What if mindfulness at events is less about adding a meditation break and more about being mindful of what we are asking participants to do in the first place?

In this episode of Return on Wellness, David T. Stevens sits down with Jesse Israel, founder of The Big Quiet, for a conversation about quiet, noise, AI, nervous system regulation, and the future of mindful event design.

Jesse’s work has brought large groups of people together through collective quiet at festivals, arenas, corporate events, and on Oprah’s tour. But this conversation is not just about meditation. It is about the noise participants bring into the room: the noise of the world, the noise in their heads, and the noise in their bodies.

For meeting and event professionals, that matters.

We ask participants to travel, learn, network, listen, decide, connect, retain information, attend receptions, answer emails, show up for breakfast, and somehow leave with enough energy to go back to work and use what they learned. Then we design agendas that give them almost no room to breathe.

David and Jesse talk about why quiet is not dead space, why over-programmed agendas are not the same as valuable agendas, how AI is increasing the need for human-centered programming, and why food, white space, and recovery need to be part of the strategy if we expect people to pay attention, connect, remember, and actually use what they learned.

Because your agenda may look full, but their nervous systems and their devices know whether it worked.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Return on Wellness
00:52 Meet Jesse “The Jess-Man” Israel
01:45 Music, MGMT, panic attacks, and finding meditation
03:00 Creating quiet backstage at festivals
04:10 Leopard print, bucket hats, and the Jess-Man story
06:45 What people get wrong about quiet
08:10 Why quiet matters now, especially with AI
09:45 The three types of noise
11:00 Solitude deprivation and distraction
13:20 Sleep, hotel rooms, and the noise in the body
15:45 Hustle culture vs. quiet as performance
19:00 Quieting the body, not just the mind
21:30 Why white space matters
22:50 What changes when groups get quiet together
25:30 Why agendas do not leave room for quiet
27:00 How to pitch quiet to executives and planners
28:00 Zone of genius and quiet beyond meditation
30:30 Conference-focused mindfulness
31:40 Why under five minutes can be enough
33:00 Storytelling, emotion, and quiet in corporate keynotes
34:45 Quiet, connection, meaning, and service
36:15 Discomfort, courage, and sharing your gifts
38:30 Failure, growth, and good stress
39:30 The future of meetings and human programming
42:00 Phone-free events and wanting to feel human again
44:00 Pairing AI speakers with human-centered programming
45:00 How AI can support presence
46:00 Where to start: phone boundaries and Opal
49:00 Why the first 30 minutes of the day matter
50:00 What events need to stop doing
51:30 What events need to start doing
52:00 Email breaks, family time, and treating participants like people
54:00 Final wrap

Your participants may tell you the event was great. Their bodies know whether it actually mattered.

In this episode of Return on Wellness, David T. Stevens sits down with Dr. Paul Zak, behavioral neuroscientist, professor, author, and founder of Immersion Neuroscience, to talk about what our brains and bodies reveal about live experiences that traditional event surveys often miss.

Paul’s work explores what the brain actually values in real time. Not what people politely report afterward. Not what they think they remember. Not what they say because they are trying to be nice.

What the body knows.

This conversation takes direct aim at one of the most overused words in meetings and events: engagement. A person sitting in a ballroom is not necessarily engaged. A person attending a session is not automatically learning. A person saying “great keynote” may simply be giving you the socially acceptable answer.

So what should event professionals be measuring instead?

David and Paul explore neurologic immersion, dopamine, oxytocin, emotional fitness, social connection, movement, recovery, AI, in-person experiences, and why the future of event ROI needs to be much more human.

One of the biggest takeaways from the conversation is Paul’s research around “key moments,” neurologically valuable moments that help people thrive. According to Paul, people need about six of these moments a day to support emotional fitness, and most of those moments are social.

That has major implications for conferences, trade shows, incentives, corporate meetings, training programs, leadership retreats, and any live experience built around human attention, trust, connection, and memory.

The hallway conversation matters. The coffee line matters. The movement break matters. The shared laugh matters. The closing moment matters. The design of the agenda matters.

This episode is for event professionals, meeting planners, corporate event leaders, conference organizers, hospitality leaders, wellness strategists, and anyone who wants to understand how live experiences can create measurable human value.

Return on Wellness is brought to you by Caesars Entertainment.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to Return on Wellness
01:20 Why Dr. Paul Zak measures what the brain loves
02:20 What it means for humans to truly thrive
03:35 Emotional fitness and six key moments a day
06:30 Why social connection is required for flourishing
08:30 Awe vs. wow in live experiences
11:10 Why the brain remembers emotional stories
13:00 Why “engagement” is hard to measure
14:25 What the brain reveals that surveys miss
18:00 How wearables can measure neurologic immersion
20:05 Why the brain can predict hit songs
21:40 Why attendee surveys fall short
26:30 What event professionals are measuring wrong
27:30 Training, attention, and 20-minute learning windows
30:00 How to rethink the 60-minute keynote
33:00 Dopamine, phones, and social media
37:30 Why short stories can still create emotional impact
40:00 Movement, reflection, and learning design
43:35 Why in-person events matter in the age of AI
47:10 What group experiences do to the brain
49:20 Social connection and key moments
52:20 Redesigning corporate events around human value
53:05 Why shared movement changes the room
56:45 How to avoid wellness theater
59:20 Measurement, ethics, and manipulation
63:10 Why events need a stronger ending
64:55 What event professionals should stop doing
65:10 One thing that helps participants thrive

Amanda Young, Senior Director of Events at ConnectWise, joins David T. Stevens live from Cvent CONNECT to discuss how AI is changing event strategy, marketing measurement, and the role of corporate event teams.

Amanda shares how she used ChatGPT, Claude, and Gamma to recreate an event strategy deck in five hours that had previously cost $50,000 and taken eight weeks to produce.

They also explore why event technology is becoming martech, how event leaders can connect events to pipeline and revenue, the growing importance of field events, and why internal teams must move beyond logistics and become more strategic.

Amanda closes with the career advice that changed how she evaluates every event: stop focusing only on what the room costs and start understanding what the room is worth.

AI for event planners, AI in event planning, event marketing, event strategy, event marketing ROI, event measurement, event technology, event tech, martech, Cvent CONNECT, Cvent, Amanda Young, ConnectWise, ChatGPT for event planners, Claude AI, Gamma AI, AI agents, field marketing, field events, experiential marketing, corporate events, event planning careers, event pipeline, David T. Stevens, Return on Wellness, Olympian Meeting

What is Ayurveda, and what can this 5,000-year-old system teach us about inflammation, sleep, travel, burnout, and the way we gather?

In this episode we sit down with Dr. Shivani Gupta to make Ayurveda practical, grounded, and relevant for modern life and modern events. We explore doshas, circadian rhythm, gut health, “inflammaging,” nervous system regulation, food, recovery, community, and why event organizers should design experiences that help people leave energized instead of exhausted.

Dr. Gupta describes Ayurveda as “the science of life,” a more than 5,000-year-old system of health and healing from India that looks at the whole person: digestion, sleep, energy, circadian rhythm, prevention, inflammation, stress, and the reality that different bodies may need different kinds of support.

This conversation goes beyond Ayurveda as an individual wellness practice. It asks a bigger question: If people bring their bodies, nervous systems, digestion, sleep debt, stress, and social needs into every event, why are those things so often ignored in event design?

In this episode, David and Dr. Gupta discuss:

• What Ayurveda actually is

• Why Ayurveda is not just turmeric, supplements, or a personality quiz

• How Vata, Pitta, and Kapha can help people understand patterns in their body• Why inflammation often starts in the gut• The concept of “inflammaging”

• How circadian rhythm affects sleep, energy, digestion, and recovery

• Why travel can push the body into stress mode

• What event organizers often get wrong about food, hydration, timing, and recovery

• Why shared meals and community matter

• How conferences can help people leave more regulated, not more depleted

• Dr. Gupta’s book, The Inflammation Code, and where to start

This episode is not about turning every meeting into a wellness retreat. It is about designing gatherings with the human body in mind.

If you have ever left a conference feeling like you needed three days to recover, or if you plan events and want participants to leave better than they arrived, this conversation is worth your time.

Guest: Dr. Shivani Gupta

Book: The Inflammation Code

Host:David T. Stevens

00:00 Introduction

01:12 What is Ayurveda?

02:12 Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine

03:15 Is Ayurveda evidence-based?

04:20 Circadian rhythm and the body’s internal clocks

05:25 What people get wrong about Ayurveda

06:20 Why Ayurveda is having a moment

08:35 The problem with dismissing ancient practices

10:00 Science, skepticism, and critical thinking

13:15 Doshas explained: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha

16:00 Why body type matters in Ayurveda

17:20 Signs your body may be out of balance

19:20 Doshas as awareness, not excuses

21:00 Inflammation, gut health, and “inflammaging”

23:10 What conference food has to do with inflammation

26:15 Travel stress, airports, and circadian disruption

33:30 The 7-day inflammation reset34:35 Morning practices: sunlight, hydration, grounding

36:15 Why Ayurveda recommends a bigger lunch

37:30 Evening routines and sleep hygiene

38:00 Dry brushing and Abhyanga massage

40:00 Community, shared meals, and collective energy

42:00 Three event design lessons from Ayurveda

43:30 Food, filtered water, tea, and better hospitality

44:00 Respecting circadian rhythm in event agendas

44:30 White space, decompression, and recovery rooms

46:00 Arrival experience, hotels, and healthy options

49:00 Sound baths, Circadian Cove, and recovery design

51:15 The Inflammation Code

53:35 What people should stop doing immediately

56:40 Where to find Dr. Shivani Gupta

In this episode of Return on Wellness, David T. Stevens sits down with cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Heather Collins to explore how event agendas shape attention, cognitive overload, memory, retention, and real human capacity. They unpack why so many conferences are still designed to cram in as much information as possible, even though that is not how the human brain learns best.

Together, they dig into the difference between wow and awe, what happens when attendees get cognitively flooded, why breaks and reflection matter more than most planners realize, and how social interaction can actually amplify content instead of distract from it. They also get practical about session pacing, speaker placement, environmental distractions, curiosity, and what event professionals should rethink if they want people to leave with more than just full notebooks and fried nervous systems.

If you work in meetings, events, hospitality, learning, or organizational leadership, this conversation will challenge the way you think about agenda design and attendee experience.

In this episode:

• Why packed agendas create cognitive overload instead of better learning

• How working memory and attention affect retention

• The difference between wow and awe in live experiences

Well-being is not a perk. It is a performance condition.

In this in-person episode of Return On Wellness, I sit down with Mark C. Crowley, author of Lead From The Heart and The Power of Employee Well-Being, to talk about workplace well-being, toxic culture, and the leadership behaviors that actually change business outcomes.

We get real about what makes workplaces toxic, why “engagement” has not delivered, and why corporate events, off sites, and SKOs can either reinforce dysfunction or become a true flashpoint for meaningful cultural change.

If you lead people, plan meetings, or influence culture, this is the conversation.

Guest: Mark C. Crowley

Host: David T Stevens

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome + why this conversation matters

00:41 Mark’s background and the core thesis

01:45 Why 2026 is the turning point for worker well-being

03:41 Well-being and performance, what leaders still misunderstand

10:31 Why many corporate events are unintentionally depleting

16:29 Engagement surveys vs real well-being, what is broken

28:54 Early warning signs a workplace is turning toxic

44:47 Friendship, belonging, and connection as business drivers

55:32 Can events and offsites reset culture and drive outcomes?

01:10:15 The simplest leadership move that proves you care

01:14:20 Wrap up

Links

Mark’s articles: https://markccrowley.com/articles/

Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markccrowley/

Topics

Workplace well-being, employee well-being, toxic workplaces, leadership, culture, psychological safety, burnout prevention, events as culture change, offsites, SKO, business performance

What does wellness look like when you strip away the hype and get back to what actually helps people live better?

In this episode of Return On Wellness, I sit down with Sean Hoess, Founder and CEO of Eudēmonia Summit, for a conversation about human flourishing, community, credibility, and the future of wellness.

We get into the meaning behind Eudēmonia, Sean’s path into building one of the most talked-about wellness gatherings in the space, and why the next chapter of wellness may have less to do with optimization and more to do with connection, curation, and experiences that actually help people feel better.

We also unpack the tension between science and hype, the role of wellness influencers, what event professionals still get wrong, and why shared experiences may be more powerful than many people realize.

This is a conversation for anyone working at the intersection of wellness, hospitality, meetings, events, and human performance.

Episode Highlights

What human flourishing really means

Why Sean built Eudēmonia Summit

The tension between evidence and hype in wellness

Why community matters more than people think

What event professionals can learn from wellness-first design

The backlash to over-optimization

Sean’s own wellness non-negotiables

Well-being is not a perk. It is a performance condition.

In this in-person episode of Return On Wellness, I sit down with Mark C. Crowley, author of Lead From The Heart and The Power of Employee Well-Being, to talk about workplace well-being, toxic culture, and the leadership behaviors that actually change business outcomes.

We get real about what makes workplaces toxic, why “engagement” has not delivered, and why corporate events, off sites, and SKOs can either reinforce dysfunction or become a true flashpoint for meaningful cultural change.

If you lead people, plan meetings, or influence culture, this is the conversation.

Guest: Mark C. Crowley
Host: David T Stevens
Show: Return On Wellness

00:00 Welcome + why this conversation matters00:41 Mark’s background and the core thesis01:45 Why 2026 is the turning point for worker well-being03:41 Well-being and performance, what leaders still misunderstand10:31 Why many corporate events are unintentionally depleting16:29 Engagement surveys vs real well-being, what is broken28:54 Early warning signs a workplace is turning toxic44:47 Friendship, belonging, and connection as business drivers55:32 Can events and off sites reset culture and drive outcomes?01:10:15 The simplest leadership move that proves you care01:14:20 Wrap up

Mark’s articles: https://markccrowley.com/articles/Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markccrowley/

Topics:

Workplace well-being, employee well-being, toxic workplaces, leadership, culture, psychological safety, burnout prevention, events as culture change, off sites, SKO, business performance, workplace wellbeing, employee wellbeing, toxic workplace, leadership, company culture, employee engagement, psychological safety, corporate events, offsite, SKO, performance, wellbeing ROI, Mark C Crowley

If you work in hospitality or events, you already know the truth: the job can feel like you are always on.

In this episode of Return On Wellness, I sit down with Dr. Thomas Padron (PhD, CMP, CHE, CWP) to unpack what is driving burnout right now, why “resilience” is often used as a polite way of saying “push through,” and what it actually looks like to build human sustainability without sacrificing performance.

We get into the real drivers behind the pressure, how leadership can stop performing wellness and start operationalizing it, and why “we’re all in the same boat” is a myth that blocks real support.

Subscribe for more conversations on wellness as a performance strategy for the real world of meetings and events.

Guest: Dr. Thomas Padron (PhD, CMP, CHE, CWP)
Host: David T Stevens
Series: Return On Wellness

What we cover:

• The “always on” culture in hospitality and events, and why it burns people out

• What resilience actually means, and why the same advice does not work for everyone

• Why leadership empathy and follow-through matter more than motivational slogans

• Where wellness initiatives go wrong, and how to make them practical

• What the next generation is demanding from employers right now

• The future lens: AI, wellness, and how leaders stay relevant

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and sponsor01:00 Meet Dr. Thomas Padron09:00 The “always on” trap and burnout13:00 What resilience really means16:00 Leadership, empathy, and boundaries25:00 Wellness vs wellness washing in the workplace35:00 What students and young pros want now45:00 Practical changes leaders can implement54:00 Closing: AI, wellness, and what’s next

hospitality, events industry, meeting planner, event planner, burnout, resilience, always on culture, workplace wellbeing, mental health, leadership, boundaries, employee wellbeing, sustainable performance, human sustainability, hospitality leadership, meetings and conferences, career longevity, future of work, AI and work, Return On Wellness, David T Stevens, Thomas Padron

Wellness is booming, but a lot of what gets sold as “wellness” is just expensive theater.

In this episode, I’m joined by Susie Ellis, Chair and CEO of the Global Wellness Institute and the leader behind the Global Wellness Summit. We talk about how a premium event earns loyalty and repeat attendance, why the wellness economy keeps growing, and why evidence is the only filter that matters when you’re deciding what to implement at scale.

We also dig into Wellness Evidence, a free resource designed to help people find credible research behind wellness modalities, and we talk about the concept most wellness marketing avoids: minimum effective dose.

If you care about designing meetings that protect energy, performance, and real human sustainability, this conversation will sharpen your decision-making fast.

Presented by Caesars Entertainment.

Not medical advice.

“What you’ll learn”

• How Susie designs the Global Wellness Summit for real relationship-driven outcomes

• Why the “bubble chart” makes the wellness economy finally understandable

• How to use evidence to cut through wellness-washing

• Why minimum effective dose matters more than trendy modality names

• A cleaner filter for what belongs at events versus what is just a one-off treatment

wellness evidence, global wellness institute, global wellness summit, wellness economy, corporate events, event wellness, longevity, public health, behavior change, sustainable meetings