What a great week – that wraps up the 2025 Leaders Conference!
There's lots to see and do in CL25 - here are some visual reminders of what you've been through over the past few days, as well as photos of things you may have missed. This week’s morning yoga class got an upgrade with the inclusion of puppies. This little guy probably did more climbing than stretching. Had a great week at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. We've put together a photo gallery documenting some of the happenings in the first three days of the 2025 Leaders Conference, as well as some quotes that stood out to us. Next year, we will celebrate PCMA’s 70th anniversary at the 2026 Leadership Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Please join us there. What's your favorite part of the CL25? Don’t forget to fill out the post-event survey we send to your email today. CL25 attendees do not have to gather for Sunday’s opening reception. (All photos by Whatever Media Group)Attendees rode the…
How event strategists can boost leadership confidence
Gross profit is the most important metric for leaders. By understanding and tracking this key metric, event organizers can increase your credibility and value with senior leadership during the recovery process. By Dave Lutz, CMP Attendance is just one of the variables needed to understand event gross profit recovery. (regardless of media group) To maximize event gross profit, you need to connect the dots, applying attendance, revenue, and expense trends based on your business model and industry. The top-performing pre-pandemic annual conferences and trade shows we analyzed generated 55-65% gross profit. In 2024, gross profits from these same activities declined. 20 points. For this purpose, gross profit is calculated by subtracting direct activity expenses (not including wages, overhead, or appropriations) from total activity revenue and dividing by total activity revenue. Although many major events are close to recovery in terms of revenue, the main reason for the decline in gross profit is a significant increase in expenses (approximately 30%). For…
How human rights lawyer Amal Clooney uses her platform
CL25’s celebrity closing main stage speaker, Amal Clooney, will share how the event serves as a channel to fight social injustice. Author: Kathy Gale Amal Clooney will round out the main stage schedule at CL25's "Using Your Platform to Fight Social Injustice" session. Amal Alamuddin was born in Beirut in 1978. He fled the Lebanese civil war with his family when he was young and settled near London. Today, the world knows her as Amal Clooney - a Hollywood star who became a Hollywood star after marrying actor George Clooney in 2014. By then, however, the international law and human rights barrister - a British lawyer authorized to argue cases in the High Court - had long since become a Hollywood star. A superstar in her own right, she has been recognized by the legal community for her work in high-profile cases involving mass atrocities, including representing Sudanese and Armenian genocide victims. Clooney has served as an adviser to the…
Incoming PCMA president Neil Brownlee breaks new ground
Author: Kathy Gale Incoming PCMA President Neil Brownlee will address the 20 members of the PCMA Class of 2025 on Sunday. Brownlee is the first non-North American chairman of the board. (regardless of media group) Neil Brownlee attended his first convened leadership meeting in Las Vegas in 2011. "I heard about the PCMA through colleagues working in the VisitScotland association area," he said. "I know they rotate through 'calling out the leaders' events." Brownlee previously worked at VisitScotland for more than 16 years and is now head of commercial events, where his experience consisted of running motivational conferences in Scotland and Europe. At a recent conference, he described his first leadership meeting as “completely eye-opening.” convene interview. "This is by some extent the largest conference I've ever been to, and I think for a lot of people who are attending conference leadership for the first time, it can be a little scary. Little did I know where this would all…
The power of principles in a polarized world
In her main stage speech, Liz Cheney will talk about the need to stand up for your values no matter what the cost - a principle she illustrates with examples. Author: Barbara Palmer Former Rep. Liz Cheney will deliver the main stage keynote address "Principled Leadership in a Polarized Society" today at the 25th Leadership Conference. Lifelong Republican Liz Cheney was the highest-ranking woman in the U.S. House of Representatives in May 2021, after lawmakers voted to remove her from office after she was an outspoken critic of Donald Trump's claims that the 2020 election was rigged. assumed her leadership position. Later that year, Cheney — the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney and a lawyer who served in the U.S. State Department during the administration of former President George W. Bush — was appointed vice chair of the House Select Committee. Investigating the January 6 attack. The committee recommended that the Justice Department prosecute Trump on charges including…
Brené Brown on being a courageous leader—no matter where you are
Brown said Monday on the CL25 main stage that the biggest obstacle to courageous leadership is not fear. What holds us back is the “arming up” of ourselves in order not to face our own vulnerabilities. Author: Barbara Palmer “I love this new trend of people investing more real time in the sessions they’re building,” scholar and author Brené Brown said Monday on the main stage with host Holly Holly Ransom said during the conversation. “Let me tell you — it pays off.” Brené Brown is the best-selling author of six books, including Dare to lead: Brave work. Difficult conversations. whole-heartedlyShe served as the opening keynote in a conversation with host Holly Ransom on the main stage Monday morning, sharing her work studying the intersection of emotions and leadership as a research professor and visiting professor of management at the University of Houston point of view. University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business. But as one of the…
Leonard Hoops on his ‘huge’ year, accessibility and
Author: Kathy Gale “I’m very pleased with the progress we’ve made with PCMA’s membership and engagement with the community,” Leonard Hoops said of his year as PCMA Board and Trustee Chair. “We’ve taken a step forward. ” (regardless of media group) when convene Speaking with Leonard Hoops last year as he prepared to serve as PCMA Board and Trustee Chair in 2024, he discussed his extensive involvement with PCMA over the years. As president and CEO of Visit Indy, Hoops has been an active member of the PCMA Northern California and Greater Midwest Chapters, serving as the board's liaison to the Mexico, Southwest and Pacific, Northern California, Greater Midwest and New York regional chapters, as well as his Served on the PCMA Board of Directors and Board of Trustees for six years and held other senior volunteer positions within the organization. during a recent call convene Looking back on his time as chairman of the board, he summed it up…
X-Culture program inspires students to innovate
"A great experiment" "We wanted to create a challenge that would give us insight into the impact of events," said Goedegebuure, who is participating as a judge. The results varied, according to BestCities and Goedegebuure, but some themes emerged from the student proposals: Events should have a positive impact on their host destination, benefit the local community and communicate that impact, and sustainability should not be an afterthought idea. Both Goedegebuure and Chaillo were impressed by how quickly the students were able to solve long-standing challenges in the industry: like how to create more value for sponsors. "I think it's very insightful for a group that's only scratched the surface ... to have recognized ... that the narrative you need to create to attract sponsors is not easy," Goedegebuure said. In the past, sponsors "were happy for the company to be mentioned as a sponsor of an event and put their logo on it. Now people are like, 'Well, actually,…
Scott Galloway offers his predictions for 2025
Author: Jennifer N. Dienst Consumers in 2025 will increasingly rely on artificial intelligence platforms to help make purchasing choices, including travel recommendations, Scott Galloway told an audience at the 2025 Leadership Conference on Sunday. (regardless of media group) Scott Galloway hosted Sunday night's main stage with his signature fast-talking and brash style, sharing what he thinks we can expect this year in business, marketing, and more, officially kicking off 2025 Leadership Conference. Not surprisingly, artificial intelligence took up much of the 30-minute speech, including Galloway's prediction that Meta will be the AI company of 2025. Nine out of ten Internet users (outside China) use Meta at least once a month, and the company has more unique human language data than Google Search, Reddit, Wikipedia, and X combined. That makes Meta the most powerful of them all, he said, "when you look at the most data — the most oil, the most fossil fuels, if you will — plus the most…
Holding a leadership meeting to highlight the space for innovation
Author: Michelle Russell The Space Cities Network will serve as a case study example of innovative collaboration in two sessions of the 2025 Leaders Conference. The Space Cities Network is a recent initiative between four cities on four continents—Lausanne, Switzerland; Christchurch, New Zealand; Houston, Texas, United States; and Seoul, South Korea—to strengthen universities, research centers, government agencies, Cooperation between industrial sectors and businesses in the field of outer space. In convening the Leaders Conference, the Space City Network will present case study examples of innovative collaborations in the business events industry – “International collaboration and overcoming business culture differences” and “Vertical Advantage: Driving growth” at the Monday and Tuesday sessions in Organization and Purpose In the ground. " convene Claire Hector-Taylor, international business development manager at ChristchurchNZ, the sustainable economic development agency, and Gerald Howard, senior business development manager at conference management organization Congress Lausanne-Montreux, were contacted to find out more about the program. They responded via email (of course!).…
Why an event planner’s job is climate work
Here are five ways planners can embrace the idea that “every job is a climate job” to design more sustainable activities and move the industry forward. Author: Beth Sulmont Beth Surmont, CMP Fellow, FASAE, CAE “No matter where we work,” says Jamie Alexander, “every job is a climate job.” With global warming having such widespread impacts, Project Drawdown, a science-based climate action nonprofit Alexander, founder of , firmly believes that everyone has a role to play in driving change. While we as an industry are making progress towards more sustainable event practices, how can planners play a climate-centric role to help further this goal? 1. Master waste management In addition to providing recycling bins, planners need to: Learn about compostability— It's great that plates and silverware are "compostable," but what special facilities are required, and what is the correct way to collect these items? Decode recycling symbols 1-7 — Where to put 1 and 2? How clean do they need…
5 ways meetings can enhance a sense of belonging
“Some people feel a sense of belonging by running into old friends,” says author Dan Berger, which often happens at business events such as the EMEA 2024 conference in Barcelona, Spain. (Joan Gosar photo) In his book, Discovery: The Definitive Guide to Finding BelongingDan Berger identifies six broad categories of activities or strategies that can enhance belonging and meetings, he tells us convenechecks five out of six boxes. Categories include: Dan Berg collective experience By definition, Berger said, events are collective experiences and can be places where people largely find a sense of belonging. “But organizers must understand how event attendees find a sense of belonging and plan accordingly.” An example shared convene By email, Stephanie D. Jones, CAE, CMP fellow, SEPC, managing director of event strategy at the Water Environment Federation (WEF). Jones said the World Economic Forum launched the Affinity Group community event at its 2023 Annual Meeting to “create safe spaces for people with common interests, identities…
Event Entrepreneurs’ Quest to Redefine Belonging
“I forgot that people first need to find a sense of belonging in their personal lives,” says author Dan Berger, founder of Assemble Hospitality Group, whose primary mission is to help people find a sense of belonging. For entrepreneur Dan Berger, belonging has always been a matter of survival. He immigrated to the United States from Israel with his adoptive parents when he was nine years old. "Between immigration and adoption," he told convene“I’ve always struggled with belonging.” And Berger’s TDiscovery: The Definitive Guide to Finding Belonging At Social Tables, the Washington, D.C.-based event planning software company he founded in 2011, "I was obsessed with creating an environment that felt like a place of belonging," he says. Berger said the company was built on a startup culture model, with most employees in their 20s “drinking Kool-Aid, eating free snacks and not doing anything else but working and living. Berger has the company's logo tattooed on his arm and regularly holds…
How shared experiences break cynicism
Jamil Zaki, a psychology professor at Stanford University who studies relationships, said he has struggled with his own cynicism in the past. Jamil Zaki is a professor of psychology at Stanford University who directs the Social Neuroscience Laboratory and has been studying the science of interpersonal relationships for two decades. His research on topics such as empathy and kindness has made Zaki “an unofficial ambassador for humanity’s better angels,” he writes in his latest book, A Cynic's Hope: The Surprising Science of Human Kindness. In 2020, Zaki was frequently invited to speak via Zoom to groups, schools, hospitals and companies that were struggling to find hope in the first year of the pandemic. Privately, though, his own hopes were dashed. “From my living room, I celebrated human kindness on Zoom to people around the world,” he wrote. “As soon as the screen went black, I was back to the doomsday scroll,” writes Zaki, who struggles with cynicism, a state of…
How Activities Promote Emotional Engagement
Lettering by Stephanie Snyder "In the past, maybe you could ignore or skip that. Now there's no way around it." “It” is emotional engagement, which according to the American Express GBT Meetings & Events 2025 Global Forecast is a big focus for the business events industry as we experience “an increasing need for human connection in an increasingly AI-driven world. The stronger.” With this in mind, we turn our attention to the factors needed to foster meaningful emotional engagement in activities: trust, belonging, and the satisfaction of socially connecting with others. Meeting these basic human needs has never been more important. We are experiencing an epidemic of loneliness. The American Psychiatric Association says one in four Americans is lonelier today than before the pandemic. At the same time, numerous polls show that public trust in American institutions is at an all-time low—including science, the media, and government. Are events the solution? Of course not, but they are uniquely located and…
5 Lessons from the ‘Wicked’ Movie Marketing Campaign
Master the marketing wizardry behind the blockbuster movie musical Wicked: Part One and make it work within your budget. Author: Kimberly Hardcastle-Geddis The LEGO Group and Universal Products & Experiences have teamed up to release LEGO sets featuring characters and scenes from the movie musical "Wicked" as part of a marketing strategy for the movie. (Courtesy of the LEGO Group) The only thing more important than singer-actor Cynthia Erivo's riff at the end of her song "Defying Gravity" was the marketing blitz that catapulted "Wicked: Part One" into the top-grossing Broadway hit of all time Music adapted for film. Could such a budget (estimated at $150 million) be available? Here are four ways to create the same marketing magic for your events—and a cautionary tale. Find the best balance between heritage and innovation. While the "Wicked" update has reignited interest among loyal fans of the Broadway musical by staying true to the book and paying homage to the original star…
CL25 main stage speaker Scott Galloway talks about future development
The marketing guru's recent annual trend forecasting webinar gave us a preview of what Calling the Leaders attendees can expect from his session. Here’s a tip: AI + travel. Author: Jennifer N. Dienst Scott Galloway speaks at the 2022 Leadership Conference and will return to the Houston CL main stage on January 12. (regardless of media group) Last week, as I listened to NYU Stern School of Business professor Scott Galloway’s annual trend forecasting webinar, one prediction caught my attention: Consumers’ growing reliance on artificial intelligence may mean that travelers, too There are plenty of places to look for advice on what to do, what to see and where to stay. Galloway, an author, podcaster, and upcoming speaker on the main stage at The Leadership Conference 2025, made his predictions about artificial intelligence more broadly, and specifically what we'll see in 2025 The winners and losers become clearer. He expects the winner to be one of the center of attention.…
An Event Professor’s Neuroscience Bookshelf
Janet Spestad Janet Sperstad, a CMP Fellow, is professor emeritus at Madison College in Madison, Wisconsin, where she founded the nation's first associate degree in meetings and events management in 2002. Sperstad, who was inducted into the Event Industry Council Hall of Leaders in 2017, is a pioneer in another area: incorporating the principles of mindfulness and neuroscience into her event management courses as well as keynotes and workshops presented around the world. Sperstad, who holds an executive master's degree from the NeuroLeadership Institute, was the show's first guest. convene's podcast launched in 2016, in which she talks about mindfulness and meetings. “When I think about mindfulness and bringing it into our world of events and meetings, it’s really about creating space in the brain to think more deeply, to drive deeper moments of meaning, to make connections, and to create Some blanks.” When we asked Sperstad to recommend a book for event professionals, she shared four classics. Each one,…
Things to do and eat in Houston
Here are five things to know about Houston to help visitors experience the best of the city during the 2025 Leadership Conference or anytime. Author: Jennifer N. Dienst The Houston Avenue entertainment district surrounding the George R. Brown Convention Center is home to more than 20 restaurants, and the city has more than 12,000 restaurants offering a variety of cuisines. Some of the greatest perks of holding meetings in Houston, the fourth most populous city in the United States, are the enriching experiences offered between meetings—lunch with colleagues or an hour or two of free time in the afternoon. As the fourth most diverse city in the United States (according to WalletHub), Houston's richness of language, background, and culture provides a comfortable environment for you, no matter who you are or where you come from. We’ve rounded up five things you need to know before you go. A great food city With more than 12,000 restaurants, Houston reflects the city's…
2025 Leaders Conference Takes Off in Houston
Author: Curt Wagner Following the first of five main stage presentations, Convening Leaders attendees will head to the Discovery Green, the forecourt of the George R. Brown Convention Center, for the event’s opening reception on January 12 . The PCMA 2025 Leadership Conference, taking place January 12-15 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, will provide participants with educational programming that encourages curiosity and emphasizes collaboration, especially in careers among mid-career and senior event professionals, and “anyone working to improve event outcomes and advance their career,” said PCMA Senior Education Director Carrie Johnson, DES. The goal, she said, "is not just to educate them, but to make them feel seen. It's about engaging, connecting and forming connections with each other so that they can continue after the event." The program is divided into three content pillars that are highly relevant to event organizers. More ways to tag content across audience types (e.g., seniority, department, and role), meeting…
How can the events industry achieve sustainable development?
At the inaugural Convene 4 Climate conference, a group of participants brainstormed actionable strategies the business events industry needs to adopt so that we can accelerate the transition to a sustainable future. Author: Michelle Russell Convene 4 Climate attendees take part in challenge workshops aimed at proposing actionable strategies to accelerate the business events industry’s transition to sustainability. The inaugural PCMA Convene 4 Climate took place in Barcelona, Spain, on October 2-3, in partnership with the European National Conference Bureau Strategic Alliance, and was designed in a way that recognizes that we are no longer on the verge of global warming. Conference moderator Felix Rundel, co-founder of strategy and creative agency futurehain, highlighted this reality: “We have a limited time window to achieve the profound changes needed for a sustainable future for business activity,” he Tell the audience at the beginning of the event. In other words, the message is: Let’s get down to business. "We have limited time to…
How climate change is changing travel
A new research report on consumer travel trends offers lessons for business event organizers. Author: Barbara Palmer “Sustainable travel options will also continue to rise in importance and influence,” says World Travel Market’s WTM Global Travel Report. World Travel Market's WTM Global Travel Report is based on data from more than 185 countries and focuses on leisure travelers rather than business travelers. but as convene Digital Editor Curt Wagner at conveneAnnual industry forecast trend report, event participants are consumers first. Tracking overall travel trends can provide event organizers with insights into changing consumer preferences and how attendee behavior may change in the future. convene The 80-page report looked at trends related to sustainability and climate issues. You can download the full World Travel Market Report here. Extreme weather changes Last year, nearly 30% of travelers postponed travel to major global travel market destinations due to severe or extreme weather, including wildfires, heat or flooding, the report said. The trend is…
Find help and some down time
Bleisure travel has accelerated post-COVID – 67% of bleisure travel begins with an itinerary meeting. If you thought post-pandemic hotel staffing shortages were getting better, think again. According to a May 2024 study by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), more than three-quarters (76%) of hotels surveyed reported staff shortages, with 13% citing "severe" shortages. That's an increase from the previous year, when 67% of hoteliers said they were short-staffed, with 12% calling the shortfall "serious." What happened? A report by Northstar's Phocuswright notes that college enrollment has declined in recent years, and "among those aspiring to a secondary education, fewer are choosing hospitality careers," the report said. "The reasons vary, but concerns about long hours, low wages and a lack of remote work options are prompting many potential clients to focus on other industries." For those choosing to pursue a career in hospitality, mentoring opportunities may be available Limitations: "In the wake of the pandemic, many of the…
Event predictions for 2025
Author: Kimberly Hardcastle-Geddis Millennial and Gen Z event attendees prefer immersive experiences, personal relevance, and instant engagement—trends that will transform meetings and events. 2024 for sure eventA whole year. Marketers have embraced key trends such as data-driven personalization, automation and increasing influence. Soon, the new year will bring even more new tools, strategies, and technologies that will allow us to better engage and communicate with trade show and conference audiences and attendees. For the year ahead, we predict… “Artificial Intelligence will transform global audience acquisition and engagement.” — Anjia Nicolaidis, Group Director, International Strategy AI technology will solve two of the biggest challenges in international event marketing – analyzing complex patterns in global audience market data and achieving true cultural relevance at scale. We have begun using AI to identify geographic markets with the greatest growth potential and develop targeted campaigns that resonate with local business culture and preferences. My team will continue to leverage AI analytics to assess market…
The Rise of Humanity in a World of Artificial Intelligence
At the 2024 PCMA Leadership Conference in San Diego, humans and artificial intelligence competed in an event planning competition. In November 2022, OpenAI released the first iteration of ChatGPT to the public, opening the door to artificial intelligence-generated content and the use of natural language processing to analyze large amounts of data. As concerns that generative AI will make them obsolete fade, many planners are beginning to experiment and embrace the many ways AI can help them do their jobs better. Two years later, another topic is rising: humans can do things artificial intelligence cannot. “AI can’t make connections or facilitate amazing experiences,” Mathew Sweezey, chief strategy officer at Smart Token Labs and a former Salesforce marketing executive, told Marketing Companion podcast host and futurist Mark Schaefer. "AI cannot build deeper trust," Sweezy said on the podcast. “It has to be human – AI can’t replace that.” However, artificial intelligence can help. Using AI to connect meeting attendees and event…
Will event technology costs drive low-tech choices?
To help planners create a more immersive experience, Austria Center Vienna provides them with PolySTAGE, a flexible 3,300 square foot video display composed of 52 LED panels and a combination of LED banners, two LED Sidewall and spatial audio displays. (Ilhan Erdogan photo) In Freeman's 2024 Organizer Trends Report, more than half of meeting organizers surveyed believe technology, including apps and digital displays, is the most important experience element in meetings. While attendees also rated technology highly—44% selected it as the leading experience element—even more (64%) prioritized immersive experiences. One factor contributing to the gap is that more event attendees now take it for granted that technology will be incorporated than previous generations of attendees, said Ken Holsinger, senior vice president of strategy and research at Freeman their daily lives. Five years from now, three-quarters of attendees will be Millennials and Gen Z, who use their phones to check in at conferences and hotels; use apps to navigate meeting agendas…
Planner grapples with fatal food allergy reaction at event
The recent death of an event attendee from a food allergy has led some event organizers to comment on how seriously event planners take attendee health concerns. The recent death of a social media influencer from an allergic reaction at a brand event has sparked discussions about the duty of care within the event professional community. Disney influencer Dominique Brown, 34, died on December 5 at an event hosted by retailer and frequent Disney collaborator BoxLunch after noticing the lack of black women on Disney’s social media platforms , co-founded the Black Girl Disney social media platform. Los Angeles. According to reports in publications such as The GuardianBrown has a severe peanut allergy and is convinced the allergen is not a component of the food she eats. She reportedly felt ill after eating the food and died shortly after. The news led a number of event organizers, including Shameka Jennings, MTA, CMP, DES, CAE, Chief Events Officer at EventsNoire, to…
Trend Report 2025: Focus on Artificial Intelligence and the Planet
Illustrations by Julie Murphy Annual Events Industry Forecast Our usual approach is conveneThe annual industry forecast aims to cast a wide net, gathering data on a variety of topics relevant to the business events industry, including travel, accommodation, technology and the workplace. This year, we took a different tack. Rather than those broad predictions, convene Editors write concise trend reports for each department. We've sifted through the research and come up with some signposts to help you navigate the year ahead, no matter what action you take. As always, the forecast includes our annual conference market survey, which gives us a strong sense of where we are at this moment—the ups and downs, the challenges, and our overall mood. A recent study shows that demand for "green talent" - specialized skills that can help combat climate change - is rising among employers across industries. It doesn’t take the most tech-savvy person to recognize the biggest trend in the future of…
Meetings and Events “Destination Scam”
In 2025 and beyond, the business events industry expects to see changes in where we attend meetings and events. Based on many recent predictions, I think a consistent trend in 2025 is that interest in in-person gatherings will be stronger than ever. According to CWT GBTA’s 2025 Global Business Travel Forecast, “Demand for groups, meetings and events (M&E) is extremely strong globally”. “Post-pandemic, there remains a pent-up need to connect with colleagues, customers and business partners.” GBTA research shows that business travel spending will exceed 2019 levels in 2024, reaching $1.5 trillion, an 11% increase from last year. Growth is expected to continue to gradually slow down, with a CAGR of 7% from 2025 to 2028. But with many variables and changes — from rising travel costs to post-pandemic travelers prioritizing their physical and mental health and weighing the environmental impact of travel — we can expect some interesting changes in travel patterns going forward. GBTA CEO Suzanne Neufang said…
Room settings: Volvo Cars’ woodland wonderland
For the debut of Volvo’s new electric SUV range, and its signature scent, an ethereal, forest-style event felt like a natural fit. Author: Jennifer N. Dienst Florist Emily Thompson said on her Instagram account that the designs for the Volvo Cars x DS and Durga Swoodish launches were "an exciting twist of reality and fiction." (All photos courtesy of Volvo Cars) If you happen to pass by Brooklyn's Greenpoint Wharf warehouse this June, you might notice something peculiar: the feathery, emerald-green tendrils of dozens of ferns protruding from the building's red-brick exterior . This unexpected greenery will be your first clue to the immersive experience that awaits participants: a dreamy Scandinavian forest. Part of the proceeds from DS & Durga's Swoodish candles will be donated to Volvo Life Fund partner One Tree Planted. Upon entering the warehouse, you'll find pastures filled with wildflowers and tall grass, interspersed with live trees. A curved dining table sits in the center of the…
Budget dilemma is event planners’ biggest challenge
cost What is your biggest cost-related challenge? The dramatic increase in the cost of self-driving after the pandemic - described by planners as "astronomical", "ridiculous" and "unreasonable" - has left planners feeling trapped, with little flexibility to use external supplies due to exclusive agreements business. Planners have expressed frustration that venues and hotels are cutting services while raising fees, leading to growing feelings of unfairness and dissatisfaction. References to “hidden fees,” “resort surcharges,” and “significant drops in service” suggest planners were blindsided and frustrated with the service providers they relied on. Planners say they often discover hidden or unexpected expenses after budgets are finalized, leaving them scrambling to pay for them. Inflation is a pervasive problem that compounds planners' dilemma. Costs are rising faster than revenue or registration fees, leading to a sense of helplessness. The common theme of “budgets go down, expenses go up” reflects planners’ dilemma between sticking to tight budgets and meeting attendee’s high expectations. Labor costs,…
Consumer-first event participants
Attendees at the American Geophysical Union's 2023 Annual Meeting sat at the AGU Virtual Center in Zurich, Switzerland, watching a presentation broadcast from San Francisco. (Source: Tuule Müürsepp) When researching business event trends for 2025, I kept coming back to a few phrases I saw over and over again: intentionality, human connection, and meaningful interaction. These sentiments reflect a larger ongoing trend across society: After the pandemic ends, consumers are expressing a desire to seek connection with purpose, according to global marketing consultancy Mintel's 2025 Global Consumer Trends Report. The report adds that social groups have become a necessary part of how people plan for the future - given the complexity of the big problems we face, such as global warming, "it is neither logical nor desirable to address them alone". But consumers (aka attendees) have higher expectations when they gather together. One of the five biggest business trends Forbes Story predicts that the focus in 2025 will be customer…
Medical conferences and the Trump administration
Dr. Muhammad Oz Potential Impact of Dr. Oz’s Appointment as Health and Human Services Director on the Medical Meetings Industry If Dr. Mehmet Oz is named Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), his unique background as a physician, media figure, and advocate for alternative health practices may influence his impact on medical conferences. The following is an analysis of the potential impacts: Impact on health care policy Emphasis on preventive and holistic health— Oz's public health focus generally includes lifestyle medicine, nutrition, and alternative therapies. This works: Shift the meeting agenda toward wellness, preventive medicine, and complementary therapies. Increase funding or emphasis on relevant research and panels at medical conferences. Public-Private Partnerships— His media-friendly approach could encourage initiatives that combine public health activities with corporate engagement, potentially increasing sponsorship of conferences that address broader public health topics. 2. Regulatory changes Incorporate alternative medicine— Oz's support for integrative medicine could lead to HHS programs endorsing or funding…
Turn campaign budget constraints into opportunities
Here's how one event organizer (now CEO) used entrepreneurial thinking to make an opening reception have a big impact on a small entertainment budget. Author: Michael Tame Early in his career, Johnnie White found an affordable way to entertain more than 11,000 attendees by working with street performers on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. Johnnie White, CAE, CMP, fellow, CEO of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE), started out as the association's program manager and events specialist. Later in his career, while working as an events strategist for another association, he encountered the challenge of finding entertainment for an upcoming annual conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco with a shoestring budget. White knew he needed to set the stage for the event with a memorable opening reception for the more than 11,000 attendees. On a field trip to San Francisco, he spent time at Fisherman's Wharf, a lively waterfront area known for its souvenir shops, historic ships, restaurants…
Improve your event success with these expert AI tips
Author: Barbara Palmer Nick Borelli's Spark demo at edUcon 2024 was amazing. (Whatever Media Group) Nick Borelli's slogan on LinkedIn is "Empowering event professionals with AI," which is a general description of the multiple roles of event technology experts. Borelli is the director of marketing at Zenus, an AI facial analysis startup, and the designer and instructor of the PCMA Event Leadership Academy’s “Augmenting Events with AI” certificate course. He also told conveneNumerous demonstrations are given to groups each year on how to use artificial intelligence tools, including PCMA's Spark. He said one of the things he hopes to incorporate into the Spark demo are "aha moments" around the platform's features and capabilities. “Some of it is obvious, some of it isn’t.” Here are the three that Borelli thinks stand out. “Amazing things” One of the most obvious wow factors, Borelli said, is Spark's ability to set the agenda. Unlike ChatGPT, Spark provides users with pre-programmed questions that include event…
Participants are energized by their enthusiasm and commitment to Chinatown
Chinatown is often thought of as a tourist attraction, but its origins date back to the 19th century, when Chinese immigrants came to the United States and Canada during the California Gold Rush, helped build the transcontinental railroad, and created communities that faced life as outsiders. Today, there are 62 Chinatowns in North America, and nearly a third of them were represented this October at the second annual U.S.-Canada Chinatown Cultural Preservation and Revitalization Conference, which aims to connect Chinatown business and cultural leaders and Address their systemic challenges. “Not many platforms or organizations have the capacity and resources to connect Chinatown communities across the U.S. and Canada to foster stronger knowledge exchange, solution strategies and collaboration,” said Carrie Leung, director of events and partnerships for the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, and Brian Pang, chief operating officer and head of partnerships at Stand Together with Asian Americans. The two are members of the organizing committee for the 2023-2025 United States and…
Insights from Conference Market Research
Unfortunately, the challenges highlighted by market survey respondents at last year’s conference have not gone away. Some of these issues, such as rising costs and budget constraints, have become more severe, putting even more pressure on an already stressful job. Planners have long topped several lists of the most stressful jobs, and the role was included in job site Indeed's latest list this year. According to Indeed's job description, "Event planners are responsible for organizing and overseeing all aspects of an event," adding that planners "deliver events within strict deadlines and budgets. They must also oversee and direct a large number of events." But these heavy responsibilities have long been table stakes for event organizers. Indeed's description only scratches the surface, lacking additional post-pandemic challenges such as soaring catering and audio-visual expenses and working with smaller internal and external staff, which often have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. Above all, there is a need to meet the growing expectations…
3 scientific ways to build trust and connection
Psychologist and author Jamil Zaki explains why meetings are the antidote to mistrust and three ways to build connections among meeting participants of all sizes. Author: Barbara Palmer Psychology professor Jamil Zaki said he has asked conference attendees to interact with the people sitting next to them in specific ways to help build trust and connections at events. (regardless of media group) In his latest book, Stanford psychology professor Jamil Zaki makes the case against cynicism: A Cynic's Hope: The Surprising Science of Human Kindness. He wrote that cynicism "frays the psychological glue that holds us together" and is a thread that runs through a "wide and diverse" range of issues, including loneliness. Zaki tells us that we think distrusting others is smart and keeps us safe convenebut in fact it cuts off possibilities and isolates us from each other. A study conducted in 2022 found that in 24 of 28 countries, a majority of people said they tended to…
The secret to this tech conference’s exponential growth
CodeMash's initiative to make tech conferences more accessible and affordable resulted in a family-friendly event and spawned a spin-off, KidzMash, specifically for the kids of attendees. Author: Jennifer N. Dienst To make the CodeMash technology conference more accessible to Midwesterners, we've made it a more family-friendly event that includes the children of attendees. A few years ago, when tech executive Brian Prince attended industry conferences as a speaker and attendee, he realized: For many of his colleagues near his home in the Great Lakes region, these events were simply not enough. is out of reach. They are often too expensive and require a lot of travel and time away from family. He thought, why not call them a meeting? In 2007, Prince did just that, launching CodeMash in Ohio to provide early-career and seasoned technologists with a "world-class technical conference" centered around "current practices, methodologies and Technology Trends” high-quality content. platform and development language” - he told us that the…
We are halfway to sustainability
More than half of the 519 global meeting professionals surveyed this year believe sustainability is extremely or very important when planning their events, according to the Amex GBT Meetings & Events 14th Global Forecast. Author: Kathy Gale If you refer to the 14th Global Forecast for American Express GBT Conferences and Events, as an industry we are already halfway through prioritizing sustainability. More than half (54%) of the 519 meeting professionals surveyed globally believe sustainability is extremely or very important, and 47% have developed sustainability goals and action plans. This is related to conveneResults of the 2024 Conference Market Survey, to be published in the November 2024 issue, reveal that nearly half of respondents have made sustainability a priority and that they are increasingly integrating it into their Active. In the conference market survey, the proportion of respondents including sustainability requirements in RFPs has almost doubled (60% in 2023 compared with 31% in 2023). The American Express GBT conference and…
Harnessing the energy of “thinking differently”
Author: Kathy Gale Holly Ransom (left) speaks with Benevity Chief Impact Officer Sona Khosla and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern during a headline panel at Energy Disruptors: UNITE 2024. In 2016, Graeme Edge was in the audience when speaker, presenter, author and entrepreneur Holly Ransom hosted Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Disruptors conference, which focuses on inspiring innovation across the business sector by bringing together diverse voices. At the table. On a flight back to Calgary from London, where Virgin Disruptors takes place, Edge, an entrepreneur and founder of several energy businesses in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, thought more about a world-class event How to realize what an energy ecosystem might look like through a multidisciplinary approach. He discussed his idea with his wife, Michelle Edge, and business partner Rachel Maxwell, according to a person familiar with the matter. calgary herald article, they agreed to launch the Energy Disruptors: UNITE (EDU) Summit. As described on the website of McLaren Dion…
Experience activities to reduce waste
Author: Michelle Russell Analog Events tries to ensure that sets, such as the one at the Olaplex Bond Shaper launch event at NYA Studios, are designed with reuse in mind. Jordan Kaye is the founder and CEO of Analog Events in Los Angeles, an experiential marketing agency that demonstrates its commitment to sustainability by becoming a B Corp-certified company through a rigorous process of measuring overall social and environmental impact . kai told convene He comes from the world of PR and marketing, dabbling in the “entertainment world” — think premieres, brand and product launches. When he moved to the "event side of things" more than a decade ago, specializing in experiential events, he was shocked by the amount of waste events generated. "We would create these incredible experiences," he said, "and end up filling up the dumpsters. I was like, 'We need to have Habitat for Humanity come and take away this lawn that we've been using for three…
Make sustainable activities easier to implement
A new collaboration aims to put a web-based tool developed in partnership with the United Nations into the hands of more organizers so they can more easily measure and report on the climate impact of their events. Author: Curt Wagner A new events industry collaboration announced at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan last week will help event organizers more easily measure and report the climate impact of their events. (Courtesy of COP29) The partnership announced between the Gulf Organization for Research and Development (GORD) and the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) marks an “important step” in driving the adoption of sustainable event practices, JMIC Chairman James Rees said at a meeting on 11 November . COP29 14th session in Baku, Azerbaijan. The collaboration will focus on the Green Activity Tool (GET), a web-based tool developed in partnership with the United Nations Environment Program and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and managed by GORD. GET enables event organizers to…
Ask more questions and get more results from negotiations
Negotiation expert Alex Carter, who will host two PCMA Leadership Conference Business School sessions in Houston in January, discussed with Convene a negotiation strategy that works particularly well for women. Author: Michelle Russell Studies show that women are more likely to be rejected, punished, or even lied to during negotiations. In the first of our two-part Q&A with negotiation coach Alex Carter, the upcoming 2025 Leadership Conference host said she doesn't view negotiations as a battle or competition. “People often talk about negotiating as if you’re facing your opponent, but in most businesses, especially in the event planning industry, that ‘opponent’ — the people running the hotel, the catering staff, the people you contract with The designer runs your event – once negotiations are complete, they become your partner,” she told convene. “You are working together to deliver the best, most effective, most impactful event possible.” Alex Carter Carter is a professor at Columbia Law School, a United Nations negotiation…
“You don’t have to be afraid of negotiating”
Author: Michelle Russell Negotiation coach Alex Carter will lead two PCMA Business School sessions on January 14 during the 2025 Leadership Conference, followed by live coaching sessions. Negotiation coach Alex Carter begins her April 2024 TEDx talk, "How to Ask for More and Get It," by telling the most important thing she learned about negotiating while kayaking. In the talk, which has more than 580,000 views as of this writing, she said she had been teaching negotiation strategies for several years before kayaking with her husband on their honeymoon in Hawaii. But after the pair capsized three times while paddling separately, the tour guide suggested they needed to "negotiate" taking their kayaks to the beach. Carter had never heard the word used in this way, and she said she realized she was missing "something important." Many of us have misunderstandings about negotiations, she said. “We were told it was a money fight and that it meant losing. So, we either…
“You don’t have to be afraid of negotiating”
Author: Michelle Russell Negotiation coach Alex Carter will lead two PCMA Business School sessions on January 14 during the 2025 Leadership Conference, followed by live coaching sessions. Negotiation coach Alex Carter begins her April 2024 TEDx talk, "How to Ask for More and Get It," by telling the most important thing she learned about negotiating while kayaking. In the talk, which has more than 580,000 views as of this writing, she said she had been teaching negotiation strategies for several years before kayaking with her husband on their honeymoon in Hawaii. But after the pair capsized three times while paddling separately, the tour guide suggested they needed to "negotiate" taking their kayaks to the beach. Carter had never heard the word used in this way, and she said she realized she was missing "something important." Many of us have misunderstandings about negotiations, she said. “We were told it was a money fight and that it meant losing. So, we either…
4 ways to make your workplace more equitable
McKinsey & Company's annual Women in the Workplace report prompted author and inclusion strategist Ruchika T. Malhotra to share some thoughts on how organizations can reduce bias and increase equity for women and people of color in the workplace. Author: Kathy Gale DEI efforts have recently encountered pushback, with funding and support for diversity, equity, and inclusion declining in the U.S. McKinsey & Company’s annual “Women in the Workplace” report paints a fragile picture of women’s progress in corporate America, especially given growing cultural resistance to DEI efforts. in a Harvard Business Review (HBR) In this article reflecting on the findings, author and inclusion strategist Ruchika T. Malhotra shares some ways that organizations that want to move forward (rather than backward) in their DEI efforts can continue working to create a better An inclusive, less biased workplace. Ruchika T. Malhotra "Many of the strategies that experts and academics have been recommending to company leaders for years have proven to be…
Slam Dunk for Wheelchair Basketball Accessibility
Author: Barbara Palmer When Richmond, Virginia, hosts the 2024 Wheelchair Basketball National Championships in April, the Richmond Area Visitors Bureau partners with local organizations with expertise in disability etiquette to ensure athletes have an inclusive and welcoming experience throughout the destination. Over two weekends in April, more than 1,100 athletes gathered at the Henrico Sports and Events Center outside Richmond, Virginia, for 100 teams to compete in the 2024 Wheelchair Basketball National Championships. The tournament is the largest adaptive sports series in the United States and is hosted by the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA), the largest disability sports organization in the world. The event is hosted in conjunction with the NWBA by Sportable, a two-year-old adaptive sports nonprofit based in Richmond. the Richmond Area Tourism Organization, which promotes Richmond and four central Virginia counties; and the Henrico Sports and Recreation Authority, which develops the Henrico Sports and Events Center, which opens in fall 2023. In July, NWBA CEO Brandon…
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