Event Brew

Navigating event attendee data requires the right balance between collecting valuable information and respecting event attendee privacy. But with rapid advancements in technology and law that struggles to keep up, finding that balance can be tricky, especially as tech becomes cheaper and easier to access.    Catalyzed by a recent Tech Crunch headline about a General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) violation at Mobile World Congress (MWC), Will, Nick, and Dustin tackle attendee data in today's episode. But before diving into this pressing issue, Nick provides some background information on MWC's fine.

The events industry is a melting pot of talent and diverse backgrounds, with event professionals bringing rich experiences and unique perspectives to the field. It's not uncommon to find professionals holding degrees in business, communications, or marketing, complementing others with a foundation in hospitality or years of experience in related industries. But this diversity of education and experience begs the question, do you need event planning certifications to stand out?   In this episode of the Event Brew, Thuy, Dustin, and Will, explore the events industry's low barrier to entry, the relevance of event planning certifications, and ultimately, whether you need one as a true event professional. Tune in to see where they land. But first, let's start with the Brew Crew's own certifications.

A recently published Freeman report highlights a significant shift in the demographics of B2B event attendees. With this new generation of younger, more diverse, and more educated attendees emerging, the event industry must adapt to meet their evolving needs and expectations.   In this episode of the Event Brew podcast, Xander, Will Curran, Arianna, and Nick dive into this shift; from understanding the motivations behind younger attendees, and rethinking exhibit halls, to embracing new technology, the Brew Crew explores how event professionals can harness this shift in demographics to create events that cater to the next generation of event-goers. Tune in and find out what they have to say!

As event professionals, we're constantly striving to create meaningful experiences for attendees and stakeholders while working within limited resources and a budget. In-kind sponsorships are relationships where a business sponsors an event by providing free goods or services rather than a financial contribution. So can in-kind sponsorships for events help you meet your event goals?  In this episode of the Event Brew, Nick, Will, Deanna, and Xander share their reactions to the term “in-kind sponsorship,” tips on navigating them, and what they think is the ideal scenario for this kind of sponsorship. Let's dive in!

Amid industry-wide event budget cuts, global inflation, and nationwide layoffs, teams across the events industry are forced to decide which things to keep, remove, or reduce in the budget. So in this episode of the Event Brew podcast, the crew shares their thoughts on what they'd keep, cut, and remove.    But before we dive into budgets, let's introduce our special co-host, Xander Castro. Our history with Xander started years ago when he worked for Endless as a freelance ghostwriter. Since then, he's worked as an event planner and is now the Events Director at Tiny Seed. He was also featured on an earlier episode of #EventIcons. There, you'll be able to hear more about his background.    Thanks to Xander's input in today's episode, the Brew Crew is taking a gamified approach to the heavy topic of budgets. Given the ability to choose the episode topic, he says this: “I dropped in a random idea that just popped into my mind, the PG version of kiss, marry, kill.” The idea is, “If you look at budgets being cut and your clients are looking at stripping away some of the numbers you have for specific budget items, what are the things you need to keep? What are the things that you have an opportunity to cut? And, what are some of the things that you can completely do away with?” So without further ado, let's see what the Brew Crew would do.  

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic devastated events across the globe. Almost three years later, the United States is finally making a widespread comeback, events included. Still, it's not enough for President Biden to declare the pandemic over. As the Brew Crew shares today, many event professionals are still battling low attendance, learning about and designing for increased accessibility and figuring out how to implement the lessons they've learned throughout the pandemic.    In this episode of the Event Brew podcast, Arianna, Will, Nick, and Dustin discuss where the events industry started, what the industry needs today, and how to move forward. Let's get right to it! 

As event professionals, we often reflect on our past experiences and wonder what we could have done differently. Hindsight is 20/20, and it's natural to have moments of regret or wish we'd known then what we know now. The Brew Crew isn't immune to this phenomenon. As experienced professionals, they would have lots of knowledge to share with their younger selves, but because they cannot, Arianna, Deanna, and Will share their advice with you. With the caveat that they speak to their former selves in the third person and the benefit of hindsight, the Brew Crew brings valuable advice for event professionals. Tune in to today's Event Brew episode to find out what they have to share.

In recent years, “cannabis” and “marijuana” have been hot topics of interest for event professionals. And with the increasing legalization of the psychoactive drug, conversations around cannabis for events are at an all-time high. As the industry comes to terms with this new reality, many event professionals aren't sure what to do next. ‘Bud' if one thing is clear, cannabis is here to stay.  From CBD wellness retreats to cannabis at HR conferences, events are experiences that can benefit from intentional design with cannabis in mind. And today, the Brew Crew wonders how long it will be until you can find cannabis at an event near you. In this episode of the Event Brew podcast, Nick, Will, and Deanna make a joint effort to discuss the similarities and differences between cannabis and alcohol, what event professionals should prepare for, and how to make an excellent cannabis introduction at your event.

Event goals are what you aim to achieve before, during, and after your event, and they impact almost everything event professionals do. So what happens when you crush your goals? Well, Ana A. reached out and asked precisely this. She says, “Say an event was successful, reached all goals and objectives, and made the host more money. What would you say the next step for the event is? Would it be making the event bigger year after year?”  That's a great question, and in this episode of the Event Brew podcast, Deanna, Arianna, and Will share their thoughts on how to proceed. Tune in to find out what the Brew Crew thinks of event goals, how they handle ongoing progress, and what they think your next steps could be. Let's dive in!

As an event professional, you likely rely on some degree of creativity and inspiration to design events, drive innovation, and make your mark on the attendee experience. But when the creativity wheels aren't turning, and the inspiration isn't flowing, it can feel hard to come up with fun or even new ideas and make meaningful progress at work. That's why in this episode of the Event Brew, the Brew Crew is talking about event inspiration, creativity, and innovation.    Together, they'll share where they draw inspiration from. Spoiler alert, for some, it's a shoe, and for others, it's an old idea made new. How exactly do they build up their creativity muscles? Tune in to find out.

Event gamification kind of sucks right now, but it doesn't have to. Event organizers turn to gamification to try and drive engagement and rally excitement around an event. But more often than not, it's just a thinly disguised tool to get attendees to do what organizers and sponsors want them to do. That's why our guest co-host Arianna Black is struggling to find value in event gamification.  In this episode of the Event Brew podcast, Will and Arianna discuss why gamification in events misses the mark. Spoiler alert–it's because of misaligned priorities between attendees and organizers. Together, they'll brainstorm how to implement in-person and virtual event gamification to benefit attendees and organizers authentically. This episode is full of insightful insights and actionable advice.

Event professionals can start their career paths in almost any job or industry. This is something the Brew Crew knows well, as today's hosts share a combined 82 years of industry experience with a wide range of event jobs that led them to where they are today.   In this episode of the Event Brew podcast, Deanna Nwosu, Will Curran, Nick Borelli, and Arianna Black share their career journeys, the event jobs they've held, and advice they wish they'd known when first starting their careers. A big shout out to our listener, Kelsey D. Today's episode directly responds to her question, “How did you get started in the events industry?”

Our conversation today comes from a question sent in by one of our listeners named Genesis. She asked, “Why do event marketers receive more credit and respect than event planners?”    Event marketers and event planners do, in fact, often receive credit, financial support, and recognition differently, which makes this an excellent question. As the Brew Crew will discuss, the reasons for this difference in treatment are complicated and can vary from person to person and company to company.  In this episode of the Event Brew, Deanna, Will, and Nick will share how they define these roles, the tasks they associate with each, the risks involved, and how you can work to ensure you're given the credit and respect you deserve. Let's dive right in!

Events are not exclusive to any industry, business, or group of people. Every year, from sports and weddings to big banks and marketing agencies, all kinds of people have events. As event professionals, they employ specific skills to plan and engage that audience. Should HR core competencies be a part of those skills? On today's episode of the Event Brew, the Brew Crew shares their thoughts on HR competencies and the event professional's skillset. What does it look like for an event professional to employ HR core competencies in the events industry? What impact could these competencies have on your career and the planned events? Let's find out.

The world is in transition, and event industry professionals are asking questions. Does event size matter? Many events are seeing the fall of pandemic safety regulations. Does this mean large events are back?    In today's episode, Thuy leads the Brew Crew in a conversation about event size. While Nick, Will, and Thuy mostly agree that their preference that small events are better, they also explore the benefits of going big. Tune in and find out what the Brew Crew has to say about event size in 2022 and beyond.

n 2019, the events industry had a $1,135.4 Billion valuation, making the events industry well positioned to make an economic impact should planners support social movements like boycotts. But should they?   In this episode of Event Brew, the entire Brew Crew shares their thoughts on planners and organizations boycotting venues, hotels, destinations, and more. Should planners have a say in event boycotts? Do boycotts even have an impact? Let's find out.

Marketing has changed significantly over the last 10 to 15 years. Content marketing has seen a boom in activity. Twenty years ago, content marketing was what people wanted to be doing. Today, everyone's doing it. And according to Will, it might be the bare minimum for brand awareness. What's next? In today's episode, Will Curran and Nick Borrelli talk about what's in the future for event marketing. With Web 3.0 on the horizon, the internet is changing, and marketing for events must keep up. They see a future built on community, collective movement, and mission-driven behavior as community members determine the direction of content rather than marketers themselves.  What do you see as the future of marketing for events? Email us! Tag us on LinkedIn with #EventBrew. Or visit our website and leave a comment. We'd love to hear from you!

The great resignation has made waves across corporate America as people leave their jobs at unprecedented rates. Low pay, lack of opportunity for advancement, disrespect, and lack of flexibility are just a few reasons why employees leave, according to Pew Research. The events industry isn't immune to the ripples of the great resignation. That's why, in today's episode, the Brew Crew flips the script on the topic. With the great resignation shifting the jobs landscape, Deanna, Will, and Nick review what impact the events industry can have on the great resignation. How can events contribute to workplace culture? How can companies attract and retain talent? Tune in and find out!

In April, we talked about a recession on the horizon. As the horizon approaches, Will and Nick find that many event professionals are running on fumes. Today, the discussion is all about executing events on a reduced team.    Teams are expected to do more with less as layoffs, downsizing, and budget cuts make waves across the economy. Whether people on your team are sick or no longer working with you, Nick and Will have several ideas on how to avoid downsizing and how to execute events on a reduced team.   The Brew Crew invites you to share your experience as the episode wraps up. How do you effectively manage your events and make them even better when you're short-staffed? Let them know by reaching out.

The Event Brew squad is tackling a complex topic today; a topic most event planners have contemplated in the last two years. It's time to talk about audience engagement on event platforms! The topic was inspired by Encore's article, titled 'Keep Attendees Engaged with an Interactive Event Platform'. The Event Tech Podcast has tackled this topic from multiple angles, but today, we can get an inside scoop from Dustin, Nick, and Thuy, as well. Event professionals are divided when it comes to implementing event technology to boost audience engagement. Some swear by it, some believe that technology alone is enough to get the crowd going (spoiler alert: it's not), and some avoid it at all costs and refuse to adapt to the breakneck speed of change. The Brew Crew, too, has many differentiating opinions about this topic. Some have confessed to mostly preferring Zoom calls over any other platforms, while others think event platforms can revolutionize events as we know them. Press play and enjoy! See the episode show notes here.

Technology is advancing at a rapid speed. We all use all kinds of gadgets, software, and hardware products to manage our personal lives. Today, the Event Brew tackles the relationship between personal and professional life as it relates to technology. Have they ever used personal technology pieces for the events industry purposes?  In this short but sweet conversation, Nick, Thuy, and Will share what technologies they happily use in their event lives. Tune in and find out whether they're missing any out.

In-person events might be back, but some things in the events industry are not going back to how things used to be before the pandemic. Take online supplier relationships, for example. It's a relatively new phenomenon in the industry, but now that the Event Brew team got a taste of it, they refuse to go back.   The digital world is teeming with opportunities to build relationships. Not to mention online platforms make those who are less extroverted feel more comfortable. However, some are not as inclined to build online supplier relationships. Why not? Tune in and find out. Check out the episode's show notes here. 

While the metaverse is not a fully-fledged event trend just yet, there is no denying that metaverse events will become increasingly more popular in the years to come. They might not be the one and only future of events, but event planners should nonetheless keep their pulse on it - and the Brew Crew gives some compelling arguments as to why that is. It's not that event planners need to learn how to plan events in the metaverse or else risk staying behind. As Nick emphasizes over and over again, event professionals have a desirable skill set for those who work in the metaverse. After all, the metaverse is about designing immersive, 3D experiences - and so are in-person events. Tune in to this educational episode about up-and-coming trends: from web 3.0 to using Fortnite as a venue. The Brew Crew explains everything in layperson's terms and gives the listeners some advice about getting started in the exciting world of futuristic event technology. See the episode show notes here. 

As things currently stand in the events industry, we're planning events in 2022 as if the COVID-19 pandemic never existed. The mask mandates are gone and COVID compliance talk has all but disappeared. In-person events are back in all their glory. And to the Event Brew hosts, they often look identical to 2019. But is that a good thing? According to this episode, not so much. Dustin, Nick, and Will are joined by a very special guest that some might know from #EventIcons: Deanna Nwosu. She notes that, indeed, some events look a lot like 2019 in 2022. But why is that so? What would the Brew Crew have event planners do to plan better events?    This is a well-rounded and pragmatic episode that touches upon the reality of event planning, budgeting, event marketing, event strategy, proving event ROI, and more. Deanna's perspective adds a breath of fresh air to the Event Brew podcast, so make sure to tune in and hear what she has to say about planning events in 2022. See episode's show notes here.

The whole world is talking about it, including the Brew Crew: inflation and recessions are on the horizon - yet again. In certain industries, it has fully arrived. But since the events industry is so interconnected with the rest of the economy, event profs are also starting to feel the effects of rising costs and labor shortages. We cannot help but wonder and worry: are events going to survive? Nick, Thuy, and Will take on this complicated topic. And even though things are looking bleak, there is a way to overcome these economic challenges. All it takes is a little bit of creativity, empathy, and intentional design. Tune in and find out! See the episode's show notes. 

The Academy Awards have been the talk of the town recently. While the strictly in-person Oscars 2021 felt too exclusive, the Oscars 2022 served us some truly out-of-place drama. And where there is controversy brewing, the Brew Crew comes to discuss. But it's not just the slap that they'll touch upon. They'll also go over stage design, the production team, and give credit where credit is due. As for the slap, they offer their thoughts as event profs with deep knowledge of how event production works. While the social media rushed to discuss who was at fault, the Brew Crew primarily wonders how could somebody simply run up the stage or make an unscripted joke. Tune in - you'll get a glimpse into the minds of event profs and by proxy, into the backstage at the Oscars. Enjoy! Here are the episode's show notes.

It seems that the happenings on the global stage just won't give us a break. Now that the COVID-19 pandemic is somewhat under control, there is a full-blown war on the European continent once again. And so, the Event Brew takes on yet another controversial topic this week: the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the events industry. But before they get into the nitty-gritty of economic sanctions against Russia and the prices of gas and oil, the Event Brew recognizes the human toll being paid in Ukraine. They try to steer as much as possible away from politics and only focus on the field they know inside out: events. Check out the episode show notes on Endless Events.

As our worlds continuously grow more uncertain and hectic, the Event Brew podcast doesn't run out of hot topics to address. They've recently covered planning disruption-proof events in times of uncertainty. This week, however, they tackle another pressing and complex topic, inspired by a message from a loyal listener: the crossroads between event planning and politics. Here's the message: The Event Brew podcast discusses the importance of staying updated on current events that are happening within the political climate to fulfill the mission of their organization/stakeholders. Especially in the current state of political unrest in the country, who are they going to put in charge of making decisions regarding things that could be affected by the political climate? Are they going to require colleagues to stay educated within the political sphere? Are they going to consider only working with people/organizations who align with their ideal politics? Tough questions, but nothing that the Brew Crew cannot answer. Tune in and see how Will, Dustin, Nick, and Thuy navigate working with organizations whose values don't align with their personal beliefs – and more!

A while ago, the Event Brew talked about social networks, wondering whether it was time to log off. If that truly is the case, another question quickly arises: how to promote events without social media? How effective is social media marketing anyway? As the 365 community model continues growing in popularity, more event profs will come to realize that social media is, in the Brew Crew's opinion, boring and predictable. Community is one way to go about promoting events without social media, but it's not just any community that will do. Additionally, you need to produce truly exceptional events that will foster attendee retention and potentially turn your audience into advocates. Tune in and find out the recipe for marketing success outside social media platforms!

Event professionals are so other-focused that they often forget about themselves. They try to make sure that everybody, from attendees to sponsors, is taken care of. But what about them? How do they take care of themselves and their teams? Those who do not take time to tune in with their event teams are at a far greater risk for event planner burnout. And nobody wants that! That's why today, the Event Brew hosts are tackling the topic of team building in the events industry. We all know why team building is important, but how often do we take the time to nurture the relationships within our own organizations? In the spirit of Valentine's Day, the Brew Crew talks about all the ways they show their teams some love and appreciation, from team exercises to planned company events. They understand that nurturing company culture in an event company is crucial to success. After all, we all work better when we know one another and genuinely like to spend time together. Tune in and find out just how loving the Brew Crew truly is!

Great event professionals know that it's vital to always have a plan B ready when planning events. They know how to deal with bad weather at events, and how to build a crisis communication plan. However, according to Event Brew, many are yet to master planning disruption-proof events amidst the pandemic - or at least master the way they communicate the unavoidable uncertainty.  This Event Brew episode might be short, but it's nonetheless a treat: after many weeks apart, we're finally going to hear from all four members of the iconic Brew Crew! They give us concrete advice on building out backup plans and communicating with attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors. Let's get brewing!

We might be over the biggest obstacles that COVID-19 has thrown at us (at least we can hope so), but in-person attendance is still nowhere as high as it was pre-2020. While we've talked a lot about how the pandemic affected planners and attendees, we haven't focused on exhibitors' experience all that much. We've talked about exhibitors at virtual events and virtual event sponsorship ideas. But it turns out that the biggest challenge exhibitors face doesn't live in digital space but in a world of face-to-face interactions. In his many years in the events industry, Nick has seen and done it all. Today, he laments about the experience exhibitors have at in-person events these days. But low attendance isn't the worst part; it's event planners' behavior post-event that really grinds his gears. Tune in and learn about the exhibitor's point of view and what you can do to right the wrongs, caused by low attendance.

New year, new Event Brew episodes! We're kicking off the year in Thuy and Will's company - Dustin and Nick had to take a raincheck. Excited for the year ahead, they talk about business strategy for events and planning in these uncertain times. They talk about what event strategy means to them, who is involved in the decision-making process, and share how they go about creating a business strategy at their own respective workplaces. So, brew something up, sit back, and join Thuy and Will in a brand new season of Event Brew!

The Event Brew is back after a well-deserved holiday break! Inspired by their time off, the Brew Crew will talk about taking a break as an event professional. Will, Dustin, and Thuy know all about staying productive all year round and have all experienced event-industry-related burnout in the past. But as they matured, they learned their ways to work around it. In this episode, they share their tips to stay energized when the going gets tough. They also share how they spent their time off in December and what they like to do while vacationing. Brew something up, press play, and get to know the Brew Crew on a more personal level!

As they start wrapping up the year, the Brew Crew talks about the final quarter. It turns out that it's the most productive season for most of them! But while some reached peak productivity in October, others are putting lots of hours in in December. In the final 2021 episode of the Event Brew podcast, Nick, Thuy, and Will talk about their workload in December and Q4 in general. They talk about the (not so good) old days when they were more prone to exhaustion and burnout. But as they got more familiar with the events industry, they started to get a hang of the work-life balance. Make sure to tune in and find out what their secrets are. Personal and genuine, this episode is an absolute classic!

November might generally be an uneventful month, but not for the events industry. For us, it's time to do business and reunite in person at one of the biggest and most exciting trade shows in our industry: IMEX! This week, Nick, Thuy, and Will review their experience at IMEX America 2021, held for the very first time at Mandalay Bay. Everyone was looking forward to going to IMEX America 2021, especially since the iconic trade show was canceled last year due to COVID. The Brew Crew talks about their highlights, lowlights, COVID compliance, the stepping challenge, and much more. It's a quintessential Event Brew episode, so don't miss it out!

Have you ever thought about how we could make the world a better place? Since the events industry is all about bringing people together and nurturing communities, that's kind of what event professionals indirectly try to do. At least that's the case that the Brew Crew will try to make today. For this occasion, Will and Nick are joined by a very special guest: Brandt Krueger, Will's co-host on the Event Tech Podcast. What is this, a crossover episode? Well, kind of, except the trio doesn't talk that much about event tech. Instead, they take a closer look at the world we live in and philosophize away. It's not a conversation about the events industry per se; it's a sociological and psychological assessment of our society at large. A society that's being torn apart by divisive rhetoric, hate speech, and disrespect. Will, Nick, and Brandt (or should we say, Aristotle, Socrates, and Plato) explore ways of transcending these issues and the role of the events industry in this honorable endeavor. So we highly encourage you to press play. After all, this concerns everyone on this planet!

As the pandemic hit in early 2020, people all over the world were forced to slow down for a while. For some, it was the first time in forever that they got to stop and re-evaluate their lives. And it turns out that many of them had realized just how burnt out, overworked, and undervalued they felt. More importantly, a lot of them work in hospitality and events. Enter the Great Resignation of 2021! Labor shortages in hospitality are at their peak.   The most loyal listeners will know that the Brew Crew has recently touched upon labor shortages in the events industry, but Will thought it's a topic worthy of its own episode. Nick, Thuy, and Will go over some surprising stats and elaborate on the reasons behind the labor shortage. But that's not all! As clever and resourceful as they are, they also offer some solutions to this pressing issue. In short, all it takes is a different perspective, empathy, and a pro-active attitude. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Pour some tea, press play, and join the conversation!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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 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!

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!

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!

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!  

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!

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!

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.

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!