Hey there, Event Tech podcast listeners! It's been a minute, hasn't it? Brandt Krueger and Will Curran are back to fill you in on what's been happening with ETP for the last few months. We've both taken on new roles in the event tech world, keeping us super busy. On top of that, we've completely re-worked how the podcast is produced behind the scenes. We're thinking about some changes for the podcast, like potentially introducing paid memberships or offering an ad-supported version. We'd love to...
Nov 10, 2023•22 min•Ep. 307
Imagine an event where the audience takes the reins, curating the perfect musical experience by making real-time requests and communicating with the band. Today, we're thrilled to introduce you to uRequest Live, a groundbreaking platform that does exactly that. In this episode of the Event Tech podcast , we'll explore the journey of uRequest Live, from its inception to its evolution during the pandemic, and how it has transformed the event entertainment landscape. We'll also discuss the importan...
May 08, 2023•37 min•Ep. 306
The #EventProfs Community is a strong network of event professionals who’ve come together worldwide to share their ideas and insights and seek support in the ever-evolving event industry. Our thriving community includes event planners, marketers, sponsors, technology providers, and more, and we’re all committed to improving our craft and the industry. As part of our ongoing commitment to progress and improvement, we’re changing platforms. In this episode of the Event Tech Podcast , Will shares w...
Apr 24, 2023•43 min•Ep. 304
Unlike the Metaverse, artificial intelligence (AI) is progressing rapidly. Will and Brandt published the ChatGPT, DALL-E, and Other AI Tools You Need to Know at the end of February 2023. After only a few weeks and many headlines later, they’re ready to revisit the ever-evolving topic. In today’s episode of the Event Tech podcast , Will and Brandt share some of the latest AI technology news, their thoughts on how you should embrace the fast-growing technology, and what they’d like to see from it ...
Apr 03, 2023•39 min•Ep. 305
In 2022, the United States saw 1,774 data breaches . And while 1,774 might not sound jaw-dropping, those breaches impacted an estimated 422,143,312 people. Cybersecurity for event planners is a recurring theme on the podcast because cyber threats are never-ending and are only getting more complex. In today’s episode of the Event Tech podcast , Will and Brandt tackle cybersecurity, driven by the recent and controversial data breach at LastPass and a listener question. Eliza C. asked, what steps w...
Mar 06, 2023•48 min•Ep. 303
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools have dominated the headlines lately. And tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and DALL-E have artists and writers sounding alarms about job security. So, what does this have to do with the events industry? In this episode of the Event Tech podcast, Will and Brandt share their thoughts on visual and text-based AI tools and how you might use them for events in the future. Let’s dive in!...
Feb 20, 2023•46 min•Ep. 302
As we continue to transition out of the pandemic and into 2023, the effects of economic downturn, layoffs, and budget cuts are felt across the tech industry. And with record-breaking inflation, it’s no surprise many event professionals are forced to navigate tighter budgets with rising costs. So, what should you do if you think you're going to deal with a reduced event budget? In this episode of the Event Tech Podcast , Will and Brandt consolidate years of advice into eight tips event profession...
Feb 06, 2023•59 min•Ep. 301
As event professionals, we’re always looking to explore new methods, techniques, and technologies to make each event better than the last. Virtual reality (VR) is a topic we often discuss on the Event Tech podcast and has been a technology growing in popularity in recent years. But with the adoption of VR technology comes an important question: will people change their lifestyle to attend VR events? Endless Events has articles on VR dating back to 2017. Still, VR technology has been slow to make...
Jan 23, 2023•40 min•Ep. 300
Event management software can potentially make an event planner’s job more efficient. But when the right software doesn’t exist, planners are left to fend for themselves, often lacking solutions. In July, we discussed this exact issue in the episode, Why is there no good event software? Will and Brandt discussed what features the industry desperately needs and how companies can offer solutions. Two of the most important missing features included tools for budgeting and understanding profit margi...
Jan 09, 2023•51 min•Ep. 298
Event translation and transcription are a segment that’s been on the rise in recent years. Will and Brandt discussed the increase of booths for these services at IMEX Frankfurt and IMEX America . As a result, in this Event Tech podcast episode, the tech duo outlines how to work with translation, transcription, and captioning services in your events. Implementing these services into your event can be full of benefits, making your events accessible to international audiences and those with auditor...
Dec 19, 2022•51 min•Ep. 299
We're doing things a bit differently on this episode of the Event Tech podcast . Rather than covering a "new topic," we're checking in with you, our listeners, and readers and evaluating whether we should change anything about the podcast. So whether you're a new or long-time listener, stay tuned and reach out. This is an engaging episode, and we have many questions for you.
Dec 05, 2022•36 min•Ep. 296
According to Forbes , in-person events increased by 255% from the 4th quarter of 2021 to the second quarter of 2022. Still, as we move into 2023, more and more companies announce layoffs, spending freezes, and low metrics. And these are just a few of several trends in events to keep your eye on. In this episode of the Event Tech podcast, Will and Brandt discuss current event industry trends and the future of events. They’ll also share two helpful tips for navigating the choppy waters ahead....
Nov 21, 2022•52 min•Ep. 295
IMEX is one of the most significant events for the events industry, not just in the States but globally. And after a long few years, a massive return to in-person events in 2022, and a looming recession, the IMEX America 2022 event has been long awaited. Despite how gloomy current events might feel, Will and Brandt have some inspiring things to share. In this Event Tech episode, they’ll continue discussing the trends they noticed from the previous IMEX Frankfurt event, cool new logic utilization...
Nov 07, 2022•43 min•Ep. 297
A lot has changed about the world in recent years. It’s not always helpful to ruminate on what we should have done, but today Will and Brandt do precisely that. In this episode of the Event Tech podcast , the tech duo looks back on 2020 and 2021 and considers how they would do things differently if they had to relive the pandemic .
Oct 31, 2022•28 min•Ep. 294
As layoffs continue to make headlines across industries, the events industry is also bracing itself for an economic downturn. More and more companies in the events industry announce layoffs, downsizing, and consolidations each week. According to Brandt, the industry should have taken preventative action before reaching this point. Join Will and Brandt as they discuss how we got here and how to navigate layoffs and consolidation in the events industry. While they can’t predict the future of event...
Oct 03, 2022•38 min•Ep. 293
This year, a Marriott data breach has made headlines again. It’s 2022, and the world is no stranger to poor data protection. Every year, the events industry and event professionals handle data for millions of people. It’s our responsibility to ensure their data is secure and our systems are risk-free . That’s why today’s episode focuses on how you can increase data security and protection in your business. Will Curran and Brandt Krueger share first-hand what they’ve learned from working with val...
Sep 15, 2022•45 min•Ep. 292
Building an online community can take years of hard work. That’s why Endless Events’ very own Will Curran and Kyle Kosinski created the #EventProfs community. They’re on a mission to build and grow a community from the ground up so they can better understand what it takes to develop an event community. #Eventprofs is designed to put your knowledge on center stage. In Kyle's words, “Whether you're a festival producer or a lighting technician, you can teach the whole world of event professionals w...
Aug 26, 2022•42 min•Ep. 291
Augmented reality (AR) has the potential to revolutionize how we live our lives, but are we there yet? Will and Brandt are excited to see just how revolutionary AR will be for events. In today’s episode, Will Curran and Brandt Krueger discuss AR for events. Together, they explore how AR for events can reshape how people interact with each other and their venues. Looking past flashy screen-based AR, Will and Brandt focus on what they hope to see, issues that may arise, and what might be around th...
Aug 22, 2022•49 min•Ep. 290
Event chatbots are becoming increasingly common in the event industry. While chatbots are helpful when engaging communities during events, they can also be an excellent tool if you want to implement the community model and engage your attendees all year. Today, Will, Brandt, and Kyle discuss event chatbots in 2022 and the community model with chatbot expert Chuck Elias. They update us on how chatbot technology has evolved in recent years and how you can use event chatbots to successfully engage ...
Aug 08, 2022•48 min•Ep. 288
Fresh off the plane, Brandt Krueger returns to us from the IMEX event in Frankfurt, Germany. Unfortunately, Will wasn't in attendance this year. That's why, in today's episode, Brandt gives him a full recap on this year's event. In a global industry that's still feeling the effects of the worldwide pandemic, Brandt focuses on the trends he saw at IMEX. The two discuss how new factors, like an uncertain economy, may also play a role in recent trends. But don't let that hold you back. Today's epis...
Jul 26, 2022•44 min•Ep. 289
Like the software industry, the event management industry has tech stacks. Event tech stacks consist of all the technology that helps an event run efficiently. Event planners often forget to consider whether their tools are suitable for the job and their budget leading to overspending and inefficient processes. Re-evaluating your tech stack can help ensure your events improve and run optimally year after year. In today’s Event Tech Podcast episode, Brandt Krueger and Kyle Kocinski talk about the...
Jul 21, 2022•38 min•Ep. 286
The event management industry lacks robust software designed for the unique needs of the event management industry. Many event planners rely on tools not made for the industry and attempt to find alternative solutions for the tasks they must accomplish. In today's episode, Will and Brant talk about the event management industry's unique client base and where event management software fails to meet client needs. Possible solutions to the lack of budgeting and profit margin projection tools includ...
Jul 14, 2022•41 min•Ep. 287
Pricing transparency in event technology companies is lacking, to say the least. Many event platforms offer no pricing structures at all while others only give ballpark estimates. As a recent Skift Meetings article points out, event planners often have no time or energy to sit through long demos and discuss pricing for weeks. But as Will and Brandt point out in this episode, transparency is not easy to achieve in the world of SaaS and event technology. Costs depend on the size of the event and t...
Jun 29, 2022•44 min•Ep. 285
Today's episode of the Event Tech Podcast was inspired by a recent Event Leadership Institute summit where Brandt and Will did a fast rundown on ten event technology trends. For each of them, they had to quickly decide whether they truly were a trend or just hype. Most of the trends have gotten their own standalone Event Tech Podcast episode already. If you need a quick refresher on what Will and Brandt think about them, then this episode is perfect for you. Here are the 10 event technology tren...
Jun 13, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 284
Between the brain drain in the events industry and labor shortages, the event technology labor has transformed dramatically. And not for the better: event planners are finding it increasingly hard to hire reliable and experienced vendors at a reasonable price. Those who have survived the harsh conditions of the pandemic are fully booked and expensive. On the other hand, there is a wave of new labor coming in, but they are not as experienced. Aside from increasing their event budgets, what should...
May 31, 2022•38 min•Ep. 283
In this week's Event Tech Podcast episode, Will and Brandt discuss Peloton because, as it turns out, their workouts make for a great hybrid event case study. They claim that event planners should take note. After all, the world-famous exercise equipment company has managed to grow a strong community through its content delivery, social media presence, and audience engagement. Brandt admits that he never thought of Peloton content as a hybrid event case study. But in this episode, he admits that ...
May 16, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 282
There are many ways to send out event notifications: via email, SMS, private messaging apps, and event platforms. And as we embrace event technology as the base of our events , they're becoming increasingly more important. How we communicate with our attendees matters, so it's vital to learn what mode of communication they prefer and not be too spammy. So, what is the best way to deliver email notifications? Is it push notification or a text? Brandt and Will go over several solutions, discussing...
May 02, 2022•56 min•Ep. 281
The Event Tech Podcast is often so excited about all the innovation, new event platforms, and other event tech solutions on the market that we forget to talk about the digital divide in the events industry. Let's face it: most event technology needs a strong internet connection to run smoothly. But what about those who don't have their own Wi-Fi set up? In today's Event Tech Podcast episode, Will and Brandt answer a poignant question by one of the podcast's listeners. Attendees need Wi-Fi to acc...
Apr 18, 2022•38 min•Ep. 280
The Event Tech Podcast hosts believe that event technology is an amazing foundation for events . Numerous data insights, continuous audience engagement, and endless sponsorship opportunities - what's not to love? Today, they discuss yet another amazing event technology solution: data-based matchmaking services. Not only do matchmaking services change the way we can network at virtual events, but they also have immense potential to improve remote company culture and make the most of our internal ...
Apr 04, 2022•39 min•Ep. 279
Every now and then, the Event Tech Podcast reviews a certain product or service. This week, Brandt and Endless Events' Kyle Kocinski do a case study on Remo, one of the top 22 event platforms to use in 2022 . The competition among event platforms is stiff these days, so it's crucial that event planners understand what makes a certain platform stand out from the rest. Brandt and Kyle welcome Amy Hyatt, the Head of Customer Success at Remo , who brought along Remo's client, Michael Willoughby, the...
Mar 21, 2022•47 min•Ep. 278
