Episode fourteen, the spotlight is on...sponsorship!
This is probably the most asked question I get from folks trying to do their own events, so instead of telling you what I know - I went right to the source!

Ed Byers, is the founder of CANRev Collaborative. In his 15+ years of association and NFP experience, he has created over $20M in new revenue through sponsorship & partnerships, creation of education programs, membership drives, events, fundraising, advertising and products and service enhancements.

Aka: he knows his stuff and what he's talking about. In this episode we talk myths, FAQS and the secret sauce to securing the bag (it's not what you think).

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Episode thirteen, the spotlight is on... speaking.

I'm seeing a lot of chatter online (thanks algorithm) from speakers about events trying to pay them in exposure, so I went to the source! In this episode, I chat with Tami Adams, founder of TA Speakers Management agency on how to become a speaker and how to book one.

With 13 years of meeting planning experience and 10+ years working alongside high-level professional speakers and her knack for human connection, Tami has seen it all. Providing unique insights into both the speaker agent and meeting planner side of the business, she brings her bubbly, energetic and passionate personality to all clients.

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Episode twelve, the spotlight is on... my top 4 biggest event pet peeves. These are the things I am not-so-silently judging your event on, sometimes before I even walk in the door. And if I'm doing it, so are your actual and potential guests.

From not knowing why, not having a budget , quoting Beyoncé, offering social media posts as exposure, and this new trend of not feeding people - here are some of the reasons why your event might not be selling and how to avoid biting off more you can chew.

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Episode eleven, the spotlight is on... the ball drop heard around the world!

If you haven't heard about the event (or lack thereof) that went viral last week, we're dropping this week's edition of the podcast early to catch you up on all the not-so-British tea.

You've heard of Fyre Fest. You've seen Willy Wonka gone wrong, next up in the event fail hall of fame is the (unlicensed and unofficial) Bridgerton Ball.

I’ll be guiding you through the who the players are, the timeline with twists and turns, what guests were supposed to get and how this could all go from comically bad to legally worse for the event promoters.

Sources:
BBC, Detroit Free Press, NY Times, Teen Vogue, Reddit & Twitter

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Episode ten, the spotlight is on... parents as event guests!

We'll talk about what current and future event planner people need to think about parents when planning their events.

From making sure your venue meets their specific needs, to broadening your views on who parents even are (breaking news, papas are parents too) and we clear the air on kids at weddings once and for all (or until the next situation goes viral on TikTok).

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Episode nine, the spotlight is on...more event stories that had gotten the people going in the last 30 days.

From the triumph of the Paris Olympics to film festival season to couples charging wedding guests an admission fee, events from great to small are definitely in full swing.

With about 95% of the venues used during the Paris Olympics in existence prior to the city’s winning bid to host the Games, it set a new standard for reduce, reuse and recycle.

And what's up with this new trend of charging wedding guests admissions like it's a Beyonce concert? I am in total confusion and don't pull any punches with my feelings about it.

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Episode eight, the spotlight is on...the event component that literally lasts a lifetime...photography!

We sat down with Samantha Clarke who left the world of law to pursue photography 15 years ago. Samantha's commitment to excellence and undeniable talent have earned her recognition as one of America's top photographers by BRIDES Magazine two years in a row.

In this episode, we talk the questions you should ask before you hire a wedding/event photographer, why photoshop is a pet peeve (and not in the way you think), that AI is not the villain we thought it was, bras and unbaked cookies?

We also finally get a professional's opinion about the #SepiaBride debacle once and for all.

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Episode seven, the spotlight is on...one of the most important event components - the music!

We sit down with seasoned event, club and corporate event DJ Lissa Monet, a 6x award-winning female DJ based in Toronto with over 15+ years of rocking nightclubs and corporate events around the world. In 2016 she DJed Beyoncé's Formation World Tour VIP events in Toronto and Detroit. (Does this make me 2 degrees of separation from Beyoncé???)

She also co-founded LUXELIFE SOUND, an all-female DJ boutique agency where amazing female DJs are placed at exclusive private and corporate gigs across North America. She is also the creator of THAT SLOW JAM PARTY, Toronto's first-ever all-slow jam party.

We talk what clients AND guests should know, how DJing has changed since the days of hauling milk crates with vinyl records, pet peeves and what the alt title of the podcast might have been.

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