Host: Audrey Gallien. Guests: David Adler and Dan Berger

Ever had an amazing idea for an event company but didn't know where to go? Looking for the motivation to turn "maybe" into "yes"? In this episode of GatherGeeks, host Audrey Gallien sits down with David Adler, C.E.O. of BizBash, to tune into his interview with Dan Berger, founder and C.E.O. of Social Tables—who in five years took a dream from wandering around South by Southwest to a 130-person enterprise. The two discuss social engineering fund-raising, how to invest in yourself, and why traction is the new metric, with behind-the-scenes tips on management and product development. Hear how Dan copes both personally and professionally with challenges and opportunities, with important information for anyone who wants to start their own venture.

Download or subscribe to the show at bizbash.com/gathergeeks Running time 35:19

Host: Audrey Gallien. Guests: Beth Kormanik and Alesandra Dubin

From desert grit to luxurious four-course meals, Goldenvoice's 2016 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival was one for the books. In this episode of GatherGeeks, host Audrey Gallien sits down in the studio with Beth Kormanik, executive editor of BizBash, to recount her exclusive interview with veteran Coachella reporter Alesandra Dubin, the Los Angeles bureau chief of BizBash. Alice shares a full behind-the-scenes view of the desert festival, including the trash cans-turned-art competition, hotel takeovers, Heineken’s house party activation, social media connoisseurs, how to make a parking lot for 200,000 attendees, and more.

Download or subscribe to the show at bizbash.com/gathergeeks Running time 36:08

Hosts: Audrey Gallien and Brandt Krueger Guests: Nancy Zavada

Are “green events” now the standard? What is really motivating meeting professionals and venues to choose to “go green” in 2016? In this episode, hosts Brandt Krueger and Audrey Gallien are joined by Nancy Zavada, CMP, founder and president of MeetGreen, who has worked with organizations to integrate leading event sustainability practices since 1994. The group discusses how we’ve gone from green to sustainable to healthy, what really matters to millennials, who in the event industry is leading sustainable planning, and more. Gallien and Krueger also feature the first GatherGeeks listener-submitted Fresh List, discussing what’s in and what’s out in the industry.

Read more at bizbash.com/gathergeeks - Running time 34:22

Hosts: Audrey Gallien and Brandt Krueger Guests: David Adler, Cindy Lo, Ian Zelaya, Ben Hindman, Greg O'Dell

What can we learn from the South by Southwest 2016 music, film, and interactive festivals? In this episode of GatherGeeks, David Adler, C.E.O. of BizBash, sits down with South by Southwest reporters, planners, and activators to hear literally dozens of ideas and tips that anyone who produces events should tune into. SXSW is the intersection of events, marketing, experience, and fun, all wrapped into an evolving 30-year festival. Adler, along with hosts Brandt Krueger and Audrey Gallien, discuss swag walls, “stitched selfies,” the magic number of influencers, and reports on big brands such as Mophie, Samsung, American Greetings, Gatorade, AMC, USA Network, Thrillist, Pandora, Kasper, Scotts Miracle Grow, Marriott, Universal Music Group, and more. Guests include Cindy Lo, the founder and owner of Red Velvet Events and a SXSW expert and veteran; Ian Zelaya, BizBash’s SXSW reporter; Ben Hindman, event strategist and C.E.O. of Splash; and Greg O'Dell, C.E.O. of Events DC.

Read more at bizbash.com/gathergeeks - Running time 46:29

Hosts: Audrey Gallien and Brandt Krueger Guests: David Adler, Flemming Fog

In this episode, David Adler, C.E.O. of BizBash, sits down with Flemming Fog, one of the leaders in European meeting design and change management consulting. Fog highlights what he is doing at senior management meetings for a global company with over 450,000 employees. The two discuss ways to get C.E.O.s to unleash the power of smart meeting design as a secret management tool that permeates the ranks of an entire organization. They also explore the use of audiovisual as neuroscience, and discuss why the ideal table size is smaller than you think, how to actually scale brainstorming, and more. Listen to this podcast to tweak your mindset from planner to consultant, and drive sustainable results for your event, whether it has 10 attendees or 10,000.

Read more at bizbash.com/gathergeeks - Running time 25:49

Hosts: Audrey Gallien and Brandt Krueger Guests: David Adler, Greg Topalian, Alec Hartman, Marco Giberti

What is there to expect from for-profit show producers? Is the “Comic-Con model” still the best? Live from the annual for-profit C.E.O. show producers’ event in San Diego, Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO.org), David Adler, C.E.O. of BizBash, sits down for cocktails and conversation with three generations of show organizers to talk about what's next in the industry. Guests Alec Hartman, C.E.O. of TechDay; Greg Topalian, founder of Leftfield Media; and Marco Giberti, founder of Vesuvio Ventures, share the continued value of the face-to-face consumer, how to leverage digital community-building, the cost of event scale relationships, and more.

Read more at bizbash.com/gathergeeks - Running time 34:02

Hosts: Audrey Gallien and Brandt Krueger. Guests: David Adler and Ben Parr

At a time when thousands of events compete for attention every day and technology enables even more people to participate without attending in person, being seen and heard is perhaps the biggest challenge. But for event and meeting professionals, it’s not about overwhelming audiences, but about making a real, long-lasting impression. In this episode, hosts Brandt Krueger and Audrey Gallien are joined by BizBash C.E.O. David Adler and Ben Parr, author of Captivology: The Science of Capturing People's Attention, as they explore what really makes people pay attention and how brands, organizations, and events can capture and keep that attention. As a preview to Parr’s keynote at the BizBash Elevate New York and Elevate D.C. conferences, the group explores why Donald Trump is the master of attention through a “disruption trigger,” the power of parasocial relationships, the rules of engagement for panels and moderators, the psychological effects of color and smell, and more. Gallien and Krueger also cover what's in the news, including the U.S. State Department’s multimillion-dollar World Expo debt; the downturn in big bidders for mega events; Snapchat’s new event geofilters; as well as what's in and out on the Fresh List.

Running time 44:02

Hosts: Audrey Gallien and Brandt Krueger. Guests: Gregory Galant, Anna Sekula, and Karl Vontz

February is award season, the time of year when big shows like the Oscars and Grammys take over the headlines. There’s plenty of anticipation for the events, but also a lot of criticism and controversy, which raises the question: Just how can award shows innovate? Why are some successful where others are not, and what can event professionals learn from those that fail? In this episode, hosts Brandt Krueger and Audrey Gallien are joined by Karl Vontz, an experiential marketer and a former award show executive; Greg Galant, co-founder and C.E.O. of the Shorty Awards and Muck Rack; and Anna Sekula, editor in chief of BizBash. as they explore how to execute an award show the right way. Vontz draws on his experience reinvigorating the 50-year-old Clio Awards, while Galant shares what it took to grow his eight-year-old program. The group discusses the cautionary tale of award show legacy, how smart marketing can change audience engagement and perception, key questions to ask every year before the next award show cycle, and more. Gallien and Krueger also cover what's in the news, including TED2016’s plan to live stream the conference’s opening night in more than 600 theaters; what to know about the Zika virus; the rise of cannabis conferences; how Donald Trump's nomination could impact convention sponsorships; plus what's in and out on the Fresh List.

Download or subscribe to the show at bizbash.com/gathergeeks Running time 57:44

Hosts: Audrey Gallien and Brandt Krueger. Guests: David Adler and Brian Solis

With seemingly endless technology options for events and meetings these days, it’s easy to focus on what’s new and buzzy. But are industry professionals really making the connection between the technology and attendee experience? And how can organizers get from new tech to smart tech? In this episode, hosts Brandt Krueger and Audrey Gallien are joined by digital analyst and futurist Brian Solis, as well as BizBash C.E.O. David Adler, to discuss the concept of “mediumism,” the power of building “micro moments” as the new customer journey, what experience architecture is, how to get from iteration to innovation through new technology, and more. Gallien and Krueger also cover what’s in the news, including the latest update on the Golden Super Bowl, why tech companies are jumping on the Star Wars bandwagon, Grindr’s Fashion Week move, how the new Visa Waiver Program restrictions may affect events, as well as what’s in and out on the Fresh List.

Download or subscribe to the show at bizbash.com/gathergeeks Running time 46:27

Hosts: Audrey Gallien and Brandt Krueger. Guests: David Adler, Anna Sekula

It was a great year for the event industry, from Pope Francis’s first visit and the launch of live-streaming social media platforms to the F.C.C.’s Wi-Fi ruling and the continued music festival boom. As 2015 comes to a close, GatherGeeks takes at look into 2016, sharing predictions from 20 industry professionals including Paul Salinger, Oracle’s vice president of marketing; Lee Kite, the American Cancer Society’s national director of major market galas; and Carol McGury, SmithBucklin’s executive vice president of event and education services. In this episode, hosts Audrey Gallien and Brandt Krueger are joined by BizBash C.E.O. David Adler and editor in chief Anna Sekula to discuss where virtual reality and immersive marketing are heading, the heightened importance of event safety and “plan B” readiness, the impact of automation and one-stop-shop apps, the merging of B-to-B and B-to-C events, the drive for innovative new approaches, and the concept of “slow meetings.”

Download or subscribe to the show at bizbash.com/gathergeeks Running time [52:15]