The Inspiration Sessions from Elevate Mentoring

This is the third in a series of monthly inspirational talks hosted and curated for Elevate by our learning partner Matt Bolton-Alarcón of Special Sauce Training.

In this session Matt explores psychological safety and busts a few myths around this subject. 

He shares practical tips on how you can build more psychological safety into the teams you're in. 

It doesn't matter what level you're at – it's not just about leadership – anyone in the team can help build upon it because when you do, and you're in a great high performing team, people feel like they can self-express and bring their whole self to work. Who doesn't want more of that?!

Matt’s prompts for this session can be downloaded here 

About Matt Bolton-Alarcón: Matt has worked for the last two decades in learning and development. He has trained thousands of people all over the world from companies like Google, L'Oreal and Innocent. 

About our host venue: This podcast was recorded at Goods Way which is owned by The Venue Group who create hospitality concepts across the world that are built on the power of experience. Their spaces in London, Washington DC, Alabama and Texas celebrate the boundary-pushing, genre-defying and one-of-a-kind by bringing culture and community together.

Goods Way is their Kings Cross venue with three unique spaces, Sweetwater, an underground saloon, Lafayette

a state-of-the-art 600 capacity music venue and Nola’s, a hidden speakeasy bar with a secret entrance which is where this podcast was recorded with a live audience.

About Elevate: Elevate is a pioneering free mentoring programme that has been designed with a specific goal in mind – to inspire, inform and empower people within the event industry.

Elevate, and this podcast, is powered by the generosity of our partners and supporters:

We Are Collider, Owl Live, Special Sauce, The Hoxton, The Venue Group, ABPCO, CastleBell, event:decision, TIMES x10 and TRO. Together, we're changing lives, careers and the events industry for the better.

Our sound and mix engineer is Matteo Magariello and our producer is Peter Kerwood.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the second of a series of monthly inspirational talks curated by our friend Matt Bolton-Alarcón of Special Sauce Training.

Our guest speaker is Evie Manuel, Managing Director of London based immersive agency The Department. Evie started her career at the creative events agency Full Circle, joining the business as an events assistant. Seven years later she was appointed the managing director where she remained for a further four years helping to steer the business to great success.

Evie is going to talk about the history and impact of Imposter Syndrome. She will be looking at how reframing and leaning into the feelings of self-doubt can actually help you. Evie has had her own share of self-doubt during her meteoric career journey which is why she is the perfect person to give this talk.

Evie’s prompts for this session can be downloaded here.

About our host venue: This podcast was recorded at Goods Way which is owned by The Venue Group who create hospitality concepts across the world that are built on the power of experience. Their spaces in London, Washington DC, Alabama and Texas celebrate the boundary-pushing, genre-defying and one-of-a-kind by bringing culture and community together.

Goods Way is their Kings Cross venue with three unique spaces, Sweetwater, an underground saloon, Lafayette

a state-of-the-art 600 capacity music venue and Nola’s, a hidden speakeasy bar with a secret entrance which is where this podcast was recorded with a live audience.

About Elevate: Elevate is a pioneering free mentoring programme that has been designed with a specific goal in mind – to inspire, inform and empower people within the event industry.

Elevate, and this podcast, is powered by the generosity of our partners and supporters:

We Are Collider, Owl Live, Special Sauce, The Hoxton, The Venue Group, ABPCO, CastleBell, event:decision, TIMES x10 and TRO. Together, we're changing lives, careers and the events industry for the better.

Our sound and mix engineer is Matteo Magariello and our producer is Peter Kerwood.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the first of a series of monthly inspirational talks hosted and curated by our friend Matt Bolton-Alarcón of Special Sauce Training. 

Matt's topic for this sessions is 'Managing Your State (of Mind)’. Matt believes that 'how you are' is more important than 'what you know' or 'what you do', especially in those high-stakes stressful moments - and in the events industry, there are many! He shares some tips and tricks on how to manage overwhelm, and how you can get in the best possible state for those big, high-pressure situations.

Matt’s prompts for this session can be downloaded here.

About Matt Bolton-Alarcón - After a number of years working in creative and marketing roles Matt has worked for the last two decades in learning and development. He has trained over 30,000 people in 40 countries around the world with companies like Google, L'Oreal and Innocent. 

About our host venue - This podcast was recorded at Goods Way which is owned by The Venue Group who create hospitality concepts across the world that are built on the power of experience. Their spaces in London, Washington DC, Alabama and Texas celebrate the boundary-pushing, genre-defying and one-of-a-kind by bringing culture and community together. 

Goods Way is their Kings Cross venue with three unique spaces, Sweetwater, an underground saloon, Lafayette, a state-of-the-art 600 capacity music venue and Nola’s, a hidden speakeasy bar with a secret entrance which is where this podcast was recorded with a live audience. 

About Elevate - Elevate is a pioneering free mentoring programme that has been designed with a specific goal in mind – to inspire, inform and empower people within the event industry. 

Elevate, and this podcast, is powered by the generosity of our partners and supporters: We Are Collider, Owl Live, Special Sauce, The Hoxton, The Venue Group, ABPCO, CastleBell, event:decision, TIMES x10 and TRO.

Our sound and mix engineer is Matteo Magariello and our producer is Peter Kerwood.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Inspiration Sessions podcast series has been specially created by the Elevate team, ensuring that the Elevate community receives the most valuable and impactful tools, resources and inspiration.

In this episode, Lisa James, Founder of The Wentworth Collective, explores how event professionals can create virtual experiences that are more dynamic, more thoughtful and more memorable.

Drawing on insights from the world of television production, Lisa shares practical techniques for designing virtual events that feel engaging, purposeful and unforgettable, rather than simply moving a live event onto Zoom.

Her overarching message is that great virtual experiences start with a clear purpose, strong storytelling and an audience-first approach, using pace, interaction and standout moments to keep people connected from start to finish.

Recorded in 2021, this episode captures a very particular moment in time, when lockdown had reshaped how we worked, communicated and connected. While the context was unique, the practical advice and insights shared remain highly relevant today.

The presentation referred to in this podcast can be downloaded HERE

Elevate operates thanks to the generosity of our global headline partners; Amplify, Seed and Wonder. 

Our global partners are Cvent, Identity, First, Illusion, Inconf, Powwow, PSP and The Production Department.  Our partners are ASEMBL Group, CastleBell, Curious Nation and Jimmy Garcia Catering. Our venue partner is White Rabbit Studios, our training partner is Special Sauce Training and our people and culture partners are Zoe Tuffs from TIMES x10 Coaching and Nic Neal. 

Together, we’re changing lives, careers and the events industry for the better.

Our sound engineer is Matteo Magariello, and our producer is Peter Kerwood.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dan Keene, Global Director at Wonder draws on lessons from the elite world of sport, he shares simple techniques for building positive habits and making steady progress towards personal and professional goals.

His overarching message is that small, intentional changes can help anyone feel more prepared, more focused and more ready for their next chapter, 1% at a time.

Recorded in 2021, this episode captures a very particular moment in time, when lockdown had reshaped how we worked, communicated and connected. While the context was unique, the practical advice and insights shared remain highly relevant today.

What will you learn from Dan’s talk:

• How small daily improvements can create big long-term results
• How to break big goals into smaller, actionable steps
• The basics of habit formation: Reminder, Routine, Reward
• How to use habit stacking to make new behaviours stick
• Simple micro-habits for networking, wellbeing and learning
• How to track progress and stay consistent over time

The presentation referred to in this session can be downloaded HERE. 

Elevate operates thanks to the generosity of our global headline partners; Amplify, Seed and Wonder. 

Our global partners are Cvent, Identity, First, Illusion, Inconf, Powwow, PSP and The Production Department.  Our partners are ASEMBL Group, CastleBell, Curious Nation and Jimmy Garcia Catering. Our venue partner is White Rabbit Studios, our training partner is Special Sauce Training and our people and culture partners are Zoe Tuffs from TIMES x10 Coaching and Nic Neal. 

Together, we’re changing lives, careers and the events industry for the better.

Our sound engineer is Matteo Magariello, and our producer is Peter Kerwood.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this session, communications coach Mike Kelly from Speak The Speech, highlights key strategies for delivering engaging virtual presentations, meetings and interviews

Stressing the importance of a strong first impression, he introduces “height, light, and sight” as a quick way to look more professional on camera.

Mike also focuses on how “credible passion” and effective pacing, especially well-timed pauses, help sustain audience attention. Drawing on techniques used by performers, he emphasises clear structure, including a strong ‘hook’, a concise ‘purpose statement’, and a ‘memorable conclusion’.

Finally, Mike addresses online fatigue, encouraging participants to switch up communication methods, hide self-view to reduce mirror anxiety, and reclaim their energy when virtual calls become overwhelming.

Mikes overarching message is that with a little intentional preparation, anyone can project confidence and connection in online environments.

What will you learn:

• How to make a strong first impression online using height, light, and sight
• How to use body language and vocal energy so you appear confident and engaging
• How to manage your energy levels and access ‘professional performance energy’
• How to use pace and pauses so your audience can stay with your message
• How to structure any talk using a simple bit effective framework
• How to protect your wellbeing and reduce online fatigue

The presentation referred to in this session can be downloaded HERE. 

Elevate operates thanks to the generosity of our global headline partners; Amplify, Seed and Wonder. 

Our global partners are Cvent, Identity, First, Illusion, Inconf, Powwow, PSP and The Production Department.  Our partners are ASEMBL Group, CastleBell, Curious Nation and Jimmy Garcia Catering. Our venue partner is White Rabbit Studios, our training partner is Special Sauce Training and our people and culture partners are Zoe Tuffs from TIMES x10 Coaching and Nic Neal. 

Together, we’re changing lives, careers and the events industry for the better.

Our sound engineer is Matteo Magariello, and our producer is Peter Kerwood.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.