Host: David Adler Guest: Colin Cowie In this episode of GatherGeeks, BizBash founder and chairman David Adler sits down with event industry icon Colin Cowie to discuss his new book, The Gold Standard: Giving Your Customers What They Didn’t Know They Wanted. Through compelling anecdotal-style stories, Cowie's new book is a must-read to make sure your business stands out in this ever-changing world, diving into ways to up your game to think about the intangibles that separate you from your competition. This episode is a one-man masterclass on doing it right, explaining how Cowie is using event thinking in all aspects of the hospitality, retail and service industries. He and Adler also explore themes of passion, elegance, failure, style, conflict resolution and the power of proactive customer service. Click here to order Cowie's new book.  Sponsored by Ticketbud. Running time 40:00.

Gathergeeks by Bizbash

A Masterclass in Making Your Business Stand Out in an Ever-Changing World (Episode 210)

In this episode of GatherGeeks, BIzBash founder and chairman David Adler chats with Connor Stewart, the director of social media at mdg, a marketing and public relations agency specializing in audience acquisition for live and online events. Stewart offers case studies of the influencer marketing strategy for B-to-B events like FabTech, a trade show for the welding industry—proving that the practice isn’t just for consumer brands and big-level celebrities. The duo gives an overview of why tapping into paid influencers and micro-influencers is so effective for events, and how to find the right partners for your brand. They also do deep dive into how to execute these new must-use marketing strategies—sharing the processes, tools and measurements needed to justify the expense. Sponsored by Ticketbud. Running time 43:22.

How Micro-Influencer Marketing Can Play a Role in Any Type of Event

Host: David Adler Guest: Christina Matteucci In this episode of GatherGeeks, we're bringing you another live presentation from BizBash's hybrid conference in Las Vegas. BizBash founder and chairman David Adler introduces Christina Matteucci, executive director of David Beahm Experiences, who discusses how number-twos will lead the post-COVID bounce back. Like celebrity event designer David Beahm, successful entrepreneurs have become veritable superheroes in American culture. However, data suggests that society’s obsession with entrepreneurship as the vehicle for professional recognition could spell disaster for the future of the U.S. workforce in a post-COVID landscape—if the struggle for acknowledgment continues to wipe out the value of collaboration. From unifying the political divide to healing race relations to solving our global climate crisis, solutions for our world’s biggest problems won’t come from one hero—they’ll be the product of many minds working together. The prototype for that alliance begins in the workplace; it begins with the “number twos.” In this educational discussion, Matteucci, aka "TeucciMama," will show us why we should be giving a second thought to our second in command. Running time: 50:50. Sponsored by Evolution Event Solutions.

The Power of Being Second in Command

Host: David Adler, Cathy Song Novelli Guests: Dahlia El Gazzar, Sara Gorlick, Robert Thompson In this special sponsored edition of GatherGeeks, BizBash founder and chairman David Adler teams up with Cathy Song Novelli, SVP of marketing and communications at virtual and hybrid events software platform Hubilo, to host an in-depth discussion on the new strategies for events and meetings. The pair chats with Dahlia El Gazzar, an event industry veteran and tech expert; Sara Gorlick, vice president of events at Rakuten Americas; and Robert Thompson, VP of sales at AV Canada. This international group of planners and vendors takes off their gloves to frankly discuss the new purpose for events and how that's changed and evolved in the virtual and hybrid world and again with the rise of the Delta variant. They also dive into the importance of merging content, contact, community, intimacy and activism from all participants, as well as why event organizing is about managing feelings more than anything else. This episode is a must-listen for anyone planning events and meetings in our new normal.   Running time: 53:54. Sponsored by Hubilo. 

The New Strategies for Events and Meetings

Host: David Adler Guest: Ronnie Yoked In this episode of GatherGeeks, we're bringing you another live conversation that took place at BizBash's hybrid conference in Las Vegas. BizBash founder and chairman David Adler sits down with Ronnie Yoked, head of experiential for Anheuser-Busch, named one of BizBash’s Most Innovative Brands in Events in 2020. Yoked offers an in-depth look at how the mega brand thinks about marketing and events, including how that strategy has changed during the pandemic, work the team has done to support struggling businesses, ways they’ve parlayed existing programs into digital in addition to creating new ones, and much more. Yoked also discusses her shift in focus from experiential marketing to “experience marketing,” how she measures the success of a virtual program, the shifts she predicts for the future and much more. Sponsored by Ticketbud. Running time: 32:33.

Case Study: How Anheuser-Busch Has Created Innovative Events During the Pandemic (Episode 207)

Host: David Adler Guests: Carla Ruben, Joseph Cozza, Thomas Whelan, Kasha Mackelprang, Ezekiel Bronfman In this episode of GatherGeeks, we're bringing you another live conversation that took place at BizBash's hybrid conference in Las Vegas. BizBash founder and chairman David Adler hosts an informative discussion on how the industry is collectively curating new ideas to make meetings and events memorable and safe. He's joined virtually by Creative Edge Catering's Carla Ruben, and in-person by JVC Catering & Event Consulting's Joseph Cozza, Levy Convention Centers' Thomas Whelan, Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa's Kasha Mackelprang, and XED Beverage Company founder Ezekiel Bronfman. The group traces the history of event catering, followed by what's hot now (and how they're accomplishing it with COVID-related restrictions) and what trends will take over in the future.  Sponsored by Ticketbud.

The New Culinary Experience: What's Hot in Food and Beverage Now

Host: David Adler Guests: Mike Sokoloff, 6Connex & Adam Rosen, University of Southern California In this special sponsored episode of GatherGeeks, BizBash founder and chairman David Adler chats with Mike Sokoloff, director of sales for 6Connex, and Adam Rosen, associate vice president of cultural relations and university events for the University of Southern California (USC). The group digs into the future to understand how the integration of IRL and virtual platforms work in a hybrid world and shares practical, real-life solutions on how to use virtual and live events separately and together, as well as how clients and suppliers can work together to experiment and create experiences that generate a sense of belonging. They also discuss how 6Connex’s platform offers smart strategies for engagement, sponsor integration, multiscreen engagement and more for virtual, live and hybrid events like USC’s commencement ceremonies, which included an immersive and interactive "virtual campus." 

The New World of Integrated Live Events with Virtual Technology

Host: David Adler Guest: Kudzi Chikumbu, Brian Feit In this episode of GatherGeeks, we're bringing you another live conversation that took place at BizBash's recent conference in Las Vegas. BizBash chairman and founder David Adler sat down with Kudzi Chikumbu, the director of creator community at TikTok, and Brian Feit, founder of New York-based creative marketing agency BMF. The pair has partnered over the last year to discover what the next generation of attendees and users really want, and they shared their insights during this captivating session. They also share case studies of TikTok events they've produced, why authenticity is everything, why music is so powerful in event creation, how TikTok has impacted event engagement and much more. Sponsored by Ticketbud. 

TikTok and Fresh Paradigms for Event Engagement

Host: David Adler Guest: Dawn Penfold In this episode of GatherGeeks, we're bringing you a live conversation that took place at BizBash's recent conference in Las Vegas, held in late May. BizBash chairman and founder David Adler sat down with event and meeting hiring guru Dawn Penfold, president of Meetingjobs. The pair discusses the event industry's job landscape post-COVID, sharing tips for both job-seekers and employers about the most in-demand roles right now, the skillsets and personality traits most needed, best practices for virtual interviews and more. Penfold also explains where and how employers can find good talent right now, the challenges businesses are facing in terms of hiring, her predictions for the future and much more. Running time: 29:49. Sponsored by iVent.

Tips for Finding Talent During Challenging Times

Host: David Adler Guest: Sam Kolbert-Hyle In this special sponsored episode of GatherGeeks, BizBash chairman and founder David Adler sits down with Sam Kolbert-Hyle, the president and CEO of Brandlive, who shares how his company has helped major corporations add the right polish to their live and virtual presentations. He explains how his team has developed the sense of a high-end television studio in a very accessible Greenroom product, and also shares a wide variety of tech and engagement tips for virtual events—including why you should over-prepare for big production moments, why you should never start your event on time, what the most important part of a virtual event is, how he stays calm during high-stress moments and more. An added bonus? Listen for some fun, behind-the-scenes insights from Brandlive’s work on the Biden campaign in 2020.  Running time: 51:29

A Masterclass in Producing Sophisticated Virtual Events That Your Audience Will Never Forget

Hosts: David Adler, RD Whitney Guests: Liz Irving, Paul Treanor This episode of GatherGeeks is a collaborative show between BizBash, the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) and Event Relief 2021, Dan Assor’s 24-hour vodcast that raised funds for the nonprofit EventWell in March. BizBash chairman and founder David Adler teams up with RD Whitney, the founder of 365 Media, to host an event producers’ roundtable featuring Liz Irving, executive vice president and head of marketing at Clarion Events North America, and Paul Treanor, senior manager of content and community at Informa. The group of industry veterans discusses the evolving world of virtual and hybrid events, sharing the unvarnished truth about what they’ve learned about events and exhibitions over the last 13 months. They also share why event producers should consider themselves community-builders, discussing how to understand your customer’s needs and motivators, ways to foster connections online or in-person, what works and what doesn’t work when building new communities, and much more. Finally, they chat about their own experiences with virtual and hybrid events, sharing insights on attendee engagement, the hub-and-spoke method, why Clubhouse is so popular in the event industry and much more.  Running time: 51:40. Sponsored by iVent.

What Virtual and Hybrid Events Can Teach Us About the Value of Community

Host: David Adler Guest: Nir Eyal In this episode of GatherGeeks, BizBash chairman and founder David Adler chats with behavioral design and time management expert Nir Eyal, the author of the books Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. The duo discusses why event professionals are masters of designing distractions, especially when trying to monetize events, and give some insights into the science of distraction both for personal growth and professional use. Eyal shares tips for fighting attendee distraction at events and trade shows, why focus is not the opposite of distraction, how speakers can grab attention (and why they should always ask audiences for feedback), the future of events in a post-pandemic world and much more.

How Do We Monetize Distraction at Events and Trade Shows?

Host: David Adler Guest: Glenn Haussman In this episode of GatherGeeks, BizBash chairman and founder David Adler chats with Glenn Haussman, a 25-year hotel industry veteran, professional speaker and the host of popular hospitality podcast "No Vacancy." During this high-energy conversation, the duo discusses all things hospitality and events, including what they both miss and don’t miss from in-person gatherings, the good and bad of virtual, tips for training speakers and exciting changes that have been accelerated by the pandemic. Haussman also shares what he’s hearing from hotel organizers about the future, including labor shortages and automation tools, and gives some behind-the-scenes details from his new book, The Adapters. Sponsored by Brandlive. Running time: 44:35.

Where the Hospitality and Event Industry Is Headed Next

Hosts: David Adler, Ashton Pike Guests: Dan Cormany, Latoya Lewis, Lynn Minnaert, John Niser, Briana Stewart, Aruzhan Toleubay In this episode of GatherGeeks, BizBash chairman and founder David Adler and editorial director Ashton Pike chat with a diverse group of students and professors in the event and hospitality industry. Hosted during Dan Assor’s 24-hour vodcast to benefit EventWell, the conversation features Briana Stewart and Aruzhan Toleubay, two students finding their way in the industry during COVID-19, as well as Florida International University professor Dan Cormany, New York University professor Lynn Minnaert, Farleigh Dickinson University professor John Niser and EnventU founder Latoya Lewis. The group discusses how COVID-19 has reshaped the industry, outlining what works now and how the next generation can face the challenges of today. This vodcast is a must-watch for anyone trying to adapt and thrive in this ever-changing industry.

The Dilemma for the Next Generation of Event Pros

Host: David Adler Guests: Steve Gottlieb, Natalie Jones In this special sponsored episode of GatherGeeks, BizBash chairman and founder David Adler chats with Steve Gottlieb, founder and CEO of the virtual event platform Shindig, and Natalie Jones, the senior vice president of external affairs and diplomatic engagement for the nonpartisan diplomacy center Meridian House. The group discusses the challenges of—and best practices for—emulating high-touch events like the G-8 world leader summit virtually, and how other tools of diplomacy can work in the digital world. They also talk about the importance of making technology almost invisible during online events, as well as the future of hybrid, whether on-demand conversation hubs like Clubhouse will have an impact on traditional events, the future of collaboration and much more.  Sponsored by Shindig. Running time 41:42.

Yes, Virtual Events Can Recreate Nuanced Face-to-Face Encounters. Here’s How

Welcome to GatherGeeks, a place where people passionate about the power of live experiences come together. Join David Adler, C.E.O. of BizBash, and Beth Kormanik, editor in chief of BizBash, as they discuss the latest news and trends affecting event marketers, meeting strategists, nonprofit organizers, and everyone in between. This new podcast by BizBash is the destination for information, innovation, and inspiration for anyone involved in planning events and meetings, from conferences, trade shows, and fund-raising galas to product launches, festivals, award shows, weddings, and birthdays. Look for GatherGeeks in your favorite platforms: iTunes, Pocket Casts, Player FM, Stitcher, with more on the way. Connect with us on Twitter at @GatherGeeks and join the conversation using the hashtag #gathergeeks.

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Gathergeeks by Bizbash

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