Events: demystified

Today's featured guest, Anthony deMario - "BE YOU" - is something else, he is a Speaker, Trained Peak Performance Strategist & Learning Experience Architect via Tony Robbins, and Certified Brain Health Strategist with expertise in cultivating educational and engaging experiences, emotion, and storytelling. During our conversation, straight-out-of-the gate he sprints into one empowering phrase after another in an engaging conversation that will make your heart and head spin from all the things being said. He has worked with leading behavioral scientists to develop enriching learning experiences, is an experienced People & Culture Strategist with an insatiable hunger to stretch who he is and what he gives, and applies science and art to his exuberant, "lightening in a bottle" delivery style.  Just to give you a 'taste' of what that "lighting in a bottle" is, in the first minutes he spits out so much goodness, you better take notes: The sea rips and roars and the surface, yet underneath it all there’s stillness The path is not there, the path is made by walking it Be original or die a copy “You were born an original, don't die a copy" -  Einstein Follow your curiosity, don’t labor the art, explore it Language is the wardrobe of our experience  Creativity is just taking things from the past, blending, breaking, and bending them into something novel  We must use our passion to serve something bigger than us  Chase the dreams that keep you feeling alive Learn, live it, grow it, give it philosophy, yet we can only take ppl as far as they’re willing to grow What we focus on, we get pulled towards, we tend to feel Meaning shapes our experience, it’s a tool we all have  See it as it is, see it brighter, see it through "Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life." - J.K. Rowling  Anthony was "built" in NY, and has a colorful background of experience & training which allows him to be versatile in his ways to educate, engage & empower people to take action. He is passionate, empathetic, and infectious, and will leave your people feeling energized to take massive action and gifts them strategies to follow through on. During our conversation today, Anthony gives extensive advice to anyone new to Speaking & Storytelling, may that be a Speaker, Presenter, or Emcee. We talk about finding a purpose & missing and get into the nitty-gritty science of understanding the ingredients of emotion. --------------- Connect with Ant on these channels:  Instagram: @antdemario Website: http://www.demario.co/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-demario-64857a45/ --------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  and Twitter: @DemystifyEvents Our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

During today's episode with my featured guest, Faith Gladden, CMP, CEM -  president of Gladden & Associates Event Management, and we will dive into: Relationship Building/NetworkingDiversity, Inclusion, and Equity What should be the main focus or objective when networking What have been some of the biggest networking mistakes and lessons learned Way to make your clients and your team feel appreciated. Faith is no stranger to conference and event planning, with over 20 years of working with corporations, nonprofit agencies, Christian ministries, and small businesses to plan conferences, special events, and meetings both domestically and internationally. She is a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and a Certified Exhibitions Manager (CEM) and is highly skilled in both live and digital/virtual event design, implementation, and production. Faith has always been passionate about hospitality and her purpose is fulfilled by bringing people together to do good things. She is motivated by creating opportunities to create positive change and diversity, equity, and inclusion work is modeled throughout her personal life and professional work. Faith is a member of the Reno Tahoe Customer Advisory Board and is also a member of the International Association of Exhibits and Events (IAEE), IAEE DFW Chapter, the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) DFW Chapter, and serves on the Board of Directors for Meeting Professionals International DFW Chapter as the Director of Finance/Sponsorships. Faith’s biggest areas of expertise are in hotel contract negotiations, sponsorship and exhibit sales, exhibit/table-top floor management, as well as finding ways to express her creativity through her design skills and putting her special “Faith stamp” on every event she plans. When not at work, Faith can be found rolling on the floor laughing with her grandsons, singing at church, or hanging with her family and friends. Faith and her husband (and G&A Co-Founder) Ken have 3 grown children and 3 grandchildren and live in Texas. Connect with Faith on these channels:  Facebook Business Page  Instagram and Twitter Website: https://www.GladdenEvents.com --------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  and Twitter: @DemystifyEvents Our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

Super stoked to have Janice Cardinale, a heart-centric entrepreneur and founder of Event Minds Matter join me on the air to demystify the concept of mental fitness, and share strategies for having and maintaining this state of well-being that help cultivate awareness of how we think, behave and feel. Janice has been in the event industry longer than most #eventprofs I know, and in 2022, she was awarded the BizBash 15 over 50, Top 100 Smart Meetings Entrepreneur, #WomantoWatch by Courtney Stanley, and a Powerful Business Woman by Reiimagine Destination Travel.  Janice considers herself a societal influencer but has also been known as a Heart-Centric Entrepreneur.   In 2022 she founded a community known as Event Minds Matter. Janice writes about mental fitness and wellness for The Meeting Professional, and for United Colors of Design, a lifestyle magazine.  As an advocate for wellness in the event industry, her community has built pillars for education, resources, and initiatives that support a caring culture and demonstrates that the event industry can become the first most mentally fit industry. UNIQUE FACTS Have started and sold two businesses and I am on a mission to "build brave spaces to amplify the industry's conversation on mental health."  I founded Event Minds Matter in February of 2022 and have affected event profs around the world in less than a year. I write content for The Meeting Professional on mental fitness and wellness. I am the board chair for the Creative Design and Event Management course at Seneca College  Take the Saboteur Assessment to find your mental fitness saboteurs: https://assessment.positiveintelligence.com/saboteur/overview ------------------------------ Connect with Janice on these channels: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janice-cardinale/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/event-minds-matter/ https://linktr.ee/eventmindsmatter ------------------------------ “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Our BRAND NEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

On today's episode, I get the honor to highlight another friend and event partner of mine, Andrew Ybarra, CEO of Lifted AV, Audio Visual Wizard, International Speaker, DJ & Live Event Expert. Andrew Ybarra is a unique soul with a fascinating redemptive story, someone obsessed with healing and growth, remembering who we really are, and learning more about the life force that binds us all together.  He has over 15 years of experience in the Audio Visual Industry, working with grass-roots organizations and billion-dollar companies like CBS, Paypal, & Facebook alike! After years of studying transformational enrollment events from all angles, he now specializes in helping 6 & 7 Figure Transformational Leaders rock their events with seamless event tech, whether it’s live, virtual, or hybrid, Andrew is a PRO at them all. His specialty is creating unique events using a clear event vision process, aligned preparation, and fluid execution, so the experience is co-created, goal-oriented, and all with your brand essence being amplified! UNIQUE FACTS Andrew's healing journey: from alcoholic to alchemist music at events. He's been a DJ for over 10 years. He is obsessed with healing, remembering who we are, and learning more about the life force that binds us all together. ------------------------------ Connect with Andrew on these channels: Business Website: https://liftedav.com/speaking/ Personal Facebook: www.facebook.com/andrewcybarra Personal Instagram: www.instagram.com/andrewcybarra  Business Instagram: www.instagram.com/liftedav ------------------------------ “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Our BRAND NEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

Today I have the honor of talking with Amy Gile, CEO of Silverdraft. Entrepreneurship and high-performance graphics technology. Amy began her career in the media and entertainment industry in multiple aspects of the industry, including actor and producer.  Amy identified a need for a faster solution and workflow for the entire production and the artist. The demands of rendering, animation, and visual effects required a sophisticated approach to computing. Amy knew there was a better, faster way to bring complex content to the masses.  She co-founded Silverdraft and has dedicated herself to enabling and accelerating the visualization workflow with complete solutions for various industries, including Automotive, AEC, and Media and Entertainment.  Amy is a TEDx speaker and is passionate about technology and pushing what’s possible. PS: I ended up ordering myself one of the plate machines Amy was mentioning that's primordial to her physical fitness. She was right, it's pretty rad.  ------------------------------ Connect with Amy on these channels: www.silverdraft.com Twitter/Facebook/Instagram : @AmyGile ------------------------------ “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Our BRAND NEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

With me on the air today I have Merijn van Buuren, founder of Event Mender,  on a mission to make the world a better place together 🌐 by developing a tool that takes out all the guesswork for event organizers. This tool is a fully customizable one-stop shop for organizing wildly successful and profitable events, from speaker acquisition, and marketing to AV services and virtual platforms all in one central place.  We're going to be touching on this tool as well as the importance of finding the right event platform, the future of events in 2023, what it looks like to be bringing the industry together, event tech, monetization, engagement, building a business, and much more.  A few more things about Merijn. Whilst helping physical event professionals embrace virtual events during the pandemic, Merijn realized that evaluating different platforms was taking way too much time and that there must be a better way to do this to help even more event professionals.  --------------- Connect with Merijn in the following places: https://www.eventmender.com https://virtualpositive.com https://platform.eventmender.com --------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Platon Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Our BRAND NEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

With me on the air I've got a trailblazer in the meetings and events industry, Adrian Segar - the Founder of CONFERENCES THAT WORK. He has convened, designed, and facilitated hundreds of meetings over the last forty years, specializing in participant-driven and participation-rich events that become what attendees actually want and need. He’s the author of three books on meeting design and runs conferencesthatwork.com, the world’s most popular website on meeting design and facilitation. Adrian is an acclaimed presenter at just about every major meeting industry conference, where he leads workshops on creating truly effective meetings that people love. He's been named 3 years in a row, 2019-2021, as one of the 100 most influential people in the event industry, one of Connect Meeting's 2021 Connect Corporate 15 Trailblazers over 50, his books are selected as must-reads for event professionals by Meetings Net. UNIQUE FACTS Adrian has a Ph.D. in high energy particle physics, he owned and ran a solar manufacturing business in the late '70s, and has been a consultant of various kinds for the last forty years. It took him about 50 years to realize that he loves to facilitate connections between people. That was after decades of convening conferences on topics he was professionally involved in. Adrian developed his participant-driven and participation-rich approach to meeting design by accident in 1992. ---------------- You can connect with Adrian on his website: https://www.conferencesthatwork.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriansegar/ --------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Our BRAND NEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

Excited to have Anh Nguyen - head of customer success at twine, join me on the air and discuss in a very open and authentic way the future of work as it relates to remote and hybrid event roles for #EventProfs,  the relationship between event tech & event planners, new technologies that we should watch out for, important skills to develop in 2023, work-life balance, as well as the back story behind #EventProfsBreakShit and the Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) Goes Virtual initiative.  Prior to joining the twine app, Anh founded Spark Event Management, an award-winning, full-service event management firm, and the Spark Event Collective, a network of independent planners collaborating to deliver event experiences. Anh is a seasoned business event professional who possesses over 15 years of event design, production, and management experience. She has managed a vast array of events and is known for her keen eye for detail while being able to lead, inspire and manage large, global teams. Connect with Anh on these channels:  Twitter: @atnguyen Twitter: @wearetwine ------------------------------ “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Our BRAND NEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

During the last episode conversation we focus on all the #behindthescenes AV professionals and the benefits of mental and physical fitness, today we're going to talk about the same topic, only focusing on #eventprofs, #meetingprofs, and their attendees. And so, joining me on the air to continue the conversation centered around Wellness and Mental Fitness is David Stevens,  a 20-year veteran planner, and the 4x self-proclaimed Fittest Male #EventProf in the Global Crossfit Open Games. He has planned meetings, events, and incentives in media, live entertainment, agency, association, and corporate organizations. He has earned a Delos Wellness for Meetings and Event Certificate, is Pandemic Meeting Event Design certified, BizBash 500, Connect 40 Under 40, and Smart Meetings Planner of the year. He credits the ability to create true experiences for event attendees to the clarity and mental breaks workouts bring to his day. He and the Olympian Meeting team, including a Medical Doctor and Nutrition Coach, authored a white paper on the increased ROI that can come from increasing wellness elements in your meeting. Download the “Increase ROI by increasing wellness” whitepaper here.  During today's conversation we're going to touch on: How the industry has changed over the last 20 years  Tips and strategies to increasing ROI by Increasing Wellness at events Why #eventprofs should place wellness and fitness at the top of their list, Events professionals should take care of themselves. Why should it matter to their attendees and what are the actual benefits. You can connect with David on these channels: Twitter : @davidTstevens Instagram: @davidTstevens LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidtstevens Register to compete in the Crossfit Open games here: https://games.crossfit.com/ Download the 2023 Crossfit Games Rules Book here.  --------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Our BRAND NEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

Welcome to a brand new podcast season, a season that is focused on a much-needed topic: Mental and Physical Fitness.  Why? Because of how important this kind of fitness is for any event professional out there that is faced with challenges and needs to build resilience as well as the ability to think clearly and make decisions effectively and efficiently.   Mental fitness, just like physical fitness is just as important and should not be neglected because it helps us prioritize and understand that just as we can improve our physical health by moving our bodies, we can improve our mental health by strengthening our minds.    Taking steps to build our mental fitness enhances our ability to cope with stress and improves our physical health, productivity at work, relationships, and overall happiness.    This Friday, Jan 13th, join me and my good friend, Jason Brown as kick off the season with this first episode during which talk about our natural bodybuilding journeys in the competitive and many times unfair world of fitness, and how that has helped us as AV professionals, and why staying physically and mentally fit is important for all event professionals.  So, hang tight, strap on, and enjoy the ride! --------------------- Jason Brown -  Owner and operator of vid live events, Las Vegas Realty specialist, owner and operator of Fitmeforme online personal training. Jason is also a senior video and LED engineer, and projection specialist - originally from Chicago, Illinois - Jason has lived in Las Vegas for almost two decades, where he began working in video production and held a senior Video Engineer role for Freeman, Vegas's leading production company.  He also developed his own online streaming business, Vid-Live Events, a live-streaming video production company that specializes in Real Estate pre-recorded & live showings by using today’s latest technology to improve customer care, marketing, and transitions for all of his clients. His latest endeavor, FitMeforMe  - his online personal training business stems from his Love of All things fitness.  He’s been training for over three decades and over the years competed in many various physical activities from wrestling to jiu-jitsu, to Muay Thai kickboxing, and bodybuilding as of late, in a  physique bodybuilding competition.  Jason doesn’t do anything half-measure and while many would like to attribute his physique to good luck and some amazing genes, he’s here to break your sweet little heart and tell you that it’s actually all just hard work, discipline, and commitment. => Connect with Jason on these channels: Instagram | Tiktok | Facebook : @fitmeforme_lv Website: Fitmeforme.com ----------------------- Events: demystified Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES. Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that's most convenient for you via the 20 min free consultation link. Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music. ----------------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Our BRAND NEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

45th episode this year and the 100th episode of the Events: demystified Podcast!   So many things to say, so much to be proud of and celebrate!  So stoked about the impact the podcast has made, and especially the latest season,  and the ripple effect it has had in our industry, and this is just the beginning!   So proud to see the hard work put in weekly over the last 3.5 years be recognized and the podcast catching fire, and all of you listeners have contributed to it by adding your own spark every time you shared this podcast with your friends and your connections. You made this podcast visible to so many event professionals globally, also so grateful for every featured guest brought on that added so much value by sharing their hard-earned insightful tips, tricks, and tactics that helped so many other meeting professionals plan and execute successful events of all types, formats, and sizes! JOIN US IN 2023 AS WE EXPAND OUR REACH EVEN FURTHER! Connect with me for a 1-on-1 2023 strategy planning meeting here: https://calendly.com/treefan_events/hybrid_event_consultation ----------------------- Learn more about Podcast Host: https://eventsdemystified.com/about-me/ Connect with Anca on these channels: Business Facebook | Instagram | Twitter @treefan_events LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ancatrifan/ Website: https://treefanevents.com/about/ --------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Our BRAND NEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw ---------------- Gareth Emery - Where Do We Go From Here (Official Lyric Video)

My last WOWman featured guest during our current running season "Women Behind The Scenes in Events and Event Productions"  is Shay Wheat, a Certified Event Producer™ & creator of popular programs such as “The Powerful Event Process”, “The Ultimate Event Planner Certification Program”, and CEO of Grace & Ease Productions, Inc, which supports clients in creating Powerful and Profitable In-Person and Live-Virtual events.  Shay and her team have assisted Speak-to-Sell clients and many well-known celebrities such as Dr. Oz, Lisa Nichols,  Dr. Claire Zammit, Bill Baren, Alison J. Prince, Josh Turner, etc to be extremely profitable with their events, helping her clients make over $25 million in revenue, gaining over 3,500 NEW clients and changing the lives of over 16,000+ attendees while handling all the planning, speaker & sponsor support as well as the production of Virtual Live and In-person events to create experiential, revenue-generating, and exciting events for attendees. And so today's topics are centered around: The Power of Live (or Virtual) Events, Using Events as a Powerful Business Strategy, Creating a Powerful & Profitable Live (or Virtual Event). Check out this free gift for you: fivephases.info/events-demystified --------------- Connect with Shay on these channels: Personal Facebook | Instagram | Twitter @ShayWheat  Business Facebook | Instagram | Twitter @GraceAndEaseProductions Website: www.GraceAndEaseProductions.com Certified Event Producer™ certification at: https://shaywheat.com/cep/ --------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Our BRAND NEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

"Rehearsals are SO Important", "Generational gaps in tech crews can be so toxic at times", "Power struggles behind the scenes are real", "If you're working an event, be there because you care, not just to collect a paycheck"... In one of the - sadly - few last episodes of the current running season "Women Behind The Scenes in Events and Event Productions" I have the honor of talking to Michelle Michelson, Teleprompter Operator and owner of Prompster and discuss some really difficult topics to address but much needed.  Michelle was so gracious to get out of her comfort zone and join me on air, staying open and authentic in our conversation.  She is my kind of woman in events, a small business owner that just like me, is organically grown and hustling to forge her own path in events. She's from NYC with a whole lot of teleprompter expertise and branching out the business to include graphics operating, content, and production managing.   She's been working in events and production for over ten years, starting out in NYC and moving west to Colorado to take on more travel event work and expand the company.  Tune into this episode as we address:  - the pros and cons of running a business remotely,  - networking and building a community in a unique niche, - growing and expanding while taking on new roles within the events industry and pushing out of your comfort zones,  - crew culture and what is like being one of the younger techs on the crew and a female on top of everything else, working on events with gen z / x and boomers, and what conflict resolution looks like,  - innovative uses of prompter for events + production. ------------- Connect with Michelle on these channels: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook : @prompster Website: heyprompster.com -------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Our BRAND NEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

This week's woman behind the scenes and in front of the scenes featured guest is someone I admire a lot, my new friend, Melva LaJoy Legrand, founder/CEO of LaJoy Plans, an event planning firm, a  self-made entrepreneur recognized for her work in the Live Events industry, as well as causes rooted in social equality as it pertains to women, health, and race & identity, Melva LaJoy Legrand is a public speaker, event producer/director, community activist, and writer. Melva is someone that is recognized nationally for her thought leadership, she has lent her expertise to topics surrounding Sexual Assault, Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and Entrepreneurship, and she's willingly contributing from her wealth of knowledge to today's topics include: Overcoming life and business hardship, End-Of-Year self-reflection and evaluation of your career and business model, The unglamorous side of events/things people, especially women should know before entering the industry. UNIQUE FACTS I relaunched my business in 2019 while being a caretaker for my beloved late father Melvin (he died in May 2021) and then watched all revenues dry up in 2020. I am domestic abuse and rape survivor. I spent decades on a healing journey. Now healed, now complete, I strive to devote a lot of my life and volunteerism to speaking about life after abuse because I FULLY believe that there is a rich vibrant life post-trauma. I am a proud supporter of the Rain and Incest Network (RAINN) because they are one of the most important and comprehensive free resources for survivors. Intentionally, my business is compromised of many former mentees and I am proud that I learned through trial and error how to become a good manager. ------------- Connect with Melva on these channels: Twitter: @belajoyful Instagram: @belajoyful Website: www.lajoyplans.com -------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Our BRAND NEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

I know you've been expectantly waiting for a brand new episode to drop after the LONG break in November (because November was crazy hot with back-to-back traveling for hybrid events) - and so, WE'RE BACK!!  On this new episode of the current "𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬" season,  I have invited Melissa Park to join me for a conversation centered around:  Event budgeting and how to adapt in a post-covid & pre-recession landscape, Tips for going from struggling to sold-out events (with engaged attendees), How to beat (and come back) from burnout as an event professional - oy vey, how we need this one!  ------------- Melissa Park is the founder and CEO of Melissa Park Events, an award-winning global event company specializing in creating high-impact live and virtual experiences. She is the creator of The Mel-Factor Method, a contributing writer to numerous publications, and a sought-after keynote speaker and panelist. Park has been named on the BizBash 500 Most Influential Event Pros list two years running, a 40 Under 40 by Connect Corporate, Rising Star in Events by Smart Meetings, and one of Special Events’ 25 Young Event Pros to Watch. UNIQUE FACTS  She splits her time between the US and Australia producing events, speaking, and consulting, She has a track record of turning struggling events into sold-out experiences. ------------- Connect with Melissa on these channels: Website: www.melissapark.co Instagram: @melissaparkevents LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-park-5942a411/ -------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Our BRAND NEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

One of my favorite upcoming featured guests highlighted during the current Events: demystified Podcast's "𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬" season, is Jeniffer Bello, CMP, one of my newest friends made during the several industry trade shows, conferences, and FAM trips that we kept running into each other, which made it feel like it was meant to be, a friendship match made in heaven. Jen is my kind of girl: different, bold, and confident in her own skin. She doesn't apologize for who she is and she doesn't dim her light just because she might not be everyone's cup of tea. Talking to her made me feel like I am talking to my twin self and I for once, felt like I belonged. And for someone like me, feeling like belonging to something or someone, is a HUGE deal. So, without further ado, here's Jen's bio. ------------- Jeniffer Bello, CMP - President and Executive Producer; Experiential Design, Meeting Planning with a Purpose, Production Management, Destination Sourcing, and everything in between.  UNIQUE FACTS Her multicultural background and experience allow her to design and produce experiences for diverse audiences. As a minority, she understands the value of inclusion and brings that into her meetings and events, She went to school for Scenic and Lighting Design and worked in the technical side of theatre and media production for a good period of time, and she continues to work in Media Production (short films, documentaries, promotional videos, and reels) and every once in a while likes to work on a play, She has a strong background in Digital Marketing and Branding and now uses this knowledge to help brands create unique experiences for her attendees that fully represent them. It also allows her to always have the guests at the center of the experience. ------------- Connect with Jen on these channels: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbexperiences/ Facebook Business Page  : https://www.facebook.com/jbdesignexperiences LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/jbexperiences https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenifferbello (Linkedin) -------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Our BRAND NEW YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2_hOoPp_DhYCvaH2SznPNw

Continuing the conversation with some amazing 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, I had the honor of interviewing back in July, Cindi☀️ Cohn, soon-to-be at the time author of "More Joy", now published, also professional emcee, and in her own words: "the Queen of JOY and overuse of exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!!!!!", and I must add, the queen of LinkedIn engagement, a woman on fire and on a mission to improve corporate performance one smile at a time. Cindi Cohn is a dynamic, energetic, and experienced virtual educator with over 20 years in the virtual space, who now has used her gifts to help companies increase connection, creativity, and wellness for their virtual employees ( remote teams) and it is a true gift to the attendees. Today's Discussion Topics include: staying joyful in dark times and how it can be done, Wellness: self-care tips for wellness, social media, negative news, negative people...  LinkedIn: when you develop real relationships with people...it is not a numbers game Paying it forward ---------------- You can connect with Cindi on LinkedIn, as well as on Instagram @cinbin87 ---------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Become a Patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/eventsdemystified ---------------- Tree-Fan Events offers Hybrid Event Production Services: https://treefanevents.com/hybrid-event-services/ ---------------- If you like our podcast, please show us some love by subscribing to this podcast on your favorite listening platform and following us on YouTube and Instagram. By leaving a great review and hitting the 5 stars, you make this Podcast visible to other listeners with the same interests as you. Until next time!

Tune into our newest episode ft Rumbi Chigumira, from Johannesburg, South Africa, and get a look behind the scenes in the world of a house of worship sound engineer and media tech who's equal parts passionate about servant leadership as well as technology, media, learning, and growing in her skills and knowledge, as well as inspiring the next generation of women to pursue careers in live sound engineering and event production.  Today's discussion topics include: Growth comes with stepping out of your comfort zone, Maximizing value and excellence with limited resources, Continuous learning and openness to adapt and its connection to leadership. Rumbi is also passionate about equipping other church tech teams in smaller growing churches which led her to start a blog, where she shares her learnings and her journey on how to use limited resources creatively, and many other topics useful to the tech and media teams, such as The Tech Team checklist She’s also the host of a Podcast called Masithethe, which means "Let's talk" - a personal podcast where she focuses on community and topics related to everyday life experiences. ---------------- You can connect with Rumbi on her website, on LinkedIn, as well as on Instagram @resoundingrue ---------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Become a Patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/eventsdemystified ---------------- Tree-Fan Events offers Hybrid Event Production Services: https://treefanevents.com/hybrid-event-services/ ---------------- If you like our podcast, please show us some love by subscribing to this podcast on your favorite listening platform and following us on YouTube and Instagram. By leaving a great review and hitting the 5 stars, you make this Podcast visible to other listeners with the same interests as you. Until next time!

On yet another episode of the 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 series, we're featuring another kick-a$$ fantastic guest, Erika Kurlovitz, President & Executive Producer AKIRE Productions - passionate, storyteller, designer and connector who has produced many notable events, as we demystify the world of events, women in events, and the secret to creating intentionally designed impactful event experiences. Erika Kulovitz, has developed her career in events & marketing for over 15 years. Throughout her career, she has produced large-scale corporate events and non-profit galas, across the country. Her background covers a wide span of the in-person and virtual events industry: show director, scenic set design, creative multimedia concepts, technical, stage management, and entertainment management.  Erika brings her creativity, décor design expertise, and knowledge to the teams she works with and her clients. Erika is a CSEP (Certified Special Event Professional) and she’s the recipient of many awards, including one of the Top 25 Young Event Pros to Watch (2015) by Special Events Magazine. ---------------- You can connect with Erika on her website , as well as on social @akire_productions  ---------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Become a Patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/eventsdemystified ---------------- Tree-Fan Events offers Hybrid Event Production Services: https://treefanevents.com/hybrid-event-services/ ---------------- If you like our podcast, please show us some love by subscribing to this podcast on your favorite listening platform and following us on YouTube and Instagram. By leaving a great review and hitting the 5 stars, you make this Podcast visible to other listeners with the same interests as you. Until next time!

As we continue into our 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 journey of highlighting amazing #behindthescenes women in events, tech and event productions, we're gonna glimpse for a moment into the #Metaverse, what it is, what it can mean for your events, as well as what type of events it is for. We’re also going to dig deep into finding out what it takes for a small business and/or agency to survive during a recession with today’s guest, Valerie Bihet of the VIBE Agency, who’s a testament to the fact that it’s possible, not just to survive but to thrive. ---------------- You can connect with Valerie on her website at https://www.thevibeagency.com, as well as on LinkedIn, and Instagram,  ---------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Become a Patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/eventsdemystified ---------------- Tree-Fan Events offers Hybrid Event Production Services: https://treefanevents.com/hybrid-event-services/ ---------------- If you like our podcast, please show us some love by subscribing to this podcast on your favorite listening platform and following us on YouTube and Instagram. By leaving a great review and hitting the 5 stars, you make this Podcast visible to other listeners with the same interests as you. Until next time!

Our new season, highlighting 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 continues with another fantastic live event production female, a very meticulous graphic operator extraordinaire, Annette Jukes, the owner of Small Prints, a graphic designer for print, digital and live events, PowerPoint and Keynote expert, content manager, and event specialist. She used to work in publishing, web, multimedia, and promotional design before becoming a freelancer 12 years ago. Her experience covers all aspects of design from brand development and advertising to shop interiors. Tune into this unique brand new episode… to find out what are the dos and don'ts, tips, tricks & shortcuts of live event presentation graphics, simple suggestions for compiling content assets for presenters that make a big difference, and what to do when something goes wrong on stage. ---------------- You can connect with Annette on her website at www.smallprintsdesign.com, as well as on social, on Instagram: @smallprintsdesign And on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annette-jukes-small-prints/ ---------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: @eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Become a Patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/eventsdemystified ---------------- Tree-Fan Events offers Hybrid Event Production Services: https://treefanevents.com/hybrid-event-services/ ---------------- If you like our podcast, please show us some love by subscribing to this podcast on your favorite listening platform and following us on YouTube and Instagram. By leaving a great review and hitting the 5 stars, you make this Podcast visible to other listeners with the same interests as you. Until next time!

As we continue with another kick a$$ woman in AV and event productions part of the SEASON FIVE - WOMEN BEHIND THE SCENES IN EVENTS AND EVENT PRODUCTIONS, it is my great pleasure to introduce to you, Samantha Potter - Audio Engineer & Install Empress, currently at Allen & Heath USA serving as the manager of the installation and commercial audio. With a diverse background in AV/IT, production management, and system design, she also serves as a senior editor and author for ProSoundWeb, Church Sound Magazine, and Live Sound International.  Growing up a classical musician, Samantha discovered live sound by way of the studio and eventually began developing curricula for houses of worship while managing the production of funk and R&B bands in the midwest. Her show, Church Sound Podcast, can be found on all major podcasting platforms.  UNIQUE FACTS Started in studio work Love the blend of computers and technology with live events/music ---------------- Just a quick review, if this is your first time listening to the podcast, this season has been on my mind for many moons and it's been a long time in the making. I am super stoked to introduce and interview many bad-a$$ women behind the scenes and in front of scenes, in events and event productions, and so in the next few episodes we will take some time to share their journey in the area of expertise they're each championing, the challenges they had to overcome and the passion that drives them to stay and keep pushing forward in a male-dominated field. Stay tuned for some spectacular humans joining me on the air in the upcoming weeks! ---------------- “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan. Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link. Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- September will be the launch of our brand new season: Women Behind the Scenes in Events. Stay tuned for some fantastic featured guests! For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Become a Patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/eventsdemystified  ---------------- Tree-Fan Events offers Hybrid Event Production Services: https://treefanevents.com/hybrid-event-services/  ---------------- If you like our podcast, please show us some love by subscribing to this podcast on your favorite listening platform and following us on YouTube and Instagram.  By leaving a great review and hitting the 5  stars, you make this Podcast visible to other listeners with the same interests as you. Until next time!

My next special featured guest on the Events: demystified Podcast part of the 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟓: 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 is an #eventprofs I've been following for a while because she's THAT rad, Tahira Endean, CITP,CMP,DES,CED - head of Programme IMEX and author of the Intentional Event Design, Our Professional Opportunity (2017), a textbook for anyone 8in the events industry, passionate about planning and producing events designed well. Tune into this episode scheduled to be released Friday, Sept 9th, and gather some knowledge from an event industry veteran, someone so committed to the industry that she's been recognized globally for a wide range of contributions, including a -> SmartMeetings Women in Meetings Visionary (2021), -> MeetingsToday Top 20 Trendsetter (2018), a -> MeetingsNet Changemaker (2016), -> the MPI BC Chapter Mentor of the Year (2018) and -> in 2015 Tahira was inducted into the Meetings Canada Hall of Fame in the Big Idea category. Tahira also contributed to the 9th edition of the CIC Manual which provides the framework for the CMP studies and has had the opportunity to speak around the globe for a variety of event industry conferences. ----------------  Tahira is a curious event producer, passionate about intentional event design in live, virtual and hybrid formats and how we can use technology to enhance the human experience at events and every day. A believer in life-long learning she is midway through her Masters of Science in Creativity and Change Leadership. Connect with Tahira on LinkedIn or on her website: http://intentionaleventdesign.ca ----------------  “Events: demystified” Podcast is brought to you by Tree-Fan Events and your Podcast Host is Anca Trifan, CMP, DES.  Let's chat about your event, and schedule a time that works for you via the 20 min free consultation link.  Original Podcast Music written and produced by Fable Score Music.  ---------------- For event and podcast updates, tips, and tricks of the trade, follow us on these social channels:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eventsdemystifiedpodcast  Become a Patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/eventsdemystified  ----------------  Tree-Fan Events offers Hybrid Event Production Services: https://treefanevents.com/hybrid-event-services/  ----------------  If you like our podcast, please show us some love by subscribing to this podcast on your favorite listening platform and following us on YouTube and Instagram. By leaving a great review and hitting the 5 stars, you make this Podcast visible to other listeners with the same interests as you. Until next time!

It's with great honor that I have the pleasure to invite to join me as I kick off a brand new season:  𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟓: 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐧 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 This season has been on my mind for many moons and it's been a long time in the making. I am super stoked to introduce and interview some badass women in the next few episodes and have them share their journey in the area of expertise they're championing, the challenges they had to overcome and the passion that drives them to stay and keep pushing forward in a male-dominated field.  Stay tuned for some spectacular humans joining me on the air in the upcoming weeks!  ---------------- The kick-off follows with an ON AIR episode featuring MAGGIE HARKER - Senior Manager, Event Scheduling at Freeman Company, a live event professional with 20 years of experience as a technician, stage manager, producer, show caller, production manager, and labor manager for theater, conventions, corporate events, and touring shows. Maggie is entering her 21st year of producing and