Podcasts about event professionals

Welcome to the Back to Business Podcast, where we spotlight Calgary's industry leaders and delve into the heart of entrepreneurialism in our vibrant city!Kimberly Beaune is an award winning event producer, designer and serial collaborator. She is Event Storyteller & Owner of Creative Twist Inc. an award winning event planning and design firm which produces events and experiences throughout Alberta and across Canada. She was named one of the ‘TOP 250 Event Professionals in Canada' by BizBash Magazine in both 2020 and 2021, and has spoken internationally on event production and design. She is currently the immediate past chair of the International Live Events Association Canada and an active member of the World Experience Organization.Get Connected With Kimberly:https://www.creativetwist.ca/Sponsored by the Wagner Investment Management Team with Wellington-Atlus Private Wealth (https://advisor.wellington-altus.ca/wagner/)Visit www.calpeteclub.com for information on our next networking and membership opportunities.https://calpeteclub.com/https://twitter.com/calpeteclubhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/calgary-petroleum-club-3a5868117/https://www.facebook.com/calpeteclubhttps://www.youtube.com/user/calpeteclub

For additional resources for #eventprofs visit www.productionvaluematters.com In this episode of Production Value Matters, host Matthew Byrne interviews Wendy Porter, founder and chief events officer at Wendy Porter Events. Wendy shares her journey from corporate event management to founding her own agency, discusses her advocacy work with the Live Events Coalition, and offers insights on creating memorable experiences through detailed planning. She also addresses current challenges and future trends in the events industry.

In this episode of the Event Tech Podcast, hosts Brandt Krueger and Will Curran bring an update on the latest advancements in AI technology, focusing on deep research capabilities and AI agents. They explore how these tools have the potential to revolutionize various aspects of event planning and personal productivity, while also touching on potential future developments in the tech industry.Discussions Include:The benefits and limitations of Perplexity and it's deep research featurePotential applications of AI agents for task automation in event planningPredictions for the future of AI integration in operating systemsThe impact of AI on job roles and productivity in the events industryQuotable Quotes (Should you choose to share):"Deep research is now my favorite thing to do." - Will Curran"If you could free that time up to focus more on other things like, you know, plan more events, take on more business, be the first one to respond to the RFP..." - Brandt Krueger"We're creating these systems that will allow us to no longer have to be in the day-to-day." - Will Curran-and-"We only learn from each other. So we need to expand the people that we talk to!" - Brandt Krueger So be sure to connect with us on LinkedIn so we can do that!

This week, we listen back to our goals from January 2024, reflect on how we did, and set new goals for 2025. Listen to hear how we did, learn from our experiences, and set your own intentions/goals for the new year. We hope this helps us all create, host, and attend better events in 2025. SHOW NOTES: Buy the replays to the 2024 Better Events Conference: https://bettereventspod.com/conference Learn more about Event Pro Suite (and let them know we sent you): https://eventprosuite.com/ Join the paid Better Events Community: https://bettereventspodcast.substack.com/ Buy Us a Coffee Link: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bettereventspod THANKS FOR THE LOVE! Love this podcast? Please share with your event friends, tag us, and leave a review! Leave us a rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/04ivq77TMgF5HhJHJOMe1V Leave us a review on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-events/id1561944117 —— FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @bettereventspod @loganstrategygroup_events (Logan) @epeventsllc (Mary)

2025 is here, and you've got big goals. January is the perfect time to reflect, reset, and start fresh—and what better way to kick off the year than with advice from those who've walked in your shoes?This special episode is a compilation of some of the most thoughtful answers we've received to the question: “What advice would you give your younger self or a young event marketer?”Here's a glimpse of what you'll hear:• Carrie Davenport: Why asking questions is your ultimate career hack.• Garrett Burnett: How to elevate conversations and showcase impactful solutions.• Christine Sionne: The secret to making yourself indispensable.• François Fournier: How to find your passion and build a lifelong network.• Lindsey Cohen and Katie Baker: Building connections that fuel your growth.• Tavar James: Balancing accountability with self-compassion.• Nancy Touhill: Why you shouldn't take it all personally (and when to step back).• Sonia Murphy: How to build tough skin in a high stakes industry. • Sam Zelitch: Don't panic—how to stay calm when things go wrong.• Jon Wolff: Why embracing failure is key to moving forward.This episode is your reminder that growth doesn't happen all at once—it's built one thoughtful move at a time.Tune in, take notes, and let these lessons guide you to your best year yet.Connect With ThemCarrie Davenport: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriedavenport83/ Garrett Burnett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-burnett/ Christine Sionne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-sionne-5660718a/ François Fournier: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francois-fournier-ctsm-cem-15981120/ Lindsey Cohen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseyjross/ Katie Baker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-baker-54960214/ Tavar James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tavarjames/ Nancy Touhill: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-touhill-2a419831/ Sonia Murphy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniamurphy/ Sam Zelitch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/szelitch/ Jon Wolff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jondwolff/ Connect With MeOn my LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-kleinrock-9613b22b/On my Company: https://rockwayexhibits.com/

Learn more at TheCityLife.org

In this special year-end minisode, Corralling the Chaos host Angela Alea reflects on the journey of 2024, shining a spotlight on the dedication, creativity, and resilience of event professionals. With heartfelt gratitude, Angela explores the impact these individuals make, the teams and families who support them, and the importance of self-care as the industry transitions into 2025.

This episode of Corralling the Chaos explores the transformative power of professional networks and community building in the event industry. Host Angela Alea and guest John Barron, LASSO's Community Manager, dive into the importance of creating a “professional village” for career growth, the evolution of LASSO's community platform The Loop, and its role in fostering connections among event professionals.

The Business of Meetings – Episode 245 – Inside the Mind of a Corporate Event Production Manager: Insights for Event Business Owners with Evan Babins We are delighted to have Evan Babins joining us on the show today. Evan is the newly appointed Manager of Event Production at Scotiabank. In this episode, Evan discusses his career path and shares practical insights for business owners on the best practices for leveraging vendor networks, securing sponsorships, and optimizing trade show opportunities. Bio: Evan Babins has 10 years of experience in corporate event production. Throughout his career, he has had the chance to manage event logistics and technical event production for many world-class clients like Nissan Canada, Equitable Bank, Kia Canada, Novartis, and TD Bank, to name a few. Evan has worked in the live, virtual, and hybrid event spaces, honing his craft as a top-tier event industry trendsetter. Evan has been included in BizBash's Top 250 Event Professionals, Eventex's Top 50 Most Influential Event Technology Professionals, Bizzabo's Top 55 Event Experience Leaders & Special Event Magazine's Top 20 Young Event Pros to Watch lists.  Evan is currently the Manager of Event Production at Scotiabank, one of the top 6 banks in Canada. He works on internal and external-facing events and experiences. Connect with Eric Rozenberg On LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Website Connect with Evan Babins On LinkedIn Instagram  

In this episode of "Corralling the Chaos," Angela Alea and Jason Packham, an entertainment insurance expert from NFP, discuss the critical importance of understanding and managing insurance coverage in the event industry. From common misconceptions to the nuances of adequate coverage, the conversation highlights key insights to help event companies avoid costly mistakes and ensure they are properly protected.

In this special bonus episode of Corralling the Chaos, we revisit the popular "Ask Us Anything" session from LASSO Fest, where key LASSO leaders—Angela Alea (President & CRO), Clay Sifford (Founder & CEO), and Jay Bredenberg (Chief Product Officer)—dive into audience questions about the company's rapid development, customer feedback process, mobile app enhancements, and future product plans. Learn how LASSO is scaling quickly, incorporating real-time customer insights, and evolving its mobile app to serve as a central hub for live event professionals. This episode also unveils exciting new features on the horizon, including information about LASSO Payments.

In this compelling episode of "Corralling the Chaos," host Angela Alea, President & CRO of LASSO, sits down with Anthony McCoy to discuss a pivotal shift needed in the live events industry—the shift from viewing workers as mere 'labor' to recognizing them as 'talent.' They explore the profound impact this mindset change can have on the industry, including elevating work quality, increasing respect for workers, and boosting professionalism.

Anca Platon Trifan, the leader behind Tree-Fan Events LLC, stands at the forefront of merging AI with event planning and production, elevating the business and event industry with her innovative #FIT4Events framework: Futuristic AV Production, Innovative AI Technology, Thriving Audiences, and Empowered Teams, all driven by core values of empathy, engagement, and innovation. As the voice of the “Events Demystified Podcast” and founder of two communities: Fit Mindful Mavens and Women BTS in Events, Anca has received several industry awards, including the 2023 Smart Woman in Meetings and Catalyst AI Quantum Leap Award, and the BizBash+Connect Meetings' "40 under 40" Event Professionals for 2022. Her work not only elevates event experiences through cutting-edge technology and wellness integration but also showcases her dedication to empowering women in event production and tech. Beyond being an Entrepreneur, Anca's achievements in natural bodybuilding competitions underscore her commitment to fitness and wellness, marking her as a multifaceted business leader pushing the industry boundaries. Anca's LinkedIn: Anca Platon Trifan, CMP, DES, WMEP | LinkedIn FREE ChatGPT Guide: eBook (mailerlite.com) From James: FREE Passive Income Masterclass (profityourknowledge.com)

In this week's episode of The Venue Rx Podcast, our host Jonathan Aymin sits down with Liene Stevens Founder and CEO of Think Splendid, a global wedding market research firm. Liene discusses the impact of inflation on wedding pricing and challenges posed by supply chain issues. She emphasizes the importance of understanding luxury clients' spending habits and values, focusing on exceptional guest experiences and the role of planners. The conversation also explores cultural and economic factors influencing luxury spending, including stealth wealth. She offers valuable insights and practical advice for managing stand out wedding venues that cater to high-end clients. About Our Guest:  Liene Stevens, founder and CEO of Think Splendid, is an author, speaker, and award-winning luxury business strategist and behavioral psychologist. Named by Special Events magazine as one of “12 Young Professionals to Watch,” her research on consumer behavior has been taught in the MBA curriculum at 41 universities worldwide and cited in over 30 scientific and academic journals. Liene also founded Splendid Insights, the leading wedding market research firm publishing statistics on luxury and ultra-luxury wedding markets for HNW, VHNW, and UHNW brides and grooms. Before entering the wedding industry, she held a strategic development role as an NGO executive and led international high-stakes crisis management. An expert on the business of weddings, Liene has appeared on numerous TV programs and in major media outlets such as The New York Times, Forbes, and The Economist. She serves on the Allied Council board for the National Society of Black Wedding and Event Professionals and has held positions with the International Live Events Association and the Wedding and Event Institute. Liene authored Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace: Marketing Your Wedding Business in Today's World and Luxe Love: Marketing and Selling Luxury Weddings. Her third book, The Pricing Bible: The Art & Science of Getting Your Numbers Right, is forthcoming in October 2024. Find Her Here:  Website: https://www.thinksplendid.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thinksplendid TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thinksplendidLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thinksplendid/

Want to Speak at the Big Conferences? Here's What It Really Takes Whether you're an aspiring speaker or just curious about the truth vs. the illusion of success, this episode is for you. If you're feeling the pressure to achieve overnight success in your career, and the thought of never reaching that level is weighing you down, then you are not alone! The constant pursuit of big opportunities and recognition can be overwhelming, especially when you see others achieving it “effortlessly.” It's time to address the myths of overnight success and develop a resilient mindset to seize business opportunities. Debunking the Myths of Overnight Success in Business Success, especially in public speaking, doesn't happen overnight. The journey to achieve it is characterized by countless hours of practice, continuous learning, and resilience. Thus, the idea of instant success, often propagated by social media, is misleading and should be countered with a realistic perspective that acknowledges the time and effort required to excel. My special guest is Meghan Ely OFD Consulting owner Meghan Ely combines in-the-trenches event experience with a love of wedding PR to empower her clients to take their businesses to new heights. The Public Relations Society of America regularly honors her team's publicity efforts, and more recently, Eventex named her one of the most influential Wedding Professionals in the Industry. A long-time industry speaker and writer, she is a WeddingPro educator with The Knot + WeddingWire, as well as a regular contributor to Wedding Planner Magazine, Catersource, and SpecialEvents.com. Meghan is an International Past President of WIPA and a member of the Allied Council for the National Society of Black Wedding and Event Professionals. In this episode, you will learn how to: Master the art of becoming a keynote speaker: Unlock the secrets to landing prestigious speaking opportunities and captivating your audience. Debunk the myths of overnight success in business: Discover the truth behind building a successful speaking career and the real work it takes to achieve it. Navigate the wedding industry speaking circuit: Uncover the strategies for establishing yourself as a sought-after speaker in the wedding industry. Cultivate personal development through public speaking: Harness the power of public speaking to grow personally and professionally and make a lasting impact on your audience. Thrive in high-stakes speaking engagements: Learn how to prepare and excel in high-pressure speaking situations, leaving a lasting impression on your audience. Go grab your coffee or your tea, and let's talk it out.  Connect with Meghan Ely Website Instagram What Renee's Obsessed With This Week

As event leaders, we know how to balance our lives perhaps a bit better than that of our teams, but do we model work-life balance? Do we share how we are managing our lives so that those who are coming up behind us have an idea of how to move forward in a high-pressured environment like the event industry?This episode is going to provide some areas where event leaders can model work-life balance to their event teams. Work-life balance is a word that really just represents how well we balance the ebb and flow of our lives and focus on what really matters at any given time. It can be an art form and many people can struggle with having a sense of balance in their lives.  There are four areas in that we cover in this episode and go into great detail on how event leaders can model work-life balance. Those areas are:CommunicationBoundariesBeing a Wellness AdvocateStanding Up for Your TeamModeling is important because your team needs to see how work-life balance is managed, especially in an environment where there are so many moving pieces and client demands. After listening to this podcast you'll have some great ways to model work-life balance, to support them, and be a wellness advocate in your organization.Links and ResourcesBanish Burnout ChallengeThank you so much for listening, stay on purpose.Support the show

Season is back with a vengeance!  So are the long hours that come with it.  From working with existing clients, to onboarding new clients, to finding clients at all... It can all become overwhelming.Our guest today: Carissa Kruse / Carissa Cruse WeddingsCarissa is a wedding industry maven and a marketing and conversion strategist.  She works with overworked wedding professionals to increase their profitability and cut their workload in half, using her Endless Engagement Methos.  They can have long term success with scrambling to get couples while getting lost in the weddings of running their business.Support the showBehind The Veil Crew:Host: Keith Willard www.keithwillardevents.com www.instagram.com/keithwillard Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

This week, Logan & Mary check in on their progress on their 2023 goals and set new ones for 2024. They reflect on how they're feeling about the new year, the value of setting goals, and discuss some new ideas for the podcast moving forward. SHOW NOTES: Rewatch the replays from the 2023 Better Events Conference: https://bettereventspod.com/conference Bonus Tip: Harry Potter LoFi: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7EEo7Ypc5Fy8yt0ljcmlkb?si=4bd651d345084b15 Listen back to last year's episode on 2022 lessons learned, Episode 86: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3AdxbffroT2inWQ8C2zW1m?si=r0wrqHFfR0Kd2JDgKR6plQ Buy Us a Coffee Link: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bettereventspod THANKS FOR THE LOVE! Love this podcast? Please share with your event friends, tag us, and leave a review! Leave us a rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/04ivq77TMgF5HhJHJOMe1V Leave us a review on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-events/id1561944117 —— FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @bettereventspod @loganstrategygroup_events (Logan) @epeventsllc (Mary)

Are you Creating Community at your trade shows and events? Building communities for your business is one of the hottest trends for good reason - it works! In this episode we discuss how and why you should incorporate this powerful tool into your strategy!** Watch the video of this interview - https://youtu.be/be07vkLCfMsJoining host Jim Cermak for the second time is Evan Babins, Event Manager for Intuit.Evan has close to 10 years' experience in corporate event production. Throughout his career, he has managed event logistics and production for world class clients like: Nissan Canada, Equitable Bank, Kia Canada, Novartis, and TD Bank, and now Quickbooks. Evan has worked in live, virtual and hybrid event spaces, becoming a top tier event industry trendsetter. Evan has been named one of BizBash's Top 250 Event Professionals, Eventex's Top 50 Most Influential Event Technology Professionals, Bizzabo's Top 55 Event Experience Leaders and Special Event Magazine's Top 20 Young Event Pro's to Watch lists. We discuss:What does creating community at events look like?What are the benefits?Can exhibitors build communities?How the benefits last far after the event has endedAnd more!Listen to Evan's first interview on Trade Show University:Innovative Best Practices for Exhibitors: https://tradeshowu.biz/episodes/ep-138-innovative-best-practices-for-exhibitors-with-evan-babins/Connect with Evan Babins:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanbabins/Instagram: @evanbabinsTwitter/X: @evanbabinsSUBSCRIBE! Trade Show Tips, tricks and strategies at https://www.youtube.com/@tradeshowuniversity*** Listen to 100's of episodes of the Trade Show University podcast at your favorite Podcast Platform!Mentioned in this episode:Add Greater Value to Exhibitors & Sponsors with EVA Event Tech Hub Visit www.evareg.com/TSU to get started on adding greater value to your Exhibitors and Sponsors at your next Trade Show or Event!Exhibitor Expert Review - exclusively from Trade Show UniversityReady to exhibit at your next Show? Don't make the mistake of waiting until you get to the show to learn lessons on what you can do better and tweaks you can make for next time. You can do that BEFORE this next show and accelerate your results! I can help you get locked in for Success with an Expert Review! • Having a professional set of outside "eyes" is important because You Don't Know what You Don't Know! • 30+ year Trade Show expert will review: o Design o Messaging o Goals & Metrics o Engagement Questions o Attendee journey • Identify the Gaps and Opportunities you don't even know exist! • And get you capturing more Qualified Leads than ever before • Visit Tradeshowu.biz/services

If you're looking to get your certified meeting professional designation, then you'll need to know how to study for the CMP.The Certified Meeting Designation is a prominent designation for event professionals. In order to obtain this designation, you have to be eligible and successfully submit your application, and then succesfully pass the CMP exam.Passing the exam doesn't come lightly. There are several recommended texts and many tips to study well for the exam. This episode will unpack how you should study for the CMP Exam. Naomi uncovers the 3 recommended texts that you should have in your CMP toolkit, and also provides some study tips too.Another aspect of studying for the CMP exam is to have a study partners. These partners can hold you accountable for the test. You can also have a study group or be apart of one. Planners on Purpose does host a study group that you can be apart of. Check out the link in the description to learn more.   The CMP designation can provide you with networking, salary, visibility and status in the events industry. If you're event professional, and haven't received your CMP, you may want to consider it.       Links and ResourcesIs the Certified Meeting Professional Designation for You?Events Industry CouncilThank you for listening, until next time, stay on purpose!Looking to take your CMP? Join a study group designed to help you pass the test while networking and engaging with the event professionals on the same journey. Click here to learn more!Support the show

What are you doing to continue your education as a wedding professional?Let's face it, you don't just sign one contract, send out one proposal, do one wedding, and know it all. You have to take time to continue to invest in yourself to grow as a business owner and wedding professional. That's why continuing education within the industry is so important, and in this episode of Design Your Wedding Business, I'm joined by Tara Melvin to talk about one way to do it: conferences! If you're looking for new ways to continue your education within the wedding industry, you're in the right place. Tara is talking all about the value of continuing education and the many elements that make a great conference, specifically for wedding professionals. Tara Melvin is an award-winning event planner in the Washington DC metro area. She is the founder and producer of The Signature CEO Conference, founder and mentor of The Executive Mentor Program, and founder and President of The National Society of Black Wedding & Event Professionals. Topics covered in this episode include:What makes a good conference in the wedding industry Why continuing education is so important for wedding professionalsThe importance of diversifying professional spaces How to continue your education as a wedding professionalTune in for some inspiration to invest in yourself and continue your own education in the wedding industry. I would love to connect on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DesignYourWeddingBusiness & Instagram: www.instagram.com/design_your_wedding_business!Resources Mentioned:Visit Tara's Website: www.perfectplanningevents-dc.com Get Tickets to The Signature CEO Conference 2024: www.thesignatureceo.com Follow @signatureconceptsllc on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/signatureconceptsllc/ Follow @signatureceo on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/signatureceo/ Follow @nsbwep on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nsbwep/ Show notes available at: designyourweddingbusiness.com/design-your-wedding-business-podcast/Want to find out which of the 8 CEO's your business needs you to be and the tasks that will benefit you the most? Take the 2 minute quiz and find out now: https://bit.ly/DWYBQuiz

Why work harder when you can work smarter? This episode talks about automation hacks that event professionals can use in order to make their lives a  little bit easier so that they can handle more important tasks.From email automation tools, to technological integrations, all of these have the potential, for being so helpful to us, personally, and to our businesses. And although many different professionals know these tools exist, due to the high volume of what we're producing, many times, we are unable to implement the very thing that is going to be providing us ease.As you're listening to this episode, consider, what can you implement in your personal or business world? Consider implementing a few of these areas, or adjusting what you currently have, and making it better. Because with every step that you take, you are one step closer to a little bit of wiggle room, and that can make all of the difference!Links and ResourcesCalendlyAcuityMicrosoft BookingInterview with Allfly (GroupAir)Interview with Group360 (Group Hotel)Zapier Integration ToolTo learn more about Planners on Purpose, visit our website. Thank you so much for listening, until next time, stay on purpose!Support the show

When we're planning events and doing this great work of event planning, we can fall into creating bad habits for ourselves especially when we are in busy environments. This episode will help you to develop good habits through some simple tips. By fostering good habits in your life, you can show up better for yourself, for your business, and for your clients.In this episode, Naomi shares how conducting distraction audits can help you to understand what is preventing you from doing what you ultimately want to do. Understanding your distractions can unlock areas that you can change.Many times are good habits that we want to foster don't get enough credit or enough attention for them to actually take root in our lives. So, having a habit tracker helps track those good habits and hold you accountable. Naomi discusses the habit tracker and how you can make the habit tracker work for you.This episode also unpack the two minute rule, and how just doing a good habit for two minutes can really create massive amount of change in your life. The episode also talks about how making your habits that you create feel good and being kind to yourself can also help you to instill good habits.Links and ResourcesAtomic Habits, James ClearThank you so much for listening, until next time, stay on purpose!To learn more about Planners on Purpose visit, our website.Support the show

Ladies and gentlemen, get ready for a special episode of the Events Demystified Podcast like you've never heard before! Today, we have the pleasure of introducing Logan Clements and Mary Davidson, the hosts of Better Events, who are taking over our show to discuss a topic near and dear to all event professionals:

Are Live Wedding Painters primarily artists, or does their participation in special events make them event service providers first and foremost?  Can both options be true at the same time?  We dive into this important duality of a live wedding painter's role through discussion of some poll questions posed on our Instagram page along with responses we received from fellow live painters.  We also chat about strategies for setting pricing.  Artists whose comments were featured in this episode include Hannah Aaron Studio (https://www.hannahaaronstudio.com/), By Elysia King (https://www.cloudstudioagency.com/our-artists/elysia-king) and Ryan Kindset Art (https://www.ryankindsethart.com).The Live Painter Podcast is hosted by Jamie Pogue and Amanda Rainear of Event Painting by Jamie, a live painting business based in Orlando, FL and Philadelphia, PA. For more information on Jamie and Amanda, please visit www.eventpaintingbyjamie.com. To find out more about the podcast, visit www.livepainterpodcast.com, find us on Instagram @livepainterpodcast, and check out our new Youtube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCypZ_yyrtP3HySPKNO4drYQ. You can also email the show with any questions or comments at livepainterpodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for listening!

This month at Diversity Alliance, we're campaigning for Disability Awareness Month. This episode offers a fantastic learning experience, packed with valuable insights that can equip event industry professionals with the knowledge they need to know on disability inclusion and accessibility in the events industry.   Together Lizzy and I covered: Lizzy's journey towards advocacy for accessibility in the events industry  The importance of event management degrees evolving to understanding the importance of accessibility and inclusion in events  Best practices, strategies and ideas to improve accessibility and inclusion  The Inclusive Event Design Playbook and how this guide can help the industry   Lizzy's Further Learning Recommendation: Ted Talk I'm not your inspiration, thank you very much | Stella Young: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K9Gg164Bsw Ted Talk No Arms, No Matter | Mike Adams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2-jgpGr4Ek Universal Design: Creating Inclusive Environments: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Design-Creating-Inclusive-Environments/dp/0470399139   WATCH THE BITESIZE YOUTUBE EPISODE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcRL5nXNFwewbSG9xAHUR0A   Meet our contributor, Lizzy Eaton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizzy-eaton/   Visit our website to access more resources: www.diversityalliance.co.uk  ® 2023 Diversity Alliance. All rights reserved --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/diversity-alliance-talks/message

This thought-provoking episode delves deep into the world of event professionals and mental health. Mental health is a topic that's crucial for all of us, but it takes on a unique significance for event professionals. The demands of the industry can lead to burnout, stress, and overwhelming pressures. Naomi aims to shed light on the importance of mental well-being and how it plays a central role in our lives.In this episode, you'll discover what mental health truly means and how it impacts your ability to cope with life's stresses, realize your potential, and contribute to your community. Moreover, you'll explore the common challenges that event professionals face, such as anxiety, burnout, and exhaustion.You'll learn how to enforce boundaries in your workspace, refine your mental health plan, and explore resources available for support.If you're ready to prioritize your mental health as an event professional, this episode is a must-listen. Join Naomi Tucker as she empowers you to navigate the event industry while maintaining your well-being. Your mental health is a basic human right, and this podcast will guide you toward achieving a sense of balance and purpose in your life. Don't miss this insightful journey – tune in now!Links and ResourcesWorld Health Organization on Mental HealthCenter for Disease Control on Mental HealthSkift and Cvent - Worklife Balance for Event PlannersPCMA Mental Health and the Business Events IndustryNational Alliance on Mental IllnessBanish Burnout Challenge To learn more about Planners on Purpose, visit our website at www.plannersonpurpose.com. Support the show

In this episode, Naomi shares valuable tips and strategies for effectively managing household responsibilities, finding motivation, and alleviating the burdens of maintaining your home, even on days when you're physically and emotionally drained. She understands the struggle of missing family events and special occasions due to work commitments and offers solutions to help you feel more in control and fulfilled in all areas of life.Whether you're listening on a busy Saturday as you catch up on personal tasks or any other day, this episode is here to guide you through practical solutions that make home life management more manageable. Join us and discover ways to achieve a balance that ensures your personal life is just as successful as your professional one.Links mentioned in this episode:How to Keep House While Drowning by KC DavisThanks for listening, until next time, stay on purpose!For more information on Planners on Purpose, visit www.plannersonpurpose.com. Support the show

With only 60 days left in the year, it's time to finish strong and turn your year-end goals into reality. In this episode, we'll provide you with an action plan to make it happen.Naomi will review how you can get clear about your goals, break them into small steps that serve your purpose, establish a reasonable timeline for you to complete your goals, and of course, celebrate.The end of the year comes with a tremendous opportunity for us to finish strong, and do those things that we have been wanting to complete all year. Perhaps work has gotten in the way, or perhaps your home life is overwhelming, but the good news is that there is still time.So, let's make these last 60 days count and finish the year strong. Stay on purpose, and share your journey with us on Instagram at @plannersonpurpose. To learn more about Planners on Purpose, head over to the website at www.plannersonpurpose.com.Support the show

Finding true balance in your life can be quite a journey. Especially if you're in a high-touch, high-performing role like event management. In this episode, Naomi discusses how the concept of work-life balance can be looked at differently to show that it is very rare for a person can achieve balance in all areas of their life all at once. Naomi shares how putting focus on different areas of our lives, in different seasons might be just what you need for you to have your idea of balance. Tune in and listen in on this episode. Do you believe that you can obtain true balance in all areas of your life? We would love to hear your feedback on social! Use #plannersonpurpose or tag us on social and let us know!Until next time, stay on purpose.To learn more about Planners on Purpose, go to www.plannersonpurpose.com.  Support the show

Season is back! So are the long hours that come with it. From working with existing clients, to onboarding new clients, to finding clients at all, running a business can become overwhelming.Our guest today makes it her business to help planners become more efficient and more profitable:Carissa Kruse Weddings Wedding Industry Maven and a Marketing and Conversion Strategist. She works with overworked wedding professionals to increase their profitability and cut their workload in half using her Endless Engagement method, so they can have long term success without scrambling to get couples and getting lost in the weeds of running their business. Live Show at 2:00 PM ET on Tuesday at www.youtube.com/@BehindTheVeilPodcastThe Behind The Veil Podcast Version is available the same day, after 5:00pm EST, on most major podcast players including iTunes, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Google Podcasts.For a hands-free experience, ask Alexa to play the latest podcast episode of Behind The Veil with Keith Willard.The BEHIND THE VEIL Show is the winner of the 2021, 2022, and 2023 Telly Awards for best online unscripted series and the NACE One Award for Innovator of The Year.Support the showBehind The Veil Crew:Host: Keith Willard www.keithwillardevents.com www.instagram.com/keithwillard Co- Host: Marci Guttenberg www.anaffairtorememberbymarci.com www.instagram.com/anaffairtorememberbymarci

In this episode, I connect with Shanondoah Nicholson about many subjects, mainly event planning and how you can embellish your career as an event professional. Shanondoah shares her story of how she came into the event industry and gives some suggestions and advice for aspiring event professionals.Episode Highlights:Shanondoan shares the most important part of where you are in your career. How a great team can help you see your ideas differently for the best perspective.Getting her CMP impacted Shanondoah's career, learn how important she thinks that the designation is.How to rest and recharge during the off-season and how it is important for you to maintain your sense of well-being thus decreasing stress and overwhelm.Importance of letting your network know when you are in a season of higher stress can help you put a boundary around what is currently important.The importance of saying no, and saying yes respectfully.How doing the unexpected can light up the worlds of our customers. Shanondoah shares the reason for her starting her very own podcast, and how she loves to talk about corporate events and how they have made an impact on her career.How keeping track of your commendations and accomplishments in your role can help you as you advance your career.Also learn about Shanondoah's go-to travel accessories, favorite self-help book, and what she loves to do in her free time. Links and ResourcesBeyond the BEO - InstagramShanondoah Nicholson - LinkedinSupport the show

Getting your Certified Meeting Professional certification and designation is a big decision, and I want you to know all about the requirements. This episode will focus on providing you with why you should move forward with getting your cmp, the benefits, and the requirements. To learn more about the specific requirements to apply for the Certified Meeting Professional Designation, go to eventscouncil.org.The CMP aims to set the standard of experience for event professionals in the industry.The structure, process, and certification have maintained their designation for over 30+ years.98% of Certified Event Professionals maintain their CMP's after initial certification.In order to get your CMP you have to have applicable education and experience in the event profession and pass the Certified Meeting Professional exam.The application process requires a fee and a brief waiting period for acceptance.All of the experience and education on your application is checked thoroughly to ensure the integrity of the program.  Once approved, you can move forward to schedule your appointment for the exam within 1-year.Links and ResourcesEvents Industry CouncilPlanners on Purpose CMP Study GroupSupport the show

Episode Details:On today's episode, I interviewed Alicia Parks, who took her passion for Yoga and merged it with her career as an Event Photographer and created a new program for Event Professionals to live a healthier lifestyle.As a Wedding Photographer and a Yoga instructor she has found that her passion for telling romantic stories through photography is as equally important as sharing the  transforming benefits of Yoga.She quickly realized, Yoga is a challenging exercise that creates deep relaxation and mental clarity. She recognized a desire to share the practice with others and teach professionally.Alicia completed her Yoga Teacher Training at the Ananda Seva Mission, in Santa Rosa, CA in 2011 and since then has taught over 2000 classes. She is especially interested in bringing Yoga into the lives of those who have never experienced the practice before. Seeing the benefits of the ancient traditions being discovered for the first time, including those who believed Yoga was not possible given their injuries or age, is one of her great delights.She constantly is seeking new avenues to bring Yoga into the lives of those who have yet to discover its benefits, and to help experienced practitioners along the path to a deeper, more rewarding practice.Contact Alicia Parks:Follow Alicia's IG: @weddingvendorwellnessWebsite: https://weddingvendorwellness.com/Here is a link to my freebiehttps://weddingvendorwellness.com/freebie   Listeners a coupon code for $50 off use code TWIST23Contact Me:Follow Me IG: @heathernelson.lifeWebsite: heathernelson.life

In seasons of growth and expansion, there is always an opportunity to move to the next level. Are you positioned to get to your next-level as an event professional? How do you stand out so that you can advance in your career?  This episode highlights how you can stand out amongst everyone and get to your next.Episode HighlightsBe an event planner that stands by your word. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Do the things you set out to do.Offer your input and suggestions when they are being asked. You never know how your insight can help others with what they do.Refrain from giving unsolicited advice, always ask so that your suggestions are received well by others.Focus on managing your time well. It's important to find unique ways to handle your responsibilities so that you are able to take on more.Tie up all your loose ends well. This is helpful in times of transition. Make sure that you are transparent, and getting others what they need to be successful..Communicate often, and communicate clearly. So many challenges happen because direction or a particular situation isn't made clear. Lean into opporuntity when it arises. If there is a need for help, be the person that raises their hand to help and do it well.Earn a certificate or designation. Consider the CMP certficate for meeting planners. Links and ResourcesCMP Study Group by Planners on PurposeThank you so much for listening to this episode, and until next time stay on purpose!Looking to take your CMP? Join a study group designed to help you pass the test while networking and engaging with the event professionals on the same journey. Click here to learn more!Support the show

Michelle Loretta is a strategist for the events industry and creator of Be Sage Consulting, formerly Sage Wedding Pros. She has been educating, coaching, and consulting event professionals since 2009. With a degree in accounting, roots at the Big 4 firm Deloitte, and experience as a stationery entrepreneur, she dissects numbers to help level-up businesses' earnings. These days, Michelle primarily provides financial strategy services and Fractional CFO consulting to event business owners. She has been asked to speak at a number of industry conferences, including Coterie, Lend & Gather, Wedding Wire World, NACE Experience, and The Special Event. She was named one of the TOP 1000 Event Professionals by BizBash in 2019. Michelle is also the winner of the 2021 ILEA ESPRIT best conference award for the Be Sage Conference. You will hear all about Michelle's journey and her tips on ​'How to Prepare for Economic Uncertainty.' We will finish up with 'What She Wishes Other Vendors Knew' and her 'Confetti Hour Confession.' Featured Guest: Michelle Loretta with Be Sage Consulting Website: www.besageconsulting.com  Instagram: @besagealways  Tune into Michelle's first episode on The Confetti Hour - Listen to the podcast here! ---- THE CONFETTI HOUR WEBSITE! This website is home for my mentoring services for wedding planners, my educational blog, the podcast, and one of my favorite new offerings -- THE CONFETTI HOUR SHOP! The shop offers digital resources, fun products, and my go-to business tools for wedding pros & so much more. Check out the new site at www.reneesabo.com!  ——— Join Our Patreon Family!  Help support Renée and The Confetti Hour show with a small contribution per month. Your support goes towards the professional maintenance of the show allowing Renée to continue to bring on reputable professionals to share their incredible journeys and tangible tips to help wedding professionals elevate their services. In addition, our Patreon family receives additional discounts to my education shop and freebie resources throughout the year! Consider supporting at https://www.patreon.com/theconfettihour ——— Bring Your Event to Life! Merri is an online visualization platform for event planning that allows planners to bring their client's events to life in 3D. You can visualize your entire event using models of furniture, decor, flowers, and more, all within renderings of your venue! It also allows you to collaborate with your vendor team for seamless planning and execution of events. If you are a planner and are ready to see how Merri can uplevel your business, head to the MERRI website and use code 'RENEE' for a free 30-day trial!  For venue or rental companies interested in becoming involved on the platform, you can email ambassador@bemerri.com to get started!

Meet Marissa: Marissa kickstarted her professional career in 2012 gaining invaluable sales and marketing experience within a large corporation. She enjoyed the structure that corporate-life offered, but ultimately made the decision to transition over to a small agency focused in event design and production and immediately felt at home. After spending close to 5 years managing and growing teams, nurturing existing relationships, fostering new partnerships, and overseeing executive level operations the pandemic brought the industry that she loved to an immediate standstill. She wasn't ready to give up on the industry that fed her passion for creativity and connection. After a year of event cancellations her partner asked her “Well, what do you really want to do?”. She simply responded with “I just want to do cool sh*t and have a good time". And with that, Marissa launched Good Time Creative in January of 2021.Good Time Creative is a female-owned creative design and production agency. GTC is operated by fearless creatives who have a specialized expertise in the live event industry. We thrive on creativity and push the boundaries of experiential development.Website:  https://www.goodtimecreative.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodtimecreativecoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodTimeCreativeCoTwitter: https://twitter.com/goodtmcreativePinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/goodtimecreative_coWhat You'll Learn in this Episode:Best event planning or time management tips especially when it comes to staying organized and getting everything done with trade shows.Some things she's seen whether it's clients she works with or on the trade show floor to get the most out of ExpoWest, Specialty Food Association - Fancy Food Shows, Sweets & Snacks Expo, or any food trade showsWhat you can expect from some of her 11 clients exhibiting at ExpoWest this year. What makes a good event strategy and ROI tips.Planning/goals/tips for a brand to focus on pre-show, during, post showBrand activations, pop-ups come back post-pandemic.How she nurtures professional and self development; either with new skill sets or keeping up the event industry trends.About Us - Women Who Brunch:Women Who Brunch is a community for women who love connecting, networking, and learning from each other over the most important meal of the week...BRUNCH!Visit our website for updates on events, recipes, brunch spots, product reviews and more or say hi on Instagram!Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenwhobrunchWebsite: https://womenwhobrunch.com

Welcome to the I am Charles Schwartz Show! This podcast is an uncommon guide to getting you what you want, when you want it. From the guy who has been coaching entrepreneurs on how to retire for over a decade. This podcast aims at making you UNSTOPPABLE. Awaken the inner beast within you! Quash your limiting beliefs and bring out the best version of YOU. --- Today, we have JASON ALLAN SCOTT! Get to know more about him: Jason Allan Scott is a Keynote Speaker, Podcaster, Entrepreneur, investor, global citizen, and builder of people-first companies.  With over 10 years of experience in the world of tech industry spanning Proptech, DeFI, Fintech, Medtech, EventTech and CreatorTech Jason has a broad understanding of multiple verticals.  Various media and social media platforms including Amazon have called Jason a top influencer on the web, Double Dutch called him one of the most influential Event Professionals in the world as did Eventbrite. He was recognized as a top 100 small business for his podcast business and invited to Number 10 Downing Street in 2016. Forbes has written two articles about this solo founder, while also being featured in multiple books including but not limited to "Tiny Business, Big Money" by Forbes Contributing writer, Elaine Pofeldt.  Scott has built and sold several businesses on three continents.

Leah Weinberg is a perfect blend of support for event professionals being an author, a recovering event planner, and an attorney. In this episode, we'll discuss the feelings and emotions that come with an event planner's job and how to walk through them. Episode HighlightsWhen you can think through some of the big things that go wrong then you are prepared for the small things that come up.Leah's book, The Wedding Rollercoaster, is all about keeping your relationship intact through the ups and downs.What something seems to be like on the surface, isn't what it is always about. There is always something beneath the surface that underlines someone's behavior.We should be proactive about bringing up any challenges in the planning process first. Asking questions and having a conversation while planning builds trust with customers.What people say as well as what people do not say can help you when identifying how to respond to your clients. Your branding messaging and voice should portray the type of planner you are so that customers are aware of who you are as a planning professional. Everyone is truly different and meant to be working with different people.In situations that are high-touch many times, practice makes perfect. Practice how you respond to customers so that it becomes easier for you to respond to requests.Sometimes we can be our own worst enemy by not having the right systems and processes in place. If you aren't strong in an area, find someone or a tool that is so that you can have a strong front.Leah's 3-step process for handling the stress or emotional responses at an event. 1) Take the emotional response in nicely. 2) Think through it logically. 3) Check in with yourself emotionally to see how you are feeling.Lastly, after moving through this process, we have to either take responsibility or let it go and move forward.Don't isolate yourself when dealing with difficult customers. Have a team, community, or accountability partner to help you get yourself through trying times. Links and Resources:Color Pop EventsOdubergThe Wedding Rollercoaster (Leah's book)Setting the Table (by Danny Meyer - Leah's other favorite personal development bookQuiet (Leah's favorite personal development book)Thank you so much for tuning into the podcast. Until next time, stay on purpose!Support the show

Your event could be a total success from start to finish: Your first impressions wowed your guests, your program was flawless, and you might have raised more money than ever. But there's one thing that could make or break the overall impression of your event: Checkout. If people are waiting in a long line to pick up their auction items or pay their pledged donations at the end of the night, you could send them home feeling frustrated. Have a detailed plan for your checkout process, from start to finish, so you can keep things running smoothly until the last guest leaves. Don't let a long or disorganized checkout dampen all your hard work and the success of the evening.   We're describing some best practices for your event checkout process, so you can have less stress and get your guests out the door with all their purchased items and a smile on their faces.   Handbid's software will make your checkout a breeze. Tap here to find out how!   Show Notes for this episode   

Your nonprofit board is crucial to your event's success and to advancing your organization's mission. Board members are the ones who provide you with guidance and advice and who bring money, connections, and other resources to the table. But managing that board and finding the right board members can be tricky.   We brought in special guest Mike Papi, founder of the OneGoat Foundation, to talk with the Handbid team about figuring out what types of people may be suitable for your Board and how they can help to make your event successful. The group talks about the strengths and woes of board members and offers a little advice if you're already on a nonprofit Board. Let Handbid help you raise more money, dazzle your guests, and pull off a fantastic event with mobile bidding software that makes every event a smash. Tap here to learn more.   To connect with the OneGoat Foundation, visit onegoat.org

The last few years have brought plenty of change, and trade shows have especially had challenges! Our guest on this episode has a ton of experience around helping exhibitors and show organizers alike tackle ways to make their trade shows better experiences. "Relationships are the currency of business" is one of the many quotes Jeffferson gave from many sage business people. Relationships ARE at the center of everything we do, and we should keep that as the focus as we build commerce and community around our trade shows. Our guest Jefferson Davis - President of Competitive Edge Jefferson has been serving the exposition industry since 1991 as a consultant, trainer, and author. Jefferson brings a unique and in-depth experience and perspective on working with exposition producers and companies who exhibit at expos. His focus with event producers is about helping them get, keep, and grow relationships and revenue. With exhibitors, he helps them convert their exhibiting program from expensive appearances to productive, profitable investments. His client base reads like a “who is who” in the events industry, having worked with over 250 Association and for-profit show producers – many for 10, 15, & even more than 20 years. With exhibiting companies he's worked with, he's been able to trace over $800 million in results from their exhibiting investments. If there's one thing people will tell you about Jefferson is that he is extremely passionate about exhibit and event marketing, and he's results-focused and process-based. ~*~*~ The "Trade Show Talk" podcast is publishing two episodes per month, tackling the most important issues the meetings and events industry is facing. If you'd like to be a sponsor or a guest or you have a topic to suggest we cover, please let us know by emailing podcast@tsnn.com. And we'd love it if you'd SHARE, rate, and review episode 24, & the show!

Angela Alea talks with Ray Brock, director of safety services at Insperity.

January is the perfect time to reflect on past goals and set new ones for the new year. As a follow-up to Episode 86 where we looked back at 2022, we are now looking at our goals, old and new. First, we look back at how we did on our 2022 goals and set new ones for 2023. This episode is a great exercise for you to reflect on your year and think about what you want to have experienced in the next calendar year. —— SHOW NOTES: JANUARY 2023 SURVEY LINK: https://b5074ntfg57.typeform.com/to/m528Ajbj Thank you for taking 5-10 minutes to fill out the survey, we love hearing from you and your feedback is so valuable for helping us continue to create quality content! Listen back to last year's Goal Setting Episode (Ep. 36): https://hospitality.fm/show/episode/36-2022-goal-setting-for-you-and-your-business/ Logan's Zoom Masterclass (on-demand or live in January 2023) - https://www.loganstrategygroup.com/workshops Passion Planner (Logan's referral link): RWRD.IO/NWJ5XI2?C Whiteboard (aka Chalkboard) method: https://beingboss.club/podcast/episode-79-chalkboard-method Connect with Mary: Website: https://epevents.org/ Instagram: @epeventsllc LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryrosedavidson/ Connect with Logan: Websinte: https://www.loganstrategygroup.com/ Instagram: @loganstrategygroup_events LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loganclements/ —— SUPPORT THE PODCAST: Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bettereventspod THANKS FOR THE LOVE! Love this podcast? Please share with your event friends, tag us, and leave a review! Leave us a rating on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/04ivq77TMgF5HhJHJOMe1V Leave us a review on Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-events/id1561944117 —— FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @bettereventspod @loganstrategygroup_events (Logan) @epeventsllc (Mary)

Today's interview feature is with special guest Mark Herschberg. Mark is the creator of the Career Toolkit: Essential Skills for Success that No One Taught You and the creator of the Brain Dump App.Mark has also been recognized on many podcasts, and shows, and has received a plethora of awards for his Career Toolkit book. In this episode, we talk about communication and how if you use communication effectively, it can help boost your career and enhance your leadership.Episode HighlightsHaving the relevant experience for a position before you express interest, can help you to get the role you need.There are many career transitions happening within event planning. Thus, it is important for companies to be transparent and intentional in hiring and have discussions beyond the requirements of the job.If you're looking for some great questions to ask during the interview process, check out Mark's great resource from The Career Toolkit.One mistake we often make when we are onboarding employees into new role is placing them into a box, and telling them to do the job. However, you want someone to understand the full picture of the company, and the larger context off their role.Communication starts with clear guidelines on how to communicate and where resources are within a role.Understand the root "why" of conversations so that you can communicate in a way that relates to their direct "why". When you drill down to the root, there might be different assumptions and goals.The BrainBump App is an app that helps you better retain what you read and what you hear. Download and check out this app and see how it can help you in your professional life.Leadership is changing, we have to be more intentional about our leadership, and be more communicative than before. We have to be more explicit with our leadership and intentional about getting feedback from our employees. More complex and more time-consuming as a leader these days.Events are changing, there is nothing that is changed at an event today that is something that you can't pull up online and get it. So events, need to be more engaging and go beyond what you can get next door.Networking and making meaningful connections is key and needs to be fostered at events.Extending the in-person experience to online before and after an event, can help to leverage the online experiences.Mark recommends the following professional development books: PeopleWare and The Charisma MythLinks and Resources:The Career Toolkit WebsitesThe Career Toolkit TwitterThe Career Toolkit InstagramThe Career Toolkit FacebookThank you so much for tuning into the podcast. Until next time, stay on purpose!Support the show

Event Professionals from across the country have told me on many occasions — and I've personally experienced it — that event venues refuse to donate leftover, untouched food due to concerns about food safety. One planner even shared that a hotel told his organization, "Don't make us do this," in spite of the fact that the catering contract stated all remaining, untouched food would be donated. Aubrey Alvarez, Executive Director of @eatgreaterdesmoines has experienced this herself, but that does not stop her. She continues to connect nonprofit organizations, businesses, and community leaders to work to strengthen the food system in Des Moines and make sure no food goes to waste. Winner of "Iowan of the Week" in 2021 for her team's efforts in distributing almost 90,000 food boxes via one of the organization's most significant projects, "Operation Fresh Produce Drop," Aubrey is committed to ensuring the people of Des Moines don't go hungry and that they have access to fresh and healthy foods Listen as Tracy chats with Aubrey about how people (e.g. #MeetingProfs) can get involved locally to help feed their community, what food can and cannot be donated, as well as innovative ways she is seeing food access improved in her community. While there are many individual properties that donate regularly, there are still thousands that do not. It's time for the Meetings And Events industry changes its policies to ensure we are rescuing and donating food that would otherwise be thrown away. Aubrey told me, "we have enough food for everyone. The amount of food thrown away could feed all food insecure folks multiple times." Link in bio to watch it live.Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

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.

On this episode, Kate and Rachel talk about vendors that event planners should be partnering with for future events. After recently attending the Event Planner Expo in New York City, the ladies are inspired by the latest trending vendors on the the event scene. From edible drink toppers for custom cocktails to latte trucks, cotton candy in the shape of animals, unique "disposable cameras", and painting experiences, there are so many cool vendors that can add an extra element of flare to your next event. Companies mentioned: The Latte Royal https://thelatteroyale.com/ ReserveBar https://www.reservebar.com/ Cocktail Graffiti https://snakeoilcocktail.com/cocktail-graffiti/ Andie's Eats https://www.andieseats.com/ NPA Parties https://www.npaparties.com/party-favors.html Ichiban Japanese Catering http://www.chuangweninc.com/ Hakata Sushi Catering http://ww12.hakatagrill.com/ Artemix http://www.artemix.com/ Paintillio https://paintillio.com/ Paper Shoot https://papershootcamera.com/ Stackable Sensations https://www.shopstackablesensations.com/ Jack Nadel https://www.nadel.com/

Event marketing and marketing an event are different things… and they are inter-connected. On this episode our guests share the state of the industry as they are seeing it through working with a variety of corporate clients over the years. Several strategic themes resonate throughout this show… be authentic, be purposeful, be critical, be agile, and always show value.  It's important to look at your event portfolio holistically. Determining the events to hold and attend, to sponsor, and to speak at – looking at all of these things with a critical eye is something that should be done annually. Having an "outsider" help you do this is also a way to help take the emotion out of these decisions. Particularly poignant in this episode is the talk about measuring everything you're doing to PROVE the value of events (and to promote change). These two event profs have a ton to teach us! Our guests Gordon Stake - Managing Partner,  Event Marketing Partners For more than 25 years, Gordon has led teams that help clients achieve their business goals & marketing objectives through face-to-face marketing. He is active in the industry, including sitting on the Board of Directors for the Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA), the Experiential Marketing Measurement Coalition (EMMC), and founding the Technology Event Marketing Strategy Council (TEMSC), and was on the leadership team of industry tradeshows & conferences such as PC, Unix, and Networks Expos. Angela Krzysko - Vice President of Marketing, Event Marketing Partners  With a career split between client and agency sides, Angela brings a keen sense of accountability to business goals, along with proven experience at crafting marketing strategies designed to drive demand, extend relationships, and build brands.  A talented strategist, her focus is helping organizations achieve their business objectives through event marketing and integrated communication strategies. Smart strategy and exceptional execution are at the heart of every plan that Angela helps to craft.   ~*~*~ The "Trade Show Talk" podcast is publishing two episodes per month, focusing on a different theme each month. If you'd like to be a sponsor or a guest or you have a topic to suggest we cover, please let us know by emailing podcast@tsnn.com. And we'd love it if you'd rate and review episode 18 and the show also!

 Episode 36- The Future is Fluid Lindsay Mustain00:00I'm Lindsay Mustain and this is the Career Design Podcast made for driven ambitious square pegs and round holes type professionals who see things differently and challenge the status quo. We obliterate obstacles and unlock hidden pathways to overcome and succeed where others have not stagnation feels like death. And we are unwilling to compromise our integrity and settle for being average in any way. We are the backbone of any successful business and those who overlook our potential are doomed to a slow demise. We do work that truly matters aligns with our purpose, and in turn, we make our lasting mark on the world. We are the dreamers, doers, legends, and visionaries who are called to make our most meaningful contribution and love what we do.  Lindsay Mustain00:42I cannot be more excited about this podcast, I've been trying to book it with you for weeks now, I think and so I had a few challenges like COVID getting in the way and you coming back from a beautiful talk. So I want to introduce you to Don Mamone, who is one of the most beautiful human beings that I know. And we're gonna talk about the future is fluid. So I want to just start here and say, This is not my expertise. However, as somebody who loves you, and wants to support you, I'm gonna say the wrong things. And I'm gonna be your student here. So I want you to just introduce me to the idea like, Who are you today? Like, who are you? And then like, let's walk through what is the future is fluid actually mean? Don  01:25100%. So thank you for having me, Lindsay. You know, I'm one of your biggest fans, and I'm super excited to this podcast. Thank you for acknowledging that you don't know everything all the time about specifically this topic. I hold you in such high regard and I know that your audience is going to be voraciously listening to you and by extension me. So thank you for having me here. You know, I am a hospitality veteran or survivor, however, you want to look at it. I'm a photographer, I'm an artist, I'm also an individual that's living happily outside the gender binary. I identify as they/ them. And that is a lifelong journey that I waited 40 years to unearth, unleash, acknowledge and own. And that's where I'm at, at this very moment. And I think that's one of the main reasons why we're here today is to talk a little bit about what it looks like to live outside the gender binary and/or what it's like to be transgender versus cisgender space. And so I'm excited to have a great chat, and inspire and educate and create an implementation in the world, right? To make sure that people start understanding what this is and what it means.  Lindsay Mustain02:35Okay, I love this so much. And I, when I say I'm a student, I've used the wrong pronouns already here today. And when I say that, it's, it's, you know, Dom is very, very kind about saying, it's not that like, it's not gonna offend me personally, it's that we're working towards progression. And so with that idea, because I didn't know you, and we use different pronouns that that's been actually offered to me on my podcast, and I'm so glad that this is the time that we're doing it because this message is so potent and powerful. So you just got back from Vegas about talking about the same topic, correct?  Don  03:07Yeah. So it's a really funny anecdote, and I'm going to tell it, so I, I finally acknowledged this about my gender identity. So I'm 45 years old, 45 years young. And I waited 40 years before I told a single individual on the planet about this internal feeling. It was my wife who was the first person I ever told. And I told her about five years ago, and it is something that I knew from childhood just wasn't willing to admit. And as I was going through this leadership program, and I acknowledged it, and I unearthed it, unleashed it, and started to really become comfortable with living truth and a reality that is valid and exists they reached out to this organization, which is the National Association for Event Professionals reached out and said, Hey, you submitted in 2020 to speak, we would love to have you submit again, for 2021, since we had to cancel for COVID. Do you want to speak? And it was literally at the exact moment, I was going through this realization. And I said, I do want to speak but I want to change my topic. Is that okay? Sure. Absolutely. Here's the form, submit your talk. I literally within 45 minutes created the talk that I wanted to give about gender inclusivity and diversity, have the needle what it means and they accepted it, and I gave that talk the first week of August, and it was literally the definition and Lindsay, I know you're spiritual and you believe things happen for a reason and there are no accidents. It literally happened in a container of time, where if it happened at any other time, if it had happened just before, I probably would not have been ready. If it happened just after I might have thought I'm too busy. I've got too much going on. It was literally perfect. And it was the most beautiful moment. It was so much fun.  Lindsay Mustain04:47Getting to see the pictures from it, I can see I could feel the emotion in those images of you connecting to the audience though. I even have goosebumps right now. Like I'm just so so honored for you to share this journey because it's incredibly personal, but what I think we, you know, I talk a lot about this industry and particularly with, inside the career space, that's what I'm really working in occupational. What I'm really about is like, I'm a part of human resources, but somehow we forgot about the human. And we've just been overworking on treating people like numbers, like numbers on spreadsheets, and how do we almost put them in containers. And then I call them jobs description, like cages, and we forget about the actual humanity of individual people. So I do see like, that's one thing where everything about human resources we put like legal officers, and everything is about risk mitigation from our own people and then I see this other side work still awakening really happening in the world, and in communities where we see DNI like diversity and inclusion. And I always want to say diversity inclusion is not any one thing. Like I think that's a really, really big misnomer. When I talk about diversity, I am talking about diversity in thought, I'm talking about diversity in gender, and talking about diversity in background. I am not looking at some of these, you know, disability status as a number of diversity, diversity looks very different when we look at an individual level. So when we talk about creating like this inclusive culture, and I'm from Seattle, I mean, I am one of the most liberal and embracing cities that is in the world, I'm so very thankful for that. But I also see these really antiquated structures, and we've created like male and feminine. And that's like the only two options for people to exist in organizations. So the duality, which is really all of us has both of these insides of us. And giving a place for people to be safe and to be authentically them at work is a way for them to tap into their true power. So let's talk about like, what gender is? Because I feel like this one, I want to listen to you what it is, what is it isn't? How do we experience it? Tell me about that. Don  06:44So, first of all, again, thank you. I mean, genuinely, because I live in a world where I try to help career-driven professionals and entrepreneurs alike, understand and acknowledge that when unique starts with you, right? Why oh, you, you can basically bring your whole and authentic self, your genuine self to everything you do, whether you're a cog in a really wonderful important machine, or whether you're the machine in and of itself. Okay. And so, first thing, right, some undeniable truths, okay, the first thing is, gender identity is real and valid, and all of them should be represented. And when I say all of them, gender identity is as unique as the individual. So there are eight billion people on this planet, an undeniable truth that I want everybody to acknowledge is everybody's gender identity is unique. That means that there are 8 billion gender identities. Lindsay Mustain07:35Oh, okay. So we can't put people into two boxes is what you're telling me. Don  07:39Not only can we not put them into two boxes, but we can also even put them into a million boxes, because basically, what I'm telling you is each individual is comprised of four things, okay? That makes up their gender. Okay? The four things that make up your gender or your gender identity, right, which is what your mind and your heart tell you about your gender. That's number one. Number two is your gender expression, which is how you take that feeling of gender identity and express it forward. That means the roles that you exist in the way you express yourself in fashion, the way you express yourself in your behavior, the way that you express yourself, presentation, hairstyle, makeup, skincare, all those things. Okay, so that's your gender experts, lipstick, fierce lipstick, 100%, red finish, the lipstick looks so good on you. It's a statement. The third is your anatomical or biological sex assigned at birth, which we can look at it and basically scientific right, there is certainly scientific nature of it. But even that is not two boxes, right? We know that you have an X and a Y chromosome. But we also know that people have male and female parts, secondary sex characteristics. Some people have three sex chromosomes, right? Because of a mutation, right? biological mutation. So that's the third. And finally is your sexual orientation, which is who you're attracted to mentally, physically, emotionally. And one of the common misconceptions is your gender identity is in any way related to your sexual orientation, or your biological sex assigned at birth, or any of those things, each of these four things right, exist in and of itself. But if I had a pretty diagram here, I would show you a Venn diagram where these four circles intersect. And at that very middle part where those four things intersect is the picture of you. And that's why every single person's gender identity is different because you have no idea what their identity, their expression, their sex assigned at birth and their sexual orientation are.  Lindsay Mustain 09:32Oh my gosh, okay, so this is the clearest that anyone has ever paid to this for me. I've never heard that actually. And so we talked about, there's a lot of things happening in HR, we talk about intersectionality, right? So the embracing of different they're almost different backgrounds of diversity, and so I've never heard it discussed like that. So that is incredibly powerful. Okay. So what we're saying is that anybody can have a multitude of different options and that centerpiece is going to be different than every other person that exists. So there is no way to just categorize people, we have to look at them as an individual people. Don  10:05Yeah and we have to open up tolerance and acceptance and inclusivity and diversity, right? Based on how that person identifies, expresses, maybe sex assigned at birth, maybe sexual orientation, right? There's a point at which if someone comes in for an interview, or is an entrepreneur and runs an amazing business, I'll use myself as an example, okay? My four quadrants are becoming increasingly clear every day and I use the words unearth and unleash when I look at gender, because this isn't something that we transition into,right, I totally understand and acknowledge that a common word is a transition, get it totally fine. Typically, though, for someone who is either transgender or sits outside the binary happily as I do, this has been unearthing. I'm not changing, I'm basically finally unearthing and acknowledging and unleashing what I consider to be my already existing gender that I've denied or hidden or struggled with for the better part of four decades. And finally getting there. And that means that I identify as nonbinary, which means there are male and masculine and female and feminine parts of me that I love. My expression is becoming not necessarily androgynous but fluid, which is why I say the future is fluid, right? Some days, I will be crawling under my jeep, and I'll be completely messy and dirty and have my hat on backward and present fairly masculine. Other times, like today, I am here and I am presenting slightly more feminine, my sex assigned at birth was male, I have male sex characteristics, which is just that's my chromosomal makeup. And I'm straight as, like, far as the day is long. My wife and I are happily married. We're not monogamous. I love her desperately and endlessly. And so that center part of my gender is the amalgamation of those four things and nobody else is like me, they may have similar things, but nobody's like me. Lindsay Mustain 11:58Yeah, this is so powerful. And this is making me feel a lot better. So I feel people get a little nervous and even be I'm an HR professional, right? And I really, and I'm a huge the human part of the HR piece like I really want to see individual humans, but I always struggle with like, okay, when we move into this, like, how do we, how do we approach it in business, I guess, tell me about like how this matters inside of the industry, business and people. Don  12:21So ultimately, I genuinely believe if you bring your most authentic and genuine self, you're literally going to unearth and unleash who you are. And that is directly proportional to the impact you have on the world, your potential is unearthed and unleashed based on you, acknowledging, accepting your authenticity. And what happens is, and let's just go ahead and go a little bit deep for a minute. For me for 40 years, I was doing, I was not being I was doing everything I thought I was supposed to do. Okay, I was raised in a very conventional home, not conservative, we were liberal. My mom was very loving and caring, she would say like, if you're gay, be gay, if you're straight, be straight, marry who you want. I did, I was raised in a conventional home though I had short hair, there were certain things that we have ways in which men and women and masculine-feminine expressed themselves. And you add to that, that in society, there were no positive representations of somebody that felt the way I felt. It just didn't exist. You just didn't see it. And if you did see it, Prince, David Bowie, people like that. It was a cultural icon. It was a musician, a rock star, I wasn't those things. So it didn't align, it didn't make sense for me. And so I lived in a place where I built an invisible prison in which I lived. And it was based on fear and guilt and shame and doubt, and judgment and compartmentalization. I worked in hospitality for 10 years, I had loved everything about it, Lindsay, but I could not have walked into a hotel company with long hair and makeup and said, I would love to be your conference services manager, your director of events, it did not exist, it was not okay at that time. And so, when we talk about companies, Lindsay, we need to get to a place where an entrepreneur, which is where I now, I don't have to concern myself with whether or not I'm going to lose business, be shunned and ostracized, be alienated, not be able to find professional partners. If I'm in a career-driven professional space, I have to not fear if I show up as my true and authentic, professionally driven self, that I'm not gonna be able to get a job because I don't fit into a very narrow-minded box. Lindsay Mustain 14:30I'm getting a little emotional listening to you talk because this is like at the core of what I teach people to do is just be who you really are. And I'm gonna say that answer is not static. The answer is not static. Like I like we're always evolving. And I hope you're always up-leveling. And right now, I feel like there's never been a time where you could actually go in like a better time. And I'm not saying it's going to be easy, because I think you could probably say some of those things too. But to be really useful, like when I talk about the things I want to do, I'm talking about I want you to tap in, like, what I really go to is like, Can you do something passionately? Can you do something with purpose, can you do something and pursue that and then make it really profitable for yourself in your business. That's really, really like a powerful statement. Like I don't care about what your qualifications are hear about who your soul is. And we seem to have forgotten that. So I feel like this is like the biggest extension of that is recognizing and it doesn't just apply to gender, it applies to every single breathing person who walks into a building, virtually or in-person like that is the power of this message. Don  15:32It is the power of this message. And the concept of the future is fluid. It doesn't say gender is fluid, it doesn't say the future of gender is fluid, when I talk about the future is fluid. I literally mean to your point of like, it's not static. people's identities evolve every day, not just their gender identity, right. That's the purpose of today's talk is to talk a little bit about that reality for me. But everybody's identity is fluid and changing based on who they are, what walk of life they're in, whether they're a parent or not a parent, whether they're married or divorced. And I think what happens is when we go through an identity shift, right, and identity conflict, or at worst, I think identity crisis, it's because something has changed in our life, that we are concerned about what that will mean. And as an example, I had a wedding planner that I would talk to that is incredibly talented, that hid from the world that she was going to have to go through a divorce. Now, despite their best efforts, they could not reconcile and it was time to get divorced. She was mortified that she was a wedding planner who's getting divorced, she was so concerned that nobody was going to want to hire a divorced wedding planner. And my immediate thought was, I get it, I don't have the answer to this, I get it. But we need to get you past this. Because if this is a crutch that you hold on to or something you feel like you have to hide, every time you talk to somebody, you are literally going to bury, right, that potential, and it's time to unearth and unleash it, right. And so the shift was, she was an unbelievable co-parent, they had two children, those children were unbelievably supported and loved by both parents, they were able to create a life in which they co-parenting and got along just great. Like that's something to be celebrated, not hidden. So we really need to find the things about our identity that make us unique, own them, claim them, and then be able to go out into the world and have that impact. Lindsay Mustain 17:25I love that. And when we feel like we have to hide it, I have a client that just began with me, and came from a very, very masculine environment, I'm gonna say that's in general, what we are, we don't spend a lot of time in letting people like if we think about the masculine, the masculine, this is I'm going to define it, what I see is really the doing like it's the action, right? The feminine is like the nurturing the embodying, and the beam, right. And together, like Yin and Yang, you guys need both sets of hormones, like you don't have just like every man has estrogen, and every woman has testosterone. And actually, I was reading something from a doctor, I talked about how some men have more estrogen than women. So like, if we were to base it, there is complete fluidity. That's a big word for me to say there in this process. And so what we've been conditioned to believe, is very different. And so the environment has been where he was incredibly spiritual, and you would never know it and talking to him because he had been so trained to be so masculine and to be so right. And to be, everything is about action. And to be completely like straight face, you would never know that there's emotion, and what we're like, I think Renee Brown has done a really big gift for the world and really trying to embrace both vulnerability and authenticity about who we are but it's even deeper. Like, I feel like you're taking that to a whole other level. And I love that. This is the first time by the way, cuz I'm talking about the connections that I'm making here, that you were talking about. It's not that you're not the futurist fluid. It's not about gender, which is what I really thought we're gonna be talking about today. But that every person so like, what am I going to hear is intersectionality diversity and inclusion, you know, whatever you want to call this container, which is just fucking seeing people for being people, in my opinion, like, recognizing that we have no boxes. If there are, you know, a billion people on the planet, there are no boxes that we can all fit in and we would stop categorizing people. How do we make this culture? Like how do we create this culture, where people can show up as their most authentic selves where we can be inclusive? Where do we stop categorizing people, tell me how do we do that? Like, what can you tell my audience here? But how do we do that? And how do we show up as a company to like a company because I feel like that's gonna be something you're gonna do in the future is really advising companies? But how do visuals become this advocate for themselves and stand in their own power? Don  19:39So the hardest thing is, our influences and experiences teach us who to be how to be what we think is going to happen, and the stories we tell ourselves are the ways in which we build that invisible prison. So the best thing each individual can do, whether it be their gender identity or any other identity is they basically need to break down walls. That's what I've done over the last four months, I have basically taken brick by brick, and I've removed the invisible prison in which I lived. And those bricks were fear, guilt, shame, doubt, like I said, compartmentalization. Right. Let's start at the very center of my bullseye and we'll work our way out. And I want to tell a really raw and emotional story because what it does is it encourages people to feel compassion and empathy. And it, it creates one of two things, they walk away, and they go, Oh, my God, I had no idea or somebody out there is gonna listen to the story and say, Oh, my God, just like me, or both, okay. So when I decided to tell my wife, it's because I had a 10-month-old baby girl and when that baby girl was born, I looked at her and I said, I'm gonna love you unconditionally, no matter what you can be married, do whatever job doesn't matter, I will love you unconditionally and over the course of those 10 months, I started looking at myself in the mirror and for most of my life, I either sort of denied this feeling and then after a while, I'm like, I can't deny it because it's still here. And I'm like, 35,40, 45, whatever it was, so I just started hiding it and I was like, well, whatever, it's just in there. And I'll just ignore it. Well, once I had a baby girl, and I have marriage and a wife that loved me unconditionally, and that I loved unconditionally and we shared that unconditional love for a daughter, I looked at myself in the mirror, and I went, Okay, so you've gone from denying it, to hiding it to now basically being a hypocrite about it, which makes you a liar, you're just a liar. And I couldn't look at myself in the mirror day after day and feel like, okay, you're a liar and so I decided to tell my wife, and I didn't even know what to tell her. At the time, I was like, I've got this feeling inside of me. I'm not masculine. I've never been toxically masculine, you know that. But there's literally like, part of me, that's a woman or part of the time, there's a part of me, that's a woman, I don't know how to explain it, I just am. And she's like, okay, we're gonna figure this out together and over the course of four years, until I finally had the courage to talk about it in public, my wife consistently looked at me and was like, we're gonna stop together, and you're my person, I will love you forever. That's it. So that process was an ability for me to basically take brick by brick, and basically destroy these walls of this invisible prison in which I lived and what it allowed me to create was new stories. So the story of I knew my wife would love and support encouraged me and be unconditionally loving. But she might have said, I can't go on this journey with you. I just can't, like, this isn't what I signed up for and she would have every right to say that, and I wouldn't be able to hold that against her. And so that story got taken out of my wall, because she looked at me and said, You're my person, I'll love you forever and we're in this together. And then the, I can't tell my mom about this, she'll never understand it. Okay, I get to get rid of that, because I talked to my mom about it and I can't present myself as my authentic self, because people won't hire me anymore, or people won't want to hire the non-binary photographer, because it will. Okay, I got to do that. Because as I present, I have more people saying, This is amazing. I'm so glad you are who you are. And it makes me more inclined to partner with you to hire you to support you, including a super fun anecdote, hired by recently by an unbelievable production company that I love. They're unbelievable they hired me not necessarily knowing that I had gone through this awakening, I showed up. And for this product launch, they had brought in a troupe of ballerinas and models and fashion icons from New York City, to include a non-binary model to show the intersection of like art and commerce. And as I was there, I just immediately was like, This is the world that we need to create, that it was important to that company to include all walks of life. And I was able to then use photos that I took of these individuals in my presentation in Las Vegas, like I said, everything happens for a reason where I showed this is what gender looks like gender is, whatever the person is. And so first thing you can do as an individual, looking outward, destroys those walls. Okay, and then next, if you want, we can talk about I think what other people that are kind of outside of prison can do to help. Lindsay Mustain24:12I would I think that that is the most powerful thing. And I think I'm gonna be honest, I felt a little intimidated when I looked at your story because I thought how do I do this, right that doesn't offend somebody and that I absolutely love and care about this person. And I want to be supportive, but I don't even know the right thing to say. So how can I How can I do it in a way where I feel like people will be like, I'll give you an example. After my brother was murdered. A lot of people avoided me. They just didn't know what to say to me and they were intimidated, and they were sure they're gonna say the wrong thing and I didn't know how I would feel and so I'm always like, Listen, I have zero clues. I don't read through this either. So I was like, the biggest thing was just being there. It didn't matter like coming with really unconditional love. So I don't know if that's true for you. But I would love to hear how can somebody support this culture how as an advocate for an individual that you know, Don  24:57I'm so so sorry about that and I know that people probably say it to you all the time. And you're like, Okay, I get it. My sister is one of my best friends in the world. And so you live my worst nightmare. And I want to acknowledge that. This is also a conversation about identity. I know, it doesn't seem like it. But you went from one identity to another abruptly and, unfortunately. And so what we can do for people that are going through an identity conflict, identity shift, and identity adaptation, is do exactly what you just said, is be there, and love them the way that they need to be loved, at that moment, unconditionally, and so you and I share, again, very different scenario, but I literally would want people to look at me and be there for me, whether it be physically, emotionally, psychologically, whatever. And essentially, say exactly what you're saying, Lindsay, like, I don't know, and I don't get it. But I want you to know that I'm here. And I love you unconditionally, and I'll support you. So tell me, if there's anything that I can do to do that. Now, you'll hear a lot of people use words like microaggressions and it's not my responsibility to educate you. I do agree that if you care about someone, and you want to love them, and support them through a transition through whatever, a difficult time, and awakening any transition in their life, you can do a little due diligence, that won't be wasted, right. So for example, right, doing research on gender identity, listening to a podcast on gender identity, doing research on someone who's lost someone that's close to them, trauma, grief, like we can educate ourselves a little bit so that the burden of responsibility isn't on the person, right to do the educating at the same time, if you come to me, and there's a very important word here, Lindsay, and I'm sure you know it, if you come to me with the right intention, I'm going to know it. I'm going to see it, I'm going to feel it and so when people are like, you know, he, they Oh, I'm so sorry. And they make they get all flustered. But I'm like, I get it. It's cool. It's something that we've been like, you've called me here for the last 44 years, I don't expect you to get it overnight, right? Just be like, I meant they, and let's move on. Right? It is there are ways in which we can support each other. Now, the other thing I really want for people to understand is, if you are cis-gendered, right, which for those of you that don't know, because it's not a very common word cis-gendered is basically anybody who's not transgender or non-binary or falls under that umbrella. So your gender assigned at birth, and your gender identity align. Cisgendered is what we call you, right? What's what the scientific word is for it. If you're that person, finding ways to show that you're a safe space, and that you believe in that undeniable truth, that every gender identity is valid and to be respected. Any way in which you can do that, please do that. And what that includes is, if you're on Instagram, add your pronouns, even if they seem obvious, right? If your gender identity, Lindsay is perfectly aligned at birth with what your gender identity is, as an adult, that makes you probably put your her in that because what that means is when I look you up, when I start to interact with you, I'm like, Okay, cool. This person agrees with my undeniable truth that gender identity matters, as opposed to somebody who's like, Well, no, I don't, I don't agree with that your snowflake, it's your guy, your girl. And then I know that I can just behave differently. Lindsay Mustain28:25Yes, because that's the thing people want to feel safe. Like, that's a core need that we need to have is feel safe. But also, I want to go back to one of the most core human needs that we have. And something that's really, really missing in all core. Corporate America is love and connection. It's one of the biggest core needs that we have as human beings. And so when we, when we, when we neglect people as humans, they don't feel connected to their environment. And when you ignore that part of somebody and I have come from square as I've evolved, if I become the person that I really was meant to be, as my experiences have shaped me, and my identity has shifted, you know, those things have been denied by people who I was born to even and the people who get to truly see me and love me now, like, that is how we feel like we matter in the world. And when we look at some of the epidemics around, you know, people who had a suicide in particular, and people who have been ostracized for their lives, it's because we don't show up and just love them. So like I always say, my highest value is love and it's a very weird thing inside of a world of corporate. I'm like, I am just going to love you exactly as you show up for me. And that doesn't mean that I have the answer. In fact, like I want to be students and what to learn, but just show up and love people and if you do that, if you come with this heart approach, I mean, that is the real true definition of like love and connection are you just show up and we just embrace people exactly as they are, you know whether or not you think they are, you know, right or wrong. Like just love it. Somebody like judgment was a big part of my thing I had to let go and how other people feel about me has no definition of who I really am. Don  30:08So you have, you've undergone a very tumultuous journey. And you're very comfortable and confident, right inside your container. Now, I have to tell you, first of all, I love everything about what you just said, I think love is by far and away one of the most powerful emotions. And I believe that in this world, even though there's a lot of hate, and a lot of ignorance and a lot of aggression, that there's far more love. I just I genuinely believe that. However, I will tell you that based on what you just said, one of the things that we all need to do is sit still in a quiet room for a moment and close our eyes, and ask ourselves how, and whether or not we truly love ourselves the way in which we should, because I'll tell you, that's literally the story of my 40 years as I was fundamentally incapable of looking in the mirror and loving myself, the way that I loved my daughter. And that, for me, was was literally the linchpin, it was literally the time at which I said, you can't love yourself in the same way you love your daughter, and then expect your daughter to go into the world and love herself the way that you love her, right? So I need everybody to do that. Because that's where we oftentimes get into problems. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm 100% on board with you, that other people look at us and judge us and try to compartmentalize us and therefore aren't loving us the way they need to love us. But ultimately, first, we got to look inward. And I will tell you in the last four months of my life, and I love telling this story because it was one of those moments where like, how do I get my unusually large foot out of my mouth right now I looked at my wife. And I was finishing up this leadership program, I had just finally unearthed, unleashed, acknowledged, and owned the fact that my gender identity didn't align and that I was going to present as non-binary and fluid and love everything about life. I was getting ready to do this talk in Vegas like everything was firing, and I was like, Oh my God, I've never been happier. Wait a minute, I married I had a kid like That's not fair. But what I acknowledged was in that moment, I literally sat still, and was watching all these things swirl around me and how they were coming together in unconditional love for myself. And I said I've never been happier with myself and how I feel about myself. That was ultimately it was literally a free pass. It was a ticket. It was a ticket to freedom to happiness, that doesn't mean that there's some fear. That doesn't mean there's not intimidation that's not, oh, gosh, what about, but it was literally a feeling of freedom that I had never ever felt in 44 years on this planet. And I want everybody to have that. Lindsay Mustain 32:56And I think you're completely right. In order to love people really fully, you have to start by loving yourself. And that is one of the biggest journeys that we can take. And it's a process. It's still my process. Because something that I do when people look at me, and they see the transformation that I've made this last year, what I did is I started to fall in love with myself. And I stopped denying bullshit that I had actually repressed and truth that I had embraced because I was worried about other people judging me and I just decided to be me. And that's not perfect, not even close. But it is completely authentic and exactly who I was meant to be. Don  33:27And we'll find ways to love ourselves in spite of things because of things. We develop a new fit. Like, I just love the fact that life isn't static like just isn't static. It's 100% fluid. And so are each and every single one of us on the level, all the work that you're doing to help people in their professional and personal journeys. It's amazing. Lindsay Mustain33:48Well, thank you so much for being here. So if somebody wants to reach out to you, because I feel like you can be here to talk about this, and help enlighten people and shed journey if they want to follow you if they want you to talk how can they contact you? Don  33:58I am like the easiest person to find on the planet. You can go on every social media site out there and I'm at donmamone@donmamone.com. My wife and I are on Facebook, we have a website for our photography and so I'm a relationship marketer at heart. It says it right behind me and you and I know it's people first and profit. Literally, a person just needs to send me a message and we'll connect and I'll have a chat with them. Lindsay Mustain34:22I love that. Thank you so much for being here.  Don  34:24It's my pleasure.