Two weeks ago, a brave whistleblower came forward and told the world the ugly truth about Facebook. The result? The social network came crashing down and many users decided to abandon the platform once and for all. Since the Brew Crew never shies away from giving their perspective on current events, they decided to talk about social networks: the good, the bad, and the ugly. It's not the first time that the charismatic foursome talked about social media, and it's probably not the last time either. Are social networks dying? Where does that leave business owners? Is social media really as horrible as we make it out to be? After all, aren't we more connected than we've ever been? Tune in and find out what our lovely hosts have to say about social platforms!

Event Brew

Social Networks: Is It Time To Log Off?

What’s brewing, event prof? Have you been reevaluating the events industry lately? If not, you might want to press play and hear out what the Event Brew hosts have to say about that. It seems that our industry changes on a weekly basis; one week, we’re planning a safe return to in-person events, only to be advised to play it safe and pivot to virtual again the next. Our passionate commentators, Will Curran, Nick Borelli, and Dustin Westling, recently had a candid conversation, sparked by one particular question. Will brought up the fact that Rachel Wimberly wrote an article for Trade Show News Network, titled ‘Please Stop Asking if Attendance ‘Was Down’ at Shows Running Right Now‘. He was curious to learn what his co-hosts had to say about that. Do they agree? What does having low attendance say about an event? And most importantly, what brew are they drinking? Tune in and you’ll find out!

Reevaluating The Events Industry: Let’s Ask Better Questions!

It's Thursday, which means it's time to get brewing! Since Thuy had to skip today's episode, it's only the guys who will keep you company today. And what's on the menu? Today's episode is not an event brew, but rather an event stew. Nick, Dustin, and Will share what's on their minds regarding the events industry in 2021. Everything goes! They review some of the biggest summer 2021 events, Nick and Will talk a little bit about the news surrounding virtual event platforms, and Dustin speaks his mind about labor shortages in the events industry (and nearly starts a revolution!). Tune in, it's an episode that flows even better than a morning cup of coffee!

Events Industry In 2021: Caught Between Safety Issues, Acquisitions & Labor Shortages

After a hopeful summer, filled with festivals, industry events, and a whole lot of catching up, event planners and professionals find themselves in a pickle yet again. COVID-19 cases are rising, rules and regulations around COVID-19 compliance for events are changing every month, and now, in-person events are getting canceled left and right all over again. The Brew Crew decided it's high time they share their thoughts about the dramatic return of COVID-19 in 2021 and see how their opinions have shifted since the last time they discussed it. In a conversation that highlights both their knowledge as well as their personalities, Nick, Will, and Thuy dissect how the pandemic has impacted several sectors within the industry: corporate events, social events, and weddings, among others. They conclude that it's not just a health crisis anymore - COVID-19 is, as of 2021, also a PR and an HR issue. So, quickly brew something up and press play!

Summer Is Over & COVID-19 Is Back: Now What?

The Brew Crew is continuing its summer trend of reviewing the industry events! Today, they review The Special Event (TSE) that took place at the Miami Convention Center from July 19th to July 22nd. Thuy, Dustin, and Nick all got to see each other while there. Will transformed into an interviewer, asking the Brew Crew what they loved about the event and what they thought could've been better. This particular Event Brew episode is quick, humorous, and dynamic. Sit back and press play; besides the highlights of TSE + Catersource, you'll find out how hard it is to travel to the States from Canada and what our lovely hosts really think of Miami.

The Brew Crew Reviews TSE + Catersource 2021

The Event Brew crew is on a roll of covering events this summer. Will attended a 15,000-person event and Thuy recently raved about her experience as a virtual attendee at PCMA EduCon 2021. Today is Nick's turn to share his story. In June, he flew to Las Vegas to go to Meeting Professionals International's World Education Congress - or MPI WEC 2021 in short. Granted, it's been two months since he shook hands with fellow event profs in Caesars Forum, but the memories linger on. Nick shares what he loved about it and why he thinks that the event didn't qualify as a proper hybrid event experience. A candid conversation that segues into future predictions about the events industry as well, it's an episode not to be missed!

MPI WEC 2021: Hugs Everywhere!

Since the dawn of civilization, humans have fostered and admired creativity. Being creative is a wonderful feeling, a rush of sorts, and one that pretty much powers the most wonderful things in life. And in many ways, creativity is exactly what’s at the heart of the events industry. Every little piece, every small thought and detail, from the choice of venue to the catering and the experience we want attendees to have must invariably involve some degree of creativity. Perhaps no other instance forced event profs to tap into their creativity more than the COVID-19 pandemic. And well over a year since things completely took a turn, wondering about creativity – what it is, and where it comes from – seems more than pertinent. Well, that’s precisely what the Brew Crew decided to do! And some of their thoughts might challenge many preconceived of your notions. Time to brew something up and get creative!

Event Brew Talks Creativity!

For those who might have missed it, there was an awesome hybrid event happening in Phoenix, Arizona last week: PCMA EduCon: We Are Better Together! As anticipated, it was a huge success and the Event Brew hosts are here to tell the story. Will, Thuy, and Nick revisit PCMA EduCon 2021 and share three different perspectives: one of a co-host, one of a virtual attendee, and one of an educated outside observer. What went right and what went wrong? They spill it all!

PCMA EduCon 2021: A Hybrid Event Done Right!

Will has exciting news to share with Dustin and Thuy today. Last Saturday, he had his first 2021 live event experience when he went to a 15,000-person music festival in Arizona. Wait, what!? And there's more! There were no masks in sight - just people having some good old time. He's ready to spill all the tea about this unforgettable experience and wants to know what his co-hosts have to say about it. Whether you're in B2B, B2C, or you simply love music festivals, this episode offers an insightful glimpse into the future. The brew crew talks about Will's night, current restrictions in the US and Canada, and as always, speculate what the future holds. So, put the kettle on and press play!  

A Glimpse Into The Future: Will Went To A 15,000-Person Event & It Was Awesome!

Our day-to-day lives have changed dramatically in this past year - both on a professional as well as on a personal level. In today's episode of Event Brew, Nick, Thuy, and Will will mostly talk about the latter portion of their lives. They will dive deep into social media and how their opinions about it have changed since the beginning of the pandemic. Since we were mostly confined to the walls of our homes, social media was often the only way we could communicate with one another. But as more time passed, virtual fatigue started weighing us down. Our attitudes about social media have changed, and the brew crew is no exception. So, grab a drink, press play, and let's brew something up!

Here's How Our Opinion On Social Media Has Changed Since The Pandemic!

These are exciting times for the events industry! We are returning to in-person events while fully embracing the biggest lessons we learned from pivoting to virtual events last year. Some might have taken them for granted in the past, but now, events are something everybody feels profoundly grateful for. It's only fitting that in this new era in the history of events industry, a new type of an event prof emerges. Let's put all the technology talk on a side and instead, welcome the holistic event professional with a fresh perspective and mindset. Here are Will, Nick, and Dustin, the beloved Event Brew crew to share what it takes to be such an event prof!

Rejoice: It's The Age Of The Holistic Event Professional!

Networking at in-person events is seamless. It can happen serendipitously: when people bump into each other in the hallway or when they are in the middle of grabbing a cup of coffee. But no such thing is possible when it comes to virtual networking, which is why this is one of the biggest virtual event concerns that event planners deal with. In today's episode, Nick, Will, Dustin, and Chantel reminisce about the olden days when they could strike up a conversation about the weather to get the conversation going. But more importantly, they share what their clients' main concerns regarding virtual networking are and what they have to say to them.

What Makes For A Great Virtual Networking Experience?

In this past year, the events industry has been through quite a shakeup. New trends emerged: we embraced hybrid events, put safety first, and saw an incredible surge in event app platforms. But today, Event Brew hosts, Will Curran and Nick Borelli, bring our attention to a very particular phenomenon: a brain drain in the events industry. Young professionals as well as seasoned event profs are migrating towards technology companies! What skills are they bringing with them? Was the shift going to happen anyways? Is it really a brain drain or is it a step towards a more collaborative approach within the events industry? Tune in and find out what our lovely hosts have to say!

Brain Drain: From In-Person Events To Tech Industry

Oscars 2021 are just around the corner and the producers of the show have announced that attending virtually won't be a possibility this year. Hoping for the event to be inspirational and aspirational, they asked the attendees to come dressed to the nines and leave their casual attires at home.  The Event Brew crew is not sure how they feel about in-person-only Oscars 2021 and the authenticity of the gala event's theme, "Stories Matter". Sure, we are all excited about the idea of attending in-person events again. However, giving attendees no choice but to attend in-person comes across as rather insensitive and exclusionary in these particular times. In today's episode, Thuy, Nick, and Dustin read the letter that the producers had sent the nominees and share their concerns, both as consumers and as event profs.

Oscars 2021: No Zoom Allowed!

Talking about event budgeting can understandably seem daunting and confusing. What even goes into organizing an event and how can we know for sure that we can trust a certain event production company? The trusted hosts of Event Brew are not afraid to talk about budgets, though, so neither should be you! In today's Event Brew podcast, Will encourages Dustin, Nick, and Thuy to talk candidly about event budgeting. They approach the matter from the perspectives of both the event planners as well as the production companies. They explore the reasons behind the fear and distrust that often accompanies conversations about money and prove that it doesn't have to be that way. When partnerships are built on trust, budgeting conversations can be just as exciting as discussions about engagement strategies.

Let's Talk About Event Budgeting!

Event Brew is the podcast where event pros from different backgrounds talk about the latest, most controversial, and interesting topics dominating the minds of the industry right now. This is a candid conversation the likes of which can only otherwise be found late at night in host hotel lobby bars during industry conferences. So relax and drop in on what event pros really say when no one else is around.

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Event Brew

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