messaging, engagement (and how to keep it simple)

✅ Guerrilla strategies, pre-show offers, and how to make noise with limited time and spend

Listen now—because even with 30 days, you can still show up strong.

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Connect with Pablo Gonzalez
On his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablotheconnector/

Connect with Matt Kleinrock
On his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/ 

Our Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/ 

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined  

Event marketers create incredible experiences, but too often, their role feels undervalued and stagnant. Promotions are unclear, budgets get cut first, and without a clear path to leadership, event marketing can feel like a dead end. If you’re not seen as a strategic player—driving revenue, influencing pipeline, and aligning with marketing and sales—you risk being sidelined.

In this episode, Matt Kleinrock sits down with Pablo Gonzalez to tackle the real career potential for event marketers, breaking down how to go beyond logistics and execution to become a strategic force within an organization.

✅ How to earn a seat at the table and prove event marketing’s business impact.

✅ Career growth paths: where event marketers can go next.

✅ Why great execution gets noticed and how to turn it into bigger opportunities.

If you’ve ever wondered about your next step in event marketing, this is the conversation you need to hear.

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Connect with Pablo
On his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablotheconnector/

Connect with Me
On my LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/ 

On my Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/ 

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined  

Most booths blend in, not stand out. Companies spend months preparing for trade shows but still end up with booths that fail to engage, generate leads, or create memorable experiences.

You don’t need a bigger budget—you need a better strategy. The difference between a forgettable booth and one that attracts the right people, holds attention, and drives ROI? Smart design choices. And the best way to learn them? Seeing what works in action.

In this episode, Matt Kleinrock and Coty Adams will walk you through real trade show booth designs that have captured attention and delivered results. They’ll break down:

✅ Winning booth themes that drive engagement, conversations, and brand impact.

✅ Real-world examples of brands using immersive storytelling, interactive demos, and smart layouts.

✅ How to design a booth that ties directly to your event goals—so ROI isn’t an afterthought.

Take the guesswork out of booth design. Tune in and get inspired by real examples that work.

Check out this link to view the deck: https://rockwayexhibits.com/wp-content/uploads/Rockway-Exhibits-Designs-that-Win.pdf
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Connect With Us:

Matt Kleinrock: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/

Coty Adams: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cotykadams/

Our Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/ 

🚨 Register for the show here: https://tinyurl.com/EventMarketingRedefined