If you’ve ever wondered how a massive industry event like Manifest manages to feel timely, relevant, and most importantly useful, this is the episode for you. I’m sitting down with Tanzil Uddin, SVP of Content and Partnerships, to peel back the curtain on how they build a world-class agenda without falling into the vendor karaoke trap.

Tanzil explains the listening tour strategy that begins almost a year in advance, where the team interviews dozens of shippers and industry leaders to identify the real world friction points in the supply chain. We discuss how they balance long term trends like AI and automation with sudden, disruptive headlines like new tariffs or geopolitical shifts. Tanzil also shares his advice for anyone looking to get on stage, emphasizing that Manifest isn't looking for product pitches. They’re looking for high level use cases and collaborative solutions.

Whether you’re a first time attendee looking to navigate the Venetian or a seasoned logistics pro curious about how the industry's biggest conversations are curated, Tanzil breaks it all down with a focus on practical value over hype.

What we cover:

• The Research Phase: How Tanzil’s team uses a listening tour to gather intel directly from shippers and manufacturers.
• Agility in Content: Why the Manifest agenda is never truly final until the weeks leading up to the show to ensure it reflects current market conditions.
• The No Sales Rule: Tanzil explains the strict vetting process that keeps product demos off the stage and puts problem-solving front and center.
• Speaker Criteria: What the content team looks for in a moderator and why diversity of thought is non negotiable for their panels.
• Mastering the Manifest App: How to use the 30 day window before the show to build a strategic battle plan and avoid the dreaded hallway FOMO.

Watch this interview on YouTube

Links: 

• Connect with Tanzil at Manifest/Hive Group on Linkedin
• Purchase your Manifest 2026 ticket (save some money by using our link!)

Feedback? Ideas for a future episode? Shoot us a text here to let us know.

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