For meeting and event people, things not going according to plan can be a disaster...but sometimes, not sticking with the script can be the best thing that can happen. This is what happened in this episode, we invited Ashanti Bentil-Dhue to come and discuss a variety of topics but we never actually made it past the news! We went down a whole host of rabbitholes talking about the recent YouTube outage, why you should update Google Chrome, and the recent winners from Event Tech Live. A little background, Ashanti Bentil-Dhue is an experienced events entrepreneur, diversity expert, researcher and speaker. She heads up the team at EventMind, a virtual event production company based in London, UK and is a co-founder of the global network, Black In Events. On top of this... She is one of the most knowledgable eventtech eventprofs on the planet. 

Some people are amazingly patient. You should know that Adam Parry is one of those people. This episode was actually recorded a couple of months ago and then boom... Things happened. A few client events here, new technologies to learn there, and the next thing you know, it is October. So, putting my procrastination aside, let's learn a little more about Adam before you dive into this episode. Most know that he is the co-founder and editor of the online magazine, Event Industry News, but that is not his only superpower. Adam is also one of the industries foremost technology evangelists and co-created Event Tech Live and the Event Technology Awards, a world-renowned awards event showcasing the very best in event technology which is coming up this November! During this episode we touch on increasing attendance in the virtual space, how technology is changing the event industry, and the role of the event technologist! To learn more about Adam and his event industry empire, check out some of his links: Event Industry News Event Tech Live Event Technology Awards

Dreams do Come True At  the age of 12, I was riding my bike around the neighborhood and goofing  off. I did not know up from down or left from right nevermind what I  wanted to do with my entire life… Good thing our next guest is nothing  like me. Donvil Collins had a clear vision of his future and where he  wanted to go and he made it happen, becoming a leader in the video  production and live streaming field before he even finished colleage.  His story is the stuff of legend. Donvil started his first  business in technology at age 12 and by 14 was the youngest certified  producer at “BronxNet”. Before the age of 18, he became a sought after  faith-based tv producer broadcasting to over 80 million worldwide  viewers. EIGHTY MILLION VIEWERS. Thinking he probably had more to  accomplish, he started his corporate video production business VeeKast  in 2006 while in his Sophomore year of film school and went on to work  with organizations including TD Bank, United Way, and Malibu Rum. He has  been featured in some of the leading event technology sites and was  honored as a 2015 40 under 40 Rising Star and received a 2016  Wunderkinds Award by 914 INC Magazine. Together, they gathered up  their seven decades of combined experience in meeting and event planning  and created a registration product that was built by planners, for  planners. Their ethos is that every event deserves a solution that  provides a seamless journey from registration to itineraries, meetings  to payment. And on top of that, it does badges too! Things We Want to Know How did you get into this field? How have you pivoted in your Event Technology through this pandemic? How do you differ from anyone else providing a similar service? Event Tech News: Everyone has a virtual event platform now and we got something cool planned!

Experience Matters Women  leading event tech companies are rare, Black Women leading  event tech companies are few… But those who dare become legends. Such is  the case of our guests Zita Steglich-Ross, CMP and Lori Burke, CMP. Two  amazing EventProfs that are leading the way in online registration with  their company regmatch®. Together, they gathered up their seven  decades of combined experience in meeting and event planning and created  a registration product that was built by planners, for planners. Their  ethos is that every event deserves a solution that provides a seamless  journey from registration to itineraries, meetings to payment. And on  top of that, it does badges too! Things We Want to Know Why was regmatch® created? When did our partnership start? What additional resources does regmatch® offer? About Our Guests: Founders  Zita Steglich-Ross, CMP and Lori L. Burke, CMP developed their expertise  from their heels-on-the-ground experience. Starting from the ground up,  both rose to meeting and convention planning executive roles for  industries including hospitality, government, association,  transportation, healthcare technology, and destination marketing. This  dynamic duo embraced their entrepreneurial spirits after successful  careers in the corporate world. Zita Steglich-Ross created  SteglichRoss.com, a boutique full-service destination and event planning  & marketing company located in Orlando, Florida. Burke started LLB  Enterprises (LLB) in February 1999, offering conference support and  trade show management. Together, they’ve now launched regmatch®  and Badge-Creator, which combines their professional know-how and  commitment to hospitality service. Steglich-Ross is an advisory  board member for the University of Central Florida School of Hospitality  and has previously served as a board member for the African American  Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, Central Florida Urban League and  working with the Florida Hall of Fame Highwaymen Artist, Inc. As an  advocate for small business development, she is the editor of  DiverseCity Orlando – A Multicultural Guide to Orlando which provides  exposure for African American, Hispanic, and Asian small businesses to  visitors to the Orlando community. Burke is a member of  Professional Conference Management Association (PCMA) and Board Member  of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP),  Meeting Professional International (MPI) and American Society of  Association Executives (ASAE) ; she also mentors “first time” members  and lends her services to her church, Alfred Street Baptist Church in  Alexandria, VA.

Just like a mythical perfect storm, two pandemics are currently sweeping  the globe. One is new, never before seen on this earth and has caused  the global economy to come to a crushing halt. The other, centuries old,  continues its long march across the continents spreading its evil into  every corner of society. Together, they form an unlikely duo and as one,  we will rise to the occasion to challenge the status quo or be forever  in their embrace. In this episode, Hosts Tess Vismale and Keith  Johnston discuss Systemic Racism against Black people and COVID-19, the two greatest  challenges the Business Meetings and Events industry have ever faced...  and yes... there will be Event Tech!

There are  people you meet that you instantly forget and then there are people you  meet that you just know in your heart are going to change the world.  Jillian Cardinal is going to make waves in the meetings and events  industry and her enthusiasm for all things events and attendees is  infectious. You walk away from a conversation with her a better person  for just having been in the room. She is full of amazing ideas, knows  how to implement them, and is not afraid to tell it like it is. There were a hundred different ways we could have invited her onto the program, her work as a Sales Manager with JPdL Montréal, as a member of the 2020 PCMA 20 in their Twenties, or for her Smart Women in Meetings “Rising Star Award".  All are topics that could have filled an hour of discussion, but  nah…..we had other ideas because Jillian has a (not so) secret identity. Jillian  is the founder of the EventProfs Book Club which combines her passion  for people, ideating, discussion, facilitation, and of course, books.  What began as an idea a short time ago has evolved and is now a virtual  event and growing community. Jillian has plans to take this concept to  your live and virtual events as a form of member and attendee engagement  that will get people to sit up and pay attention. Some of the things we cover in our interview: Engagement with virtual events can be tough, how does the book club concept stand apart from virtual networking or matchmaking. How can the Book Club concept make the leap to virtual events. Thoughts about virtual events that don’t have a virtual host or moderator and why they should.

Engaging your attendees in any setting is tough and in a virtual  setting, it can seem downright daunting which is why for the next couple  of episodes, we will be focusing on guests that have some unique ideas  that will energize your event. First up is Dusty and Emma from Ink  Factory. If you are not in the know, Ink Factory helps engage your  audience, employees, and clients by bringing content to life through  drawing real-time visual notes at events and meetings.  Some of the things we cover in our interview: What is Ink Factory and how do they do what they do? Why engagement is getting tougher and why it is mission critical to your success. We are huge fans and have witnessed their creations at many events but how does it translate to virtual.

Tech and  marketing go hand in hand, especially in the 21st Century. In this  episode, Tess and Keith chat with Michelle Bergstein of Beat Creative  Marketing, a longtime collaborator and colleague, she is a Digital  Marketer with a passion for designing and implementing social media  campaigns across multiple platforms in the event and hospitality  markets. She is smart, on point, and on of the most fun people we know. Some of the things we cover in our interview: Offering services, sponsorships, or attendance for free – Should you? How to revise your organizations packages from sponsorship to services. Finding your new marketing voice on social media and web. Companies in Event Tech News: The new Microsoft SurfaceGo 2 is on sale, we love them for a lot of things, but not everything. GoDaddy had a security breach. Ugh. Instagram Live is on FIRE, should you throw water on it? Spotify is testing video podcasts, why are they wrecking a good thing? Rose Colored Marketing in the Age of Covid - Adjusting the Lens Our Guest – Michelle Bergstein Her amazing company, BeatCreative Marketing. Connect with her on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. Find BeatCreative on the socials: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instragram, and YouTube.

In this  episode, Keith and Tess get to sit down and chat with the one and only  Mike McAllen, Executive Director of the California Podcast Association  and Podcasting4Associations. Mike is one of the foremost experts about  podcasting and helps membership-based organizations retain and connect  with association members and build revenue-generating podcasts. Topics we dive into: What are a couple of reasons an association might want to start a podcast now? What are some effective ways to grow an audience? What are some of the benefits of taking your podcast on the road to your annual conference? What are some of our thoughts on sponsorship? Companies in Event Tech News: Facebook adding the ability to charge for access to live streams Podcasting for Associations, Conferences, and Events Our Guest – Mike McAllen Find him at Podcasting4Associations His Social Media of Choice – LinkedIn

In this  episode, Tess and Keith have a wide ranging discussion with very special  guest, Congressman Mike Quigley. During the interview, they touch on a  variety of subjects including the Covid-19 crisis, getting the meetings  and events industry back to work, data protection, and more. Keith and  Tess also talk about some industry news. Companies in Event Tech News: Facebook is making moves in video, should Zoom be worried? Like soccer? Tess is digging how Borussia Mönchengladbach fans are filling the stadium without actually being there for the matches. A look at how cruise ships sailed on despite the coronavirus and Keith thinks the industry needs to learn from the cruise-line’s mistakes. An Interview with Congressman Mike Quigley About our Guest Mike  Quigley is the U.S. Representative for Illinois’s 5th congressional  district, serving since the April 7, 2009 special election. The district  includes most of Chicago’s North Side, as well as several of the city’s  western suburbs. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Quigley is a  former member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, where he  represented Chicago’s northside neighborhoods of Lakeview, Uptown, and  Rogers Park. Learn More About Him His Official Website Find him on Social Media – Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter