Convening Leaders isn’t just another conference. It’s a carefully designed experience that helps set the tone for the entire events industry year.

Samantha Monroe and Ashley Currin sit down with Karla-Jean Zander, Director of Operations & Experience at PCMA, to break down what makes Convening Leaders stand out from intentional event design and first-timer experiences to education, wellness, and community connection. Karla shares how PCMA thinks about networking, learning, and flexibility, and why planning ahead matters just as much as giving yourself permission to go off-script.

You’ll hear practical advice for navigating a massive conference, what to prioritize if you’re attending solo or for the first time, and what actually belongs in your bag (and what doesn’t). This episode offers a thoughtful, insider look at how great events are built and how attendees can get the most out of them. 

Connect with us → https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/event-planner-confessions/ 
Follow us for all the behind the scenes → https://www.instagram.com/eventplannerconfessions/ 
🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!
Learn more about the merge here → https://meetcohera.com/perspectives/360dg-csi-now-cohera/ 
📧 Want to work with us? Find out more at https://meetcohera.com/

Event marketing is changing fast and relying on last year’s playbook is one of the quickest ways to fall behind.

Ashley Currin and Jay Schwedelson unpack the most common pitfalls in event marketing, why routine tactics no longer deliver, and how small shifts in email, social, and video strategy can dramatically improve engagement.

You’ll hear how to create campaigns that stand out, where to test new ideas, and how to avoid sending the negative signals that quietly hurt registration.

They also talk through ways to communicate the value of experimentation to stakeholders, so your team can move faster, try smarter approaches, and make better decisions with real data.

If you want your next event cycle to perform better than the last, this conversation gives you the insights and tactics to make it happen.

🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!

📧 Want to work with us? Find out more at https://meetcohera.com/

Is AI the way of the future for events, or is the human connection what truly matters? And how do you create an unforgettable vibe at a crowded industry show like IMEX?

In this episode of Event Planner Confessions, we dive into the intersection of technology, energy, and career development in the events industry with event tech expert, Dahlia El Gazzar. You'll hear about how Dahlia Plus is helping planners bridge the gap between vision and technology, what happens when planners are simply burned out, and why sometimes, the most effective strategy is putting down the buzzwords and embracing the "woo woo."

Get ready for an honest look at the state of event planning, the importance of "vibe eventing," and how to truly support your event talent.

💡 You’ll Learn:

• Why AI is not the way of the future for events in the traditional sense, and how it's best used as a "weapon" to eliminate manual, time-wasting tasks.
• How to shift your mindset from focusing on automation to forming new, more efficient habits with tech.
• What "vibe eventing" is and why laser-focusing on the energy—where "the hugs and the kisses are real"—is a critical KPI for event design.
• The concept of the "Upskill Tech Bar" at IMEX and how it provides "Sherpas" to help attendees with personal branding, event technology, and strategy.
• Why the industry must address the emotional part of planning first, especially for those experiencing burnout, before diving into tech and non-human moments.
• Why suppliers and tech vendors must start coming to the table as strategists, not just sellers.
• If you're navigating a career shift, struggling with team burnout, or looking for practical ways to use technology without losing the human element of your event, this episode is a must-listen.

🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!
📧 Want to work with us? Find out more at https://meetcohera.com/

Only 40% of attendees say they had a real “peak moment”, even though 80% of event planners think they delivered one. So… who’s right?In this episode of Event Planner Confessions, Cara sits down with Ken Holsinger, SVP of Strategy at Freeman, to reveal what the data really says about creating experiences that matter.💡

You’ll learn:

• Why attendees aren’t impressed by celebrity keynotes (and what they want instead)
• The rise of peer-to-peer connection and how to design for it
• How to “architect serendipity” and make space for real moments
• What DMCs can do to turn destinations into stories
• Why sometimes, the smartest move is to cut the menu

If you’ve ever wondered what actually makes an event memorable — and how to design experiences that make people come back year after year — this one’s for you.

Check out Freeman’s full Trends report here → https://www.freeman.com/resources/future-of-commerce-for-trade-shows-and-conferences/ Follow us for all the behind the scenes → https://www.instagram.com/eventplannerconfessions/ 🔔

Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!📧
Want to work with us? Find out more at https://meetcohera.com/

What really happens when two event powerhouses decide to join forces?

In this episode of Event Planner Confessions, we sit down with Trevor Hanks, CEO of the newly launched Cohera, to unpack the chaos, strategy, and human side of one of the biggest DMC mergers in recent history.

Trevor shares what it actually takes to merge teams, brands, and cultures without losing the magic that made each company special. From balancing transparency and timing to navigating private equity pressures and emotional loyalty to legacy brands. This is a candid look at what goes on behind closed doors.

Whether you’re leading a growing agency, managing a rebrand, or just love the business drama that happens off the event floor, this one’s packed with real lessons from the trenches.

Connect with us → https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/event-planner-confessions/ 

Follow us for all the behind the scenes → https://www.instagram.com/eventplannerconfessions/ 

🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!
Learn more about the merge here → https://meetcohera.com/perspectives/360dg-csi-now-cohera/ 

📧 Want to work with us? Find out more at https://meetcohera.com/

One event. Four generations. Infinite tension. In this episode, we unpack what happens when Gen Z wants a mocktail lounge, Boomers ask for printed agendas, Millennials chase the perfect vibe, and Gen X holds everything together, quietly judging us all. We’re diving into how each generation shows up at events: how they network, what they wear, how they want to be communicated with, and why planners are stuck designing four different experiences in one. Plus: we battle it out in The Generational Clash, decode post-event feedback in Who Said It?, and go head-to-head in our Draft Day Showdown to build the ultimate generational dream event. Whether you’re team QR code or team clip-on badge, this one’s for you.                          👀 Subscribe for new episodes featuring candid confessions and event planner tips!                    Connect with us → https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/event-planner-confessions/ 
🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe! 📧 Want to work with us? Find out more at https://meetcohera.com/

One event. Four generations. Infinite tension. In this episode, we unpack what happens when Gen Z wants a mocktail lounge, Boomers ask for printed agendas, Millennials chase the perfect vibe, and Gen X holds everything together, quietly judging us all.
We’re diving into how each generation shows up at events: how they network, what they wear, how they want to be communicated with, and why planners are stuck designing four different experiences in one.
Plus: we battle it out in The Generational Clash, decode post-event feedback in Who Said It?, and go head-to-head in our Draft Day Showdown to build the ultimate generational dream event.
Whether you’re team QR code or team clip-on badge, this one’s for you.
👀 Subscribe for new episodes featuring candid confessions and event planner tips!
Connect with us → https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/event-planner-confessions/
🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and rate us!
📧 Want to work with us? Find out more at  https://meetcohera.com/

Planners know the pain: you send out an RFP, wait for proposals, and what comes back doesn’t match what you envisioned. Cue the endless back-and-forth, wasted hours, and mounting frustration.

In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the hidden details that make or break a DMC RFP. From budget guardrails to audience profiles, brand guidelines to those small-but-critical “hot buttons” (like the CEO who hates poinsettias), these overlooked pieces of information are the difference between a proposal that hits the mark the first time and one that drags into revision after revision.

Join Cara Pratt, Ashley Currin, and Samantha Monroe as we break down the biggest RFP red flags, share real stories from the field, and reveal what DMCs wish you’d tell them upfront. If you want to save time, cut miscommunication, and get the event you actually want — this episode is for you.

Connect with us → https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/event-planner-confessions/ 

🔔 Love the podcast? Don’t forget to subscribe and rate us!

📧 Want to work with us? Find out more at csi-dmc.com