The Trade Show Podcast

Miguel Neves leads the editorial team at Skift Meetings, where he and his team passionately tell the incredible stories around the business of events. He has worked in and around events for almost 20 years in various roles covering planning, marketing, social media, and editorial. Miguel has been at the forefront of innovation in event technology and AI for more than 15 years and has closely followed the rapid evolution and impact of AI. He is a Portuguese soul who built a career in the UK and is now raising a young family in southern Denmark. His favourite place in the world is a Portuguese beach on a sunny summer day. Miguel Neves In this conversation, Miguel Neves talks about several topics around the Trade Shows industry, including content creation, media role, AI efficiency and deployment, the JWC segmented report on the industry and designing events for a wide swath of ages and demographics. On artificial intelligence, Miguel takes a balanced but sceptical position. He believes that AI is powerful for tasks like creating marketing copy, data analysis, transcription, and content summarisation, but rejects the notion that AI can be used as a fact checker or source of truth. The idea that firing the workforce to replace them with AI will have untoward consequences. He believes that Trade shows are a bad investment to collect leads in an age where it can be done practically free of cost using scraping techniques and AI. Trade shows are more middle of the funnel or even bottom of the funnel, and must allow buyers to have conversations with technical people who can answer questions that salespeople can’t. Run time – 01:02:16 Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar

Marlys Arnold brings a unique perspective to trade show exhibiting, with experience as both an exhibitor and a show organiser. For more than two decades, she’s advised thousands of exhibitors through consultations and workshops for events, ranging from local consumer expos to major U.S. trade shows. She has written two books on the subject: the award-winning Build a Better Trade Show Image and Exhibit Design That Works. A respected voice in the industry, Marlys frequently contributes to top publications and podcasts, in addition to hosting the highly regarded Trade Show Insights blog and podcast. She’s also the creative mastermind behind the Exhibit Marketers Café, an online hub for learning. Marlys Arnold Marlys Arnold discusses the state of the Trade Shows Industry and its evolution with technology changes. She talks about how her podcast also reflects that evolution, while its core focus and identity have remained consistent through industry changes over the years. Marlys discusses how the industry failed to sustain virtual elements post-pandemic, losing inclusivity for those unable to attend in person—highlighting a persistent “either-or” mindset instead of embracing hybrid as an enhancement. She also advocates for the availability of event elements through platforms post-event, enabling better access. Marlys suggests shifting from transactional exhibiting to experience-driven engagement—encouraging storytelling, real-world demonstrations, and attendee-focused interactions to build long-term relationships, and promoting innovative interactions geared for the new Gen Z attendees, who are much more introverted than the earlier generations. Run time – 00:46:19 Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar Links for Marlys Arnold: Award-winning author of:   – Build a Better Trade Show Image – https://www.exhibitmarketerscafe.com/build/    – Exhibit Design That Works – https://www.exhibitmarketerscafe.com/works/ Founder of the Exhibit Marketers Academy Host of the Trade Show Insights blog/podcast – https://www.tradeshowinsights.com/ Find me on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/imagespecialist Twitter – http://twitter.com/imagespecialist LinkedIn – http://www.linkedin.com/in/marlysarnold

Enrico Gallorini is the Co-Founder and CEO of GRS Research and Strategy, a cutting-edge boutique multinational research firm headquartered in Venice, Italy. Enrico and GRS recently hosted the Human 2 Human Summit at Dubai taking ahead his ideas about In-person and creating a focused discourse. Enrico has dedicated his life to decoding the profound impact that in-person experiences at large human gatherings have on individuals, society, and the world at large. His most significant finding is the unique quality that only live events have, to inspire and drive human evolution. Through his research, he has uncovered remarkable and enduring patterns dating back to the very origins of humanity; insights that remain relevant today and will become even more vital in the future. Described as a forward thinker with a rare intellect and a distinguished expert in the events industry, Enrico is a Strategic Researcher specialising in Visitor Experiences and Author of the book: “In-Person: A Journey Through the Unstoppable Evolution of Events”. He has captivated audiences across 20 countries, delivering keynote speeches at prestigious universities and international conferences, where he explores the transformative power of in-person events. Enrico brings a unique blend of business intelligence, creativity, positivity and passion to the Human-to-Human industry. Enrico Gallorini Today, time is the scarcest resource. Enrico Gallorini believes that organisers should intentionally design tiered packages that cater to attendees’ limited time through curated journeys, better matchmaking, and moments of meaningful interpersonal connection. People are willing to pay higher prices for time-efficient, emotionally engaging experiences that go beyond run-of-the-mill experiences. Differentiated pricing can segment audiences, reveal new buyer segments, and generate actionable data intelligence for smarter event design and monetisation. Many touchpoints, such as registration lines and other waiting areas, waste emotional bandwidth and create uncertainty. Organisers should design these moments with clarity, presence, and engagement, so that waiting becomes part of the experience. Small human cues, rest spaces, and opportunities for reset elevate cognition, serendipity, and connection, ensuring that in-person time feels intentional, welcoming, and emotionally rewarding rather than chaotic. Enrico is critical of conferences that are ego exercises by sponsors or prioritise AV spectacle rather than speaker quality and preparation. He urges reallocating the budget toward credible speakers and meaningful formats. Likewise, exhibitors should staff booths with technical and domain experts—not just salespeople—so that visitors gain real insight, problem-solving value, and differentiated learning that justifies travelling to an exhibition. Run time – 00:43:29 Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar Links for Enrico: You can order the book here – https://a.co/d/2ONITzr GRS Research and Strategy (www.grsnet.it) https://www.linkedin.com/in/enrico-gallorini

Anca Platon Trifan is the Founder and CEO of Tree Fan Events Productions, a woman-owned AV production and event technology agency, and the Producer and Host of Events Demystified, the Top 5 podcast in event production, event technology and AI. Her career was built backstage long before the spotlight. Anca came up through live production, calling shows, mixing audio, and leading technical teams under pressure, where decisions have real-time consequences. That hands-on foundation gives her rare credibility with both leadership teams and production crews, and informs her clear, no-nonsense approach to execution and strategy. Today, Anca speaks globally on AI, event technology, and leadership, advising organisations on how to adopt AI in ways that support people, performance, and scale. She is also a competitive bodybuilder, bringing discipline, resilience, and mental focus from training into her work as a business owner and speaker. What sets Anca apart is her ability to translate complex technology into confidence. She carries backstage trust onto the stage, elevates the professionals behind the scenes, and reminds audiences that great events and great businesses are built through care, judgment, and execution. Anca Platon Trifan Anca emphasises that the events industry is currently using AI primarily for efficiency and saving time on daily tasks, which is a tactical approach. This lags behind the broader enterprise world, where AI is leveraged as a strategic, transformative engine to reinvent operational models and gain a competitive advantage. For events to stay relevant, professionals must look beyond simply adopting tools and instead develop a comprehensive AI strategy. This strategy should align with broader business goals, address attendees’ desire for genuine connection, and use AI to enhance the entire event lifecycle—from planning to post-event follow-up—rather than just solving isolated problems. Technology alone cannot solve the core challenges of trade shows and events. Anca points out that many events fail to facilitate meaningful conversations, citing examples of poor booth engagement and follow-ups that occur months later. The real deficit, she argues, is often in human skills: curiosity, problem-solving, and the ability to be genuinely present. The industry needs to invest in training and intentionally staff booths with knowledgeable, engaged individuals who can provide value, even if it means directing a prospect to a competitor. In an AI-driven world, this “human factor”—character, creativity, and storytelling—becomes the key differentiator for creating memorable, effective experiences. While event technology has advanced dramatically in tracking data and attendee behaviour, the industry struggles to integrate these tools in ways that respect human psychology and capacity. Events often become overwhelming, with over-packed agendas leading to attendee fatigue and diminished retention. The future, therefore, lies in the thoughtful integration of technology to support— not replace— human-centric goals. This means designing for “permission-based engagement,” reducing digital distraction at booths, and using data to create more space for quality interactions. She stresses that success requires a mindset shift towards discipline and building habits that support intentional experiences, mirroring the approach she applies to health and fitness. Run time – 01:18:52 Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar Links for Anca Platon Trifan: Speaker website: https://ancaplatontrifan.me/ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ancatrifan/⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/anca.platon.trifan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eventsdemystifiedpodcast

In this episode, the second and last of our roundup series, we continue to provide highlights from episodes podcast over the year 2025, where we spoke to a star cast of industry experts and gained valuable insights on the state of the trade show industry, maximising ROI from events, best practices and much more. In this second special instalment, we continue our journey through the most impactful moments from our 2025 podcast season. This episode gathers a fresh selection of fundamental lessons shared by the thought leaders who joined us, offering a deep dive into the digital and human transformations currently redefining the world of trade shows and corporate events. Once again, we feature the voices of world-class experts who break down the most effective tactics for optimising brand presence and generating high-value connections. Through their testimonials, we explore how leading companies are adapting their strategies to stand out in an increasingly competitive market, sharing real-world experiences about what truly works in today’s business environment. This highlights focuses on providing practical tools to elevate your return on investment and perfect the logistics of large-scale events. From the use of emerging technologies to best practices in sustainability and attendee engagement, this episode serves as an essential guide for those looking to master the trends that defined 2025 and prepare successfully for the challenges of the coming year. Guests in Order of first appearance: Larry Kulchawik Enrico Galorini Carina Bauer Tahira Endean David Peckinpaugh Vijay Sharma Lorenzo Garbuzo Sooraj Dhawan Marco Barozzi Josiah Taulbee Nancy Drapeau Run time – 00:39:57 mins Links for Subhanjan  subhanjan@pitch.link  https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhanjansarkar