Event Everything by Eventastic

EVENTASTIC Conference registration is now OPEN! The world's largest event about EVENTS!Free + Virtual! Save your spot! https://www.eventastic.com/ㅤMASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Cvent!!Cvent is an event marketing and management platform designed to help you plan, promote, and measure your events all in one place - whether they’re virtual, in-person, or hybrid.Regardless of your size, check out Cvent today to get the tools you need to run smarter, more effective events.Check out more at cvent.com/JayㅤAI can summarize your keynote in 30 seconds. So why would anyone spend four hours of their day to watch it live? On Episode 18 of Event Everything by Eventastic, host Kristin Nagle asks Brent Turner, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Solutions at Opus Agency, why participation is the answer. Brent comes at this from 15 years across digital, advertising, and live experience design. He breaks down the two questions every event leader needs to answer right now: why live, and why together. He also explains how voice interfaces and Google's AI Mode are shifting what audiences expect from a session, and what that means for the formats event leaders keep defaulting to.ㅤ👤 Guest BioBrent Turner is Executive Vice President of Strategy and Solutions at Opus Agency, a global event and brand experience agency that works with companies including Salesforce, AWS, Microsoft, and Google. Based in Boston, Brent moved into events about 15 years ago after a career across digital startups, advertising agencies including Ogilvy, and a stint as Chief Digital Officer at MIT. He writes about brand movements, dopamine culture, and AI's effect on event design.ㅤ✅ The Event QuestionInspired by a recent Opus Agency post: why is the future of events participation, and why does that matter for event leaders right now?ㅤ📌 What You'll LearnUse the "why live, why together" test on every session you're designing. If a format can't answer both, redesign it before it ships.Watch for the moment "this keynote could have been an AI summary" appears in your post-event survey. That comment is the signal your content design needs to shift toward participation.Build sessions where attendees ask questions, not just hear statements. That's where voice and Google's AI Mode are taking audience interaction next.Apply participation across the full agenda, not just one panel. From the keynote through every breakout, the design should assume the audience wants to be involved.Run the one-hand summary test: if a session can be summarized on one hand, you've made an expensive YouTube video, not a live event.Lean on participation when retention matters. People remember what they helped create more than what they sat through.ㅤ🎭 The Ridiculous QuestionIf you had to survive on one gas station food for a month, what are you choosing? Brent picks peanut M&Ms: sweet, salty, chocolate-as-dairy logic, and peanut protein. He has firmly never had the gas station hot dog.ㅤ🔗 Links / Resources MentionedOpus Agency — Brent's company websiteXO — Opus Agency's monthly newsletter (mentioned by Brent)brentturner.is — Brent's personal site and newsletter

EVENTASTIC Conference registration is now OPEN! The world's largest event about EVENTS!Free + Virtual! Save your spot! https://www.eventastic.com/ㅤMASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Cvent!!Cvent is an event marketing and management platform designed to help you plan, promote, and measure your events all in one place - whether they’re virtual, in-person, or hybrid.Regardless of your size, check out Cvent today to get the tools you need to run smarter, more effective events.Check out more at cvent.com/Jayㅤ🔗 Links / Resources MentionedCourtney Stanley's website: courtney-stanley.comCourtney on social: @courtneyonstageDare to Interrupt podcast (search on your platform of choice)ㅤIf you've ever been asked to host a panel or present at a conference for the first time and immediately felt the dread set in, this episode is for you. Kristin Nagle sits down with Courtney Stanley, global keynote speaker and executive presence coach, to answer the question first-time moderators wrestle with most: what's the one thing you need to know before you take the stage?ㅤCourtney's answer covers why nerves are completely normal (and what happens to them once you're actually up there), why memorizing every line is working against you, and how the best speakers think about their role before they ever open their mouths. It's part mental game, part preparation strategy, and part mindset shift.ㅤ👤 Guest BioCourtney Stanley is a global keynote speaker, executive presence coach, and the creator and host of Dare to Interrupt, a podcast featuring influential women in the events, hospitality, and tourism industry. She is the youngest person ever elected to Meeting Professionals International's (MPI) International Board of Directors and co-founded #MeetingsToo, the industry movement to prevent sexual misconduct at events. As CEO of Courtney Stanley Consulting, LLC, she has spent over 15 years helping professionals lead more authentically and speak with genuine confidence from the stage.ㅤ✅ The Event QuestionAsked by: Kristin Nagle, HostThe question: With all of your experience, what's one tip that you'd give anyone hosting or moderating their first session?ㅤ📌 What You'll LearnThe time leading up to taking the stage is the hardest part. Once you're in flow and in conversation, you'll fall into a cadence that feels more natural than you expected. Know that going in.ㅤPublic speaking is a mental game. Breathing through the nerves and staying as present as possible is the single best thing you can do, not just for yourself but for the people you're there to serve.ㅤKnow your material at about 80%. If your slides went down and your notes disappeared, you should be able to carry yourself through. That remaining 20% isn't a gap: it's what lets you ebb and flow, handle the unexpected, and actually be with your audience instead of just delivering at them.ㅤOver-scripting is a trap. Spending weeks memorizing line by line, slide by slide, puts the priority on getting content out rather than being truly present in the room. Audiences can feel that difference, and they tune out.ㅤMake the whole experience about the audience. Use situational awareness, social awareness, and emotional intelligence to pulse-check the room in real time. Are they excited? Zoning out? Distracted? The answer to that question should be shaping what you do next.ㅤPublic speaking is about resilience and the comeback. Things will happen that you cannot predict or plan for. Your ability to roll with it, change directions, and keep going is what separates a good speaker from an excellent one.ㅤStart with an engagement activity. Get the audience talking to each other, laughing, or sharing before you get into the content. You're there to facilitate an experience, not deliver a monologue.ㅤ🎭 The Ridiculous QuestionKristin asks: What's your most hype walkout song if you could choose one every time you take the stage?ㅤCourtney's answer, without hesitation: "Countdown" by Beyoncé. It has a built-in countdown at the top that gets people pumped, and she loves it so much she also builds music cues into her sessions throughout. Her position: music changes everything in a live experience.

EVENTASTIC Conference registration is now OPEN! The world's largest event about EVENTS!Free + Virtual! Save your spot! https://www.eventastic.com/ㅤMASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Cvent!!Cvent is an event marketing and management platform designed to help you plan, promote, and measure your events all in one place - whether they’re virtual, in-person, or hybrid.Regardless of your size, check out Cvent today to get the tools you need to run smarter, more effective events.Check out more at cvent.com/Jayㅤ🔗 Links / Resources MentionedGuest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yushsztalkoper/Company Website: www.neurosparkplus.comCapacity Reflection™: www.neurosparkplus.com/capacity-reflectionCvent: cvent.com/jayEventastic: eventastic.comKnow Your Audience (design lens for events): https://www.neurosparkplus.com/knowyouraudienceㅤEvents are traditionally designed around content delivery and expected outcomes. But what happens to the actual human experience when attendees arrive stressed, overstimulated, and carrying the weight of their daily lives?ㅤHost Kristin Nagle tackles this exact disconnect with Yush Sztalkoper, CMP. Yush explains why attendees never arrive at an event as a blank slate.ㅤListeners will hear how to shift their planning focus upstream. Yush details the high demands events place on nervous systems, from constant social interaction to context switching. By understanding the formula of demand plus capacity, event professionals can build gatherings that actually fit their audience.ㅤ👤 Guest BioYush Sztalkoper, CMP, spent 20 years directing global corporate events for Fortune 500 organizations. She recently left that career to found NeuroSpark+. Through Human Capacity Design™, Yush helps organizations recognize the invisible conditions that affect how people show up. She builds frameworks and tools, like Capacity Reflection™, that allow planners to see attendee strain clearly before making event decisions.ㅤ✅ The Event QuestionKristin Nagle asks: "Events are often designed for content and outcomes. What gets missed about how people actually experience them?"ㅤ📌 What You'll LearnAssess what attendees carry with them before they even step foot in the venue.Recognize the hidden demands of your event, including energy requirements, social interaction, and context switching.Design upstream by mapping the pressure your environment places on human capacity.Apply the core equation of event success: Demand plus capacity equals fit.Provide quiet spaces and built-in pacing so attendees can regulate their nervous systems.ㅤ🎭 The Ridiculous QuestionKristin asks: "Would you rather give up your favorite app or your favorite snack?"Yush chooses to give up her favorite snack. She prefers keeping apps that enhance her life, specifically her own free tool, Capacity Reflection™, which helps users see their environmental demands and capacity levels.

EVENTASTIC Conference registration is now OPEN! The world's largest event about EVENTS!Free + Virtual! Save your spot! https://www.eventastic.com/ㅤMASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Cvent!!Cvent is an event marketing and management platform designed to help you plan, promote, and measure your events all in one place - whether they’re virtual, in-person, or hybrid.Regardless of your size, check out Cvent today to get the tools you need to run smarter, more effective events.Check out more at cvent.com/Jayㅤ🔗 Links / Resources MentionedKsenija (Martinec) Polla, CMP, CICE on LinkedInTalley WebsiteEventasticKristin Nagle on LinkedInㅤWhat makes a global event community actually stick? Host Kristin Nagle asks exactly that to kick things off. Creating a space where people want to connect requires more than just launching a platform. Listeners will find out why forcing engagement never works and what organizers should do instead to build loyalty.ㅤKsenija (Martinec) Polla, CMP, CICE, brings over three decades of international event experience to the conversation. She explains the essential elements required to build a group that lasts. Ksenija shares why associations are in a great position to facilitate knowledge sharing. She also details the importance of setting basic rules of engagement to keep digital and physical spaces respectful.ㅤ👤 Guest BioKsenija (Martinec) Polla, CMP, CICE, is the Director of International Development at Talley, an association management company and professional congress organizer. She holds nearly 30 years of global event experience. Ksenija started her career at a convention bureau in Croatia before spending 27 years with the International Congress and Convention Association in Amsterdam. She specializes in strategic partnerships, multicultural event management, and building long-lasting association communities globally.ㅤ✅ The Event QuestionHost Kristin Nagle asks: "You've been a major part of building global event communities. What do you think makes a community actually stick?"ㅤ📌 What You'll LearnFill a specific gap: A community only survives when it solves a distinct problem or meets an actual need for its members.Leverage association strengths: Use your organization's unique position to bring peers together for shared experiences and knowledge.Let growth happen organically: Avoid forcing engagement or creating portals before there is a natural, member-driven demand.Keep the barrier to entry low: Make it incredibly easy for members to join, participate, and interact with one another.Set clear guardrails: Establish simple rules of engagement early on to ensure all interactions remain respectful and peaceful.ㅤ🎭 The Ridiculous QuestionQuestion: "If you could live in any TV show or movie, what would it be?"Answer: Ksenija chose the crime thriller The Blacklist because she is currently binge-watching it with her son, noting that the show's ridiculous premise makes it highly entertaining.

EVENTASTIC Conference registration is now OPEN! The world's largest event about EVENTS!Free + Virtual! Save your spot! https://www.eventastic.com/ㅤMASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Cvent!!Cvent is an event marketing and management platform designed to help you plan, promote, and measure your events all in one place - whether they’re virtual, in-person, or hybrid.Regardless of your size, check out Cvent today to get the tools you need to run smarter, more effective events.Check out more at cvent.com/JayㅤYour email bounce database is actually gold, and ignoring it is a big mistake. Jay Schwedelson shares why bounced emails are not just contacts to remove, but a signal that a company still sees value in your event, even if the person behind that address is gone. The move is to take your bounce database, pull the domains and companies, and turn them into a targeting file for paid social media, prospect email, and direct mail campaigns. For sponsorships and exhibits, bounced addresses should go straight to your salespeople, BDRs, and SDRs so they can find who took that spot and who needs to be contacted now.ㅤ📌 What You’ll LearnWhy “do nothing” and removing bounced emails from the list is a big mistakeHow to treat your email bounce database as a targeting file using domains and companiesWhere to use the bounce company list: paid social media campaigns, prospect email campaigns, direct mail campaignsWhy bounced addresses matter for sponsorships and exhibitsWho should get the bounced sponsor and exhibit emails: salespeople, BDRs, SDRsPriority number one: find who took their spot and who you need to be talking to nowWhy starting with the last 90 days, 6 months, or a year is the right motion

DAHLIA+Agency Website (Take the Vibe Score Quiz)Email Dahlia: dahlia@dahliaplus.comText Dahlia: 617-470-2655Dahlia El Gazzar LinkedInㅤEVENTASTIC Conference registration is now OPEN! The world's largest event about EVENTS!Free + Virtual! Save your spot! https://www.eventastic.com/ㅤMASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Cvent!!Cvent is an event marketing and management platform designed to help you plan, promote, and measure your events all in one place - whether they’re virtual, in-person, or hybrid.Regardless of your size, check out Cvent today to get the tools you need to run smarter, more effective events.Check out more at cvent.com/JayㅤㅤVictoria from Washington, DC wants to know the most underrated item to add to a sponsor package. Dahlia El Gazzar joins host Kristin Nagle to explain why access to attendee intelligence is the answer. Dahlia breaks down how to curate small groups for sponsors to gain insights rather than just leads. She shares why this isn't a hosted buyer meeting and why adding food or drinks is non-negotiable for success. Dahlia also touches on her role as a "Netweaver" who loves connecting cool people in the industry.ㅤ👤 Guest BioDahlia El Gazzar is the founder of DAHLIA+Agency and a self-described "Chief Ruckusmaker." She rejects "vanilla" marketing and focuses on helping event professionals break the status quo. Through her concept of "Vibe Eventing," she designs tech-powered experiences that prioritize human connection and energy. She specializes in helping teams overcome "tech paralysis" and use digital tools to stand out.ㅤ✅ The Event QuestionVictoria from Washington, DC asks: "What is the most underrated perk or deliverable you can include in a sponsor package right now?"ㅤ📌 What You’ll LearnOffer intelligence, not just leads: Give sponsors access to attendee insights before the event begins.Target startups and newbies: This strategy works best for sponsors who are "building the plane while flying it" and need market feedback.Curate the crowd: Handpick specific attendees who can provide the exact data points or intel the sponsor needs.Format matters: Facilitate these interactions through intimate breakfasts, dinners, or huddles.Separate from sales: Do not treat this like a hosted buyer program or a matchmaking session. It is about knowledge exchange.Include hospitality: Always include food or drinks, or the "cool people" will not show up.ㅤ🎭 The Ridiculous Question"If your dog could speak, what would it roast you for the most?"Dahlia admits her late dog, Piper, would roast her for having so many browser tabs open that she can't even find where the sound is coming from.

EVENTASTIC Conference registration is now OPEN! The world's largest event about EVENTS!Free + Virtual! Save your spot! https://www.eventastic.com/ㅤMASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Cvent!!Cvent is an event marketing and management platform designed to help you plan, promote, and measure your events all in one place - whether they’re virtual, in-person, or hybrid.Regardless of your size, check out Cvent today to get the tools you need to run smarter, more effective events.Check out more at cvent.com/Jayㅤ🔗 Links / Resources MentionedConnect with Stania Antoine on LinkedInEventastic (Next event coming June 2026)GURU ConferenceㅤPost-event communication often feels like an afterthought. You spend months planning the main show, but the follow-up strategy determines if attendees stick around. Host Kristin Nagle sits down with Stania Antoine to answer a critical question from Azi in Los Angeles: is writing that recap email actually worth the effort?ㅤStania reveals why the clock starts ticking the second your event ends. She shares specific timing strategies to hit the inbox while positive vibes are high. You will learn why these emails often outperform your best promotional campaigns and how to structure them for maximum impact.ㅤ👤 Guest BioStania Antoine is the Conference Director at GURU Media Hub. She oversees the production of some of the world's largest virtual marketing events, including the GURU Conference. With a background in integrated media and account management at Worldata and Outcome Media, Stania focuses on creating high-energy, data-driven event experiences that prioritize actionable advice over fluff.ㅤ✅ The Event QuestionAzi from Los Angeles, California, asks: "Do people still read post-event recap emails, or is that effort wasted?"ㅤ📌 What You’ll LearnThe 30-minute rule: Send your first post-event email within 30 minutes of the event ending to ensure it sits at the top of the inbox when attendees check their phones.Pre-planning is mandatory: Draft your follow-up content before the event starts. The window of attention is too short to write copy after the fact.Leverage high engagement: Post-event emails can see up to a 25% higher open rate than your final promotional email. Use this attention wisely.Drive the next action: Do not just say thank you. Use the positive momentum to tell attendees exactly what is coming up next or what they should do now.Understand the journey: View the recap as a continuation of the attendee journey rather than a separate administrative task.ㅤ🎭 The Ridiculous QuestionQ: What is a skill that you are weirdly elite at that has nothing to do with your job?A: Stania picks up new languages very quickly and has a hidden talent for drawing (and singing, according to Kristin).

EVENTASTIC Conference registration is now OPEN! The world's largest event about EVENTS!Free + Virtual! Save your spot! https://www.eventastic.com/ㅤMASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Cvent!!Cvent is an event marketing and management platform designed to help you plan, promote, and measure your events all in one place - whether they’re virtual, in-person, or hybrid.Regardless of your size, check out Cvent today to get the tools you need to run smarter, more effective events.Check out more at cvent.com/Jayㅤ🔗 Links / Resources MentionedTahira Endean LinkedInAccessible Disruption (Podcast)ㅤSharon Washington from The P3 Solution asks the big question: How do event professionals innovate year after year when the competition is fierce, and innovation feels impossible?ㅤHost Kristin Nagle discusses this challenge with Tahira Endean, Head of Program at IMEX Group. Tahira explains why "innovation" may be the wrong goal if you aren't first anchoring your event in what people actually need right now. She explains that attendees don't just show up as professionals; they bring their families, work stress, and cultural norms. The conversation covers how to design for different ages and learning stages by iterating rather than reinventing the wheel each time.ㅤ👤 Guest BioTahira Endean is the Head of Program at IMEX Group, where she curates educational content for IMEX Frankfurt and IMEX America. A leader in "intentional design," she focuses on how neuroscience and human behavior impact event experiences. She is also the author of Intentional Event Design and her latest book, Our KPI is Joy.ㅤ✅ The Event QuestionSharon Washington (The P3 Solution): How do event professionals innovate year after year when innovation seems totally difficult to maintain against so much competition?ㅤ📌 What You’ll LearnAnchor in human needs: Focus on what your attendees need now (post-digital, post-COVID) rather than chasing trends.Iterate constantly: You do not need to invent a new event every year, but you must evolve based on participant feedback.Respect cultural norms: Adjust your design based on the location and the cultural expectations of the majority of your attendees.Acknowledge the whole person: Attendees bring their personal lives, family issues, and office stress to the venue. Create space for them to manage these outside pressures.Design for variety: Build learning environments that cater to different ages, career stages, and preferred learning styles.ㅤ🎭 The Ridiculous QuestionQuestion: What celebrity would you want to sit next to on a plane?Answer: Beyoncé or Taylor Swift. Tahira wants to ask them how they review their own show tapes every night to refine their craft and refuse mediocrity.

EVENTASTIC Conference registration is now OPEN! The world's largest event about EVENTS!Free + Virtual! Save your spot! https://www.eventastic.com/ㅤMASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Cvent!!Cvent is an event marketing and management platform designed to help you plan, promote, and measure your events all in one place - whether they’re virtual, in-person, or hybrid.Regardless of your size, check out Cvent today to get the tools you need to run smarter, more effective events.Check out more at cvent.com/Jayㅤ🔗 LinksEventMobi.comBob Vaez LinkedInㅤSponsors usually want one thing: leads. But when Jenny from Brighton asks how to prove ROI beyond simple impressions, Bob Vaez (CEO of EventMobi) flips the script. He joins host Kristin Nagle to explain why you should treat sponsorship exactly like a marketing funnel.ㅤBob breaks down the three stages of the sponsorship funnel: brand exposure, trust building, and conversation. He shares specific tactics to move sponsors through this journey, from using competitor FOMO to close deals to restructuring how logos are displayed onsite. Instead of chasing vanity metrics, Bob argues for creating "demo sessions" and off-floor experiences, such as food tours, to build genuine relationships. It is a fresh look at delivering value that goes beyond the badge scan.ㅤ👤 Guest BioBob Vaez is the Founder and CEO of EventMobi, an end-to-end event management platform used by over 30,000 planners globally. A computer engineer by training, Bob launched EventMobi in 2010 to replace paper guides with mobile apps. He recently led the acquisition of the virtual platform Run The World and focuses on integrating event data into the wider marketing stack.ㅤ✅ The Event QuestionJenny from Brighton, UK, asks: "How can event organizers prove ROI to sponsors? Beyond impressions."ㅤ📌 What You’ll LearnApply the Marketing Funnel to Sponsorship: Break your sponsorship opportunities into three clear buckets: Awareness (Brand Exposure), Trust, and Conversion (Conversation).Leverage Competitor FOMO: Tell potential sponsors whether their direct competitors are attending or attended last year. This simple tactic can significantly increase sponsorship sales.Rethink Logo Placement: Instead of a single massive logo wall that goes ignored, split sponsor logos into 20-30 smaller banners. Place them along the main walkways between the hotel and the venue to ensure every attendee passes them.Build Trust with Demo Sessions: Create low-commitment "pitch sessions" in which 4-5 vendors present back-to-back, each for 5 minutes. This allows attendees to qualify vendors before visiting a booth.Facilitate Off-Floor Networking: Move beyond the trade show floor with activities like scavenger hunts or city food tours. Informal settings often lead to stronger relationships and higher response rates than a cold badge scan.ㅤ🎭 The Ridiculous QuestionQuestion: What is your go-to song for karaoke?Answer: Bob recalls a disaster singing "Walk Like an Egyptian" where the mic was cut off. He now exclusively sticks to EDM because you don't have to sing; you just have to fist-bump.

EVENTASTIC Conference registration is now OPEN! The world's largest event about EVENTS!Free + Virtual! Save your spot! https://www.eventastic.com/ㅤMASSIVE thank you to our Sponsor, Cvent!!Cvent is an event marketing and management platform designed to help you plan, promote, and measure your events all in one place - whether they’re virtual, in-person, or hybrid.Regardless of your size, check out Cvent today to get the tools you need to run smarter, more effective events.Check out more at cvent.com/Jayㅤ🔗 LinksJihan Donawa LinkedInSwoogo on InstagramSwoogo WebsiteㅤCharlie from New Jersey asks the big question: how do exhibitors stand out when every booth looks identical? Host Kristin Nagle brings in Jihan Donawa to break down exactly how to stop blending in. Jihan shares why "play" is the missing ingredient on the trade show floor and how to transform a boring 10x10 space into a destination.ㅤShe explains why you must train your staff to stop hiding behind laptops and how to use pre-show attendee lists to fill your schedule before you even arrive. Whether it is a hardware store theme or useful swag like mini toolkits, this episode covers the tactics you need to make your next sponsorship worth the investment.ㅤ👤 Guest BioJihan Donawa is the Senior Growth Marketing Manager at Swoogo. With 18 years in the event industry, she started her career as a registration coordinator and now helps event marketers utilize their data effectively. She is a central figure in community engagement strategies and frequently serves as the Master of Ceremonies for Swoogo's user conferences.ㅤ✅ The Event QuestionCharlie from New Jersey asks: "How can sponsors or exhibitors stand out when everyone's booth looks the same?"ㅤ📌 What You’ll LearnLean into play: Use whimsy and fun to draw attendees in rather than just setting up a standard branded backdrop.Commit to a theme: Design your booth intentionally, such as Swoogo's "hardware store" concept, which visually represented a tool in a planner's toolbox.Work the pre-show list: Do not wait for foot traffic; contact attendees in advance to get your booth on their tentative agendas.Rethink your swag: Invest in items people actually use and keep, such as mini tape measures, toolkits, or paint scratch-off cards.Train your staff: Ensure team members stand up, close their laptops, and actively greet people rather than chatting among themselves.Engage everyone: Pull people in with compliments or conversation, even if they are not the buyer, as you never know who they are connected to.Verify your intent: Adopt the mindset that if the execution isn't a "hell yes" for your budget and brand, it should be a "hell no."ㅤ🎭 The Ridiculous QuestionQ: What are you embarrassingly good at that would never show up on your resume?A: Jihan is excellent at puzzles, possesses great balance from her time as a Pilates instructor, and admits to being a high-functioning multitasker.