The EventBuzz podcast

Is influencer marketing right for your event? Don't know where to start? What influencer is right for your brand? On this episode, our guest is an expert on all things influencer and brand marketing strategies, Katrina Xavier; founder of Blitz Marketing. 

Michelle Jewsbury, CEO and Founder of Unsilenced Voices, shares advice for nonprofit founders and those trying to start or build their organizations.  With tips on collaborations, sponsor relations, fundraising and more.   Unsilenced Voices (UV) is a global 501(c)3 nonprofit that empowers survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking in multiple countries using financial assistance, community education, and revolutionary blockchain technology.

Award-winning speaker and advocate for mental health and invisible disabilities, Kristin Light, joins the show to help navigate mental illnesses and events. Topics include creating an accessible registration page, event website and marketing campaigns as well as different types of disabilities to consider.  

Meg Prejzner, CEO and Founder of Hackett Brand Consulting, joins our 50th episode with advice on growing a business and brand. From identifying your target audience, branding and marketing strategies, to aligning your events with your brand...we cover it all!

Founder and Director of Momentum Music and Arts, Mindy Kay Smith, joins the show with advice for teachers! From Broadway to adult and theater classes in public schools, she provides advice for current performing arts instructors as well as ones just starting out.  

Want to learn more about what it takes to plan destination events? Or how to get guests traveling again post-COVID? Valerie Bihet, founder of the VIBE Agency and industry expert, joins the show with tips for professional event planners around the world. 

Debra Eckerling, creator of the D*E*B Method for Goal-Setting Simplified and the KEEP System for Employee Retention, joins the show! Discussing her strategies and fundamentals for setting effective goals; for event planners, business owners, personal aspirations, etc. 

It's time to talk CHOCOLATE! Founder and Chief Chocolate Officer of Cocoa Beantown Tours and Events, Victoria Kichuk, joins the show. As an expert in coordinating tasting events, she shares her experience pivoting to virtual tasting events and tips for running them. As well as advice for organizing in-person tasting events and tours. 

Looking for keynote and public speakers to perform at your events? Mark Grimm, experienced keynote speaker, seminar host and founder of Mark Grimm Communications, joins the show to provide tips for finding and hiring event speakers, speaker management, collaboration and more advice! 

Channing Muller of DCM Communications joins the show, with years of expertise and experience in the event industry to share with our listeners. Everything from uncovering the traits that make a successful event to crisis planning and transparent marketing when dealing with COVID-19 and other hiccups along the way. 

Megan Bendtzen, speaker, consultant, fun specialist and Doctor of Fun, joins the show to discuss a serious matter...FUN! In this episode, Bendtzen talks about the different strategies for creating meaningful meetings, and advice on increasing engagement within in audience. 

Outsourcing Director at MMCY Tech, Valerie Bowden, discusses the top jobs event planners should outsource and the benefits of outsourcing remote teams. With advice for current businesses and event planners working or looking to work with virtual teams.

Founder of Endless Events and host of the EventIcons, Event Brew, and Event Tech Podcast, Will Curran, joins the show! With his expertise and event experience, we uncover smart ways to market events that reduce stress and make selling tickets easy. 

Mollie Plotkin, owner of The Mollie Plotkin Group, represents thought leaders, motivators, business experts, professional athletes and other speakers for virtual and live events. In this episode, we are breaking down the process of finding and booking speakers, and tips on selecting the best speakers for your events.

President of Corbett Public Relations, Bill Corbett, breaks down the timeline of promoting events and building a personal brand. He includes advice on attracting media, as well as how to prepare for a successful media interview. 

Outback Team Building and Training's Senior Event Manager, Dolena Matthews, joins the show to discuss the long-term benefits of team building events. Plus, hosting activities with virtual teams and navigating time zones. 

Ike Singh Kehal, CEO of an event platform for virtual and hybrid experiences, talks the future of events. All about the benefits of networking events online, and how to keep an audience engaged in a digital space. 

Known as the Party and Profit Goddess and one of the top party planners in LA,  Marley Majcher talks not just about planning, but how to make money and budgeting tips. With topics like outsourcing staff versus volunteers, food at events, and tips for entrepreneurs, we had a lot to talk about.

Tiffany Allen, founder of AEA Consulting Firm, a full service corporate event management company, joins the show discussing her background in the event space. Drawn from her 15 years of public sector experience as a contract manager, Allen advises on how to reach out to sponsors and event speakers, tips for contract management and creating effective sponsorship packages. 

Director of Operations at Millwood Public Schools, A. Shannon Hayes, discusses the transition back as schools return to in-person. With advice for Athletic and Operation Directors, we discuss how he has been running contactless sporting events, live streams, and digitizing their entire event process. 

Founder of Sugar & Rind, Philly Mackinnon, is here to make throwing parties ridiculously easy. A platform that has everything you need, from cocktail and bar packages to decorations and DJS. Mackinnon shares her top tips for the first time planners and a list of must-have party essentials. 

Expert in event methodology, Heather Mason, discusses the science behind what makes a successful event. Mason, Founder and CEO of Caspian Agency, shares some of her steps to planning a strategic, repeatable event and the science behind event success. 

Daniel Hess, owner and founder of To Tony Productions shares his experience as an event videographer. With tips for filming large scale events, mistakes to avoid on site, and what to look for when hiring a videographer for your event. 

ParaDocs Worldwide is a service that provides medical support to local, national and global events. Founder and CEO, Alex Pollak, shares the importance of having medical staff standing by ready to provide care at events and projects. Reminding us why these types of services should be at the top of our list when planning an event, not the bottom. 

With extensive experience heading up global events, Laura Holton shares her advice on planning experiences! In this episode, we talk about planning across time zones, platforms for global evens, collaboration tools, hybrid potential and more. 

Brigette Young, the Founder of The Modern Muse Company, a marketing agency, joins the show to share her marketing expertise! With  advice on mini pop-up events, brand partnerships, and marketing strategies for 2021 as events make their comeback. 

Principal at The Event Ally, Andrea Ramsey, joins the podcast to discuss event safety as live experiences start to return. This episode is all about getting back to live events and creating safe event sites beyond COVID-19 concerns...but in-person safety in general. The Event Ally is a collective of Subject Matter Experts poised to provide you with the insight to safely move your events forward in the era of COVID-19.

SVP of Allied Global Marketing, Matthew Glass, talks about how brands can stand out in a virtual world. From working with celebrities and influencers, to understanding the difference between marketing in-person and virtual events. 

Throughout the pandemic, EDM Maniac has hosted CDC compliant in person experiences as well as live stream productions. Founder of the company, Devin Lezama, shares their success behind events in 2021 and the changes they've implemented in order to hold COVID safe, in person experiences. Also discussed is their recent partnership with Health Pass by CLEAR as a mobile solution for effective health screenings.

Experienced convention planner, founder and CEO of Pensacon, Mike Ensley, talks about what it takes to plan a convention. The episode includes topics on coordinating mass event parking, weekend passes and VIP packages, working with celebrities, app building software and more. 

The owner of The Space Social, marketing expert Jordan Crump, talks all things social media. As the world evolves, so should your social media. When to post, what to post, where to post...we are answering all of your questions and more in this episode!

Volunteer management, safe food handling, multi-day event planning are just a few of the topics discussed on this episode. Brad Veach, Executive Director for the famous Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival, joins the podcast to give his advice on planning a major festival. Plus, their experience with transitioning to digital ticketing. 

Excite Fundraising President, Ryan Hughes, joins the show to talk about the future of sports and athletic fundraising. With a background in sports marketing and fundraising, Hughes discusses fundraisers and what makes a successful campaign. Plus, advice for athletic directors and schools running sporting events during COVID-19. 

Elma Beganovich, one of the top New York City's lifestyle influencers and founder of A&E, talks about our shift into the digital age. Discussing the evolution of marketing this past year and business strategies behind influencer marketing; how influencers are impacting brands in 2021. 

Executive Director of the Bisbee Coalition for the Homeless speaks about their strategies for keeping the shelter open during COVID. With advice on fundraiser campaigns and what to know before hosting outdoor events. 

CEO at TAD Management, Terry Davies, discusses their company's COVID-19 journey and their return of event production worldwide. Including tips for concert promoters, marketers and talent bookers. 

Administration Assistant for small concert series, Robin Tinani, discusses the ways they have been connecting with patrons online. From online fundraises, creative donation ideas, and virtual raffles, the Cecilian Chamber Series has found ways to overcome the effects of COVID on the industry.

The organizers of the Everywhen Project plan on continuing the mission with new festival event in Nevada's Black Rock Desert. In this episode, group members talk about the creation of the nonprofit and future art experiences planned for 2021 and beyond. 

John Capano, Senior Vice President at Impact XM, an experiential marketing agency, discusses his bridge strategy for coming into the new world of events. A look into virtual experiences, online engagement, content marketing ideas, etc. 

Chairman of Jersey Shore Restaurant Week, Jim Flynn, talks about their journey during the pandemic and future food experiences in 2021. With advice on creating safe dining spaces for guests and hosting food events follow CDC guidelines. 

Thanks to the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), 2021 has started off on a positive note for event promoters and entertainment venues with the passing of the Save Our Stages (SOS) Act.

The Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park shares their current safety protocols in order to run fully escorted tours. Plus, creative ways they've transformed their protective barriers into artwork! 

Center for Higher Education Retention Excellence (CHERE) discusses their virtual conferences during COVID-19. Plus, advice for educators seeking ways to boost student engagement and a look into how the pandemic might affect higher education.

North Carolina's longest running Shakespeare festival, Montford Park Players, shares their experience with streaming live events during the pandemic. 

Best of Temecula, Wilson Creek Winery, gives advice on running a winery during COVID. Including safe tasting events, onsite dining, and virtual mixology classes. 

San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts introduces their new platform and series for connecting artists online. In this episode, the school talks more about the purpose behind the new hub and how artists everywhere, not just their students, can benefit from it. 

In this episode, the head of the Santa Barbara High School Theater program explains how productions have continued online in the form of Radio Plays! Justin Baldridge also discusses his future plans for the department and reopening again for in-person performances. 

Audience Services Technician at Chabot College, Caroline Morrison-Pegg, shares how the school's Performing Arts venue is restructuring all events during COVID. 

Brittany Noriega, Service Coordinator for the Arcadia Performing Arts Center, shares her tips on using Purplepass' registration and software for virtual events, student orientations, fundraisers, and merchandise sales. 

This episode is all about virtual event planning for the Arts and Super Summer Theatre walks us through planning their first 100% online celebration and theater event.

Interview with MHAI training director, Justin Beattey, talking about his educational program and its transition to online - advice on hosting virtual educational events, workshops and trainings during COVID-19.