Trade Show Talk Podcast

We believe we've seen a lot of progress in the event technology space over the last ten years, and progress has been made precipitously over the past two (plus) years.

I think there are lots of areas of event tech which are under-appreciated and under-invested. And a lot of that is where it intersects with the in person experience.

This conversation with Adam Parry came right on the heels of the Event Tech Live Summit, and he gives tons of insights about mergers & acquisitions in the space, successes he is seeing, how trends are emerging (or not?), and more.

Adam Parry

Adam is the co-founder and editor of the event industry's global online magazine, www.eventindustrynews.com (EIN).

In his role as an avid technology enthusiast, Adam combined his 10+ years of event industry experience with his passion for the latest tech trends to co-create Event Tech Live London and Event Tech Live Las Vegas, the industry's two shows devoted to event technology.

Adam is also one of the co-organisers of the Sustainable Event Awards and the Sustainable Breakfast Briefing, which promote sustainable events and experiences.

Give this a listen for some hot takes, and feel free to reach out directly to Adam if you'd like to speak further about what was discussed!

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The "Trade Show Talk" podcast is publishing two episodes per month, focusing on a different theme each month. If you'd like to be a sponsor or a guest or you have a topic to suggest we cover, please let us know by emailing [email protected].

The human element will never be automated. Creativity will never be automated.

And Event Technology is the workhorse behind the human efforts to make change and creativity in the meetings and events industry.

When we design events – or an experience – we are behind them as humans and event technology is a force we can use to help us put the ingredients together.

These are just a few of the gems from our guests on episode ten.

Event technology has taken on many forms over the last ten years, and Michelle and Nick have been there each step of the way.

We have all been through a lot over the past couple of years and now is the time to get a better understanding of tech in our industry.

Michelle Bruno, MPC, CEM, CMP

Strategic Consultant with Dahlia+ Agency and President of Bruno Group Signature Services

As a former supplier and conference planner/trade show manager, Michelle sees the technology and evolution of the live-event industry through a unique lens. She chronicles change through articles in event-industry publications, event-tech company blogs and at EventTechBrief.com. At her firm, Bruno Group Signature Services, she helps create content and strategies for companies interested in attracting more customers through digital-marketing channels.

As a technology writer, she supports marketing agencies and consultancies that require outside resources to meet the content demands of their technology-industry clients. She has managed content strategies and produced white papers, product profiles, messaging frameworks, email copy, website copy, blogs, and executive level thought leadership materials for leading firms, such as Intel, Cisco, Verizon, SAIC, TE, ExxonMobil, RSM, McCann Erickson, Salt 5 Marketing, and AMR International.

Nick Borelli, Marketing Director, Meetaverse™ by Allseated, podcaster, and board member of SEARCH Foundation, among other things!

With over two decades in digital marketing and live events, Nick Borelli's mission is to bring the world together through intentionally designed experiences.

As the Director of Marketing Growth for AllSeated and exVo, Nick engages with event professionals in order to continuously provide the next level tools that help organizations reach their goals.

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The "Trade Show Talk" podcast is publishing two episodes per month, focusing on a different theme each month. If you'd like to be a sponsor or a guest or you have a topic to suggest we cover, please let us know by emailing [email protected].

We don't hear from the chefs in our industry nearly enough. This particular chef is covering a TON of ground with the properties he is working with, so he was the perfect guest for this episode.

Chef Jeff gives us insight from his perspective about working with event organizers on menu development, some trends he is seeing and his company is working towards, and more.

Chef has an affinity for eco-friendly practices in food and beverage also, so we learn about some of that as well.

Jeff LeidySenior Executive Chef-West at Sodexo Live

Chef Jeff Leidy, Senior Executive Chef-West at Sodexo Live, is one of those lucky people who found his calling at a very young age. He began his four-decade-long career as a culinary professional at the age of 16, starting as a busboy in a steak and seafood house, where he quickly moved into the kitchen and fell in love with the culinary arts.

Before assuming his current role at venue hospitality partner Sodexo Live!, where he is responsible for overseeing all culinary operations for the Western U.S. and Canada, Leidy acted as the regional chef for the organization, overseeing culinary operations at the San Diego Convention Center and surrounding area venues.

Chef Jeff graduated with honors from The California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and launched a career that has included working in major and minor league sports, convention centers, museums, zoos and other cultural destinations.

Jeff's Instagram is @LeidyJeff

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The "Trade Show Talk" podcast is publishing two episodes per month, focusing on a different theme each month. If you'd like to be a sponsor or a guest or you have a topic to suggest we cover, please let us know by emailing [email protected].

For our theme this month, we're focusing on food and beverage. It is Food Allergy Awareness Month and Celiac Disease Awareness Month.

There is so much more to managing food and beverage than meets the eye. It's no longer about just learning who needs a vegetarian meal. We have to account for allergies and we need to understand it is also about inclusivity and accessibility. There are things you might not be thinking about.

By educating the industry from hotel chefs, to planners and CSMs, to food servers, Tracy has made it her mission to not only shine a light on what needs to be done, but also how we can get creative while keeping everyone safe!

We have all sat next to people at an event who sat for way too long before being served. Or next to the person who was served a plate of vegetables. Not only can we do better, it is our obligation… AND we can save time and money while doing the right thing.

Tracy has a fantastic podcast called Eating at a Meeting, in addition to a Facebook group of the same name where she records her podcast live–check them out also.

She knows her stuff!

Tracy Stuckrath

Dietary Needs Expert. Meetings Industry Changemaker. Certified Special Events Professional. Tracy Stuckrath works with organizations and meeting planners worldwide to create safe, sustainable, and inclusive F&B events that deliver experiences where everyone feels valued. Every guest matters. Every meal matters.

Founder of thrive! meetings & events, and the Eating at a Meeting podcast, Tracy has had a 30+year career as an event professional. After being diagnosed with a food allergy, she changed the trajectory of her career in 2009 to help clients establish best practices, mitigate risk, improve experiences, and increase profit with the food and beverage they serve.

She has produced 120+ podcast episodes, co-authored two books, published over 100 articles and is recognized as a meetings and event industry leader, including Top 25 Women in the Meetings Industry and a Top 500 Event Professionals in North America.

It sounds a bit silly that we haven't had a "trade show" topic until episode seven on a podcast called "Trade Show Talk."

We have so many important topics to address in our meetings and events industry, and talking about trade shows as a theme, of course, is so important.

Our guests on this episode are "trade show royalty." Friends throughout the years, Doug & Kai provide a really great conversation about the successes of the industry as we move forward... and what to expect for the future.

Truly, the future is bright and Doug & Kai share many examples of how our present will inform our future. The data are there to show people crave face-to-face events, and business IS happening at these trade shows.

We would love to know about your challenges and successes too. Let us know!

Getting these two perspectives on one show together is gold.

Douglas Emslie - CEO, Tarsus Group

Doug has been with Tarsus since its launch in 1998; having previously held senior positions at Blenheim Group plc and after its takeover, United Business Media plc. He is a past Chairman and Director of the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), as well as past Chairman of the Events Industry Alliance. He was also the first international board member of the US industry trade body, SISO, where he went on to serve as Chair.

Kai Hattendorf - Managing Director / CEO of UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry

Kai is responsible for UFI activities and events globally, as well as the operation of its Paris headquarters and the offices and presences in Bogota, Brussels, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Shanghai.

His previous career also includes leadership positions in marketing/strategic communications as well as in strategy and product development in the ITC and Media Industry for the Deutsche Telekom Group, the dpa Group (the German Press Agency), and a fintech start-up.

From 2019 to 2021, Kai served as Honorary President of the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), a global Council of international and global associations serving the Business Events Industry, where he remains on the Board.

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The "Trade Show Talk" podcast is publishing two episodes per month, focusing on a different theme each month. If you'd like to be a sponsor or be a guest or you have a topic to suggest we cover, please let us know by emailing [email protected].

This is the second episode of our Women's History Month-themed shows. All four women this month have been amazing examples we can all learn from. Our industry has made some progress in recent years. And, more progress definitely needs to be made in terms of diversity in leadership. The data is there – businesses with more women in leadership are more profitable!

Our guests on this episode are not only women in leadership themselves, they are following the research, and trying to educate the industry. Amanda and Annette share their thoughts on how we all benefit from diversity of not only gender and race, but also of diversity of thought.

Contrarians help us make positive progress.

We talk about the importance of volunteerism, mentorship, feedback loops, and so much more. This is not your typical conversation about women in leadership!

Our Guests

Amanda Armstrong, CMP, CSEP, CMM, DES

Amanda was named in the top five Women of Influence by Meetings Net Magazine and one of the 25 Most Influential People in the Meeting Industry by Successful Meetings Magazine.

She is the senior vice president of Brand and Community Engagement for Encore and she supports the stellar team members of Industry Relations, Communications, Social Media, and the Marketing Creative team. Amanda is responsible for the strategic development and management of Encore's brand story and increasing their presence and impact in the events industry.

Staying active in the industry is a top priority; she was the 2018 Chair of the International Board of Directors for Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and was the Vice Chair of Finance in 2016. Of course, she held several volunteer roles as a lead-up to serving on the global board. Amanda currently serves on the Event Industry Council's Business Recovery Task Force and chairs the Event Leaders 100 think tank.

Annette Gregg, CMM, MBA

Annette is Senior Vice President, Experience for Meeting Professionals International (MPI), leading its community engagement, events and education teams and delivering programs for its 13,000 members worldwide. She has an extensive background in the meeting and hospitality industry, serving in executive level positions for corporations, associations and non-profits.

Through her consulting company Difference Makers Consulting, she regularly delivers keynotes on topics including diversity and unconscious bias, promoting women in the workplace, and a variety of professional development topics. Annette has taught at several universities including UCSD and SDSU, and was elected Instructor of the Year at SDSU and inducted into the Center for Business Intelligence's Circle of Excellence for her training and speaking. She is an honoree for Women in Tourism and Hospitality, and has won the Coach Award for the Association of Women in Events and Planner of the Year for MPI San Diego.

Annette served on MPI's Board of Directors, the board for the Kim Center for Gender Equity, and San Diego Commission for Women and Girls. She was named to the MeetingsNet Changemakers list for her work in women's empowerment.

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The "Trade Show Talk" podcast is publishing two episodes per month, focusing on a different theme each month. If you'd like to be a sponsor or a guest or you have a topic to suggest we cover, please let us know by emailing [email protected].

We are an industry filled with remarkable, strong, passionate, driven, and creative WOMEN. This month we celebrate women's history, which was motivation for having some conversations with women who are making a difference in the industry at-large and on individuals personally.

On this uplifting episode we chat with two women entrepreneurs who happened into the beginnings of their businesses (years ago now) AND discovered opportunities to change and grow their businesses in inspiring ways.

With all of the difficulties of the past two years, it's important to hear the GOOD. To hear the SUCCESS. And these two amazing women deliver.

We talk about how their successes came to be, what the last two years have brought them, the difficulties and opportunities of the hiring process, and more.

Our Guests

Erin Scholes, CMP, CSEP, CMM, DES

Erin is President and Founder of SD Meetings & Events, a third-party meeting management business specializing in hotel sourcing, full-service meeting planning, and event operations staffing. She has over 20 years in meeting and event management experience planning hundreds of meetings and events. Erin and the team at SD Meetings have successfully converted their years of managing in-person events and are now sought after digital event experts. They have been helping clients find the right technology, tools, and tricks to produce events in the virtual and hybrid world.

Erin has been a dedicated member of the San Diego Chapter of Meeting Professionals since 2000 including serving as Chapter President. She is also a faculty member for San Diego State University's Hospitality and Tourism Management program. During her tenure in the business, Erin has been recognized with numerous industry awards including the coveted MPI Chair Award, Smart Women in Meetings winner, and MPISD's Nancy Morrell-Swanson Visionary Award. She has also earned the respected professional designations Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), Certified Special Event Professional (CSEP), Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM), and most recently Digital Event Strategist (DES).

Jessica Shea

Having always been inspired by the transformative power of creativity and style, Jessica has made a personal passion her profession, launching J Shea in 2012, and most recently, Cheers in a Box in 2020. It is with her meticulous attention to detail and enthusiasm for extraordinary experiences that has allowed Jessica to conceptualize, style and produce full- service, one-of-a-kind, custom events for corporations, associations, and individuals.

Today, as the Founder & CEO of J Shea, Jessica has executed hundreds of corporate and association events including galas, sales events, fundraisers, conferences, tradeshows, golf tournaments and social gatherings.

Jessica has been featured in Connect Magazine for their 2020 40 Under 40 Awards, was selected as one of BizBash's Top 500 influential event professionals in 2021, and her events have been featured in publications including BizBash, The Washingtonian, and Meetings & Conventions Magazine.

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The "Trade Show Talk" podcast is publishing two episodes per month, focusing on a different theme each month. If you'd like to be a guest or you have a topic to suggest that we cover, please let us know by emailing [email protected].

Every individual has different impressions of what diversity, equity, and inclusion means. Some of us tend to have very narrow views of what the issues are. We might not fully understand, for example, that inclusion should always consider the food and beverage choices that we make for our guests.

On this episode we hear from a bright industry professional who has a unique perspective, based on all of his lived experiences. This is a more personalized look at DEI that can help us all look at it through a different lens.

He also wants a diverse pool of clients. He wants you to see him for all the things he is, which includes being an incredible experience-maker.

We discuss the importance of leaning into our fears – we really do need to have the important conversations. AND, above all else, we should start with kindness.

"Because what that kindness does, it opens you up to be exposed, empathetic to other people's situation."

Our Guest

Tony Scurry, CMP, MBA – Chief Event Officer with 7 Pointe Planning

William A. Scurry, II, MBA, CMP is a highly-motivated individual with over twenty (20) years of strategic event and meeting planning experience. He has managed an impressive list of events with multimillion-dollar budgets, ranging from less than 20 attendees to more than 10,000 attendees. Given his career focus on increasing the visibility of mission-driven organizations; his experience, skills, personality, and aspirations, fit the position of entrepreneur. He has spent years developing expertise in mission-critical logistics.

Tony is responsible for overseeing the creative and strategic direction of 7 Pointe Planning and providing a strategic framework for the conceptualization and execution of their clients' event operations. He is currently developing a boutique brand, Anthony Event Designs, that will specialize in creating stories and multisensory event experiences.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC. He successfully made a transition from Mechanical Engineering to Event and Meeting Planning with the support of a Master of Business Administration degree, with a concentration in Events Management, from The George Washington University in Washington, DC.

~*~*~ The "Trade Show Talk" podcast is publishing two episodes per month, focusing on a different theme each month. If you'd like to be a guest or you have a topic to suggest that we cover, please let us know by emailing [email protected].

Check out episode 4! And please take a minute to follow, rate, & review us on your podcast platform of choice & get each ep. when it drops!

Did you know there are 19 different facets to diversity, equity, and inclusion? 19! It IS about ethnicity and race, but it really is about so much more.

Our guests on episode three wanted to have a conversation around where things are now within the meetings & events industry (and beyond). They didn't want to revisit the same conversations, but to look at what's most important NOW around DEI, and to set the stage for the change that is still to come.

Melissa Majors and Greg DeShields are the perfect combo to show us the progress, the insights, and the humanity around DEI. Oh, and there is a business case to be made around it. You do have to budget for it, but you can also create new revenue streams by doing it right.

It's likely you'll listen to this one more than once, and we highly recommend you share it!

EPIC insights.

Our Guests

Melissa Majors

"The Inclusive Leadership Expert"As CEO of Melissa Majors Consulting, she's an innovator and optimizer of education, inclusion, & leadership strategies. She has dedicated her career to maximizing the business impact associated with these areas of focus.

The team at Melissa Majors Consulting has extensive experience and a proven reputation for driving better business outcomes through innovative and inclusive strategic planning. They bring deep expertise in improving profitability and innovation, boosting organizational performance, and optimizing inclusion strategies. Melissa formally studied strategy and innovation at Harvard University.

Melissa Majors is a crowd-pleasing speaker who masters brain-friendly talks that engage her audiences and spark not just inspiration, but action as well.

Greg DeShields

Executive Director of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau

Greg is a Qualified Tourism Professional and Academic Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE) proficient in developing and implementing plans, strategies, and initiatives to raise destinations' image for diverse travel.

Greg is also an Experienced Certified Diversity Executive (CDE), with demonstrated cultural competence, prepared to strategically position an organization to remove systemic barriers to inclusion, lead culture change, and transform brands.

~*~*~ The "Trade Show Talk" podcast is publishing two episodes per month, focusing on a different theme each month. If you'd like to be a guest or you have a topic to suggest that we cover, please let us know by emailing [email protected].

Check out episode 3! And please take a minute to follow, rate, & review us on your podcast platform of choice & get each ep. when it drops!

Community is no longer just an entity. It is a career path, and RD Whitney helps us understand this deeply on this episode!

Online / virtual events are not a new concept and RD was involved in advancing them back in '07-'10. He fully believes it was the current pandemic that was the "slingshot" to show how important community is. Whether your events are online or in person, they are a catalyst to complement year-round communities for our audiences.

"Events are the culmination of community."

And there's now an institute for community professionals, thanks to RD. It's a free "home" for these folks to stay in compliance and to learn how to do their jobs better!

The notion that "community" is a career path is a reality, and this special guest is doing all he can to advance this path.

SO. MUCH. great info on this episode!

We would love your input - please reply and message us on social media with your thoughts on the subject.

Our Guest RD Whitney

RD builds and grows communities. He has successfully developed several Institutes creating a "home" for niche and evolving professions. For over 30 years RD has focused on creating communities that bring buyer and seller together through the gravity of professional training, events (f2f and virtual), online learning and education, peer learning and data. As the business model applies to almost any sector, RD has successfully developed media businesses in multiple global sectors through conferences, tradeshows, online training, virtual events, industry award programs, SAAS businesses, research, databases, validation, publishing, peer learning, online marketplaces, certification programs and sponsored/membership businesses.

RD has an impressive track record of building and growing professional community assets and recurring revenue businesses to quickly realize new value for members, vendors and investors.

The "Trade Show Talk" podcast will publish two episodes per month, focusing on a different theme each month. If you'd like to be a guest or you have a topic to suggest that we cover, please let us know by emailing [email protected].

Check out episode 2! And please take a minute to follow, rate, & review us on iTunes & get each ep. when it drops!