The world of AI technology continues to evolve, and with it, new opportunities for innovation emerge. In this week’s episode, Felicia Asiedu (https://www.linkedin.com/in/feliciaasiedu/?originalSubdomain=uk), Cvent Senior Marketing Manager in Europe and Co-Founder of the Diverse Speakers Bureau (https://www.diversespeakerbureau.com/), sits down with Paulina to share her insights on how ChatGPT and other AI tech can be used to make the life of an event planner easier. She explains just how much ti...
Apr 20, 2023•24 min
We all know that making our events environmentally friendly is important. What people don’t realize is that using data from past events can go a long way in helping your organization do its part to make the world a greener place. In honor of Earth Month, Alyssa Peltier sits down with Kimberly Meyer (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-meyer-8326949/), Co-founder of The DataAngel, (https://thedataangel.com/) and Kris Justice (https://www.linkedin.com/in/krisdjustice/?originalSubdomain=de), Senio...
Apr 12, 2023•33 min
Now that in-person events are back in full force, it’s important to ensure our events are environmentally friendly. This is a great way to cut costs at your event while also doing your part to help keep waste from piling up in landfills. In this episode, Dave Biderman (https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-biderman-5135646/), former executive director and CEO of the Solid Waste Association of North America (https://swana.org/), explains that communication serves a key role in making your events gree...
Apr 05, 2023•28 min
The meetings industry has had to evolve over the past couple of years. Now more than ever, people are excited to get back to in-person events and continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible. In honor of Global Meetings Industry Day, Paulina Giusti sits down with Mapreet Kaur (https://www.linkedin.com/in/manpreet-kaur-7829a321/?originalSubdomain=in), Director of Events and Cvent India, to reflect on the meetings industry and where it’s headed in the near future. Listen as the two share the...
Mar 29, 2023•26 min
Jumping into the world of advertising can seem like a daunting task. With the wide variety of options at your fingertips, it can be hard to decide which approach will best suit your needs. In this episode, Silvio Perez (https://www.linkedin.com/in/silvio-perez/), Founder of AdConversion (https://www.adconversion.com/), discusses his perspective on entering the paid advertising scene and good practices to keep in mind to avoid spreading your time too thin. You’ll learn how to get started, tools y...
Mar 22, 2023•31 min
Sales kick-off events can be a fantastic tool for setting your team up for a great sales year. However, knowing when to host the event and how to cultivate engagement is key to making the SKO as successful as possible. In this episode, Chris Kearney (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-kearney-50317816), Senior Manager in Sales at Cvent, shares his take on why hosting your SKO in the first few months of the year can lead to better morale and performance across the team. You’ll learn how to get eve...
Mar 15, 2023•32 min
In honor of International Women's Day and Women’s History Month, Alyssa Peltier and Paulina Giusti share empowering stories of how they've achieved success, and how other women can continue to build confidence and create communities in their respective industries. International Women's Day celebrates the influence of women and their impact on society. Both Alyssa and Paulina have been supported by many women in their careers, and they're passionate about doing the same for others. Listen in to l...
Mar 08, 2023•18 min
Is business travel really back? With whiplash from the pandemic and now an economic downturn, it doesn’t seem promising, but GBTA’s (https://www.gbta.org/) new CMO and former Cventer Kevin Fliess (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kfliess/) has a different opinion. A 25-year marketing and events veteran who’s worked in the travel, software, and technology sectors, he joins us to talk about trends he’s seeing in the travel industry’s path to recovery. Listen in as he shares the benefits of blended trav...
Mar 01, 2023•27 min
The events industry is called upon to celebrate and bring attention to holidays throughout the year, Black History Month included. But amplifying black voices and promoting diversity in events and marketing cannot be reserved to one month. We have to be intentional about making it a permanent part of the planning process. Felicia Asiedu (https://www.linkedin.com/in/feliciaasiedu/), Cvent’s Senior Marketing Manager in Europe and co-founder of the Diverse Speakers Bureau (https://www.diversespeake...
Feb 22, 2023•56 min
Any expert knows to learn from their mistakes as well as their successes. In the end, it’s the only way to get better. Felicia Asiedu (https://www.linkedin.com/in/feliciaasiedu/) is one of those experts. As the Senior Marketing Manager in Europe, a Fast Forward 15 Ambassador of Diversity and Inclusion, and winner of the 2023 prestigious Cventer of the Year Award, she’s always looking to improve and grow. In this episode, Felicia joins Paulina and Rachel to reflect on the innovative and impactful...
Feb 15, 2023•36 min
It's harder than ever to break through the noise and get noticed. Moreover, with shrinking budgets and the rise in event costs this year, it truly seems like an impossible task. Patrick Smith (https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-smith-a5847/), Chief Marketing Officer and SVP at Cvent joins hosts Alyssa (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssapeltier/) and Rachel (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-k-andrews/) to share his perspective on what marketers and event planners should pay attention to in 202...
Feb 08, 2023•27 min
The year is almost at an end, and predictions are as trendy as the trends themselves. And guess what? We’re jumping on the bandwagon. In this episode, we’re going to cover the meetings and event trends we’re excited about for 2023. This year, we’ve learned that event planners expect 83% more events than 2019, health and wellness isn’t going away, and there’s a renewed focus on ROI and sustainability. Come join us for our season (and year) finale and get excited for what’s to come!
Dec 15, 2022•37 min
Betsy Pake, (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bpake/) former Cventer and Subconscious Change Expert, is back! A big fan of the New Year, new beginnings, and Monday mornings, she’s a marketer and event professional who loves to reflect on successes and learn from failures. In this part two episode, she joins us for a discussion around uncovering the power of reflection and goal setting. Listen in as she shares insights on transforming failures into successes, celebrating successes, and creating an ach...
Dec 06, 2022•39 min
We have control over our own thoughts. Betsy Pake (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bpake/), former Cventer and Subconscious Change Expert, believes our subconscious is powerful enough to drive change. Having forged a career as a change expert, she’s known for substantially altering her clients’ lives by shifting the way they think. In this episode, she and Paulina discuss human behavior and how to alter our mindset to live the biggest version of ourselves, wherever we are. Along the way, you’ll lear...
Nov 29, 2022•25 min
DEI is always going to be an important topic, but what’s missing right now is the focus on diverse leadership. This year at Cvent CONNECT Europe, we hosted our first-ever leadership summit. At the summit, we discussed some of those bigger trends in the industry. In one of the panels, we focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion with a sub-conversation centered on women in leadership. This episode is a recording of that panel where guests Muriel Poulenc Charpentier (https://www.linkedin.com/in/...
Nov 15, 2022•34 min
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas? Not this time! In this episode, hosts Paulina Giusti and Rachel Andrews are joined by Lisa Messina (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisasmessina/), Chief Sales Officer at Las Vegas Convention and Visitor's Authority (https://www.lvcva.com/) (LVCVA). Lisa shares what she’s been up to since leaving Ceasar’s Entertainment (https://www.caesars.com/) and gives some insight into what major events they’re planning for in 2023. At the end, you’ll also hear her take on ...
Nov 08, 2022•38 min
We’ve been talking about it for a while, but it’s time for Cvent employees to return to the office. In this episode, you’ll get to hear from all of your Great Events hosts, Alyssa, Rachel, and Paulina, as they discuss their return to the office and the employee engagement events that have kind of surrounded Cvent as a company. Tune in to learn more about the back-to-office trend and how to think about it like an event.
Oct 25, 2022•30 min
There are somewhere around 10,000 technologies in the market that a marketing operations professional has to look at, procure, and understand the value of before making a recommendation to the organization. It’s overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be if you think about it smartly. In this episode, host Alyssa Peltier (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssapeltier/) talks with Christine Kelly (https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinenkelly/) and Taylor Bohn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorbohn0630/)...
Oct 18, 2022•31 min
Accessible technology is really changing the way we create events, especially for those who have disabilities. Not long ago, in-person events were inaccessible to people with certain disabilities. Now, with intention and technology, people are helping change this space for the better. In this episode, Stephen Cutchins, the Senior Product Manager of Accessibility at Cvent, joins hosts Alyssa and Paulina to share how he helps organizations transform their events to be more accessible and inclusive...
Oct 11, 2022•27 min
Dreamforce. The ultimate event everyone wants to attend. For years they’ve set the gold standard of how to put on a great event and tie the Salesforce brand and marketing to make it seamless. In this episode, host Alyssa Peltier is joined by three guests at Cvent, Charlie Friend (https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleswfriend/), Mackenzie Regan, (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackenzieregan/) and Kevin McNeal. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-mcneal-37bb78b4/) All three had the opportunity to attend...
Oct 04, 2022•28 min
Whether you’re planning a corporate retreat or someone’s dream wedding, when you connect with your client on a personal level, you’re better able to create an unforgettable event. In this episode, we’re joined by Bianca Cruz and Victoria Williams, Co-Founders of Pivot Productions (https://www.apivotproduction.com/). This duo has a background in corporate events but they shifted to the wedding industry, and they take a distinctly personal approach to event planning. Listen in to learn more about ...
Sep 27, 2022•28 min
Next level branding can be used to create a sense of community and even evoke emotions in attendees that stick with them long after they’ve headed home. In this episode, host Alyssa Peltier (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssapeltier/) is joined by fellow Cventer Carisa Bartelt (https://www.linkedin.com/in/carisa-bartelt/) to reflect on their recent experiences at INBOUND. Both witnessed how HubSpot used a combination of high-profile, inspirational speakers and in-your-face brand installations to...
Sep 20, 2022•15 min
Marketing operations play a specific role in organizations, and especially events. So what does it take to be a good partner to the team, whether you’re a vendor or a part of the company? In this episode, host Alyssa Peltier is joined by Cvent guest-hosts Emily Dick and Carisa Bartelt. They speak with Darrell Alfonso, the Head of Global Marketing Operations for Amazon Web Services (AWS) and author of The Martech Handbook, on all things marketing operations, from its evolution to how event market...
Sep 13, 2022•33 min
The travel industry took a pretty big hit during the pandemic, but when it comes to events, it forced them to think outside the box and deliver what truly matters. In this episode, host Rachel Andrews is joined by Jess Hayes (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesshayes/), Senior Director of Digital and Growth Marketing Membership Operations at GBTA (https://www.gbta.org/) (Global Business Travel Association), and Nicole Seely (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleseely/), Manager of Event Operations. The...
Sep 06, 2022•37 min
The way people facilitate and execute great events are changing, especially when it comes to technology enhancements and innovation. On this episode, hosts Rachel Andrews, Paulina Giusti, and Alyssa Peltier are joined by Peter Gentile, VP of Sales from OVATION. OVATION is an event production agency focused on creating unique event programming in both the live and virtual settings. Listen in as they discuss the future of event tech and production, how those two industries have collaborated and al...
Aug 30, 2022•32 min
We’ve all heard the phrase, “It takes two to tango,” but have you ever thought of how it applies to sales and marketing? This year B2BSMX, a show usually attended by marketers, opened attendance to include sales professionals as well and show how the two departments can really work together when it comes to events. In this episode, host Alyssa Peltier is joined by two guests, Brian Ludwig (aka Luddy) SVP of Sales at Cvent, and Greg Jackman, a manager on the Cvent demand generation team, to share...
Aug 23, 2022•19 min
The Corporate Event Marketers Association (CEMA) holds a conference each year with anywhere from 400 to 500 attendees. This year, hosts Alyssa Peltier and Paulina Giusti were able to attend for the first time, and they’re bringing all their learnings to the podcast. In this episode, Alyssa and Paulina share their biggest takeaways from the event, including digital experiences, thoughts on “the great exposure,” and how creativity is making a grand entrance.
Aug 17, 2022•29 min
There’s a surge of interest for organizations to build more sustainable meetings and events programs. But how do we do it effectively and avoid greenwashing? On this episode, host Alyssa Peltier is joined by Kris Justice, Senior Manager on the Cvent Enterprise Client Success Team, and Ben Quarrell, the Co-founder of Isla and Trace, the carbon measurement platform. To get the planet where it needs to be, there has to be radical cross-sector collaboration. In their conversation, they share how org...
Jul 26, 2022•25 min
Meeting Professionals International produces one of the biggest event professional conferences every year and they recently celebrated MPI's 50th anniversary at The World Education Conference’s (WEC) in San Francisco. Creating an event for event planners is no small feat. What does it take to pull off? We’ve got two MPI experts to share the tricks of the trade. Melinda Burdette, Senior Director of Events, and Drew Holmgreen, Chief Brand Officer, share valuable insights not only on how to put on ...
Jul 19, 2022•42 min
If you’re planning an event for people in the event planning industry, you better bring your A-game. In this episode, two of Cvent’s Meeting and Event Planning stars, Kayla Sommers and Sam Efthimiades, join us to share their secrets on how they were able to wow the company’s top performers at our Business Leaders Retreat. Listen in to hear how treating everyone like a VIP is more about personalization than perks. As you listen, you’ll also pick a lot of insider know-how about getting the most ba...
Jun 28, 2022•23 min
