This week, David T. Stevens joined us in the studio to talk about his experience with events. David is a Silicon Valley native who has worked in events for the past 20 years, from Sports and Entertainment to Experiential and Association planning. For the past four years he has been on the Alation marketing team where they have taken a fresh approach to meetings and events. He breaks down some of the "out of the box" ideas he and his team have put together as well as the ways they were able to weather the pandemic (and even add a team member in 2020).

David's ideas and energy are sure to inspire you if you've been wanting to come up with something creative for your next event but don't know where to start.

Be sure to follow David on LinkedIn!

In the second half of our conversation with Tim Woodring, Sean flips the script and leads the interview as Tim breaks down the different phases or "waves" of his business in navigating the world of virtual events. 

He also delves into the different types of events that companies can choose to implement in the future, from in-person to virtual to hybrid. And in one of his most memorable "mic drop" moments he reminds us that even though hybrid events are a great option, if they aren't done right they can become "the worst of both experiences."

Be sure to listen to Tim's podcast: Meeting & Events Podcast.

And check out Tim's company online. 

This week we had the opportunity to interview (and be interviewed) by Tim Woodring, host of the Meetings & Events Podcast and Chief Solutions Officer at Unbridled. Sean joined Tim in the studio to talk about all things events, acting as both the interviewer and the interviewee in this two-part conversation. 

This week's episode features the first part of this conversation, as Tim asks Sean some questions about his experience in the events industry. Sean breaks down some of the important aspects of virtual events and even talks about the reasons behind our name change from Elevate Live Events to Elevate Experiences.

He then breaks down the top three things to consider when planning a virtual event:

We hope you enjoy today's episode and be sure to tune in next week for the rest of the conversation, where Sean flips the script and interviews Tim. 

Be sure to check out Tim's podcast: Meeting & Events Podcast. 

And don't forget to follow Tim on LinkedIn. 

Before the pandemic sent the event world into the virtual space, Jason Greenman spent his time locating the perfect venues for his clients across Europe. Based in Barcelona, Jason has been helping clients find the ideal destination for their events for the past 15 years. Jason is an expert in the logistics of events, working to coordinate transportation, catering, and a myriad of other event elements that have to work together seamlessly to pull off a remarkable experience. 

This week's discussion goes into some of the key elements to consider when looking for an in-person destination, as well as some insights into the future of events and what that could hold. As the world slowly opens back up to in-person events, Jason remains optimistic that in-person events aren't a thing of the past, and his thoughts on the importance of these events are incredibly valuable to anyone planning an upcoming gathering. 

Be sure to check out Jason's company, Akommo.

And don't forget to follow Jason on Instagram and LinkedIn. 

We recently partnered with The Energy Authority (TEA) for one of their recent virtual events, and it was SO. MUCH. FUN. Christie Helton and Christie Smith-Hall handle all the planning and coordinating of their team's events, and they have so much experience, we knew we needed to bring them on the podcast. 

This episode is full of valuable insight, as they break down their experience transitioning from live to virtual events and the ways they prioritize connection as part of their event planning process. The Christies talk about everything from strategies and goals they have set to the way they have used external resources and organizations (like us!) to make their events even more effective. 

Be sure to follow both Christie Helton and Christie Smith-Hall on LinkedIn!

This week, Sean and Ricky from the Elevate team offer some great insights into the world of virtual icebreakers. Their tips include using the chat function, engaging with emojis, and utilizing polls. Besides the actual methods of interacting with icebreakers, they also discuss some of their favorite icebreaker examples and even break down a few that have worked best for our team in the past. 

If you haven't hosted a virtual icebreaker before, you're missing a great opportunity to engage your audience. Hopefully you walk away from this episode feeling inspired to create memorable events and meetings of your own, using our favorite method of engagement: icebreakers. 

Want to take your icebreaker game to the next level? Check out our Game Library, a full database of games we have played (and continue to play) with a wide variety of audiences. Our website includes some free previews, so be sure to check it out!

And don't miss our latest video content that includes dozens of icebreakers you can learn for yourself.

This week, Sean joined Cara Posey's podcast, Growing My B2B Brand, to talk about B2B events. Their conversation touches on A LOT of elements that will make your event experience better, whether you're planning a virtual or in person gathering. Some of the highlights of the episode include, showing generosity to your audience, getting creative with your engagement activities, and even some predictions for what the future of events could hold. 

One of our favorite takeaways (and a good reminder for anyone in the event planning process) is that events should be more for your audience than your brand. How can you think for your audience to create something truly memorable for them?

Click here to listen to Cara's podcast!

Kim Arrington joined us in the studio to talk about her experience with signature events. These types of events are great for brand leaders and anyone looking to put their "thumbprint" on an event that is uniquely their own. Her experience in the field makes for some great stories and even better insights into what it means to plan a remarkable experience. Whether you're looking to plan an in person or virtual event, you'll definitely want to jump into the world of signature events after listening to this week's episode. Enjoy!

Be sure to keep up with Kim online!

Instagram: @iamkimarrington

Clubhouse: @kimiarrington

This week, Kira Tchernikovsky joined us to talk about her experience with events, an experience that has included a lot of planning and marketing, two vital components in the event space. She talks about the importance of thinking for your audience, whether they're virtual or in person as well as the necessity of the follow up when executing an event well. This is one you don't want to miss!

To learn more about Kira's company, Customerization, see their website here. 

Be sure to check out her Youtube channel.

And don't forget to follow her on LinkedIn. 

This week, Elevate marketing team members Sean and Michael hop in the studio to talk about one of the most important parts of any event: capturing content. Pictures, videos, and any other resources that might come from capturing content are vital components of reaching a larger audience and signing more clients once your event is over. The tricky parts is that there is only a limited amount of time available to get certain pieces of content (like a speaker on stage or a group participating in an activity), and once it's over, so is your opportunity for capturing it. We hope this episode gives some valuable insight into a part of events that often gets overlooked and that you feel more confident in your ability to capture content. 

For more event tips, find us online. 

And don't miss our latest video content.