The Business of Meetings

Today we are delighted to be speaking to an amazing and inspiring leader in our industry, Dr. Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen! Dr. Debbie was chosen as the 2020 Most Inspirational Woman in Entertainment Middle East and the Female CEO of the Year.    In this episode, Dr. Debbie has a lot to share about mentorship, managing people, and the importance of building trust.  We hope you enjoy listening to today’s conversation! Dr. Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen’s bio: Dr. Debbie is an accomplished leader with more than 30 years of International experience in Venue Management, MICE Tourism, and Events & Entertainment industries. Dr. Debbie is a Leader with an extensive understanding of public, government, and private sector organizations with a proven track record of driving growth and successful business development. Dr. Debbie holds an Honorary Professional Doctorate in Global Leadership and Management from EIU, Paris, France. Her career started under the leadership of MICE Tourism Industry legends; Ray Bloom, Paul Flackett, and John Haynes in 1988 with Regent International Exhibitions and the launch of EIBTM Geneva, Switzerland. Following the sale of EIBTM to the world’s largest Exhibition Organiser; Reed International Exhibitions, Dr. Debbie took on the role of Group Director of Sales; MICE Global Events until rejoining Ray Bloom in 2001 as Vice President Global Sales with the launch of IMEX Frankfurt, Germany. In 2005, she moved to the Middle East to help establish the Bahrain Exhibition & Convention Authority, and later assuming the roles of Acting CEO and Deputy CEO for the Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre, she then went on to become the CEO of events@bahrain, a company established under the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company. How Dr. Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen got into the industry Dr. Debbie dreamed of joining the Royal Air Force and becoming an air traffic controller. Unfortunately, there were no opportunities for women when she applied, so she got a job with an exhibition company. She started as an Organizing Executive for what was EIBTM at the time, under the guidance of Ray Bloom, Paul Flackett, and John Haynes, all of whom ended up having a profound impact on her life and career. She initially thought she would only do the job for a few months and did not realize it would become her career.  A beautiful journey The MICE industry got into her soul, and she loved every minute of it! It was a beautiful journey in the exhibition world, the events world, and the MICE Tourism world. She got lots of support and many opportunities to grow within the industry. Dr. Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen’s defining moment Dr. Debbie was very nervous when she did her first presentation. Paul Flackett advised her to focus on something at the back of the room rather than looking at anybody. Even though she could hear her voice trembling, nobody noticed, and she quickly began to gain more confidence and get into the flow. That was a defining moment for her, and things went very well from there. Mentors Mentors tend to see things in you that you do not see in yourself. It helps to have someone to champion you and give you the motivation, encouragement, and confidence that you need.  Opportunities Dr. Debbie’s husband has been very supportive since the day they met. He always advised her to take the opportunities that came her way in life. He said that if an opportunity did not work out, it would be better than having regrets and wondering what would have happened if she had taken that role. Trust A lot of trust was placed in Dr. Debbie when she was allowed to run the Exhibition Center in Bahrain. She reported to the Minister of Industry and Commerce. He was a very supportive and inspiring man, and she learned a lot from him. Take chances You have to be prepared to take chances in life without being afraid of things not going your way. If you spend too much time thinking about something, you might not do it. Take the bull by the horns, be passionate, and put your heart into what you are doing. If it does not work out, pick yourself up and move on. Movie theatres in the Middle East When she was in her forties, Dr. Debbie was offered the opportunity to be the CEO of Novo Cinemas, a chain of movie theatres in the Middle East. Although the processes were similar to those in the MICE industry and the senior management team was very experienced in the cinema industry, she knew nothing about entertainment. So she had to learn from the management team and earn their trust and respect very fast. She gave herself six months and put her all into doing it. As a result, they have become a very close-knit and successful team. Gaining trust and building culture Dr. Debbie engaged with every team member regularly, listened to them, and gave them a voice. She wanted to know about all the things that worked and did not work, what they were happy about, and what they wanted to achieve. She listened carefully, took their feedback seriously, and showed them that they mattered and she cared about them. She also sat with the HR team to develop a career plan for every team member. The last eight years Everything that Dr. Debbie has been doing for the last eight years has been focused on creating a united, passionate, and supportive team and ensuring that the customer has the best time ever. Dr. Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen’s advice to young women Dr. Debbie encourages young women to trust in themselves, follow their dreams, and find a mentor. She also advises them not to worry about what others think or fear making mistakes. She explains that anything is possible if you believe in it and have passion. 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Today we have the great pleasure of talking to Amy Calvert, the CEO of the Events Industry Council! Over time, Amy has gained a unique perspective on where the meetings and events industry is coming from and where it is going. In this episode, Amy shares her insights and talks about the valuable resources available on the EIC website. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation with Amy today! Amy Calvert’s bio: As CEO of the Events Industry Council, Amy Calvert oversees a global federation of more than 30 member organizations representing 103,500 individuals and 19,500 businesses in the events industry. With more than three decades of diverse event experience, Amy is a fierce advocate for all aspects of the industry’s complex, interconnected ecosystem. She is known as a community builder, strategist, and diplomat, able to tackle complex issues with empathy and a grounded business focus.  Before joining EIC, Amy served as Visit Baltimore’s Senior Vice President of Convention Sales and Services for 12 years, where she had budget oversight for a $4 million program budget. She also served as Regional Groups and Meetings Director for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) for 10 years.  Amy’s journey Amy studied Liberal Arts in college. After graduating, she worked in sales and marketing for a while. She loves to cook, so she decided to work for a hotel and get into food and beverage and operations. From there she got an internship as a Catering Coordinator and eventually moved on to the sales side.  Relationships The people and the relationships that have been built over time fuel Amy and keep her going. A creative exercise After joining Visit Baltimore, Amy went through a creative exercise with a company called Minding Your Business. They did a lot of qualitative and quantitative research to find the right cities to align with Baltimore. That eventually evolved into an alliance with Anaheim and San Antonio.  Value proposition The alliance collaborated to create a strong value proposition for clients rotating throughout the US with their larger annual meetings.  Think tank That brought the whole community closer together, and they developed a think tank of peers in each city to help them navigate those times.  The last eighteen months Over the last eighteen months, many professionals have experienced heartache and loss and have had to navigate unanticipated challenges and changes to their careers. That has highlighted the importance of peer-to-peer engagements and networking. Amy Calvert’s thoughts on leadership  Leaders should help new people in the industry, or those with less experience, to see the value in investing in collaborative communities, according to Amy. Leaders can encourage and inspire those who feel alone or adrift by reminding them that there is a vast world of opportunity out there, and many resources are available. Reflecting and evaluating It is important to take the time to be quiet, reflect, and evaluate whether what you are doing is what you truly want to be doing, whether you are living your values, and what you could be doing to contribute more. A vision Before the pandemic, the EIC board members had the opportunity to work on a vision. They also had the chance to go back and reflect on why the EIC exists, what their purpose is, and the impact they can have when living their purpose and values. When the pandemic hit, they saw that they serve the entire ecosystem through advocacy, research, and the honing of professional standards.  The APEX Commission Amy wanted to bring the APEX Commission back to bring people together. She wanted people to think collectively about what they are dealing with in terms of Covid and how to address it.  Resources Global professionals from all sectors and regions came together to share their resources. Since then, there have been almost 300,000 downloads of the various resources in the APEX Covid Task Force library. Amy Calvert’s mission Amy’s mission is to make sure as many people as possible know about the resources in the APEX Covid Task Force library and go to the EIC website to interact and begin a journey of learning.  An EIC group There is an EIC group that is looking at new business models. They start with why things are done rather than how to do them. They also look at renewed commitment to true partnership and explore opportunities to create more value. Resources for business owners The resources on the EIC website are fantastic, and they are all meant to work together. There are some common themes woven into all of them anchored to the EIC’s principles for recovery.  Meeting and Event Design Guide  The Meeting and Event Design Guide has been one of the more popular resources on the EIC website.  B2B/B2C Guide The B2B/B2C Guide is popular because it resets the expectations around what is possible, with what destinations, venues, and organizations are facing. It explains how to share risks and objectives and create and communicate experiences that people value and feel safe participating in. Supporting our workforce is foundational to the industry right now Amy feels that how we commit to supporting our workforce, inspire people to come into the industry, and help people to reposition themselves through upscaling, rescaling, continuous professional education and wellness is foundational to the industry right now. EIC member sites The EIC member sites are full of rich resources about many topics. The topics include equity, career development, mindfulness, and cultivating leadership. Amy’s hope for the foreseeable future Change starts with all of us as individuals. As an industry, we can be a catalyst for change. Amy hopes that we can commit to driving meaningful change in the areas of equity and inclusion, and we can collectively set an expectation to not return to doing things in the way that we did them before. She hopes that we can be united in our effort to tell a better story about the business events sector, and look back in the next decade and feel proud of the path that we paved for ourselves. She hopes that we do not lose sight of the impact that staying connected can have on the future. Connect with Eric On LinkedIn On Facebook On Instagram On Website Connect with Amy Calvert On the EIC website      

We have the great pleasure of speaking to an amazing leader in our industry today! Jason Dunn is the Vice President of Diversity Sales and Inclusion for the Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau. He is also the former Chairman of the Board of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals and the current Co-chair of the Equity Task Force of the Global Events Industry Council. In this episode, Jason shares his insight and some very concrete ideas regarding necessary conversations for our industry.  We hope you enjoy listening to our insightful conversation with Jason Dunn today! Jason Dunn’s bio:  Jason Dunn has been a change-maker in Cincinnati and within the national hospitality industry for almost two decades. He feels driven to redefine how the industry thinks about multicultural and diversity meetings and their impact on the destinations.  Since joining the CVB in 2004, Jason has led efforts to deliver significant new convention business and forged inroads with the national multicultural & diverse meetings market. During his tenure, the number of multicultural/diverse meetings in Cincinnati has represented more than one-third of all CVB new business from 2008-18, with a direct visitor spend of $200 million. Jason brings deep perspective and a successful track record in connecting communities of all backgrounds to Cincinnati. As the first supplier to be elected as Chairman of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals (NCBMP), Dunn found intersections between his role as GVP in Cincinnati and Chairman of NCBMP.  Under Dunn’s leadership, the partnership with global industry organizations including Meetings Professional International, Destination International, Events Industry Council, & Connect Meetings will provide an equitable exchange/introducing of professional development through educational opportunities. The partnerships will focus on unifying the MICE industry by leading with data and mutual access to untapped resources. Jason’s background Jason comes from Columbus, Ohio. He came to Cincinnati to study in 1998 and joined the Convention Bureau in 2004.  Unrest There was great unrest in Cincinnati after the fifteenth African American man was shot and killed by the police in 2001. Jason got involved on a grassroots level in protesting and leading the students and the younger generation in telling people not to go to Cincinnati. Afterward, the Vice-mayor at the time asked Jason to help find ways to bring people back to Cincinnati, collaborate in bringing people together to save the city, and have the tough discussions that they had been avoiding before the unrest. The Convention Bureau In 2004, Jason was asked to work for the Convention Bureau. He moved up from the Sales and Event Manager to become the first black Vice President of the Convention Bureau in its 76-year history. Crippling a city Jason saw that you could cripple a city by starving it of the money that comes to a destination through conventions and tourism. Insufficient economic investment does not allow for economic vitality. So corporations and small businesses feel that the location is neither ready nor stable enough to host secure conventions.  Difficulties Looking at business, Jason saw that African Americans had severe difficulty accepting who they were and a deficiency in understanding their power. Jason Dunn’s desire to empower communities That was why when Jason first joined the organization, he enjoyed discussing ways to use tourism as an opportunity to empower communities and advance policy by using macro resources to help micro discussions. Uplifting local, regional, and state organizations Jason was instrumental in bringing thousands of people to various regions to uplift their local, regional, or state organizations. Those people felt like they were part of the fabric of the communities they were visiting, and after the conventions, the local chapters felt empowered to do the work they were founded to do.  Tourism Jason looked at tourism through the economic lens. He also looked at it through the lens of empowerment to help people satisfy their group objectives and use their national resources to assist them locally.  The first international equity travel report Next year, Jason intends to publish the first international equity travel report to highlight the significance of black travelers in the hospitality industry.  New and different ways We need to be innovative and think of ways to broaden the conversation around budget and talent. We also need strategies for looking at the future and building our database and subsets of marketing opportunities. Small business owners Jason suggests that small business owners in the meetings and events industry notice what other communities are doing to become conscious of diversity and ensure that everyone has a welcoming experience. They can also look at the data coming out of his partnership with Destination International and other organizations and start looking at the future demographics of their cities, regions, and local municipalities to see if they align with their future customer.  Goals The goals of small business owners in the meetings and events industry need to have a broader sense of purpose. The Event Industry Council Equity Task Force The goal of the EIC Task Force is to accelerate the eradication of racism in the hospitality industry. They are committed to finding strategic ways to help people achieve that goal. A survey will be done globally throughout the industry to create guidelines and help solve the issues found via the survey.  Toolkit The expected outcome of the toolkit to be created by the EIC Task Force will be to assist organizations to choose their board members, assess how good their budgets and marketing targets are, and help with the HR policies that they will need when hiring employees. How the industry can help things change When facing non-inclusive or prejudiced individuals, the meetings and events industry can help bring about change by creating a space for people to have open, honest, and uncomfortable discussions.  Tourism can lead Jason believes that tourism can be the leader in almost every aspect of business across the globe.  Jason Dunn’s advice for leaders Jason advises leaders to remember to be humane, compassionate, and authentic. It will allow them to feel more centered, bring about loyalty from their stakeholders and those they lead, and make their leadership decisions a lot easier. Connect with Eric On LinkedIn On Facebook On Instagram On Website Connect with Jason Dunn On Website On LinkedIn

Welcome to another episode of The Business of Meetings Podcast! We are delighted to have Ami Kassar joining us today! Ami is a knowledgeable finance expert. He is the Founder and CEO of MultiFunding, and he has also written a book called The Growth Dilemma: Determining Your Entrepreneurial Type to Find Your Financing Comfort Zone.  In this episode, Ami shares his insights on the various aspects of buying and financing a business. We hope you enjoy our conversation with Ami Kassar! Ami Kassar’s short bio Ami Kassar, the Founder, and CEO of MultiFunding and author of The Growth Dilemma, has earned a national reputation as a thought leader in business finance.   An in-demand speaker and trusted advisor to growth-focused business leaders, Ami has helped thousands of business owners achieve ambitious growth goals through creative and personalized funding solutions. His work has helped create tens of thousands of jobs. For more than 20 years, Ami has challenged executives to think differently about how they capitalize growth. Regularly featured in national media, including The New York Times, Huffington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, Forbes, and Fox Business News, Ami also writes a weekly column for Inc. Magazine. He has advised the White House, the Federal Reserve Bank, and the Treasury Department on credit markets.  Ami regularly speaks at corporate, academic, and industry events on topics that include entrepreneurship and access to capital.  Ami’s journey Ami was the Chief Information Officer for a large issuer of credit cards to small businesses in the United States, which got completely wiped out in the great recession. After helping to let more than 900 employees go, Ami’s job also got terminated by the bankruptcy trustees. He started MultiFunding the very next day. MultiFunding It took a long time for Ami to learn the business and get good at it. There were many evolutionary hiccups along the way. The core principle behind starting the company was to build a service where entrepreneurs could get clear and transparent information and make good choices for their futures. The job of MultiFunding is to help entrepreneurs slow down before they speed up and figure out their best course of action. Ami Kassar’s advice on making financing choices When making financing choices, you have to look at what the numbers on the spreadsheet are telling you. You have to account for your emotions and your prior experiences with money, too, and be aware of what your hopes, dreams, and aspirations are telling you. Ami suggests that getting a good night’s sleep and some informed opinions can help you find the right balance and avoid making irrational decisions. Risk profile  Building a company is never a straight line. That’s why it is vital to find out what your risk profile is before you start a business. When going into a business partnership, it is critical to take the time to get a risk profile score and make sure that your partner’s goals are in alignment with your goals. Building a business with no debt You can build a business without debt, but it will probably go a bit slower. That would be a better option for those who might suffer anxiety as a result of having debt. If you decide to do that, you should understand what your limiting factor is. You will also need to look at what you would do differently if you had more working capital. Tracking your investments Ami encourages business owners to find a system to track how much money they used to speculate with and whether or not it paid off.  Test your assumptions Test your assumptions to check whether or not your investments have been worthwhile.  Triple your investment Have a goal for what you want your business to look like three years after investing in it. If your investment pays off, triple it. Challenging the thinking of business owners Ami challenges business owners to think about how quickly they want their businesses to grow and how fast they would like to do it. Have a plan Do not borrow money without a plan. Ami Kassar’s thoughts on the SBA (Small Business Administration) Ami encourages people who want to buy businesses to think seriously about the SBA. The SBA lends small business owners up to 90% of the business cost, or up to $5,000,000. In Ami’s opinion, the primary benefit of SBA lending is that they give you ten years to repay them. So, if you buy a business at 3x or even 5x, you will have some flexibility with your cash flow to cover your repayments.   You can also use an SBA loan to invest in business infrastructure, working capital, growth capital, buy out your partner, and more. There is an incentive to take out a loan from the SBA before September 30th, 2021. Connect with Eric On LinkedIn On Facebook On Instagram On Website Connect with Ami Kassar On MultiFunding Website Ami’s book The Growth Dilemma

We are delighted to be speaking to another amazing entrepreneur today! Cesar Quintero coaches and advises people with the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). He is joining us on the show today to share his knowledge and expertise.  In this episode, Cesar talks about the EOS operating system. He also discusses the different stages of entrepreneurship and explains the importance of vulnerability.  We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation with Cesar Quintero! Cesar Quintero’s bio: Cesar Quintero’s purpose is to empower leaders to build a business by design so that they live a life by design. His core values are to Share Vulnerably, Spark Action, Spot individuality, and Spread Passion. At age 24, in 2004, Quintero moved to Miami, given the economic turmoil in Venezuela, to pursue his dream of starting a business and helping others achieve a healthier lifestyle by founding Fit2Go. (The first corporate, healthy, meal delivery service in Miami). In 2013, Quintero graduated from the MIT Entrepreneurship Masters Program and founded two new companies: RawBar2Go (the first licensed food boats in Florida) and The Profit Recipe, a coaching firm that focuses on empowering entrepreneurs through a journey of focus ON the business and not IN the business by implementing best practices and the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS).  Cesar has been an active Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) member for over 10 years and has held multiple volunteer leadership positions at the chapter, regional and global level for the organization. His passion for teaching and business has also compelled him to get certified as a Trainer for Traction implementation, Why Discoveries, EO Accelerator Program, and EO Forum.  Cesar’s journey Cesar comes from Venezuela. Sixteen years ago, when he was twenty-four years old, he got married, moved to Miami, and started a healthy meal delivery service business called Fit2Go.  A lawsuit Cesar’s business kept on growing. He was busy and had to make all the business decisions. Then, in 2012, he was hit with a class-action lawsuit. Everything came to a halt, and Cesar started to question what he was doing. A journey of self-discovery He realized that he had nothing to show after being in business for eight years. It was a wake-up call for him, and he knew that something had to change. So, in 2012, he embarked on a journey of self-discovery and learned that he focused on the wrong things. Empowering others Cesar wanted to empower others to live the life they wanted. So, he started implementing EOS in his company to empower people to make decisions, take accountability, and take ownership. He eventually sold his business to two of his employees and started two new businesses more aligned with empowering others. One is an online university in Latin America for entrepreneurship called Emprendedor University. The other is a firm in South Florida to empower entrepreneurs to evolve by proven systems. Different stages of entrepreneurship (The Evolution Flywheel) Cesar realized that every entrepreneur goes through the same stages of the journey, so he mapped out five different stages of entrepreneurship, which he calls The Evolution Flywheel: The Opportunity (The startup phase.) Leadership by Design (Discovering your strengths and weaknesses.) Team by Design (Building an external team through coaches, mentors, and peers, and building a supportive and trusted internal team to which you can delegate.) Business by Design (Setting up systems and processes to allow your business to run successfully without you.) Life by Design (Finding your purpose and ideal life.) A cycle The final stage of Cesar’s Evolution Flywheel, Life by Design, should bring you back to another opportunity. The first time you go through the cycle it is hard, but it gets easier and easier as you go on. A realization Growing up, Cesar always thought that leaders told people what to do, so that was how he ran his business. When the class action happened, he took it personally and internalized the experience. As a result, both the company and his health began to deteriorate. When there was nothing left in his business and personal accounts, he realized that things were not working, and he had to change the way he was doing things. The power of vulnerability He had a meeting with his team. He told them that he did not know what to do and needed their help to figure things out. Everyone rallied together to help, and that was when Cesar realized the power of opening up and being vulnerable with his team. Taking ownership His entire team started taking ownership. Cesar realized that he had been depriving them of the power of knowledge, effecting change, and understanding their part in the team by not telling them the truth for so many years.  Twelve months later Twelve months later, Cesar was working less than ever because everyone took full ownership. They doubled their profit, and their sales went up by forty percent. Cesar launched his two other companies because he had more time. Two systems Cesar implemented two systems. The first one was The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack, and the other was EOS, the entrepreneur operating system.  EOS When they implemented the EOS system, everybody started taking full accountability. They also had a clear structure and a clear vision of where they were and where they were going. That was why Cesar’s employees later bought the business from him. What Cesar Quintero learned about opening up Cesar learned that opening up opens the door for people to connect, relate, buy-in, and take ownership. Now he is authentic and shares everything! EOS is a simple system Cesar went with EOS because it was a simple system for him to implement. It also matched his values and what he wanted from his business. Cesar self-implemented EOS in his business for eight months and then brought in an implementer from Chicago who stayed with them for six months to fine-tune the business. About the EOS system Cesar started implementing the EOS system for other companies in 2016. He loves teaching people the EOS system because it is tied to his purpose and also to helping people with proven processes. They do not tell owners what to do in their businesses. They teach them how to use the system to maximize their vision, and then they leave. They promote team health, solving issues, and everyone taking ownership of their roles. EOS helps business owners get what they want from their businesses. The benefits of using the EOS system in your business The EOS system is based on an agile philosophy. It creates a real environment because it gets people to be authentic, open, and honest. It is a simple process and operating system that helps business owners to align their vision and monitor their businesses at a high level in a simple way. It gets results because it is focus-driven. It does not have to be perfect initially because you will get better with it as you practice it more. The Integrator and the Visionary In the EOS system, the Integrator is someone who lives in the now. It is t Connect with Eric On LinkedIn On Facebook On Instagram On Website Connect with Cesar Quintero On LinkedIn On Website A free Life by Design Assessment Books mentioned: The Great Game of Business by Jack Stack The E Myth by Michael E. Gerber Traction by Gino Wickman Get a Grip by Gino Wickman and Mike Paton  he opposite of the Visionary, who lives in the future. The Visionary focuses on many different ideas and things to do. The Integrator focuses on the things that need to be focused on and followed through to deploy the ideas of the Visionary and build consistency.  More efficient with time The EOS system helps business owners to be more efficient with time. Compartmentalizing decision-making and issues helps to move that forward.  

Today, you are in for a treat! We are excited and honored to be speaking to Richard Kane, the CEO of VeriJet. Richard is also the CEO of the Inc. 500 company, Coastal Technologies Group.  Richard is an amazing individual who is changing the way people travel! In this episode, he shares his fascinating story, talks about what he is doing to revolutionize air travel, and shares his goals for the future. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation with Richard today! Richard Kane’s bio: Inc. 500 CEO and Company Founder  Board Member of SF, LF, NHSD, Space Canada Mining  Seven World Speed Records  Researcher in AI with patents in multiple verticals  CEO of VeriJet, where we are reinventing mobility How it all started Richard Kane started doing commercial computer work when he was fourteen or fifteen years old. At the age of seventeen, he started writing AI (artificial intelligence) programs. He was featured in the New York Times for inventing new types of security. The principal of his high school quit his job to market the software that Richard wrote, and then Richard became the school’s first computer teacher. Ancient computers  When Richard started writing AI programs, he worked on machines that would barely be recognized as computers today. A very tight code was required to get any performance out of the eight-bit processors with little bits of memory.  Richard Kane’s journey after high school The State University Systems in Florida bought the software that Richard wrote while in high school, and Richard was also doing tech support for one of the deans.  Faculty Scholars Program Richard joined a Faculty Scholars Program at the university. He was backed up by a team of professors who were, in turn, backed up by a team from Motorola. It was the best place in the US for computer education at the time. Richard was one of 100 students recruited from around the world.  Jumping two years Joining the program allowed Richard to jump two years of college. Personal Computers The program had the most amazing professors who created the PC, so Richard learned all there was to know about PCs.  Bigger computers Richard wanted to learn about bigger computers, so he went to work for a small phone company. A few of the people he had working for him there are still with him today, thirty years later!  A three-decade journey Richard’s journey has happened over three decades and has been about how to route things more efficiently. His job at the phone company involved routing phone calls, which segued into routing airplanes. VeriJet was built on top of that.  Richard Kane and routing airplanes Richard Kane and one of his board members, also a pilot, thought that routing airplanes would have a more environmental and social impact, and would be more interesting than routing phone calls. Richard spent the next decade tackling environmental-impact and efficiency problems. He eventually fixed the problems and changed the industry, but they were still flying the wrong machines for what they wanted to achieve. The last decade Richard’s last decade has been about software, solving the Traveling Salesman Problem, and making the industry run more smoothly. Changing the way people travel The SATS program and VeriJet are changing the way people travel. They are all about tripling the speed of short-haul travel and bringing it up to 300 miles per hour.  The Traveling Salesman Problem Solving the Traveling Salesman Problem is about optimizing the path of the traveling salesman to cover the most distance with the least traveling time and cost, as quickly and efficiently as possible. Quantum is a first glimpse of what might be a solution to the Traveling Salesman Problem. Three problem areas IBM has chosen three problem areas to showcase quantum. They are medicines discovery, catalyst discovery (for clean and unlimited energy), and the Traveling Salesman Problem.   Cirrus Vision Jet  Richard waited fifteen years for a Cirrus Vision Jet. Even when it came out, he waited for the second generation because it is made of carbon fiber so there is no metal fatigue. It was designed for short hops. It is extremely efficient, quiet, and safe. It can land itself, it has AI on board to help the pilot avoid problems, and it has a ballistic parachute that will lower the whole airplane to the ground if necessary. Two Collier Trophies The layered approach to safety has resulted in two Collier Trophies for the Vision Jet. One was for safety, the parachute, and its ability to land itself, and the other was for efficiency and design.  Cost efficiency Having only one engine and one pilot has dropped the cost of flying the Vision Jet. Its fuel efficiency has allowed them to drop the cost of private charter by about a third.  Their second fleet type  Their second fleet type is also fuel-efficient and also has a parachute. Their third fleet type Their third fleet type costs about $45 to fill up because it is all-electric. It has no carbon footprint, and takes off vertically, and flies horizontally. It is about a thousand times safer and much quieter than a helicopter. They will be flying electric aircraft around Florida and California by 2024. Sterilizing Richard’s planes get sterilized between hops. In-flight, they have a medical-grade FDA-approved device that cleans the air.  A goal One of Richard’s goals is to fly people in VTOL drones. XPRIZE Peter Diamandis wanted to commercialize space, so he decided to put out a ten million dollar XPRIZE for suborbital space flight. The team that won the ten million dollars ended up spending twenty-two million dollars to win the prize. Many of the other teams also came up with super-creative ideas on how to open up space. Carbon footprint The AI Richard developed for routing airplanes and using them more efficiently saves 200,000 pounds of carbon footprint every week. It does that with more efficient routing and use of the aircraft. The right tool VeriJet is the right tool for safe, efficient, and environmentally-friendly travel. Convenience  Ninety-eight percent of everyone in the US lives within twenty miles of one of Richard’s 5,400 airports. Go to www.verijet.com, type in your zip code, and you will see all the airports pop up. Connect with Eric On LinkedIn On Facebook On Instagram On Website Connect with Richard Kane On Website On LinkedIn On Facebook Book mentioned:  The Spirit of St. Louis by Charles Lindbergh

We are honored and happy to be speaking to an incredible businessperson today! Mike Massari is the Chief Sales Officer of Caesars Entertainment and the new Co-chair of Meetings Mean Business. Mike has had a massive impact on the Meetings and Events industry. In today’s episode, he talks about his career and discusses how he operates his business. He also explains the value of Meetings Mean Business and shares some points for business owners to focus on to build and grow their businesses and keep in touch with people. We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation with Mike Massari today! Michael (Mike) Massari’s bio: Chief Sales Officer Michael Massari is a leader and innovator in the travel and tourism industry as the leader for the meetings, conventions, and events business for Caesars Entertainment’s portfolio with more than 50 U.S. properties.  Michael Massari was recently appointed co-chair for Meetings Means Business and has served on the board for Meeting Professionals International.  Since 2011, he has successfully led a nationwide reorganization of Caesars Entertainment’s property meetings businesses into one team including sales, catering, convention services, and banquet operations. This provides unique benefits for customers. The restructured sales force-placed team members in metro areas throughout the country to be closer to customers.  The unique organizational structure gave the company a competitive advantage, changing the paradigm for the company’s meetings business and redefining managing multiple properties within a market. The groundbreaking strategies paid significant dividends for Caesars Entertainment, increasing revenue and market share and establishing Caesars Entertainment as a leader in the meetings and events industry under Massari’s guidance.  In March 2020, Caesars Entertainment opened CAESARS FORUM, a 550,000 square-foot conference facility that redefined offerings for meetings and events in Las Vegas.  Massari also made a significant impact on Atlantic City. He staked his career on the building and opening of the Waterfront Conference Center, which is an innovative meeting experience and the largest hotel conference center complex from Baltimore to Boston. This ushered in a new era for Atlantic City, resulting in a substantial boost in travel. Massari has spent more than twenty years in various executive roles within Caesars Entertainment. Before he was appointed the head of the meetings and events division, Massari was the Vice President of Las Vegas Meetings.  A Philadelphia native, Massari earned his bachelor’s degree from Cabrini University before achieving an MBA from the University of California, Irvine. He currently resides in Las Vegas with his wife and two daughters.  Athletics Mike sees it as no coincidence that so many executives today have had athletic careers. He is happy to have had an athletic background because those experiences have helped him in his business career. Mike’s career Mike has had a wonderful career! He worked at a catered event for the first time in Pennsylvania, in 1985, at the age of fifteen, and since then, all his work has involved catered events. He has done every job possible in the meetings and events world and enjoyed every moment! He has been with Caesars Entertainment for the last twenty years.   Keeping in touch LinkedIn has been a savior for Mike to know what others are up to and keeping in touch with them.  Properties Caesars Entertainment has many different properties in their company. Most of their business happens at their properties in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Lake Tahoe, and Reno.  Sales Mike came up through the operations side of the business before transitioning to the sales side, where he spent a good portion of his career. Sell or die  Mike runs a business that has only one channel. It is direct sales because that is the only way that you can purchase a meeting or event. In Mike’s business, if they don’t sell, they die. So they spend a lot of their time on sales.  Operating a business Mike urges everyone in the Meetings and Events business to keep reminding themselves that they are operating a business. Mike Massari’s formula for a successful sales process In a small business, the proprietor is often the primary salesperson. To transition to a larger business, they would have to put an executable, scalable, and repeatable sales process in place. That process should not be based on the charisma or the network of the proprietor, according to Mike. Unfortunately, most small business owners tend to struggle with doing that. Team members Mike has a great team! His team members are treated with dignity and respect. They are happy to have well-paid jobs in a great environment and help execute meetings and events again!  Las Vegas For the last thirty years, Las Vegas has been one of the fastest-growing markets in the country. It is now reaching a point where it is big enough to warrant the extra things that smaller cities generally do not have, like the big NHL games. Mike believes that Las Vegas will continue to grow. Mike Massari and Meetings Mean Business Meetings Mean Business started just after the recession began in 2007-2008. Mike was a founding member and has been a proud partner ever since then. For Mike, Meetings Mean Business is about advocacy for the Meetings and Events industry.  There are two things that people tend not to understand about Meetings Mean Business: The first is that nothing good in this world has ever happened without someone having had a meeting first. The second is that every part of society that the Meetings and Events industry touches benefits from meetings and events happening in their community. Meetings Mean Business exists to articulate that to everyone, but mostly to government officials, to help them understand how they can help their communities.  Get involved Mike urges everyone in the Meetings and Events industry to get involved with Meetings Mean Business. Many people do not understand what the meetings and events business does, so that needs to be articulated to help them understand. The strength of MMB lies in its distribution, so more people advocating both locally and nationally will ultimately be better for everyone involved. Connect with Eric On LinkedIn On Facebook On Instagram On Website Connect with Mike Massari Email Mike: mmassari@caesars.com

Today, we have the great pleasure of speaking to Melissa Smith! Melissa is a pioneer in the world of virtual assistants. She is the Founder and CEO of the Association of Virtual Assistants and the PVA (The Personal Virtual Assistant). She is also the bestselling author of Hire the Right Virtual Assistant and Become a Successful Virtual Assistant. Melissa is with us today to explain what defines the ideal virtual assistant. She will also discuss when to hire a virtual assistant, how to communicate with them, and some common mistakes to avoid. Melissa Smith’s bio: Melissa Smith is the Founder & CEO of the Association of Virtual Assistants & The PVA (The Personal Virtual Assistant), a virtually-based firm that matches clients with the right virtual assistants. Melissa is also the best-selling author of two books, Hire The Right Virtual Assistant: How the Right VA Will Make Your Life Easier, Create Time, and Make You More Money and Become A Successful Virtual Assistant: Learn the Business Side & Ditch 9 to 5, which is an integral part of the College of Western Idaho Administrative Specialist Program curriculum. Additionally, she mentors for Remote-how Academy, the first global, online education and individual certification program about remote work, and is a passionate teacher and consultant for those looking to grow their business remotely.  In 2013, Melissa began working remotely, and in 2017, she became location independent. This transition gave her a newfound sense of freedom, allowing her to travel to 16 countries in 12 months, all while running successful virtual businesses.  Drawing from her experience while working on five different continents and numerous time zones, Melissa truly understands the challenges of running a virtual business and uses her knowledge to serve clients all over the world. She knows firsthand how and where to get the best work done and she passes her insight on to her clients so that they can create the life they love – on their own terms. Melissa has been featured by ABC News,  Forbes, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. News & World Report, & Thrive Global and most recently named a female entrepreneur to watch in 2021. No plans to become a virtual assistant Melissa never planned on becoming a virtual assistant or owning a business. She did want to be an assistant, however, so she went to secretary school. After that, she found a job she loved and was happy doing it.  Everything changed In 2012, Melissa lost her husband unexpectedly. Everything changed after that, and she moved to California.  Melissa Smith’s introduction to working virtually After a year, Melissa told her boss that she wanted to put in her notice because she wanted to return to Georgia so that her daughter could graduate in her home state. Her boss did not want her to go, and Melissa could do most of what she did virtually, so her boss agreed to let her continue working virtually. No plan  After receiving her annual contract, Melissa decided to try working for herself. She was naïve when she started and had neither a strategy nor a business plan, and although she had no idea what she was getting herself into, she felt okay with that.  The first year Melissa’s first year was a joke that she can only laugh about now.  The best time The best time to hire a virtual assistant is before you need one because by the time you need one, something is already wrong, and you are in time debt.  Where people go wrong People tend to go wrong because they think about hiring in old and antiquated terms of a specific number of hours per week.  There are many ways to hire a VA You can hire a virtual assistant on a project basis, or you can have someone on call, as you need them. You can even retain a VA for as little as ten hours a month.  If you wait too long If you wait too long before hiring someone, they will have to put out fires and rearrange things, and no one wants to walk into that kind of situation.  Red flags The most productive people think about their time in hours, not days, weeks, or months. So when someone approaches Melissa wanting to hire someone for twenty or thirty hours a week, she sees it as a red flag and lets the VA know that they need to be willing to jump into the fire because anyone needing to hire someone for that many hours will already be way behind. Time debt Time debt is when you use the time that you set aside to do one task to do another.  Melissa Smith’s suggestions for getting the most value from a VA If you had an hour to do whatever you wanted to do for yourself, and someone else could do what you normally have to do, think about what that would mean to you, advises Melissa. Hire a VA to do things that are valuable to you, and think about it in terms of an hour. Then start building from there. It could be to answer your emails, create an FAQ list, help with your social media outreach, or even do some research for you. Start small Start small and remember that there is no limit to what you can outsource and give someone else to do. The biggest mistake You don’t want to cut corners when letting someone into your business. The biggest mistake that people make is not to do their due diligence. That usually tends to happen because they hire too late. When hiring someone, you need to have more than one interview and conduct reference and background checks, rather than just relying on your gut feeling. Where to go when hiring someone Where to go when hiring someone usually comes down to your management level and what you want and expect from that person. Although there are many great resources in countries like the Philippines and India, there will be a cultural difference, a difference in communication, and a difference in English and grammar. Hiring someone from those countries will also require a lot more management and possibly even some step-by-step instructions. When people have client-facing requirements, they often ask Melissa about virtual assistance within their home country.  Matching Hire people who match your level, whether you are at the C-Suite level, a small business owner, or a startup hustler. There are virtual assistants with diverse skill sets to match people’s expectations. Match for your expectation rather than for someone’s skill set.  Communication Hire someone who likes to communicate in the same way that you do. It could be via text, Slack, or even a phone call. If you hire someone who believes in you and your business, it will make your communication even more seamless. More great advice in finding the ideal VA Find a VA who is clear about the people they serve on their website or social media. If someone says that they serve everybody, that is a red flag because it means that they haven’t been in business for long enough to know who they are best able to serve. Look for a match in the language you use, the industry you are in, and your mindset and attitude in their bio, website, or social media profile. Melissa’s journey Even though Melissa made some mistakes with her first book, she evolved, became a better writer, and revised it. She is glad she wrote the book because it launched her business, and if she had not written it, she would not be where she is today, sharing a stage with so many great people. Success  Success is a journey, not a destination, so even though Melissa has not yet done everything, achieved every goal, and realized every dream, it doesn’t matter. She knows she has made it and has reached a place where she can enjoy the journey as well! Connect with Eric On LinkedIn On Facebook On Instagram On Website Connect with Melissa Smith On LinkedIn Email: Melissa@thepva.com

We are happy to be speaking to another inspiring leader in our industry today! Vince LaRuffa is the Senior Vice-President of Resort Marketing at the Universal Orlando Resort. He is joining us today to share his experience and offer some great advice.  In this episode, Vince talks about what he did during the pandemic, how he leads his team, work-life balance, and how he used to be an amazing drummer!  We hope you enjoy listening to our conversation!  Vince LaRuffa’s bio: Vince LaRuffa, Senior Vice President of Resort Sales and Marketing, has been with Universal Orlando Resort since 2003. He is responsible for the achievement of on-site hotel revenues and integrating the eight on-site hotels into all appropriate Universal Orlando messaging and programming.   Vince holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and a Masters in Tourism and Hospitality from the Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at San Diego State University. With a combined 35 years of Hospitality Sales and Marketing experience, he has worked with a variety of brands including, Renaissance Hotels, Marriott Hotels, and Crestline Hotels and Resorts. Before Universal, he served as Vice President, Convention Sales, and Services for Visit Orlando. Vince currently holds professional affiliations with MPI (Meeting Professionals International) and HSMAI (Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International) and served for five years on the MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees, including a term as Chairman. He has also served on the International Board of Directors with MPI.  He is a past board member of Canine Companions for Independence, Past Chairman of the Universal Orlando Volunteer Board, and served as Chairman of the Universal Orlando Foundation Charity Classic since 2007. Vince was recognized in HSMAI’s Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing, in Biz Bash’s Most Influential People in Events, and as a Smart Meetings Supplier of the Year. Vince has been married for 29 years to Jennifer Kuehl LaRuffa and has three daughters, ages 27, 23, and 19.   An unusual way  Vince found his way into the hospitality industry in an unusual way. One day, while selling office equipment in downtown Philadelphia, he had a 300-pound copier on a pushcart, and it started sliding off. Vince ended up in the gutter with the copier on his lap when an old friend walked by. She told him that she was working as a catering manager at a new hotel in Philadelphia and mentioned that they had an opening for a small group salesperson. Vince applied for the position, and after three or four interviews, he landed the job.  A true passion For the first time in his professional life, Vince realized that he had a true passion for hotels and hospitality! He worked hard and was able to move quickly through the ranks. He ended up taking a transfer to Orlando as a salesperson at what is now the Renaissance, across from SeaWorld.  A great team A new General Manager came in and took over. He and Vince bonded and formed a strong relationship. He took Vince with him as he progressed through the organization, all the way up to Senior Vice-President of Operations. As he moved and advanced, so did Vince. They formed a great team, and Vince worked his way up to Regional Sales and Marketing. Moving on Marriott bought the company, and Vince stayed on with them for about a year. After leaving Marriott, he took a position in Atlanta with the Stormont Trice Corporation as their VP of Sales and Marketing (it later became Crestline Hotels and Resorts.) Later, Vince took a position as VP of Sales and Services with Visit Orlando, and eighteen months later, he became the VP of Resort Sales at Universal and remained there for the next eighteen years. Three years ago, he was promoted to Senior Vice-President of Resort Sales and Marketing.  A unique and evolving environment Vince has found the environment at Universal unique. In eighteen years, Universal has evolved from a regional theme park business to a destination resort. Intellectually challenging Vince finds his work at Universal intellectually challenging, and he enjoys leading his team, which is a tightly-knit group. Together, they have marshaled the growth of the organization and helped transform it into a full-blown vacation destination. Vince LaRuffa is a lifelong learner Vince LaRuffa received his Master’s degree when he was in his fifties. He had a full-time job and a family to take care of at the same time. He was motivated to do it because he enjoyed it so much! A new vocabulary Vince was hiring kids out of school with Master’s degrees, at the entry-level to management. He realized that there was a vocabulary that he had not been exposed to, so he wanted to continue learning and growing intellectually.  The San Diego University Program Last year, Vince was asked to teach the Marketing Communications class for the San Diego University program. He and one of his colleagues in Orlando created the curriculum for the class. He will also be teaching the Marketing class for the Hospitality and Tourism Master’s Program going forward. Dealing with the pandemic The pandemic was dealt with differently in Florida and California, even though both destinations share the same leadership. Vince felt that Universal managed the situation sensitively and well, even though some difficult decisions had to be made around eliminating some of the staff members.  A proactive approach The company took a proactive approach, and the safety and wellbeing of their team members and guests were at the forefront of every decision made.  Record levels In the last two months, they have had record booking levels and a record number of calls coming into their guest contact center.  A proud leader Vince is proud of how the leadership team at Universal handled the pandemic and treated all their team members. He is proud to be part of the leadership team.  Thoughtful and strategic leadership As business leaders, you cannot control all the variables. However, you can be thoughtful and strategic about how you approach the opportunities that come your way. Navigating the change The leadership group at Universal decided to come back after the pandemic with a hybrid model. That means that Vince and many other team members will be going into work, but not every day. They will try that model out for some time to see if it works over the long term.  Face-to-face Vince has learned the value of being face-to-face with his coworkers and misses it.  Working remotely Many people don’t need much team interaction and prefer to work from home. For Universal to be competitive as an employer and attract the best talent, they will need to employ some people who live far away and allow them to work remotely. That is the trend, and the team at Universal has already proven that working remotely can be done effectively.  What Vince LaRuffa says about work-life balance Although Americans are very productive, Vince feels that there is a lot we can learn from Europeans about work-life balance. The value of volunteering The value of a network is not to be underestimated. As a young person, volunteering is an excellent way to expand your network. It is also a great way to prove your effectiveness as a leader.  Effecting change The only way to effect change is to be part of the solution, and the only way to be part of the solution is to get involved. Get involved with the chapters  If you are interested and want to make a difference, you have to do it from a platform. Vince encourages young people to get involved with the chapters because they are where all the magic happens. The chapters are the essence of organizations like MPI.  A drummer Vince loves music! Although he is retired now, he used to have lots of fun as a member of a rock band. One year, he brought in The Guess Who to perform at an event in the lobby of the Hard Rock Hotel and became friends with one of the band members, a singer and guitarist. Later, Vince and some of his musician friends had the opportunity to back him up. The real joy for Vince LaRuffa For Vince, the joy in his business is accomplishing things with other people and then sharing the success.  Connect with Eric On LinkedIn On Facebook On Instagram On Website Connect with Vince LaRuffa On LinkedIn

We are happy to be speaking to a highly respected icon in our industry today! Brad Mayne is the President and CEO of IAVM (International Association of Venue Managers). He has had a phenomenal career and is joining us today to talk about his experiences.  In this episode, Brad shares his most cherished memories of the MetLife Stadium, explains what it was like to work with Mark Cuban, and talks about what he sees for the future of the meetings and events industry.  We hope you enjoy listening to our interview with Brad Mayne today! Brad Mayne’s bio: Brad Mayne is President and Chief Executive Officer of the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) and the IAVM Foundation. IAVM represents public venue professionals from around the globe.  Professional members manage public assembly venues that are positive economic organizations within their communities. A diverse list of member venues includes arenas, convention centers, exhibit halls, performing arts centers, universities, stadiums, complexes, festivals, fairgrounds, amphitheaters, and race tracks. Under Mayne’s leadership over the past five years, the IAVM has averaged 10% membership growth each year and has grown revenues by 35.5%. In collaboration with industry associations, IAVM has created initiatives that strengthen the industries we serve with partners VMA, AMEREF, IAEE, ESCA, DI, and ISSA. Initiatives include, but are not limited to safety and security, economic impact calculator, biohazard sanitation certification and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Active in the communities Mayne has resided in, he has served on the Board of Directors for DMOs, Super Bowl XLVIII, Cotton Bowl Classic, Sports Commissions, and Chambers of Commerce. Brad has vast management experience in professional sports venues including President & CEO, MetLife Stadium 2012-2016; President & CEO, American Airlines Center 1998-2012; and GM & Regional Manager, Honda Center, Ogden Entertainment 1991-1998. How it all started At the age of 14, Brad was selling hotdogs at the University of Utah football games. He met the people in the ticket office who were also doing lots of other events. They needed staff to sell tickets, so when Brad turned 16, they employed him to do that. He sold tickets at events that were hosted by the university but held at other venues. An apprenticeship and a degree Brad’s dad wanted him to get a degree, but Brad wanted to be a plumber. So, he did an apprenticeship to be a plumber while studying for his degree at the University of Utah.  A scholarship Brad’s brother was the Assistant Baseball Coach and the Assistant Ticket Manager when Brad was at the age to go to university. So Brad got a scholarship to sell tickets in the ticket office for the Athletic Department.  Placing advertisements During Brad’s third year in college, he was asked to be responsible for placing all the advertisements to market their special events.  A drop in compensation After four years of plumbing, Brad chose to take a big drop in compensation and start doing work related to his degree.  Three arenas Brad was involved in the design and construction of three arenas.  Favorite venue Brad got asked to be the CEO for a new Dallas arena, working for the owners of the Mavericks and the Stars. He was responsible for the financing, design, and construction, and for the opening and operation of what is now the American Airlines Center.  Brad Mayne’s impression of Mark Cuban Brad Mayne met Mark Cuban for the first time when he introduced himself to Mark just after the media announced that he had bought the Mavericks. Mark is very focused, and he is loyal to those who work for him. He did not sleep much, so Brad often got emails from him in the early hours of the morning.  Mark gave Brad two tips for how he wanted him to run his company: If it ain’t broke, break it. If everyone is thinking the same way, no one is thinking. Brad found Mark to be a very good person to work for. Brad Mayne’s best MetLife Stadium memory Brad's best memory of running the MetLife Stadium was hosting the Super Bowl.  Safety and security The whole ecosystem of meetings is large, so show organizers want to be safe and are risk-averse. Insurance for major catastrophes is expensive and hard to get. The Safety Act Certification is an insurance policy because it gives money coverage in the case of an attack. You have to put together a security plan to get the certification.  Streaming When they were designing a building, Mark Cuban told Brad that if he was not building the building for future technologies, he was making a big mistake. Brad feels that the same thing applies to streaming versus broadcasting. People need to understand that if they are not in the streaming industry when it swings to become the dominant vehicle for showing their product, they will fall behind the rest. Hybrid meetings Brad believes that there will be a place for hybrid moving forward, so we need to embrace and understand it.  Virtual meetings Brad had only five weeks to put his first virtual event, their annual conference, together. They recreated what they did live. Their members appreciated it and asked for more networking opportunities. Other members who could not afford the live event were grateful to attend it online. They felt that making the conference available online was the best thing that IAVM has ever done. Brad Mayne’s suggestion for a strategic business plan Put a strategic business plan together for what you will do for people online and what you will be doing face-to-face moving forward. Do not be afraid to step forward and make something happen, Brad says. You can keep on improving things as you move ahead. The younger generation The new, younger generation coming into the business wants to flip the tables of who is in charge. So, prepare for that digitally, or else you could be in for a big awakening. Post-pandemic  People need to realize that things will not go back to the way they were pre-pandemic. Operating a venue is not simple. The staff will have to be trained to operate specific venues and all the equipment, with safety protocols in place to keep everyone safe.  Webinars The IAVM has been hosting webinars to inform people about how to hire people and discuss the available resources.  Technology There are multiple technologies to speed up the process of getting people into buildings. Infrared scanning can check peoples' temperatures. Facial recognition is also coming into play. There is no question that AI will become important for business operations and potentially for event presentations. Data and data analytics The meetings and events industry has started turning to data-driven decisions. Getting hold of the data allows you to manage things and be successful. Reverse ATMs will become commonplace going forward. They will also supply data. Connect with Eric On LinkedIn On Facebook On Instagram On Website Connect with Brad Mayne On Website On LinkedIn On Twitter