The Business of Meetings

The Business of Meetings – Episode 239: Chasing the American Dream: Julius Solaris on Entrepreneurship, Content Creation, and the Future of the Events Industry  We are honored and thrilled to welcome another true legend in the meetings and events industry as our guest today.  Julius Solaris is the CEO and Founder of Boldpush. As a successful entrepreneur who has built multiple businesses, he brings his wealth of experience to the show. Join us for an exciting conversation with Julius Solaris as he shares his journey, insights, and expertise.   Connect with Eric Rozenberg On LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Website   Connect with Julius Solaris On LinkedIn Boldpush Follow his work by subscribing to his newsletter. 

The Business of Meetings – Episode 238 - 7 Essential Questions to Close More Business with Kay Allison Today, we are excited to welcome Kay Allison as our guest. Kay is a marketing genius and talented speaker who specializes in helping creative individuals, companies, and entrepreneurs make tons of money. After enjoying a busy career in corporate America, she decided it was time for a change and became an entrepreneur.  Kay has had an incredible journey. She joins us today to share her story and explain what she does to assist creative individuals and businesses to grow financially. Connect with Eric Rozenberg LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Website Connect with Kay Allison On TikTok Email Kay:kay@kayallison.com   

We are delighted to have Lisa Lutoff-Perlo joining us on the show today.  Lisa is the new FIFA World Cup 2026 Miami Host Committee CEO. She is an exceptional leader who changed our industry, and she recently wrote a book called Making Waves.  Previously, Lisa was the Vice Chairman of External Affairs at Royal Caribbean Group and their first female leader. She also served as President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises. Stay tuned for Lisa’s inspiring story and valuable insights! Bio: Lisa Lutoff-Perlo:  Lisa Lutoff-Perlo is CEO of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Miami Host Committee responsible for all aspects World Cup strategies and operations for the matches in Miami. Previously she was Vice Chairman, External Affairs for the Royal Caribbean Group, where she worked on broad strategic initiatives with industry organizations and key external stakeholders. Before that, she served as President and CEO of Celebrity Cruises from 2014 to 2023, the first woman to take the helm of a Royal Caribbean Group brand and one of the few women then leading a multi-billion dollar brand. Connect with Eric Rozenberg On LinkedIn On Facebook On Instagram On Website Connect with Lisa Lutoff-Perlo On LinkedIn FIFA World Cup 2026™ Miami Host Committee  

Last month, the world lost a great man, John Ruhlin. John unexpectedly passed away and for the first time ever, I want to share a replay of an interview I did with John a while back. His message of giftology is so important to us personally and in our businesses and I know John would want us to keep sharing his message with others to make a greater impact on the world. Please feel free to share today’s episode with others to help continue John’s legacy. In this episode, John tells his fascinating story and talks about how he created Gift.ology. He explained how he developed an understanding of giving personal gifts and shared his best marketing and sales referral tools. He also discusses why you should focus on your inner circle and why he wrote the book Gift.ology. We hope you enjoy listening to today's enlightening conversation with John Ruhlin! Connect with Eric On LinkedIn On Facebook On Instagram On Website Books mentioned: Giftology: The Art and Science of Using Gifts to Cut Through the Noise, Increase Referrals, and Strengthen Client Retention by John Ruhlin Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk Save Your Asks: Evolve Your Networking Currencies. Grow Your Influence. Triple Your Business by Chris Tuff

We are excited to have another meeting and events industry icon joining us as our guest for this show.  Jeff Gold is a partner and senior sales manager at Event Service Group and the MPI President for South Florida. He is with us today to share his inspiring story of resilience, grit, and success within the industry. Stay tuned to learn from all the wisdom Jeff has gained throughout his impressive career journey. Connect with Eric Rozenberg On LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Website Connect with Jeff Gold The Event Services Group  On LinkedIn

Paul Van Deventer, President and CEO of MPI, discusses his unexpectedly rewarding journey in nonprofit leadership from corporate roles. He highlights the crucial role associations play in career development and networking. The conversation delves into the evolving workforce and the impact of AI on the meetings industry, balancing its benefits with emerging anxieties. Paul also champions the community’s role in fostering mentorship and overcoming post-COVID challenges, emphasizing the importance of active engagement within professional associations.

We are excited to welcome Heather Hansen O'Neill as our guest for today. She is an internationally recognized speaker and behavior expert who has delivered two TEDx talks and authored three books.  Heather thrives on adventure. She joins us today to discuss life and adventures, her program, The Element of Adventure, and dive into what it means to have vision, focus, and discipline. If you enjoy nature, helping others, seeking adventure, and are looking to transform your approach to business, you will love this engaging conversation with Heather Hansen O'Neill. Stay tuned for more! Early Life and Discipline Heather’s professional journey began long before she started her business over 25 years ago. She became a professional dancer at the age of 13. She had to juggle her education and passion for dance while also working to help her parents pay for her dance classes. The rigorous lifestyle instilled resilience in her, along with a work ethic that later translated into business success, as it taught her invaluable lessons about discipline, perseverance, and pushing beyond her comfort zone. The Impact of Dance on Business Heather credits much of her business acumen to her background in dance. It required discipline for her to excel as a dancer. She had to endure long hours of practice, handle rejection, and maintain focus, contributing to her success in sales and entrepreneurship. Even after a career-ending injury, she continued to find ways to incorporate her passion for dance into her life, which she believes makes her do a lot better at everything else she does. Transition to Business and Speaking Her transition from dance to business came through sales, a field she entered while putting herself through college. After a client encouraged her to do it, Heather combined her sales experience and love for helping others to start a business. She initially focused on sales and customer service training, later expanding her career into coaching and becoming a keynote speaker. Her journey into speaking was gradual, driven by her desire to connect with and inspire audiences. Embracing Vulnerability in Speaking One of the most valuable lessons Heather learned as a speaker was the importance of vulnerability. Her performance background initially made her strive for perfection in her presentations, which created a barrier between her and her audience. Over time, she realized that being open about her mistakes and failures allowed her to connect more deeply with others, making her a more effective speaker. The Adventure Mindset Heather believes in embracing her adventure mindset, which challenges beliefs, assumptions, and judgments, to help individuals and teams unlock their full potential. She is an adventure junkie, so she incorporates her love for pushing boundaries into her speaking engagements. She uses her experiences of jumping out of airplanes, flying on a trapeze, and swimming with sharks to teach others about expanding their comfort zones.  Humanity and Leadership Heather emphasizes the importance of caring for humanity in leadership. She believes that in the modern world, where isolation and polarization are prevalent, leaders have a unique opportunity to make a positive impact by genuinely caring for their people and communities. Her framework, which draws from the elements of nature, helps leaders assess and optimize their teams, ultimately driving both personal and organizational growth. Tips for Entrepreneurs For entrepreneurs, Heather stresses the importance of staying connected to the passion that drove them to start their businesses. She encourages them to focus on transforming their businesses while transforming how they do business by embracing innovation, seeking diverse perspectives, and always keeping humanity at the core of their actions. BIO:  Heather Hansen O’Neill is an international keynote speaker, behavioral expert, 3x author, and adventure junkie. She is also a 2x TEDx speaker, host of the popular podcast From Fear to Fire, and creator of L-FOCUS (Leadership For Our Children’s Ultimate Success). Heather’s signature model, The Elements of Adventure, is the powerful framework she utilizes to empower leaders, ignite results, and change the world…one adventure at a time. Connect with Eric Rozenberg On LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Website Connect with Heather Hansen O'Neill On her website LinkedIn  

The Business of Meetings – Episode 232 - Overcoming Fears: Pamela Schuller's Journey with Tourette Syndrome - Comedy and Embracing Differences  Pamela Schuller is truly a remarkable woman! Several weeks ago, she did a keynote presentation at the MPI World Education Conference in Louisville, where she told her incredible story of having Tourette syndrome, barking unexpectedly, and how she reframed her life, ending up as a keynote speaker.  Today, she joins us on the show to share her touching, inspiring, and amusing journey. Stay tuned for more! Connect with Eric Rozenberg On LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Website Connect with Pamela Schuller On her website  LinkedIn

Marsha Flanagan, the newly appointed President and CEO of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events, shares her inspiring career journey from education to the exhibitions sector. She discusses the vital role of trade shows and the IAEE's initiatives in workforce development. The conversation dives into the impact of AI on productivity, the challenges of leadership, and the importance of community in fostering growth. Marsha also emphasizes innovation within the industry, including a unique collaboration to improve trade show footwear, showcasing creativity and resilience.

I am delighted to welcome Conner Young, co-founder of Kairo, one of the fastest-growing acquisition companies in the US, as my guest on the show today. I often talk with business owners who want to know about selling, merging, or acquiring a business. So Conner joins us today to dive into the steps to take when preparing a business for sale, the process of selling a business, and the key factors buyers consider when purchasing a company. We also explore how to manage a business while dealing with a challenging health problem.  Stay tuned for Conner's valuable insights on those subjects. Connect with Eric Rozenberg On LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Website Connect with Conner Young On LinkedIn Kairo Data