Inside Events by Swapcard

“I think that events are actually one of the main driving forces of engagement.” In our latest podcast we sit down with Scott Gould and take a deep dive into the concept of engagement. Whether it’s event or community engagement ideas, this discussion will open your eyes to a world of possibilities. Our guest Scott Gould, Consultant & Speaker on Engagement *******************************************************************************  GET SOCIAL Twitter Inside Events Podcast: https://twitter.com/TheEventProfs  Twitter Swapcard: https://twitter.com/Swapcard  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swap...  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Swapcard/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swapcard/ ******************************************************************************Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

“The world is changing and the impossible is happening” On our latest podcast, industry experts Shawna McKinley and Guy Bigwood join us for an eye-opening and timely discussion on sustainability and the future of events. Tune in and find out what they have to say about the shift to virtual caused by COVID-19 and what it means for our carbon footprint, how innovation in the event industry and sustainability work hand-in-hand, 3 top issues to focus on when it comes to the carbon footprint of your attendees, and why there’s no need to panic about the future, instead focus on productivity.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

With decades of experience managing and mitigating risk at both hybrid and in-person events, Paul Cook of the Hybrid Event Centre joins Swapcard’s Bob Chain and Mia Masson to discuss all things risk management in a post-pandemic events world. Our Guest Paul Cook, Hybrid & Virtual Events Producer & Consultant   *******************************************************************************  GET SOCIAL Twitter Inside Events Podcast: https://twitter.com/TheEventProfs  Twitter Swapcard: https://twitter.com/Swapcard  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swap...  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Swapcard/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swapcard/ ******************************************************************************Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Kyle Kocinski of Endless Events  joins the Swapcard team to talk all things community.  Drawing from experience, the discussion includes: the pros and cons of community, how the events world can approach community building,  tips on monetizing communities, and more.   Kyle reminds us that a community platform simply serves as “a new tool for your organization to funnel their engagements throughout the year,” and that ultimately the goal is for members to promote “your community to their personal community.”     *******************************************************************************  GET SOCIAL Twitter Inside Events Podcast: https://twitter.com/TheEventProfs  Twitter Swapcard: https://twitter.com/Swapcard  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swap...  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Swapcard/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swapcard/ ******************************************************************************Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Carina tells it like it is. She’s not afraid to take risks and push the boundaries of creativity to immerse attendees in the experiences her team is creating. In this episode, she dishes on the hopes for Novembers’ IMEX show in Vegas and goes into some detail about their upcoming digital activations. IMEX is leading the industry in original virtual ideas such as gamification. You might just get some ideas for your next event! Carina also discusses the role of technology in the future of events and how IMEX is convincing exhibitors to follow them down the road less traveled.Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Hayley joined the Swapcard team to talk about opening up safely and her tips and advice didn’t disappoint. She detailed the challenges and requirements for Informa’s upcoming 30,000-person physical event and discusses how marketing tactics have changed since pre-COVID times. Hayley also mentions how Informa is using data and analytics to plan for the future and what safety measures they’re putting in place, including having a so-called “COVID manager”!Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of Inside Events, your host, Bob Chain, interviews Lori H. Schwartz & Thom Singer about the potential and challenges of hybrid events. Lori and Thom deliver concrete tips on training speakers to engage both audiences, attendee experience, delivering value for sponsors and more at hybrid events. Sure, hybrid events can help organizers reach a much larger global audience than an in-person event offers, and can leverage technology to facilitate engagement all year long. But there's a lot of mystery surrounding the ins & outs of actually engaging 2 different audiences. Listen now to find out how!Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC)'s Executive Director Patty Olinger joins Swapcard's in-house podcast, Inside Events for a special live recording with the Evolve 2.0 Audience. Bob and Patty will be discussing how we can be best prepared for when things go "back to normal" - even if it's a new normal. Topics will include:   Recognize the importance of a scalable response. Responding to “now” and being prepared for the "next". What is GBAC advising their partners to promote 'frictionless activities'. How technology can help support key initiatives and drive the future of tradeshows. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Going Global – How hybrid experiences are allowing organizers to reach new audiences. 2020 taught us that with the adoption of digital-first experiences, our reach as organizers can be greater than ever. This can pose endless opportunities for traditionally regionalized events to expand and reach new markets, increasing their community and network of buyers/sellers. This incredible opportunity also opens the door to potential challenges such as connecting across multiple cultures and staying true to your organization's brand identity.  With this in mind, we were excited to speak with two global experts for our first episode of 2021. Carolene and John share their real-world experience planning and organizing experiences across multiple regions and cultures. They also dive into strategies on how to approach in-person vs. virtual experiences, and how they can tie together in a cohesive hybrid experience to connect organizers to the audience in meaningful ways. Our Guest(s)… Carolene Méli – Experience Strategist @ Carolene Méli Consulting Carolene is helping businesses create exceptional experiences for their employees and their guests through inspiring workshops, speaking and 1:1 consulting. She has spent the last 10 years on tour with Cirque du Soleil running front of house departments in 17 different countries and over 50 different cities worldwide. Her specialty was VIP events and loved seamlessly intertwining surprise, curiosity, and wonderment with a touch of luxury into each experience. Her love for leading young, passionate teams led her to devise and roll out a successful employee development program for touring employees as well as countless standalone leadership workshops for Cirque du Soleil. She also ran the entertainment team on a cruise ship, bringing previously unheard-of personal development initiatives to the department. If you happen to be in a conversation with Carolene, it is highly likely that within the first minute together she will tell you that: ‘One great experience can change someone’s world’. Website - Linkedin John Pistotti – Experience Architect – Endless Events For more than 10 years John has managed complex event logistics at hotels, universities, convention centers, and outdoor venues. His hospitality career began working with the banquets team at the Playboy Mansion. He worked as a volunteer for the UCLA Jazz Reggae Festival, and then Sacramento State UNIQUE, before working as an event coordinator and eventually Technical Director at the Hard Rock Hotel San Diego for corporate events, and EDM/Hip Hop concerts like Benny Benassi, David Guetta, Nas, and Lil' Jon. His experiences as an event manager, DJ, photographer, videographer, marketing designer, and sales professional led him to his role as an Experience Architect with Endless Events, helping deliver virtual and hybrid event solutions for his clients. LinkedIn ******************************************** GET SOCIAL Twitter Inside Events Podcast Twitter Swapcard Linkedin Facebook ********************************************Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

While there’s no question 2020 has been tremendously challenging for tradeshow and exhibitions, this portion of the meetings and events industry seems to be uniquely positioned to get back to business faster than business meetings based on the safety guidelines and protocols that have been established. Additionally, with the ability to schedule appointments and spread out the events in large ballrooms and convention halls--it’s a matter of spacing it properly based on occupancy.   SISO is an organization that was founded 30 years ago for “for-profit” show organizers to have an independent voice separate from association shows. This past year they partnered with the Go LIVE Together initiative to help drive local, state, and federal legislative actions that will be critical to our ability to put millions of people back to work while helping with economic recovery.   David gives us great insight into how this portion of the industry is positioned.   Make sure to register for Evolve 2.0, the new 3-day event by Swapcard, which will be focused on virtual *and* hybrid events, happening February 23rd-25th, with sessions, roundtables, networking, a job board. Register and get more information at evolve.swapcard.com.    Our Guest…   David Audrain, Executive Director, Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) and CEO & Partner of Exposition Development Company, Inc.   Having more than 27 years of Exhibition Management experience in many different markets, David has remained focused on delivering leading events in the markets he’s served through the delivery of compelling content, outstanding marketing outreach, and working with the most reliable & competent partners.   Some of his specialties are: excellence in exhibition management, new show launches, revitalizing established shows, international business development, and building and training phenomenal staff teams.      *******************************************************************************  GET SOCIAL Twitter Inside Events Podcast: https://twitter.com/TheEventProfs  Twitter Swapcard: https://twitter.com/Swapcard  Twitter Megan Powers: https://twitter.com/meganpowers  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swap...  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Swapcard/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swapcard/ ******************************************************************************Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

At the time we recorded this episode at EventTechLive, IAEE was planning their December EXPO! EXPO! conference as a hybrid event. Due to health and safety measures, they made the difficult decision to put the event completely online. Here’s some more information about it.   While there have been some industry events in person this fall, moving events online continues to be a necessity around the world at this time. Hybrid events are also happening in some parts of the world, which provides an opportunity to include participants who may have never attended your event before. Bottom line with having people in person again, there is a “duty of care” that event organizers must adhere to so everyone feels safe.   Bringing this “show for shows” experience online -- and giving exhibitors the “white glove treatment” -- is of huge importance to Nicole and her team, and they spent a ton of time developing their processes for this. Nicole makes a great point about the necessity of putting more effort into mapping out the attendee experience to ensure your participants get the most out of the event in a virtual environment.   Our Guest…   Nicole Bowman is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the International Association of Exhibitions and Events® (IAEE).    She’s responsible for developing and managing all marketing functions of IAEE, including association branding and event marketing, as well as creating and executing the comprehensive strategic marketing plan for all IAEE initiatives including chapter relations, membership, councils, events and advocacy initiatives. BIG JOB!!   Register for IAEE’s Virtual EXPO! EXPO!       *******************************************************************************  GET SOCIAL Twitter Inside Events Podcast: https://twitter.com/TheEventProfs  Twitter Swapcard: https://twitter.com/Swapcard  Twitter Megan Powers: https://twitter.com/meganpowers  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swap...  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Swapcard/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swapcard/ ******************************************************************************   Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Hearing opinions or theories about how to plan events is one thing. Hearing from those in the trenches about HOW it actually works is so much more valuable! Our guests in this episode don’t do anything “normally” in our industry and it works.   They were inspired to inspire with the Age of Conversation Summit, which was planned by ten event professionals (who were paid), and pulled off by about 100 volunteers. ALL IN SIX WEEKS TIME. Providing a forum like this for event profs to get their “virtual event chops” when they haven’t had the chance before was a gift for them and for the participants.   So much goodness around this event! Learn what they learned, how they did it, and what’s next.   You can still get access to the content and the INCREDIBLE resources (listen to hear what they are!) for just $20 USD - go to HauteDokimazo.com.    Our Guests...   Liz Lathan, CMP - CEO and Co-Founder of Haute Dokimazo Liz is a professional virtual event emcee, corporate event & experiential marketer who's obsessed with applying modern marketing principles to a segment of the marketing industry that has historically been an afterthought. Liz has led event marketing strategy and teams at Fortune 500 companies and consults with small and medium businesses on how to optimize their events within their broader marketing program. All of this brought her to being a Haute Dokimazo facilitator.     Nicole Osibudo - President and Co-Founder of Haute Dokimazo | Virgin's Biggest Fan (Unofficially official) Nicole is a huge fan of listicles and has a work history that includes teaching event planning at SDSU, running her own event design business, and working for several production companies before landing where she belongs in a Haute Dokimazo world.   Don’t forget to register for Evolve Community Series by Swapcard, live on October 28th about Producing Content for Virtual Events!   *******************************************************************************  GET SOCIAL Twitter Inside Events Podcast: https://twitter.com/TheEventProfs  Twitter Swapcard: https://twitter.com/Swapcard  Twitter Megan Powers: https://twitter.com/meganpowers  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swap...  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Swapcard/  Instagram: Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

We absolutely can monetize events through ticket sales, exhibitor sales, and sponsorships, even when the events are being held ONLINE. There’s actually NO reason for you to be giving these events away, and our guests Liz King Caruso and Scott Oser have both worked with clients to do just that!   Their experience over the last several months is enlightening.     There are creative ways to monetize online events, and even make them profitable. Collecting money and being profitable are also NOT the same thing, and this episode of Inside Events explores the possibilities.    We recorded this show live during the Age of Conversation Summit, with about 40 participants on-hand.   The Evolve Community Series will continue on September 29 where they will also speak about monetizing online and hybrid events. Register today! Our guests...   Liz (King) Caruso Liz is an Event Specialist, Consultant & Speaker who is passionate about impactful, successful & fun events. Liz launched Liz King Events while still running events FT for Columbia University and quickly became a thought leader/influencer amongst her peers after voraciously sharing content on event best practices.   Liz works with thought leaders like Ramit Sethi, Microsoft, SeatGeek, Teamworthy Ventures, Ramon Ray and many others to host strategic conferences and events that engage their audience, build their brand and sell their products and services.   Scott Oser  President of Scott Oser AssociatesScott has more than 20 years of membership, marketing and sales experience. Since launching his firm over 15 years ago he’s been fortunate to work with some incredible trade and individual membership associations. Throughout his career, Scott has excelled in developing, implementing, and analyzing multi-channel membership, marketing and sales programs. Recently he has succeeded in helping a number of event planners transition their exhibitors and sponsorship programs from in-person to virtual.    *******************************************************************************  GET SOCIAL Twitter Inside Events Podcast: https://twitter.com/TheEventProfs  Twitter Swapcard: https://twitter.com/Swapcard  Twitter Megan Powers: https://twitter.com/meganpowers  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swapcard/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Swapcard/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swapcard/ *********************************************************************...Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Our 3-day online Evolve Conference in May was such a hit, we decided to give the Community what they asked for -- MORE of this great content. This is the first of what will be many episodes to come in the Evolve Community Series. It’s also still available online if you’d like to join the community! Both guests were perfect for this first session covering online and hybrid events. Previously on Inside Events episode six, Brian Fanzo was a natural pick for this first session, as he had spoken at more than 40 online events at the time of our recording. Preet Singh was also a perfect panelist after just having successfully held a huge online conference (that he monetized!) for his community. In this lively discussion a few things emerged as themes: do not underestimate the power of community and creating year-round engagement, remember the HUMAN side to our events, which can also come through strongly online, and it IS possible to bring a big event online and monetize it. Our next Evolve Community Series session will be in September, so keep an eye out for that info.   Our Guests...   Brian Fanzo Pager-Wearing Millennial Keynote SpeakerBrian inspires, motivates, and educates businesses on how to leverage emerging technologies and digital marketing – to stand out from the noise and engage with customers of all ages. He has a diverse background working for the Department of Defense in cybersecurity… then as a technology evangelist at a booming cloud computing startup… and is currently the Founder of iSocialFanz, which has helped launch digital and influencer strategies with the world’s most iconic brands like Dell, EMC, Adobe, IBM, UFC, Applebees, and SAP.    Brian’s also a dad of three girls, he hosts two podcasts, has traveled to over 70 countries, and has spoken at many of the world's largest events including South By Southwest, Social Media Marketing World, Consumer Electronics Show, and Mobile World Congress.   Preet SinghFounder - DesignX.Community, Design Leadership Summit Preet is a civil engineer turned design & product strategist, with a passion for community building. He is the founder of DesignX, one of North America’s largest and fastest growing UX & Design communities with chapters in Toronto, Vancouver, NYC, Amsterdam. He recently put together one of the largest virtual conferences on Design: Remote Design Week. Preet has had the privilege of working with clients spanning corporates, unicorns to early-stage startups – Chan Zuckerberg Foundation, Quicken Loans, Xero, TeamViewer, Teespring, Miami Ad School, Couchsurfing, and many more. Preet lives with his wife, 5 month old and two cats who do not get along - in Toronto, Canada.   *******************************************************************************  GET SOCIAL Twitter Inside Events Podcast: https://twitter.com/TheEventProfs  Twitter Swapcard: https://twitter.com/Swapcard  Twitter Megan Powers: https://twitter.com/meganpowers  Linkedin: Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

We’re kicking off season two of Inside Events with a different and important conversation.   On the heels of the Covid-19 pandemic, the civil revolution that has emerged in the United States has sparked an initiative to amplify Black voices. This isn’t something only needed in the U.S., but throughout the world, and in the meetings & events and tourism industries. Host Megan Powers and Swapcard consider themselves allies. They wanted to start Season 2 with a conversation about how our industry can -- and should -- do better by our Black colleagues.   Tess Vismale has a very diverse background as an event professional and is particularly adept in event tech. Our other guest is Alana Dillette who teaches at a university in San Diego while focusing her research on understanding how systemic racism has shaped the hospitality and tourism industry. On this episode, we bring the profession and academia together, while having an honest conversation about necessary change.  Every positive change has to start somewhere, and this is an excellent start.    Our Guests...   Alana Dillette Dr. Alana Dillette is an Assistant Professor in the Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at San Diego State University where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses with a specific focus on leadership development. Her research interests include exploring issues around diversity and inclusion in the hospitality and tourism industry. More specifically, she studies the intersection between tourism, race, gender & ethnicity and is a leader with Tourism RESET as an initiative coordinator.  Currently, she is working on research to gain a better understanding of how systemic racism has shaped the hospitality and tourism industry for Black travelers and professionals. Dr. Dillette works to continue building bridges between industry and academia and can also be found online in publications such as "The Conversation" and "The Trip Doctor podcast.”   Tourism RESET   Hospitality & Tourism Management Program at SDSU  National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH) Links to online features: The Conversation article; The Trip Doctor - Travelling While Black   Tess Vismale Miss Vismale is an award-winning Chief Event Executioner & Event Technologist for iSocialExecution, Inc., an event execution firm, Tech Whisperer for live events for DAHLIA+ AGENCY, #EventTechPullUp Podcast Co-Host, Virtual Event Superhero, and a Speaker. For years she has educated the business events industry on EventTech. Tess is the first Black person in the inaugural class in her industry to receive the Digital Event Strategist Certification (DES). Tess thrives virtually AND face-to-face, managing event logistics and tech merged with events. She is a Live Virtual Event Associate with ExecOnline. She was recognized as a member of Connect Association magazine’s “15 Over 50.” This honor highlights the top professionals in the events industry. Tess is a Certified Meeting Professional, Digital Event Strategist, and stage manager for TEDxPeachtree (9yrs). National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals - https://ncbmp.com   ********...

Sometimes you just have to go for it. Having never planned an event before, the Swapcard team decided they were going to hold an online conference experience for the meetings and events industry. As the coronavirus pandemic hit the world, it hit our industry particularly hard… And it quickly became obvious we have to EVOLVE.   And so, the Evolve Conference was born!   We’ve all experienced many online meetings, webinars, and conferences through this time period, and one thing is certain -- the need for GOOD online conferences is not going away. When done well, they are a very FULL and enriching experience, complete with education and networking.   Isaïe Simonnet was on the production team from EPEAK Studio, which was behind helping bring the event to life, and Damien’s team at Swapcard planned the event. Isaïe and Damien walk us through the planning and execution of Evolve, including the lessons learned, which will surely help our entire industry learn how to execute a successful online experience.   Evolve by the numbers… 4000+ registrations 3000+ attendees 15hrs+ of content 30+ speakers Average session rating: 4.2 / 5 96% of the attendees said they learned new things 10,000+ conversations took place over the course of the three days 61% said they will stay in touch with their new contacts   You can still sign-up and access the content: Swapcard’s Evolve Conference And Download Swapcard's free Ebook: "We Organized a Virtual Event With 4,000+ Attendees in 45 Days. Here's What We Learned."   Our Guests    Isaïe Simonnet Co-Founder, CTO at EPEAK studio.  Isaïe’s favorite motto is "Everything is a service, Service is everything!" Isaïe is a seasoned entrepreneur with a solid technical background. Passionate about new technology, he’s spent over a decade creating solutions for video production and live-streaming. His entrepreneurship journey is a relentless mission to solve challenges within the event, live & broadcast and technology industries. Isaïe’s expertise ranges from hardware products designed to support innovation in the PC industry, to services to bring the event industry to the next level. His company EPEAK Studio is a content powerhouse with over 10 years of experience in video production, live streaming, and global event management.   Damien Courbon COO, Co-Founder of Swapcard Swapcard is an event engagement app, helping B2B event organizers increase interactions and encounters within their audience, and leverage the power of data to improve their events. Launched in 2014, Swapcard now operates in 4 countries and works with industry leaders such as Informa, Clarion, GL Event, Comexposium, and Dubai World Trade Center.   *******************************************************************************  GET SOCIAL Twitter Inside Events Podcast: https://twitter.com/TheEventProfs  Twitter Swapcard: https://twitter.com/Swapcard  Twitter Megan Powers: https://twitter.com/meganpowers  Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this bonus episode, which was recorded and filmed during Swapcard’s first virtual event: Evolve, Megan chats to Jan Alessie and Kimberly Hardcastle about the role of marketing and communication in the emerging and fast-developing world of virtual and hybrid events.  The way we market and communicate about our events is changing, especially because of the current COVID-19 pandemic, and shifting to online is happening at record pace. Shifting our focus to building global communities that are active all year long is a MUST right now. Kimberly talks about how we can draw inspiration from the marketing strategies of successful brands outside of the events industry. Jan emphasizes the importance of promoting engagement during online events, because even if initial registration figures are high, a passive audience shouldn’t be the goal. The trio discusses the ultimate marketing methods to ensure a successful, valuable and unforgettable virtual event. They dive into how to pick the goals for your event and how to deliver specific value propositions to key groups within your audience. And it doesn’t stop there! They go on to discuss how to promote your event in the weeks leading up and what the best way is to attract a maximum number of attendees.   Our Guests    Kimberly Hardcastle Chief Marketing Strategist, MDG As chief marketing strategist of the leading marketing and public relations agency specializing in B2B events in the United States, Hardcastle and her team provide solutions that increase attendance and exhibitor participation for several of the largest and most successful events (in-person and online) in the country. Kimberly has worked in both the United States and Europe, holds an MSBA with an emphasis in Marketing and has 20 years of industry experience. She is an IAEE Krakoff Leaders Institute alumna, the columnist in PCMA Convene magazine, a presenter of industry seminars on strategic market planning, and is a recipient of IAEE’s Educator of the Year Award and Trade Show Executive’s Marketing Genius Award.   Jan Alessie Director, World Football Summit Co-founder and Director of World Football Summit, an international event that in 4 years has consolidated itself as a reference for the global football industry. Jan is also the founder of Nexus Fostering Partnership, the company responsible for the development of World Football Summit. Senior consultant, content producer and promotion specialist with over 15 years experience across international markets, Jan has worked in Latin America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East identifying and building partnerships at the highest level of foreign governments and the private sector, organizing high profile investment forums, negotiating and closing commercial deals, producing branded content, managing global media projects and leading commercial teams.     *******************************************************************************  GET SOCIAL Twitter Inside Events Podcast: https://twitter.com/TheEventProfs  Twitter Swapcard: https://twitter.com/Swapcard  Twitter Megan Powers: Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Our guests on this show are two women who are quite experienced in the meetings and events industry, and particularly with #eventtech. When asked just about every question on this show, they provided such insightful (and many times surprising) answers! The industry has been talking so much about tools, tools, tools through this transition of taking our events online, but not much has been discussed about the strategy and creativity involved, so we cover that.  When asked “What is the TOP lesson you believe event organizers have learned so far through all of this?” -- they did not reply with an expected answer. Michelle and Dahlia give us the straight talk… This is a MUST-listen-to conversation for our industry.   Swapcard’s Evolve Conference - May 12-14, 2020 Our Guests    Michelle Bruno President of Bruno Group Signature Services, and Publisher of Event Tech Brief / Technical Marketing Writer | Technology Journalist | Publisher | Content Marketer | #EventTech 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.   Dahlia El GazzarFounder of Dahlia+AgencyDahlia has an OMG-attitude about all things tech and audience engagement solutions. With more than a decade of experience in the meetings and events sector, working on both the professional planning side and as an association collaborator, Dahlia is known as the coffee-fuelled ‘go-to’ source for trend-setting solutions, tech news, and social media expertise.   Her mission is to untether the busy professional from their desktop and office and enable them to be more efficient and productive working from a beach in Mexico [umbrella drink in hand] through their mobile device utilizing smart solutions and apps. *******************************************************************************  GET SOCIAL Twitter Inside Events Podcast: https://twitter.com/TheEventProfs  Twitter Swapcard: https://twitter.com/Swapcard  Twitter Megan Powers: https://twitter.com/meganpowers  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swap...  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Swapcard/  Instagram: Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

We recorded this episode on Global Meetings Industry Day (#GMID20), where poignant data emerged from more than 7,000 survey responses during the online meetings. Megan discusses this data with guests Kiki L’Italien of  Association Chat and Godefroy de Francs of Swapcard. They also talk about the impact of the global health situation on the Association market and how technology can help the industry become more sustainable in the future.   Link share mentions: Swapcard’s Evolve Conference, May 12-14, 2020 Godfrey’s online game mentioned - Kahoot!   Our Guests  Kiki L’Italien Founder & CEO of Amplified Growth & host of Association Chat  As CEO and Host for Association Chat, an online community and media platform for the association industry, KiKi L’Italien reaches over 72k industry professionals monthly. Amplified Growth is a DC-based digital marketing consultancy specializing in SEO, social media, and content strategy for associations and commercial clients. Kiki is a creative, analytical, image, and trust expert with over twenty years of experience in organizational positioning, reaching key audiences while driving revenue.   Godefroy des Francs CPO & Co-Founder of Swapcard Godefroy’s job is to facilitate the best customer experience for Swapcard customers. He’s working on product management & design to bring great UX and a “cool factor” to the app! He graduated in Business Management & Finance, and then learned code and Web design on his own… He then co-founded Swapcard: a networking platform for business events.He manages a great tech team of 15 awesome and talented developers. He’s in charge of the product: strategy, design, and experience. He loves mobile tech, great UX, and entrepreneurs. *******************************************************************************  GET SOCIAL Twitter Inside Events Podcast: https://twitter.com/TheEventProfs  Twitter Swapcard: https://twitter.com/Swapcard  Twitter Megan Powers: https://twitter.com/meganpowers  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swap...  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Swapcard/  Instagram: Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

We were blessed to have one of the industry’s TOP thought leaders in experience design with us today! In this episode, we discuss “intentional event design” with our guest, Tahira, and what goes into designing a transformative experience. We talk about an article Tahira wrote for MPI about the distribution challenges we have with food and our events and we question how the industry can help achieve zero hunger. We also discuss the state of event technology and innovation. ///  Guest BIOS    Tahira Endean CMP, DES, CEDWriter, speaker, connector, collaborator. Tahira is designing people-centric, purpose driven events, living in Vancouver, BC. She is head of Events at SITE global (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence). The more complicated the event seems, the more useful she will be to you! Developing events for our industry peers allows her to bring creative energy to events and use the combination of ubiquitous technology and human nature to create relevance for our participants.  Tahira’s book, Intentional Event Design, Our Professional Opportunity, was written from two decades of experience producing events and designing environments where trust is nurtured, driving growth for participants and organizations. She is an Instructor, Certified Event Designer, and Digital Event Strategist. http://intentionaleventdesign.ca Matthew Donegan-RyanGeneral Manager at Swapcard. Empowering face to face meetings at events through artificial intelligence powered apps. Matthew Donegan-Ryan has been a pioneering entrepreneur in the event industry since 2005. Matthew has a history of creating and growing innovative event technology businesses and spurring widespread adoption by meeting professionals. Matthew has helped lead two previous companies to successful acquisitions: CrowdCompass by Cvent and Thriva by the Active Network. *******************************************************************************  GET SOCIAL Twitter Inside Events Podcast: https://twitter.com/TheEventProfs  Twitter Swapcard: https://twitter.com/Swapcard  Twitter Megan Powers: https://twitter.com/meganpowers  Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swap...  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Swapcard/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swapcard/ ****************************************************************************** Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.