Celebrating the event professionals' journey

Raise your hand if you have attended a conference or event that has left you inspired and motivated. Perhaps you forged new relationships with industry peers or cross-departmental colleagues. Maybe you learned new skills that took your career to new heights.

This Global Meetings Industry Day, we celebrate ‘The Event Professionals’ Journey’ as we tip our hats and say thank you to our event professionals for delivering and showcasing the undeniable value that business meetings, trade shows, incentive travel, exhibitions, conferences and events bring to people, businesses and communities.

Speaking with Karen Cantor, 1000MTG Sponsorship and Events Manager as well as CTM’s Event Travel Management leaders we discover what they love about being an event professional, their insights into the industry, and how they stay adaptable and innovative in a modern event management landscape.

What do you love the most about being an event professional and why?

Karen Cantor – 1000MTG Sponsorship and Events Manager, North America 

“As an event professional, what I love most is the chance to create memories that really stick in the minds of those who attend. Seeing people’s faces light up and hearing them say they had a blast or learned something valuable from attending or even met new connections that will impact their lives—there’s just nothing like it.

I pour my heart into every event, from picking out decorations to brainstorming themes, I am extremely passionate about every detail.

And when it’s all over, seeing the guests’ photos and reliving those moments, that’s what it’s all about for me. It’s the human connections, that keep me motivated and remind me why I love executing and planning events.”

Tracey Edwards – Global Strategic Lead and General Manager ANZ

“There is a lot to love about being an event professional; from showcasing new destinations and experiences – to bringing people together to collaborate and network, building relationships, and providing the opportunity for people to learn. I believe you will always walk away from an event with newfound information and relationships.”

Events and meetings bring people together in meaningful ways. What would you say are the biggest benefits to businesses and their people?

Karen Cantor

“The most valuable aspect for businesses and their people attending events or meetings is effectively reaching their target audience, and being able to add a personal touch to that is crucial.

When businesses can send a knowledgeable representative who understands the brand inside and out and can educate and inform the targeted audience in a personalized manner while simultaneously building a personal relationship, it becomes significantly more valuable than an intangible touchpoint.

For instance, at the events I plan for 1000 Mile Travel Group, the Business Development Manager or Account Managers sent on behalf of our travel partners can build personal relationships with travel advisors in social settings or environments during breakfast, lunches, dinner, or cocktail hours. They also have various opportunities to interact and engage with them again through presentations, where they can answer their questions directly, educate them about the product, showcase videos or promotional materials, or even demonstrate or showcase the product live. The experiences are a lot more memorable than any other way that the advisor will learn about the product at hand.”

Mike Leeson – General Manager Events, Europe

“Building relationships, strengthening company culture, and engagement are some of the biggest benefits. Having the opportunity to meet face-to-face with colleagues and peers, creating social interaction, as well as discussing work and sharing ideas, is invaluable and something that is far more difficult when conducted virtually. That said, any event, if conceived and delivered in the right way, can strongly convey a company’s ethos and objectives, truly engage its audience, and build a sense of belonging and loyalty.”

How do you strike a balance between technological innovation and maintaining a human touch during events?

Karen Cantor

“I strive to create agendas that accommodate a variety of communication styles throughout the day. Social networking events facilitate more personal interaction between businesses and their audience members, while team-building activities enable partners and their audience to bond through laughter, teamwork, and fun. Technology ultimately serves as a vital tool for relaying important details or information to the audience. However, it’s always the human connection or touch that truly drives the message home and enhances brand loyalty.”

Tracey Edwards

“We leverage technology for pre-event engagement, utilising it for information sharing and promotion. During events, we incorporate technology for gamification, creating a human touch with opportunities for learning and creating memorable experiences. Our event apps facilitate communication, gamification, agenda updates and meeting matching, ensuring efficiency without compromising human interaction and engagement.”

What steps do you take to truly understand and build a strong relationship with corporate customers, ensuring their vision aligns with the event's execution?

Karen Cantor

“I like to take a step back and ask numerous questions to gain a deep understanding of the client’s expectations and objectives for the event. Every event has an end goal, whether it’s education, enjoyment, recognition, or reward. Once I grasp the client’s mission, I can begin planning effectively. Surveys also play a crucial role in my knowledge-gathering process. They provide valuable insights from attendees, sponsors, and team members. After every major conference, I survey to ensure that everyone involved has a chance to voice their opinions on what went well, what didn’t, and areas for improvement.

My aim as a professional is to strike a balance between satisfying partners and meeting the expectations of attendees, ensuring everyone involved is pleased with the outcome. Asking questions and keen observation are key to understanding, and I always strive to enhance my skills.”

Marla Everett – Director Consulting Solutions, North America
“We remain curious and inquire about their enterprise-level goals and match them with the event-level objectives that will produce the best attendee experience. After listening to their requirements and vision, we map out options for achieving it. Often, when brainstorming, the sky is the limit and it drives a client to imagine possibilities. Many times, the vision is then scaled to what is feasible. By first dreaming big, the client gets a feel for the highest priority.”

In an industry where each event is unique, how do you stay adaptable and innovative in your approach to meet the diverse needs and preferences of businesses and event attendees?

Karen Cantor

“I enjoy staying informed about current event trends by conducting research and networking with other event professionals, often following them on social media to see what they’re working on. I maintain a large network of former colleagues and associates from my time in the hospitality industry as a public relations professional, which helps me stay closely connected to developments in the event space. Additionally, I regularly request feedback from our clients and travel partners to understand their goals, preferences, and future plans for events, ensuring that I can meet their needs effectively.”

Mike Leeson

“We stay adaptable and innovative by fostering a creative mentality within our team, embracing new ideas, technologies, and diverse approaches. Collecting and acting on data and feedback from various sources helps us understand evolving trends and preferences. Keeping events fresh and engaging, whether through new technologies or unique venues, is essential for success.”

How do you envision the role of event professionals evolving to meet the changing needs and expectations of clients and attendees?

Karen Cantor

“As the events landscape evolves, the role of the event professional must also adapt to meet the changing needs and expectations of clients and attendees. Technology is one aspect that event professionals must embrace to enhance the event experience. However, it will always be essential to realize that human connection is always going to be the core focus of every event in our lifetime.

Sustainability and inclusivity are also important considerations in event planning. Event professionals must prioritize ecofriendly initiatives and ensure that their events are accessible and inclusive for all in attendance.

Event professionals must blend their creativity with data-driven insights, and technological innovations and have a strong focus on human connections to deliver the most memorable experiences to their guests.”

Marla Everett

“The concept of an ‘Event Strategist’ is gaining momentum. The strategist is the architect of either a single event or enterprise-level solution for all organizational events. The goal is to develop a structure and a blueprint for optimizing an event and then allow a meeting planner or coordinator to execute the event. The strategist is becoming necessary because event planning incorporates many important disciplines, including legal, risk, security, technology, data, and logistics, and weaving them together requires a high level of expertise.”

What significance will events play in the future for a rapidly evolving global landscape?

Karen Cantor

“Events will always continue to hold importance, especially in an era where many workers prefer to work independently and remotely. They offer the fundamental value of face-to-face interaction, making them even more significant today, in my opinion. Events will forever remain a driving force for growth, learning, cooperation, team bonding, and community development. While technology advances, events will increasingly leverage virtual components to extend their reach, but there will never be a replacement for the human experience.”

Tracey Edwards
“Events will remain integral in the future, catalysing innovation, collaboration and positive economic and cultural impacts. The format and execution of events may evolve, but their fundamental role in connecting people and driving progress will continue.”