If you've ever wanted to work at the Olympics, X Games, or a major sporting event, this episode is for you! We sit down with Kelly Brown, TV producer turned live event producer to talk all about her international live sports experience, getting her start in TV, and advice for other event freelancers. —— SHOW NOTES: Connect with Kelly Brown: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-brown-63a00439/ Episode 40 - Showcalling 101: https://hospitality.fm/show/episode/40-showcalling-101/ Episode 56 ...
Oct 05, 2022•34 min•Season 2Ep. 75
In this episode, Mary and Logan talk all about how to start an event business - for event planners, event producers, and beyond. From our own business origin stories to things we wish we knew when we started and our favorite business resources, the episode is filled with small business advice. If you’re thinking about starting a business, side hustle, or want to learn more about how we both got started in events, this episode is for you. —— SHOW NOTES: SBA: https://www.sba.gov/ SCORE (Free Busin...
Sep 28, 2022•38 min•Season 2Ep. 74
We're talking about one of our favorite podcast topics, community over competition, and the benefits you can experience by working with, not against your competition. Our guest this week is Natalie Franke, author of Built to Belong and founder of the Rising Tide Society. We talk about how we're stronger together, examples of event pros benefit from working with their community, and how to talk to people who are hesitant to invest in their community. —— SHOW NOTES: Follow Natalie: Website: https:...
Sep 21, 2022•38 min•Season 2Ep. 73
This week, we breakdown the key skills and strengths that event planners and event producers need. From the softer skills to more technical ones, we share our personal experiences and what makes great planners. Learn more about how you can grow your event skills and evolve in the event industry. —— SHOW NOTES: Episode 8 - How to Manage Stress - https://hospitality.fm/show/episode/8-how-to-manage-stress/ Episode 40 - Showcalling 101 - https://hospitality.fm/show/episode/40-showcalling-101/ Logan'...
Sep 14, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 72
Too often the event industry spends all of their time and energy on the planning process and then forgets to do the post-event work. In this week's episode, we chat through our favorite do's and a couple of don'ts when it comes to properly wrapping up your event: from thank yous to post-event feedback reports, we've got you covered. After listening to this episode, you'll be ready to wrap-up your event like a pro! —— SHOW NOTES: Download Logan's free post event report: https://www.loganstrategyg...
Sep 07, 2022•24 min•Season 2Ep. 71
This week, Mary and Logan talk about the value of building your network as an event pro. We compare the difference between networking and building a network, why you need to have a reason behind any cold outreach, and learn how working with, instead of against, your competitors can benefit both of your businesses or careers. —— SHOW NOTES: To learn about the retreat Mary is planning, Event Pros on the Go, send us an email at bettereventspod@gmail.com Logan's headshot photographer: jessicakeenerp...
Aug 31, 2022•32 min•Season 2Ep. 70
In this week's episode, we sit down with Asian Inclusivity Consultant, Jolene Jang, to talk about celebrating the AANHPI community at events, why we need to avoid whitewashing cultures, and the importance of correct name pronunciation and more. As event professionals, our industry is dedicated to creating experiences that help people feel safe, included, and celebrate so give this week's episode a listen to learn how you can create more inclusive events. —— SHOW NOTES: AANHPI -Asian American, Na...
Aug 24, 2022•40 min•Season 2Ep. 69
This week, Logan dives into a series of conversations for small business owners, from why we all should do things that scare us to automation that can save you time. Whether you own a business or are looking to advance in your career, there are nuggets to help you save time and build your career strategy in this episode. —— SHOW NOTES: Learn more about Logan's company, Logan Strategy Group: https://www.loganstrategygroup.com/ Watch YouTube videos for: "Projects that scare you": https://youtu.be/...
Aug 17, 2022•28 min•Season 2Ep. 68
In this episode, Mary will be talking about her favorite thing - fundraising events, but more specifically the Purpose behind fundraising events. This episode is full of intention and thinking through how to make the most of your fundraising event and setting goals that help your fundraising events be successful. If you're a nonprofit leader, event professional, or just someone that wants to better understand fundraising events, this episode is for you. —— SHOW NOTES: Learn more about Mary's com...
Aug 10, 2022•23 min•Season 2Ep. 67
Let's talk about building your dream team at your company - that can be with full-time employees, part-time, or even contractors. Our guests this week are Courtney and Dana of HUSTLE + GATHER, a training and consulting firm that grew out of three successful businesses our two guests built together. We talk about when you know you need to hire your first employee, the secrets to hiring the right person for the right role, and how hiring affects your bottom line. —— SHOW NOTES: Follow Courtney and...
Aug 03, 2022•40 min•Season 2Ep. 66
Event proposals are the building blocks of winning new business as an event pro. We bring you behind the curtain to learn about how we write winning proposals, how we use them in our business after we've won the event, and best practices we use on a daily basis. Learn more about how you can improve your sales and onboarding process with this week's episode! —— SHOW NOTES: Ep. 49 - Event Scope Creep - https://traffic.megaphone.fm/SLICK5082538971.mp3?updated=1656018640 Ep. 32 - Key Strategies for ...
Jul 27, 2022•32 min
If you're looking to grow or market your business, Google Analytics can be a useful tool for helping you hone in your target audience. We sit down with Christie Osborne, event industry educator and owner of Mountainside Media, to discuss how to turn data into dollars, the good and bad of Google Ads, and what insights we can learn from our analytics. She has tips for people just getting started in the event industry as well as season pros so bring your pen or pencil and get ready to walk away wit...
Jul 20, 2022•35 min•Season 2Ep. 64
Get ready to travel back in time with us and look ahead to the future as we react to the predictions we made back in July 2021 and make new ones for 2023. Did we get it right? How have our podcasting set-ups changed? All of that and more as we look at the future of events and reflect on how far we've come in just one year as an industry. —— SHOW NOTES: Grossy Pelosi Vodka Sauce - https://www.danpelosi.com/post/grossy-vodka-sawce Episode #13 - Predictions from June 2021 - https://traffic.megaphon...
Jul 13, 2022•30 min•Season 2Ep. 63
One of the key elements to success in events is the team behind the scenes. We talk through how we staff out in-person events, virtual events, and hybrid events. We also talk about where we find great event staff and how we get staffed at events. And we tackle the controversial question: are volunteers as event staff overrated or underrated? Listen to learn what both Logan and Mary think. —— SHOW NOTES: FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @bettereventspod @loganstrategygroup_events (Logan) @epeventsllc (Mar...
Jul 06, 2022•33 min•Season 2Ep. 62
We're talking all about event budgets this week - why is it important? What do people often forget in their event budget? How do you use the budget during your planning process? We answer all of this and more in today's episode. No matter if you're a seasoned event pro or a beginner, there's something here for you! —— SHOW NOTES: Virtual Event Budget Template (paid): https://www.loganstrategygroup.com/shop/virtual-event-budget-template Event Budgets - Logan's YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.c...
Jun 29, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 61
One of the most important parts of owning a business is the legal aspect. We interviewed lawyer and small business owner Lauren Boyd of Guide My Business to talk through the steps that every business owner should take to legally align their business. We also dive into contracts, the impact of COVID on event businesses, and more. Whether you’re just starting your business or have been in business for years, there is something for you in this episode. —— SHOW NOTES: Follow Lauren here: Website: ht...
Jun 22, 2022•40 min•Season 2Ep. 60
This week, we sit down and list out all of the reasons why we love virtual events. Whether you’re in the camp that has embraced the digital revolution for events, between 100% virtual and hybrid events, or someone who’s been a little resistant, we lay out all of the pros of having a virtual event, as a planner and an organizer. Learn more about why we think virtual events are here to stay and some of the benefits of adding this skill to your event toolkit. —— SHOW NOTES: Mary’s Untethered Presen...
Jun 15, 2022•26 min•Season 2Ep. 59
No matter if you’re hosting a virtual event or looking to engage with your hybrid workforce, attendee and audience engagement is a vital. We sit down with Hoyin Cheung, the CEO and founder of Remo, to discuss best practices for creating authentic attendee engagement, the future of remote work, and more. Remo is an interactive virtual event platform that empowers you to recreate natural interactions in any type of gathering; from global events to remote work meetings. —— SHOW NOTES: Remo: https:/...
Jun 08, 2022•40 min•Season 2Ep. 58
One of our favorite things to do on the podcast is to tackle the “Shoulds” of the event industry. And one of the biggest questions to ask yourself as an event host or ask your client as a planner is “Should You Even Have an Event?” We’ve talked about how often we see a disconnect between the mission/goal of an event and the execution and one way to check that you’re staying aligned is to first challenge if you need to have an event in the first place. —— SHOW NOTES: Episode #2 - Starting with Wh...
Jun 01, 2022•28 min•Season 2Ep. 57
Ever wonder what it's like to produce at the Kentucky Derby, the Final Four, and the Olympic Games? This week's guest Kelly Reed of Van Wagner has done just that. She breaks down her experience producing and showcalling some of the largest events in the world and shares tangible tips about how you can get into sports production and overall business advice for achieving your professional goals. —— SHOW NOTES: Episode #40 - Showcalling 101: https://anchor.fm/better-events-pod/episodes/40---Showcal...
May 25, 2022•36 min•Season 2Ep. 56
We both love working with VIP guests, speakers, and clients. We sit down to talk about Mary’s recent experience at a hybrid event, how you prepare for working with VIPs, and some classic dos and don’ts —— SHOW NOTES: Episode #15: Emphasizing Hospitality in Events with Laura Yarbrough-Lloyd: https://anchor.fm/better-events-pod/episodes/15---Emphasizing-Hospitality-in-Events-with-Laura-Yarbrough-e14tqud http://www.loganstrategygroup.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @bettereventspod @loganstrategygroup_...
May 18, 2022•27 min•Season 2Ep. 55
Virtual events have opened up events to attendees across the country and even internationally. As you create your hybrid or virtual event, you need to think about your virtual attendees' paths. We interview Arianna Black, an experience architect with Women in Product, about her experience in building passionate online communities and listening to their needs. —— SHOW NOTES: Asking Better Questions with Jen Mueller Episode: https://anchor.fm/better-events-pod/episodes/48---How-to-Ask-Better-Quest...
May 11, 2022•36 min•Season 2Ep. 54
Let’s talk all about hosting events in Zoom. We talk about why Zoom is so popular, our favorite features, what it means to be a Zoom producer and how you can learn how to become a Zoom producer. —— SHOW NOTES: FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @bettereventspod @loganstrategygroup_events (Logan) @epeventsllc (Mary) Want to support the podcast? Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bettereventspod CHECK OUT OUR BEHIND-THE-SCENES RECORDINGS ON YOUTUBE! THANKS FOR THE LOVE! Love this podcast? Please s...
May 04, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 53
Virtual event technicians and streaming engineers play a crucial role in elevating your virtual and hybrid events. We sit down with Luke Clements to talk about how you can elevate your next livestream, how he started using OBS, and common mistakes he sees clients make and how you can avoid them. —— SHOW NOTES: Follow Luke Clements here: Linktree: linktr.ee/itslukeclements Website: https://www.itslukeclements.com/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/itslukeclements Open Broadcast Software (OBS): https:...
Apr 27, 2022•35 min•Season 2Ep. 52
Learn how two connectors pivoted their business during the pandemic and have continued to scaled as a virtual and hybrid event production company. We talk about how they got started, tips for scaling your business, and make a connection between running your business and doing squats. Don’t miss this exciting conversation with West Peek Production co-founders Scooter Taylor and Tre’von Hill. —— SHOW NOTES: Follow West Peek Productions here: Website: https://westpeek.productions/ Social: @westpeek...
Apr 20, 2022•47 min•Season 2Ep. 51
We made it to episode 50! We reflect on our favorite moments from our first 49 episodes, what we’ve learned so far and a look ahead at what’s coming up on the podcast. We also take you behind the scenes on some of the production that goes into the pod so stick around if you’re looking to start your own podcast. —— SHOW NOTES: http://www.loganstrategygroup.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @bettereventspod @loganstrategygroup_events (Logan) @epeventsllc (Mary) Want to support the podcast? Buy us a coff...
Apr 13, 2022•34 min•Season 2Ep. 50
Scope creep is one of the biggest challenges as an event business or a business really in general. We share what scope creep is, why it’s a problem, what you can do to avoid it in future projects, and flip the script to talk about when scope creep can be good (it’s rare but possible we promise). —— SHOW NOTES: FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @bettereventspod @loganstrategygroup_events (Logan) @epeventsllc (Mary) Want to support the podcast? Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bettereventspod C...
Apr 06, 2022•31 min•Season 2Ep. 49
In this episode, we interview sports journalist and business owner Jen Mueller about the power of asking better questions. We talk about what makes a question good, why it’s important and how you can incorporate better questions into your life, especially if you’re moderating a panel or participating in an interview. —— SHOW NOTES: Jen’s Asking Better Questions Video Series: https://www.talksportytome.com/Asking-Better-Questions-Video-Series Follow Jen here: Website: https://www.talksportytome.c...
Mar 30, 2022•36 min•Season 2Ep. 48
In this episode, we recap a book we read called Built to Belong by Natalie Franke and talk about the importance of community over competition. We break down some of the key principles, share examples of how community has helped us in our careers, and have a surprise announcement at the end so stick around! —— SHOW NOTES: Built to Belong by Natalie Franke Be Our Guest Business Etiquette Made Easy City of Saviors The Little Book of Life Skills ----- FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @bettereventspod @logans...
Mar 23, 2022•29 min•Season 2Ep. 47
In this episode, Mary and Logan sit down to talk through a recent hybrid event, from the event basics, tech set-up, and staffing plan. We also recap our top key takeaways that you can apply to your next event. —— SHOW NOTES: Unity Intercom (virtual comms): https://www.unityintercom.com/cloud ----- FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @bettereventspod @loganstrategygroup_events (Logan) @epeventsllc (Mary) Want to support the podcast, buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/bettereventspod CHECK OUT OUR ...
Mar 16, 2022•27 min•Season 2Ep. 46
