January 05, 2026

Roy Porter - The 9 Wastes & The Hidden Event

1 hour

Roy and I did this as a webinar recently for VenueX AI, and it went so well that I thought all of my listeners should hear it. Enjoy!

Behind every seamless celebration is a mountain of unseen planning, coordination, and human potential. Are you over-processing without realizing it? Are you tapping into the hidden talents of your team, or letting valuable skills slip by? In this episode, we dig into the “nine wastes” that sneak into your workflow, practical ways to streamline processes, and the power of small improvements—plus a story about discovering amazing talent in the most unexpected place. What could one small tweak in your operation change for your team—and your clients?

Listen to this new episode for actionable ideas on cutting waste, empowering your staff, and making every event smoother from the inside out.

Bio:

Roy Porter, Activities Director at Engage Works, is one of the most respected voices in catering and special event operations.

Roy is a nationally recognized expert in hospitality strategy and the recipient of the Michael Roman Lifetime Achievement Award. With more than 3,600 weddings and landmark events to his credit — including the Emmys, Oscars, Grammys, Governors Ball, U.S. Open, and multiple Super Bowls — Roy has seen just about everything that can happen behind the scenes of an event.

Roy brings a people-first, execution-focused mindset to hospitality, and today we’re diving into what most event professionals miss — and how to fix it before it shows up in overtime, stress, or disappointed clients.

Roy's Page https://www.facebook.com/roy.porter.750

Catering community https://www.facebook.com/groups/223554818526099

ICA https://www.facebook.com/internationalcaterers

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tablewizard1/

If you have any questions about anything in this, or any of my podcasts, or have a suggestion for a topic or guest, please reach out directly to me at [email protected] or visit my website Podcast.AlanBerg.com

View the full transcript on Alan’s site: https://alanberg.com/blog/

Want to see how I can come and speak for your local association... for free? Reach out to me at [email protected] or text or call +1.732.422.6362

I'm Alan Berg. Thanks for listening. If you have any questions about this or if you'd like to suggest other topics for "The Wedding Business Solutions Podcast" please let me know. My email is [email protected]. Look forward to seeing you on the next episode. Thanks.

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