One of the hottest topics in our industry is mass personalization. As consumers, we receive smart recommendations in near real time based on our behaviors, preferences, and past actions. Machine learning, flexible manufacturing systems (small...

A lot of people, and companies, start with the “what” when making decisions. But it’s those “why” questions that are the most useful.

Early summer 2017 brought some wonderful opportunities for knowledge and learning in our industry! In mid-June, there was the Professional Convention Management Association Education Conference (Educon) in NYC, and Cvent Connect and Meeting...

If you haven't already joined in the strategic meetings management journey, now is the time! I don't use the term “journey” lightly, as developing and implementing an SMM program is not a one-time event. It takes time to assess...

Google defines an event as “1) a thing that happens, especially one of importance; 2) a planned public or social occasion; or 3) each of several particular contests making up a sports competition.” Well, two of the three are relevant...

How do you react when you hear the word audit?  In my earlier years as a multiple global category leader for HP, the word struck fear in my heart. Over the years, however, that fear turned into annoyance, which eventually turned into...

I have wanted to visit Cuba for as long as I can remember. Unfortunately, as an American, this was not possible for much of my life. Thanks to the U.S. embargo put in place in 1960 as a result of Cuba nationalizing American-owned oil and sugarcane...

Many of our clients are in the STEM field (science, technology, engineering, and math). Research abstracts are a primary part of their conference business model. Many academic and medical conferences also rely on these: a combo of oral...

When strategic meetings management first came on the scene almost 20 years ago, the main focus was controlling spend and mitigating contractual risk, which produce very tangible and very important results. Over the past few years, I have observed...

If you want your next meeting to be memorable, don’t just think up a theme. Commit to it.