PheedLoop's Podcast

In this episode of the "Where People Meet Podcast," we are joined by Michael Beckerman, a pioneer in the commercial real estate technology and sustainability sector, to discuss the dynamic intersection of technology, sustainability, and the events industry. Michael shares his entrepreneurial journey, from building Beckerman Public Relations into one of the country's largest firms to his current role as CEO of CREtech, the premier conference company dedicated to technology and sustainability in the Built World. The interview delves into various aspects, including CREtech's role in the industry, the significance of events in their business strategy, and their mission with CREtech Climate, which aims to reduce the real estate industry's carbon footprint. Michael also elaborates on the role of conferences and events in fulfilling this mission, as well as the innovative technologies incorporated to enhance event sustainability. The conversation concludes with Michael's optimistic view of the future of sustainability in the meetings and events industry. Listeners of "Where People Meet Podcast" gain insights into how technology and sustainability are shaping the future of events and how industry leaders like Michael Beckerman are actively contributing to a more sustainable Built World.  As always, if you’re interested in connecting with Michael Beckerman to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about his expertise, you can do so at the following resources: LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/michael-beckerman  Website - cretech.com/ (Company), cretech.com/michael-beckerman (Blog) Twitter - m_beckerman Support the show

In this episode of the "Where People Meet Podcast," we’re joined by Danielle Lamothe, Vice President of Learning and Innovation at the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE). With a remarkable background in the association and membership industry, Danielle delves into the challenges and strategies faced by associations in the ever-changing events landscape.  Being an industry veteran, Danielle provides insights into her role and background within the meetings and events domain. She sheds light on the impact of rising costs and limited budgets on associations, emphasizing the unique position these organizations hold as they bring people together while working within the constraints of member funds. Danielle addresses the strategies employed by CSAE to successfully execute events with limited resources, particularly in the post-pandemic landscape. Drawing from their own experience, she provides valuable tips for event planners facing similar resource challenges. The discussion covers innovative ways to design meaningful experiences, revealing how CSAE has navigated this terrain, such as offering a mix of in-person and virtual events throughout the year. Wrapping up the episode, Danielle shares her perspective on the evolving industry and offers listeners a final insight into her work.  If you’re interested in connecting with Danielle Lamothe to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about her expertise, you can do so at the following resources: LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/danielle-lamothe  Website - csae.com  Email - danielle@csae.com  Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Kraig Kleeman, founder and originator of Kraig Kleeman Live! and Rock The C-Suite. Kraig brings a wealth of experience to the podcast as an established showrunner for events like The World Leaders Forum and has shared the stage with influential figures like George W. Bush and Tony Blair. Bringing a self-proclaimed fusion of Elon Musk and Mick Jagger, Kraig is one of the world’s greatest Event Emcees, and we were lucky enough to have him sit down and answer a few questions for our Where People Meet audience!  Kraig talks about his background in the meetings and events industry, where he got his first taste of events emceeing, how he established his name in the public speaker and emcee space, and what were some of the strategies he used. Kraig also talks about why he only seems to target corporate events, and some of the tactics he uses to engage them. As always, we close out the episode with Kraig giving the Where People Meet audience some tips and tricks on how to improve their public speaking skills and captivate an audience!  If you’re interested in connecting with Kraig Kleemam to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about his expertise, you can do so at the following resources: LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/kraigkleeman  Website - kraigkleemanlive.com  Email - kraig@kraigkleemanlive.com   Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Edward Byers, Founder and President of CANRev Collaborative, a proudly-Canadian agency that helps not-for-profits and associations find and execute on real strategies to grow their revenue so they can increase their impact. At the same time, Edward lends his skills to the Canadian Society of Association Executives (CSAE) in helping expand their business development practices, and he also works with the next generation of Canadian event professionals as a part-time professor at Seneca College. We were incredibly lucky to have Ed Byers sit down and answer a few questions about his background in the meetings and events industry, and what made him fall in love and pursue a career in it. Ed talks about his latest project, CANRev Collaborative and explains what it stands for, what kind of clientele they cater to, and where he got the idea for the company. Jason shares some of his successes and failures with starting the company and shares his tips on growing revenue with the listeners, touching on both revenue expansion and diversification.   If you’re interested in connecting with Ed Byers to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about his expertise, you can do so at the following resources: LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/edward-byers-chrp-cmp-cae-12579425 Website - canrevcollab.com  Email - edward@canrevcollab.com  Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Jason Koop from CSE Media Group. Jason is a writer, influencer, fan of Canadian event experiences, and the VP of Business Development with Canadian Special Events. After more than 15 years in the apparel industry managing accounts for some of the world’s largest designers like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and Vanity Fair Corp, Jason was ready for a change. Combining his relationship-building skills with his marketing background and his new love for events, he has built the largest following of corporate event professionals in Canada for CSE and is helping to lead the brand to a new level of success.  We were incredibly lucky to have Jason sit down and answer a few questions about his background in the meetings and events industry, why he left his career in the apparel industry to pursue his own project in the events industry, what are some parallels and differences between the two industries, and how he applied his background in the corporate world to successfully grow in the events industry. We also learn whether Jason always had a goal of creating the biggest community of corporate event planners in Canada or if it was a byproduct of creating the company, and some he learned along the way. Jason closes out the episode by giving the audience advice on how to launch an event and use it as a medium to foster and grow a community.  If you’re interested in connecting with Jason Koop to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about his expertise, you can do so at the following resources: LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/jasonkoopcselive   Website - canadianspecialevents.com Twitter - @jaykoop  Support the show

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In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Carly Silberstein, CEO and driving force behind Redstone Agency, Canada’s fastest-growing event and association management company. She’s a devoted entrepreneur, passionate about developing meaningful and impactful relationships. Before launching Redstone, Carly led marketing and event teams that serviced corporate clients, not-for-profit organizations and associations in a variety of industries.  Having worked with Redstone over the past four years, we can attest to the fact that Carly is one of the most authentic and hardworking people out there. We were incredibly lucky to have her sit down to answer a few questions about her background in the meetings and events industry, where she got the idea for Redstone Agency, what the founding journey was like for her, what are some impactful lessons learned as an entrepreneur, and how she applies those lessons on a day-to-day basis. Carly also talks about Redstone and what it means to be an association management company, she describes the type of clientele they get as an Agency, and how they help clients with event management.  If you’re interested in connecting with Carly Silberstein to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about her expertise, you can do so at any of the following resources: LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/carlysilberstein/  Website - redstoneagency.ca  Twitter - @carlyekstein Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Maneesha Manges, Chief Experience Officer at HighRoad Solutions, a technology enablement company that helps associations to leverage tech-enabled marketing, membership recruitment, and retention solutions to grow their organization. Maneesha brings a wealth of expertise to the table with more than 20 years of evolving experience in the B2B marketing space. Known for being a specialist in early stage or high growth firms, Maneesha is able to establish marketing programs and lead generation activities to deliver unexpected results with limited budgets. Given her level of expertise, we were incredibly lucky to have Maneesha sit down to answer a few questions about her background in the meetings and events industry, what appealed to her most about marketing as a profession, an overview of the services provided by HighRoad Solutions, what type to clientele they normally cater to, what marketing automation means and how associations can implement its strategies to expand their membership, why marketing an event is a critical step, and some of the do’s and don'ts when it comes to event marketing. Maneesha also shares what the future looks like for event marketing, and some of the event marketing strategies that are already being implemented at HighRoad Solutions. If you’re interested in connecting with Maneesha Manges to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about her expertise, you can do so at any of the following resources: LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/maneeshamanges  Website - highroadsolutions.com  Twitter - @maneeshamanges  Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Jason Thomson, Founder and CEO of SpeakUp Get Results, a next-gen consulting agency that helps clients develop the skills that make every presentation, talk, pitch, panel and conversation the very best of their career with coaching, workshops, keynotes, masterclasses and more! For more than 25 years, the world’s smartest organizations have turned to Jason to engage audiences, win business, accelerate careers and communicate more effectively.  Given his expertise, we were incredibly lucky to have Jason sit down to answer a few questions about his background in the meetings and events industry, where he got the idea for SpeakUp Get Results, the services that are provided by them, when and how he realized he could package his personal brand and make a career out of it, and why mastering your pitch and becoming an engaging storyteller a valuable skill for anyone, regardless of whether or not you’re going up on stage. Jason also gives us a breakdown of what is included in his High-Impact 5-Step SUGR Stack Process for Presentations and Pitches, and we close out the episode by asking him to provide listeners with tips on how to become more comfortable getting in the spotlight and delivering impactful presentations. If you’re interested in connecting with Jason Thomson to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about his expertise, you can do so at any of the following resources: LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/jasonthomsonspeaker   Website - creativemercenary.com   Twitter - @cmercenary  Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Shawn Cheng, a proud advocate of event professionals across the globe and regularly featured as one of the leaders in our industry. Shawn has amassed numerous awards over the years. He currently lends his ever expanding skill set to the DAHLA+ Agency as their Senior Strategist of Brand, Experience and Marketing. He is also the co-founder of #EventProfsBreakShit, a community of event professionals who come together to test and experience event technology.  Having known Sawn for years at MCI Global, we were incredibly lucky to have him sit down to answer a few questions about his background in the meetings and events industry, his thoughts on the industry not getting enough new talent and ideas, how we can recruit and retain new talent in the industry, and his ideas on what the future of this industry is. As always, we close out the episode by asking Shawn to provide listeners who are looking to maximize their networking experiences at events with some actionable tips and tricks.   If you’re interested in connecting with Shawn Cheng to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about his expertise, you can do so at any of the following resources: LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/shawncevent  Website (Company) - dahliaplus.com  Website (Portfolio) - eventprofsbreakshit.com  Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Matthijs Otto, Founder and CEO of NetworkTables, a web-based software solution that helps event organizers maximize networking opportunities at their in-person, hybrid and virtual events. Based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, NetworkTables helps attendees meet the right people at events in over 34+ countries, and has been growing 30% per quarter since its launch. At conferences, they bring event attendees together at tables for 1-on-1 meetings, lunches, topic-based discussions, or dinners, which ultimately eliminates networking barriers and creates a better event experience for attendees, leading to higher ticket sales! We were incredibly lucky to have Matthijs sit down to answer a few questions about his background in the meetings and events industry, where he got the idea for his company, what his founding journey looked like, how NetworkTables is used for onsite events, his successes, failures and what the future looks like for his company. As always, we close out the episode by asking Matthijs to provide listeners who are looking to maximize their networking experiences at events with some actionable tips and tricks.   If you’re interested in connecting with Matthijs Otto to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about his expertise, you can do so at any of the following resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthijsotto/  Website - http://www.networktables.com/  Twitter - https://twitter.com/matthijsotto  Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Connie Cay-Santos, Founder and CEO of CAY VII INC, a rapidly growing event production agency operating out of Richmond Hill, Canada. In addition to her role as an entrepreneur, Connie lends her expertise to Quest Audio Visual as their Director of Engagement Strategies and she’s also a Strategic Partner for Engamio, an event gamification platform. And if you thought that was impressive, it doesn’t end there - Connie also serves as the Vice President of Communications and Strategic Partnerships for the Toronto Chapter of Meetings Professionals International.  Connie is a true testament to the power of finding your calling and how to pivot and enact change in a meaningful way. Needless to say, we were incredibly lucky to have Connie sit down to answer a few questions about her background in the meetings and events industry, how she made the transition from her role at the Hudson’s Bay Company and built her own personal brand, what her entrepreneurial journey has been like, how she manages to take on multiple projects at once, and what she has planned next for her team at Cay VII. As always, we close out the episode by asking Connie to provide listeners who are looking to unlock the true potential of their careers with some actionable tips and tricks.   If you’re interested in connecting with Connie Cay-Santos to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about her expertise, you can do so at any of the following resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/conniecaysantos/  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/cayvii/  Website - https://www.cayvii.com/  Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Pilar Vigil, Manager of Trade Shows and Conferences at Alkermes in Boston, with over 20 years of experience in trade projects and logistical management for planning trade shows, conferences, meetings and corporate events in the US, Europe and Asia. Pilar has an incredibly impressive resume in the events industry through her experience at FICO, Amgen, American Express Meetings, and her latest role at Alkermes.  Needless to say, we were incredibly lucky to have Pilar sit down to answer a few questions about her background in the meetings and events industry, her key to success, how to plan events that are meaningful to everyone involved (i.e. attendees, investors, partners, exhibitors/sponsors, company employees, etc.), and more importantly, how to humanize the event experience for different stakeholders involved. As always, we close out the episode by asking Pilar to provide our listeners with some actionable tips and tricks that they can apply to their own event strategies.  If you’re interested in connecting with Pilar Vigil to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about her expertise, you can do so at any of the following resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/pilar-vigil-6994195/  Email - piliv1971@me.com  Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Giovanni Galvez, Vice President of Business Development and Strategy at SyncWords, one of the world's top-rated captioning and translation services for in-person, hybrid and virtual events. At SyncWords, Giovanni oversees all marketing and communications programs, including brand and partnership strategies, as well as consulting with key enterprise customers on scalable, cloud-based SaaS captioning and subtitling workflows. Giovanni has been a software product manager for the past 10 years, and recently received an Emmy Award for Technical Excellence in Internet Captioning Workflows. In this episode of the podcast, we were very lucky to have Giovanni answer a few questions about his background in the meetings and events industry, how he developed his interest in captioning and translation services, why it’s important for event planners to prioritize accessible and inclusive events, as well as what factors are involved in planning accessible events. Giovanni also goes into depth about SyncWords and its technologies, and discusses next steps for SyncWords in helping event planners run more accessible and inclusive events. As always, we close out the episode by asking Giovanni to provide our listeners with tips and tricks that they can apply to their own event strategies to make them more accessible and inclusive to everyone.  If you’re interested in connecting with Giovanni Galvez to discuss any of this in further detail or to learn more about his expertise, you can do so at any of the following resources: Website - https://www.syncwords.com/   LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/giovannigalvez/  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/syncwords/  Email - gio@syncwords.com Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Alex Bickers, President and Creative Director of Reveal Events Group, one of Canada’s top-rated corporate event management companies. Alex is an award-winning event producer and creative consultant, driven by creating the best experience for his clients, team, and audience. Alex has been a long-standing member of ILEA Vancouver and The MPI BC Chapter. Between 2015 and 2019, he served on the Board of ILEA Vancouver, notably completing two consecutive terms as Chapter President. During his tenure, he created the first ever ILEA Vancouver scholarship program in support of emerging event professionals. Alex is committed to making exceptional contributions to the event industry as a whole through his mentorship of students and his service to his community, team, and clients. In this episode of the podcast, we were very lucky to have Alex sit down and answer a few questions about his background in the meetings and events industry, how he kickstarted his own event management company with Reveal Events Group, his experience overcoming challenges and tough times as an entrepreneur, and how he applies lessons learned as an entrepreneur to producing events for clients. Alex also shares some tips and tricks with our listeners on how to become the best events professional possible.  If you’re interested in connecting with Alex Bickers to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about his expertise, you can do so at any of the following resources: Website - https://www.revealeventsgroup.com/  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexbickers/  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/reveal-events-group/  Email - alex@revealeventsgroup.com  Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Lisa Hudson, Director of Global Events at WomenHack! WomenHack is an incredible initiative that works to promote gender equality in the tech industry by connecting talented female candidates to companies committed to promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity (DEI) in the workplace. They are focused on connecting top female engineers, designers, and product managers with opportunities at diversity-first companies through planned event nights that are filled with diversity talks followed by 5-minute rapid interviews to keep things light-hearted, fun and engaging. This takes the pressure off candidates, making it easier to network and connect with employers and industry professionals! After a 10+ year career in Public Relations and Marketing in Russia, Lisa moved to the United States and devoted her time and passion to events. Needless to say, we were incredibly lucky to have Lisa sit down and answer a few questions about her background in the meetings and events industry, what drove her to move to the States, how she got started and grew into her role at WomenHack, why the events industry is a successful medium for achieving DEI in the workplace, how the transition between in-person to virtual event formats took place in WomenHack, and why it’s so important to set goals, communicate and practice flexible management strategies at your organization. Lisa also shares some powerful tips with our listeners on how to make the most out of limited resources and maximize productivity while running their next event.  If you’re interested in connecting with Lisa Hudson to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about her expertise, you can do so at any of the following resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisakataeva/   Email - lisa@womenhack.com  Website - https://womenhack.com/ Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Sara Lieber, Event Marketing Manager at Drift, the leading customer conversation tool for conversational marketing, sales and service. Drift’s mission of going beyond a technology company to being a connection company is one that resonates with us deeply, so much so that we employ Drift for things like chatbots and meetings here at PheedLoop! Drift is all about connecting buyers with sellers and empowering experiences. Sara has been leading Drift’s Event Marketing division since joining the company back in June of 2021.  Between her role at Drift and her previous positions in the events industry, Sara has amassed a wealth of experience that we got the privilege to tap into during this episode.  Sara answered a few questions about her background in the meetings and events industry, how the pandemic shifted Drift’s events strategy, how she worked to implement experiential marketing and the complications that came out of it, what some of the results and failures were, and she also shares some useful tips for our listeners on how they can adopt an event strategy at their own organization that focuses on experiences rather than simply events! If you’re interested in connecting with Sara Lieber to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about her expertise, you can do so at any of the following resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/slieber/  Email - slieber@drift.com  Website - https://www.drift.com   Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by RJ Crowder-Schaefer, Head of Event Technology & Product at Bloomberg. In his current role, RJ directs a global team of digital event technicians, QA specialists, product and project managers to oversee an event tech stack responsible for the execution of over 3,000 events annually. RJ is an expert on all things related to event technology and is regularly featured at events, podcasts and webinars addressing the latest topics and trends pertaining to event technology.  We were lucky enough to have RJ on this week’s podcast episode as a special guest. He sat down to answer a few questions about his background in the meetings and events industry, gave us a breakdown of Bloomberg’s events strategy, the role technology plays in planning large-scale events, some of the challenges faced around scalability, and also shares some valuable advice for our listeners on how they can make the most out of their organization’s tech stack.   If you’re interested in connecting with RJ Crowder-Schaefer to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about his expertise, you can do so at any of the following resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjcrowderschaefer/  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/bloomberglive/  Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Kyle Kocinski, Implementation Manager at Endless Events, one of the leading event production companies in the United States. Endless Events specializes in event production, event technology, event creative and event strategy to create the perfect equation for their clients’ events. In his role at Endless, Kyle stays up to date on the latest trends in the industry - from overseeing platform implementation and consultation on the strategy behind an event to leading R&D and development of partnerships with event technology platforms, Kyle has amassed a wealth of experience when it comes to the world of events. In addition to his work at Endless Events, Kyle is also a founding member of the EventProfs Community, an online community where event professionals can swap ideas, ask for help, and connect with other event professionals. So in this episode, we were lucky enough to have Kyle sit down and answer a few questions about how he got started in the Meetings and Events industry, what event production agencies such as Endless Events can offer organizations, who they typically appeal to for cliente, how important it is to be investing in the latest event tech, and what organizations on a budget can do to best manage their event strategies.  If you’re interested in connecting with Kyle Kocinski to discuss any of this in greater detail or to learn more about his expertise, you can do so at any of the following resources: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kkocinski/  Website link - https://helloendless.com/  Email - kylekocinski23@gmail.com  Support the show

In this episode of the ‘Where People Meet’ podcast, we are joined by Mike Allton, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Agorapulse, the #1 rated tool for social media managers to dominate their company’s social media strategy by managing inboxes, publishing, reporting, monitoring, and team collaboration, all in one easy-to-use yet extremely powerful tool. In addition to his role at Agorapulse, Mike has garnered a large following in the Meetings and Events industry as the host of ‘The Virtual Event Strategist’ podcast, a weekly newsletter and podcast aimed at helping event planners unlock the true potential of virtual events. He is actively on the road speaking at events, in-person or remote, and sharing his expertise with anyone seeking to learn more and level up. We were incredibly lucky to have Mike sit down and have an in-depth conversation about how he came to be where he is today, his stance on the virtual event format, why it’s important to identify a ‘why’ and narrow down on a specific audience and topic for any given event, and also talk about event technology and how big of a role choosing the right event tech can play in running a successful event. Lastly, Mike shares some incredibly useful event planning tips and tricks that our listeners can apply to their own events.  Support the show