Meeting Architect Podcast

On this episode, Brenda is joined by Guido Guzzo, Client Solutions Director at Encore, and Desmond Lomas, Global Sales Director - The Howes Group.

Guido, Desmond and Brenda have a great discussion about digital events, past, present and future. They also discuss the evolution of digital meetings from being a "one-way valve" to a more interactive experience.

Discussed in this episode:

• New online meeting applications
• Microsites
• Are digital events less work?
• Breakout rooms, live feed & pre-recorded segments
• What will become of digital meetings post COVID?
• A one-way valve
• How is networking changing?
• Paid digital events, virtual trade-show
• Digital event professional tips and tricks
  • Myths and truths
  • Virtual green room
  • Think value, not duration
• Hybrid events

Key Learning:

Preparation is vital to hosting a successful digital event that delivers real value. No matter what size the event is, onboarding your speakers is key so they have the proper tech setup, and feel confident using the software so they are able to connect with the audience.

Guido also played a very important role in The Friendship Project as part of the group - Greg & The Optimists.

➡️ The Meeting Architect Podcast is proudly brought to you by The Howes Group

On this episode, Brenda is joined by Greg Plazek, Account Executive, Marriott Hotels, Canada Accounts Sales Team.

Brenda and Greg have a great discussion about mentorship, leadership, giving and getting advice, and giving back to the industry.

Discussed in this episode:

• Mentorship: The importance of giving back
• Who were Greg's mentors
• What is the best and worst advice
• The responsibility to give back as a leader
• What it means to have a personal board of directors
• Greg and Meetings Professional International (MPI)
• What is Imposter Syndrome?

Key Learning:

Having mentors is valuable at key points in your career, someone you can turn to when you need advice, have questions , or need a fresh perspective on getting to the next step.

"If serving is beneath you, then leading is beyond you."

➡️ The Meeting Architect Podcast is proudly brought to you by The Howes Group

On this episode, Brenda is joined by Jo-Anne Jobson, Principal, Sites Unlimited.

Brenda and Jo-Anne discuss how the conference and meetings industry will move forward as the restrictions from the pandemic are lifted and we start to come back to a new normal.

Discussed in this episode:

• A cancelled trip
• The realization to start re-scheduling business
• Looking at 2021
• Looking into the future of clauses:
  • Force Majeure
  • Rate Review
  • Attrition
• Face to face meetings are not going away
• Collaboration and cooperation

Key Learning:

Face to face meeting builds trust and relationships faster.In-person meetings will return. and while we make our way to the new normal we need to do our best to collaborate and build relationships with our partners in business.

➡️ The Meeting Architect Podcast is proudly brought to you by The Howes Group

On this episode Brenda is joined by Joanne Charlebois, CEO, Speech Language & Audiology Canada.

Brenda and Joanne discuss:

• Risk management
• Measuring the success of your conference
• Balancing the risk of being innovative and being responsive to what your members want.

Key Learning: The soft and hard metrics to measure the success of your conference.

➡️ The Meeting Architect Podcast is proudly brought to you by The Howes Group

On this episode, Brenda is joined by Anne Stubbs, President & CEO of Yoga In My Backyard. Anne is a Yoga & Meditation Teacher and Fitness Instructor.

Brenda and Anne talk about the value and benefits of Yoga, Meditation and other mind-body disciplines for lowering levels of stress and bringing more balance into your life.

Discussed in this episode:

• Benefits of a regular practice
• Taking a breath
• Being present
• Balance in the modern world
• Intentional rejuvenation
• Healing tools
• Begin and end your day with a pause

Key Learning: Creating a practice that allows you to step back from the fast pace of your day-to-day responsibilities, thus permitting you to check-in with your mind and body, helping you bring more balance into your life.

Connect with Anne: https://yogaimby.com

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➡️ The Meeting Architect Podcast is proudly brought to you by The Howes Group

On this episode, Brenda is joined by Paula Sebeizzi, Global Account Executive, Marriott International.

Brenda and Paula discuss the role of a global sales office and how they bridge the gap between the venue and the meeting architect.

Discussed in this episode:

• Being a strategic partner
• Acquisitions, growing to thirty brands
• Merging verticals
• Upcoming Marriott trends
• Global trends
• Independent hotel ownership
• Sales vs Revenue
• Ritz Carlton Reserve
• What three items does Paula never leave home without?

Key Learning: With large acquisitions and mergers it is important to learn the new essence and voice of the brand to be able to effectively define it to the customers.

➡️ The Meeting Architect Podcast is proudly brought to you by The Howes Group

On this episode, Brenda is joined by Stephane Pelletier, General Manager, Ottawa Marriott Hotel.

Brenda and Stephane discuss how Meeting & Conference business fits into the big picture of business at the hotel.

Discussed in this episode:

• Is Meeting & Conference business important?
• Stephane's journey to GM
  • Working in every department
• Over and above for every meeting
• The evolution of the Revenue Manager position
• RevPAR
• Meeting Architects - learning the heartbeat of the hotel

Key Learning: It is important to make a human-to-human connection when choosing your event space as Meeting Architects are in the business of bringing people together.

➡️ The Meeting Architect Podcast is proudly brought to you by The Howes Group

On this episode Brenda is joined by Karen Norris, CMP, Conference Manager and Meeting Architect for the Canadian Association of General Surgeons.

Brenda and Karen discuss the shift from meeting planner to meeting architect and the tremendous change the industry has undergone in the last ten years.

Brenda and Karen also discuss:

• Creating experiences that influence change
• Crisis management
• The un-conference
• The education experience and importance of how adults learn
• Having Passion

➡️ The Meeting Architect Podcast is proudly brought to you by The Howes Group

On this episode, Brenda is joined by Heather Reid, Founder, Planner Protect Incorporated, Innovative Conferences & Communications and Co-Chair of PCMA CIC 2019 & Krista Cameron, Business Development Director, Freeman Audio Visual Canada and Co-Chair of PCMA CIC.

Brenda, Heather and Krista discuss the process of planning, conceptualizing and executing PCMA CIC Conference, 2019.

Discussed in this episode:

• The planning begins
• The vision for the experience
• Learn, adapt & implement
• Conference theme & keynotes
• Inclusivity
• Innovations - avatars, holographic effects

Key Learning: When you are involved in a great experience, you can learn from it, adapt it for other experiences and implement what you have learned.

Connect with Heather - LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/hreid

Connect with Krista - LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/krista-cameron-20870214

➡️ The Meeting Architect Podcast is proudly brought to you by The Howes Group

On this episode, Brenda is joined by Rosemary Vaughan, GiftRevel - Owner & Destination Gifting Specialist.

Brenda and Rosemary have a great conversation about gifting, the psychology around gifting and how Rosemary got her start in the gifting industry.

Discussed in this episode:

• Finding the right gift
• Artisan community
• Special and unique
• Giving and receiving
• Is it just the thought that counts?
• Branded gifts
• Memory reactivation
• Sustainable gifting
• Hero at home
• Planning and timing

Key Learning: Gifting is about connecting, building a relationship and creating a memory.

Check Out GiftRevel: https://www.giftrevel.com

Connect with Rosemary - LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/tech2meet

➡️ The Meeting Architect Podcast is proudly brought to you by The Howes Group