Event gifting sounds simple until the wrong item ends up in a hotel trash can, the timeline gets compressed, or the planner realizes too late that “custom” does not mean “available tomorrow.”

In this episode of Event Planner Confessions, Sam sits down with Jamie Cohen and Jenn Allen to talk about what planners need to understand before they choose the next branded gift, swag item, or attendee activation.

Jamie and Jenn break down why the industry is moving away from basic throwaway merchandise and toward gifts people actually want to keep. They share what brands and products are trending right now, why attendee choice matters, how gifting can support sustainability, and what information planners need to bring to the table before asking for ideas.

The conversation also gets into the fun side of custom gifting, from Heinz KegChup and Philadelphia Cream Cheese “Phillyhead” to the Red Lobster biscuit hoodie and the Oscar Mayer Bologna Face Mask. These are the kinds of products that show what can happen when branded merchandise becomes part of the experience instead of just another logo on another item.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why cheap swag can cost more than planners realize
• What gift trends are gaining momentum right now
• Why attendees want better brands, better quality, and more choice
• How gifting can become more sustainable when people actually keep the item
• Why custom merchandise requires more lead time than planners expect
• How branded merchandise can become an activation, not just a giveaway

The future of event gifting is not about more stuff. It is about useful, intentional gifts that connect to the experience. When planners understand their audience and choose gifts people want to keep, gifting becomes part of the event story.

Experiential design gets talked about constantly in the events industry, but too often it gets reduced to flashy activations, trendy tech, or “wow factor” moments that do not connect back to the reason people gathered in the first place.

In this episode of Event Planner Confessions, Sam sits down with Michael Cirino, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of House of Attention, to unpack what experiential design actually means and why it should be treated as a business strategy. Michael shares how House of Attention thinks about memory, attention, creativity, risk, hospitality, and the intentional details that make an event feel unlike anything attendees have experienced before.

From drone bartenders and LED arrays to hyper-specific food choices, employee DJ moments, pizza logistics, and the difference between novelty and true experience design, this conversation challenges planners to think beyond basic event execution. Michael explains why unforgettable events are not always about doing something brand new, but about taking something familiar and elevating it into a moment that feels relevant, thoughtful, and intentional.

In this episode, you will learn:

• What experiential design actually means beyond the buzzword
• Why innovation does not always have to mean creating something new
• How to design events around memory, not just attention
• Why attendees need a clear reason to gather
• How creative ideas can serve real business outcomes
• Why trust, logistics, and risk are part of creating unforgettable moments 

An unforgettable event is not built around spectacle alone. It is built around intention: why people are there, what they feel while they are there, and what they remember when they leave.

Furniture is often treated like the last thing event planners figure out. But the right furniture can completely change how a room feels.

In this episode of Event Planner Confessions, Ashley sits down with Sarah Bradley and Renee Pool from AFR Events to talk about the furniture company behind major events. From new event furniture collections to national-scale logistics, this conversation looks at how furniture rental has become a major part of event strategy, room design, and attendee experience.

Sarah and Renee share what planners should know about designing with furniture earlier in the process, why flexible room layouts are changing the way people gather, and how AFR supports events across the country through inventory, warehouse systems, regional transfers, and fast-moving logistics. They also explain why strong communication between planners and rental partners can make a major difference when timelines are tight and expectations are high.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why furniture should not be treated as a last-minute event detail
• How event design is shifting toward more flexible room environments
• What planners should think about when selecting furniture for a room
• Why national-scale rental logistics matter for large or complex events
• How AFR manages inventory and regional transfers across markets
• Why planner-vendor communication is key when timelines move fast 

Great event design is not just about how a room looks. It is about how the room works, how it feels, and how quickly the right partner can help bring it to life.

Some event ideas feel impossible until the right creative partner figures out how to make them real.

In this episode of Event Planner Confessions, Ashley sits down with Melis Feingold, Senior Director of Creative Partnerships at Cohera, to talk about the art of spotting what’s next in events and turning inspiration into live experiences. Melis shares how she pulls ideas from fashion, technology, automotive, brand experiences, Instagram, and global event conversations, then traces those ideas back to the source to find the vendors, materials, and partners who can actually bring them to life.

From building immersive guest experiences with a Food Network chef to using vendor relationships, budget transparency, and creative problem-solving to make ambitious ideas possible, this conversation shows what it really takes to move from “that looks cool” to “how did they even do that?”

In this episode, you will learn:

• How Melis spots creative trends before they hit the events industry
• Why inspiration often comes from outside the event world
• How to turn an Instagram scroll into a real event activation
• Why vendor relationships are conversations, not just orders
• How to balance jaw-dropping ideas with real client budgets
• Why the guest journey should guide every creative decision

The most memorable event ideas are not just the wildest ones. They are the ideas that get traced back to the right source, shaped by the right partners, and turned into something guests can actually feel.

Planning an event is already hard. Planning one for a room full of event planners raises the stakes even more.

In this episode of Event Planner Confessions, Cara, Sam, and Ashley go behind the scenes of Cohera’s inaugural “Imagine That” event and unpack what it takes to create an internal event for people who live and breathe meetings and events every day. From bringing nearly 400 employees together after becoming one company to designing moments that felt intentional, energizing, and connected, this conversation explores the pressure of creating an event for an audience that knows exactly what good looks like.

The hosts discuss why Imagine That was more than just a meeting, how they thought through the attendee experience, and why the smallest details can make the biggest difference. They also share how last-minute pivots, personalized touches, peer-to-peer moments, and strategic breakouts helped create the kind of energy people could feel throughout the event.

In this episode, you will learn:

• Why planning an event for event planners creates a different kind of pressure
• How Cohera approached its first company-wide Imagine That event
• Why internal events should be designed around energy, connection, and shared purpose
• How small details can shape the entire attendee experience
• Why last-minute pivots can create some of the most memorable event moments
• How strategic breakouts and peer-to-peer conversations help teams feel more aligned 

Great events are not just built from logistics. They are built from energy, intention, and the moments people remember after they leave the room. 

Event creativity in the DMC world isn't about copying Pinterest boards... it's about building something no one's ever seen before. In this episode of Event Planner Confessions, Cara Pratt sits down with Danny McMillan, Director of Design and Development at COA Orlando, to unpack what it really takes to stay creatively sharp when you're producing thousands of events a year. From his journey as an intern in Boston to leading one of the largest creative teams in the Orlando market, Danny shares the behind-the-scenes truth about how top DMCs push past cookie-cutter theming and deliver experiences that actually surprise attendees.

They dive into the tension between what clients think they want and what will actually land, why "be creative" can't be the whole sentence on an RFP, and how inclusive event design isn't optional anymore. Danny also drops a hilarious confession involving 20 hand-assembled wire chairs, a living room full of boxes, and a promise he'll never make again. 

• How to build trust within a creative team so every proposal has an edge 
• Why "cookie cutter creativity" is killing your competitive advantage
• What to do when a client says "just be creative" and gives you nothing else
• How to pitch bold event concepts without diminishing the client's original vision
• The overdone event themes you need to retire immediately (looking at you, Vintage Florida)

Don't risk losing your next bid because your creativity didn't match the client's undefined vision. Learn how to ask the right questions, propose in threes, and deliver experiences that attendees have genuinely never seen before.

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In this episode, we sit down with Nicola, CEO of ELX — the exclusive community for senior event leaders at enterprise companies. Nicola shares her winding career path from incentive travel dreamer to leading one of the most talked-about communities in the events industry.

We dig into what makes ELX different, why event leaders feel so isolated in their roles, and how Chatham House rules create a space for real, unfiltered conversation. If you want to learn more about the community, visit https://www.eventleaders.com/.

Nicola also gets into the data that keeps her up at night — like the fact that 28% of senior event leaders have no KPIs for their events — and why shifting from the "events business" mindset to the "business of events" mindset is the key to getting a seat at the table.

Plus, she shares her biggest event confession: a Palm Springs rain disaster that had her avoiding outdoor events for her entire career — until dinner on Wrigley Field changed everything.

What you'll learn:

• What ELX is and who it's for
• Why measurement needs to start before you plan a single thing
• How to make the case for your events using business language
• What it takes to become an ELX-eligible leader
• How to spot and avoid burnout in a high-pressure events role

Tony Lorenz has spent 30 years in the events industry — building a company from the ground up, selling to Freeman, leading PRA through 16 acquisitions, and now serving on the board at Cohera. In this episode of Event Planner Confessions, Tony shares how he scaled PRA from $65M to $200M, why the DMC category needs to move upstream, and how AI should be treated as a partner — not a replacement — for the human intuition and taste that make great events possible.

Plus, Tony shares two hilarious confessions: the time his team lost a five-star general's luggage right before a Colin Powell keynote, and the time he flew to Hawaii for a $4M event… and didn't even know which island it was on.

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Join us for an insightful conversation with Ronnie Collins from Visit Anaheim as we explore what it takes to create truly engaging trade show experiences in today's distracted world. In this episode of Event Planner Confessions, we dive deep into strategic booth design, the importance of experiential engagement over traditional swag, and how to maximize value during appointment-based shows like IMEX and IPW. Ronnie shares why hydration stations and intentional conversation spaces outperform tchotchkes, and how Visit Anaheim is preparing for their brand refresh launching in 2026.

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Join us for an honest conversation about the evolving landscape of industry conferences and trade shows. We're breaking down what really influences event attendance decisions—from the macro factors like budget constraints to the micro moments like unexpected traffic jams.

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