Amy Quigley recently began a new chapter in her events-focused career, joining the team at Unbridled, a full-service meeting and incentive planning company headquartered in Denver. As regional vice president, Quigley will be based in the company’s Boston office, with responsibility for client care, relationship building, and market growth.
We caught up with Quigley three weeks into her new role to get her thoughts on her professional experience and our changing industry.
Q: Looking back over your career, what have you learned about attendee behavior that you didn’t expect when you started in the business?
Amid countless enhancements to the events world over the years, attendee expectations are at an all-time high, in my opinion. This is especially true of folks who must attend several off-site meetings a year. Attendees show up excited for the latest and greatest, and they are prepared to be wowed at each meeting. When budgets are lower than needed for meeting those expectations, though, the creativity of the incredible humans who make up this industry kicks into high gear. Kudos to my friends in the biz—you just keep delivering!
Q: It’s not enough to just meet anymore. Meeting-planning companies are selling engagement and return on experience. What is the most challenging part about delivering those results?
As an almost 30-year vet in the industry, I love thinking about how to deliver strong return-on-meeting experiences. That means making sure the event is appealing, fun, and delivers an instant sense of value. Post pandemic, I find everyone is busier and a bit more stressed, so adding pre-meeting “asks” of attendees must be considered carefully. If we add to their workloads, the meeting results really need to deeply enhance their personal or professional lives.
Q: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I started working at 11 years old folding T-shirts on Long Beach Island in New Jersey, and I haven’t stopped since! As the youngest child of eight, I grew up to follow in the service/hospitality footsteps of my older siblings. We owned and operated a thriving seasonal restaurant for decades, and most of us remain in the business either as chefs or in the planning arena. Hard work was instilled in us by our late parents, and I can safely say the eight of us are some of the hardest working people I know—and we wouldn’t want it any other way!
