Planners on Purpose Podcast

This episode invites you to do something different in your life, especially if you can sense an imbalance happening that is affecting you.Event planners have no problem understanding burnout and its implications, however, many times when it comes down to making the decisions that are needed to make necessary changes we doubt ourselves. Doing something different gives you the permission to make those key changes. And it doesn't have to be big changes in your life. You can make very small changes that make a big impact on you. Naomi discusses how you can give yourself permission so that you can come to work filled with joy, and passion, and ready to do your best work. Thank you so much for listening, stay on purpose!Support the show

Burnout is not inevitable? However, many event industry professionals think that it is. With so much pressure in the industry, combined with unreasonable expectations, lack of boundaries, and high volumes, burnout is a very common result.  Burnout shouldn't be inevitable in the industry, because it is preventable. If burnout is preventable, then finding ways to proactively address burnout in our lives and in our organizations is a solution worth pursuing. However, it's not just about learning how to prevent burnout and overwhelm, it's about taking the direction and doing the actions necessary to prevent burnout. Many event professionals struggle with this. This episode will give some insights into how we can understand burnout better to have the necessary conversations that we need to have to be the change we want to see,     Links and ResourcesPurpose Call with NaomiBanish Burnout Challenge (fall waitlist)Support the show

If you're an event professional that's looking to level up your career, then getting your Certified Meeting Professional Designation, may be the boost that you need.In this episode, Naomi shares 5 reasons why getting your CMP is important to your career. If you're struggling with deciding what your next step should be in your career, then the reasons given in this podcast may help you make this decision.One of the main reasons that getting your CMP is so beneficial is that it gives you additional knowledge about the event industry that you can find applicable to your role. Also, no one has to mention the potential salary benefits and leadership opportunities that will come your way. Jump into this episode, and leave us a message on what makes you most excited on getting your CMP.     Links and ResourcesPlanners on Purpose CMP Study GroupThank you for listening, please stay on purpose!Support the show

In this episode, we delve into the dynamic world of event marketing strategies with the accomplished Ashley Stanford, a seasoned Digital Marketing Consultant and Freelancing Expert. With over 15 years of expertise in the digital marketing realm, Ashley brings a wealth of knowledge and practical insights that are sure to resonate with professionals in the Events & Entertainment sector.About Ashley StanfordOur guest, Ashley Stanford, is not just a digital marketing maven but also the EVP of Client Strategy at TicketSocket and the Vice President and Co-Founder of Ice Cream Social. Her extensive experience spans across various industries, including Events & Entertainment, Medical Device/Healthcare, and Finance Technology sectors. Ashley's passion lies in crafting strategic marketing plans and optimizing tactics to drive tangible results for her clients.Episode HighlightsIn this engaging discussion, Ashley sheds light on the intricacies of effective event marketing strategies. She shares her journey of conceptualizing TicketSocket—a unique solution born out of the need to revolutionize traditional marketing channels in the ticketing industry. Ashley emphasizes the importance of word-of-mouth marketing in today's digital landscape and unveils how Ice Cream Social's innovative referral widget gamifies the online referral process, driving substantial results for businesses.Ashley advocates for a holistic approach to marketing, where word-of-mouth initiatives complement existing channels such as SMS, email, and social media ads. She underscores the significance of incentivizing partners and understanding demographic nuances to maximize the impact of word-of-mouth campaigns.Furthermore, Ashley offers invaluable insights into effective communication strategies, emphasizing the need for transparency and proactive engagement, especially during challenging situations such as event cancellations or setbacks.Delving into a personal anecdote, Ashley candidly shares her experiences of overcoming burnout, highlighting the importance of self-care and resilience in navigating professional challenges.Links and ResourcesThe Desire Map by Danielle LaporteIce Cream Social and TicketSocketAshley Stanford on LinkedInThank you so much for listening, come back soon, and stay on purpose!Support the show

This episode will showcase how to be an effective advocate in the event industry. Advocacy in the meeting and event planning industry plays a very important role, one that everyone can actively participate in. Showing public support for your industry to family, friends, and your community can garner support in times when the industry needs it most. This episode shows that you can be an advocate in several different ways. Here are some of the areas that are explained:Aligning with partner organizationsGet involved in advocacy, educate, and shareTeach or speak in a meeting and event management or hospitality program Recruit for the industry, provide direction to connections and educationGuide others to the appropriate certification within the industryGet involved politicallyParticipate in Global Meetings Industry Day It doesn't take a big effort to be an advocate in the meetings industry. All it takes is for each of us to do our parts so that we can see our industry continue to grow by leaps and bounds.Links and Resources   Global Meetings Industry Day Event RegistrationGlobal Meetings Industry Day ToolkitSupport the show

In this episode, let's dive into the highlights from CMP Advance 2024, the go-to conference for Certified Meeting Professionals (CMPs).Conference Rundown: CMP Advance, hosted by the Event Industry Council in Toronto, offers a packed agenda spanning two to three days, tailored to align with CMP domains. It's a prime opportunity for CMPs to level up their skills and connect with peers.Key Insights:AI Integration: Sean Kanungo's keynote urges CMPs to embrace AI's role in the industry and prepare future professionals for its impact.Global Certification Impact: Panels emphasize CMP's global reach, setting industry standards and fostering connections worldwide.Focus on Mental Health: Discussions spotlight holistic wellness for both planners and attendees, recognizing the importance of self-care.Strategic Planning vs. Project Management: Breakout sessions provide practical guidance on maximizing productivity and effective delegation.Human Connection in Events: Sessions highlight the significance of building genuine connections and memorable experiences for attendees.Networking and Community: CMP Advance offers a professional yet relaxed environment for CMPs to network, exchange insights, and build lasting relationships within the industry.Continuing Education: Naomi encourages CMPs to consider CMP Advance as a valuable resource for ongoing professional development and staying ahead in the ever-evolving world of event planning.As you navigate your journey in event planning, remember to keep CMP Advance on your radar for invaluable learning opportunities and industry connections. Stay tuned for more episodes, and until next time, keep planning with purpose!Links and ResourcesWellness Wheel – Simple Tool for Well-BeingPlanners on Purpose CMP Study GroupSupport the show

Goal setting can be stressful. This episode aims to take the stress out of the goal setting that you have to make. As we move into the second quarter of the year, it's important that we look at how we develop our goals without causing ourselves much stress, here are some tips that are mentioned in the episode:Set your goals and directionGet movingPut in place your habitsStay about the line Review oftenReward yourselfMany times we fail to start because of fear or because we lack direction. This episode will help you understand how important it is for you to develop a direction and start to get moving so that your goal can be obtained.You'll also learn some insights on practicing great habits, and why habits are important. Also, your mindset and how you think about your success is very important. When you think debilitating thoughts then you limit yourself and by limiting yourself you can miss the mark in getting to your goal. So it's all about staying above the line, being positive and uplifting to yourself and your team about your goal.Finally making sure that you review your goals often and reward yourself when you complete your goals are pretty important. And we also talk about tracking your goal too and how that can be increasingly helpful as you look to finish your goals.  Links and ResourcesPutting Emotional Intelligence to WorkAtomic Habits12 Week YearSupport the show

As event leaders, we know how to balance our lives perhaps a bit better than that of our teams, but do we model work-life balance? Do we share how we are managing our lives so that those who are coming up behind us have an idea of how to move forward in a high-pressured environment like the event industry?This episode is going to provide some areas where event leaders can model work-life balance to their event teams. Work-life balance is a word that really just represents how well we balance the ebb and flow of our lives and focus on what really matters at any given time. It can be an art form and many people can struggle with having a sense of balance in their lives.  There are four areas in that we cover in this episode and go into great detail on how event leaders can model work-life balance. Those areas are:CommunicationBoundariesBeing a Wellness AdvocateStanding Up for Your TeamModeling is important because your team needs to see how work-life balance is managed, especially in an environment where there are so many moving pieces and client demands. After listening to this podcast you'll have some great ways to model work-life balance, to support them, and be a wellness advocate in your organization.Links and ResourcesBanish Burnout ChallengeThank you so much for listening, stay on purpose.Support the show

Kele Belton joins as a guest on this episode of the podcast to talk about how we can communicate to lead. She also provides some great insight for women in leadership.About Kele BeltonKele Belton is a Leadership and Communication expert and the founder of The Tailored Approach. She is a former corporate trainer and coach, where she collaborated with notable companies like Bank of America, BioMarin, Facebook, and Netflix, contributing to their leadership and communication growth. Kele now empowers leaders and their intact teams to communicate confidently, navigate feedback, and have difficult conversations. She’s a published author, keynote speaker, and host of the Communicate to Lead podcast. Kele specializes in leadership development, communication skills, conflict management, navigating feedback, Everything DiSC assessments and coaching, personal branding, and more.Episode SummaryWhen you communicate, it's important to understand who you are speaking to, and what your message is. Is your message communicating to that person in a way that they need to receive it?  Kele speaks about this and how important it is for messaging and your audience to align.In addition, Kele discusses how women struggle in leadership in many areas. One is having the right amount of flexibility at work which allows them to take care of any home matters. Also, Kele touches on how women can display more confidence in leadership. Kele shares her proprietary BOLD framework which stands for:Breaking Through BarriersOwning the Leadership NarrativeLeading with AuthenticityDriving Continuous ChangeKele also shares more about the DISC method and how it is an assessment that measures your personality in the following areas: dominance, influence, steadiness and conscientiousness. She also helps the listeners to understand how this method intersects with her BOLD framework and can help you lead stronger.Finally, in this episode, Kele shares a bit about introversion and how introverts can focus on using their strengths, to listen. When as an introvert, you listen, you can then lean into the relationships because you've built the relationship up front. Links and ResourcesTailored ApproachOwn Your Worth, Free GuideThank you so much for listening, stay on purpose!   Support the show

In this episode, I explore the neuroscience of kindness with special guest, Janet Sperstad, CMP-Fellow and Faculty Emeritus for Madison College. Janet Sperstad’s professional history reflects her lifelong vocation: driving excellence in meeting and event management execution and education. She has dedicated her career to defining the competencies and career pathways that articulate meeting planning as a design discipline requiring skills in the social sciences, executive leadership, and the cognitive sciences. Her contributions are global in scope and rooted in over 25 years as a meeting professional and executive leader in the corporate and non-profit sectors.This is part two in a series where we unlock some more areas of neuroscience and how it can apply to our lives as event professionals. If you missed Part 1, where we discuss the neuroscience of stress and resilience, you can check it out here.The fine print of this episode comes down to: kindness matters when we are planning events. As we lead our events, it's important to understand how kindness plays a big role in helping you solve problems, deal with stressful situations, and even become more creative on the spot.  In this episode, Janet shares how 90% of the conversations that we have are social in nature. She shares how our brain is a very social organ in which its natural set point is to commune with others. Additionally, kindness is a neurochemical and a culture. It can ignite the reward center in our brain and it is pro-social in nature craving community with other human beings. Thus, our brain cultivates commonalities, it wants to look for belonging and collaboration and is wired to look out for differences.Furthermore, Janet teaches us that there is a language of kindness, and how every word we use to portray kindness can cascade across people. As event professionals when we get into a period of frustration or stress or just solving a problem, responding in kindness can help to minimize the stress and frustration that is being emitted in the moment.Lastly, we unpack that great ideas come to us best when we are relaxed. So when we are solving problems onsite ensuring that we are responding in kind ways that will produce more ideas for creative problem-solving can be helpful. Stay until the end to hear some personal fun tidbits about Janet and her sharing the time when she was shown kindness that shook her to her core.  If you enjoyed the first episode, you'll love this one too. Links and ResourcesJanet Sperstad LinkedinThe Neuroscience of Stress and Resilience - Part 1Thank you so much for listening, stay on purpose!Support the show

In this episode, I explore the neuroscience of stress and resilience with special guest, Janet Sperstad, CMP-Fellow and Faculty Emeritus for Madison College. Janet Sperstad’s professional history reflects her lifelong vocation: driving excellence in meeting and event management execution and education. She has dedicated her career to defining the competencies and career pathways that articulate meeting planning as a design discipline requiring skills in the social sciences, executive leadership, and the cognitive sciences. Her contributions are global in scope and rooted in over 25 years as a meeting professional and executive leader in the corporate and non-profit sectors. As you listen to this episode, you'll learn that Janet grew up with the philosophy of "a rising tide rises all boats.", and that has been how she has lived a life of helping others and in turn, it helps her in some way.  Through curiosity, Janet started finding out clear connections in what we do in our events around education and saw the connection in social science. On this personal journey, Janet was able to go deep and see things about how we work as event professionals.Two of the main things Janet has learned in all of her studies that she wanted to share in this episode are this:With threat, we run from danger. We look for threat and we respond to threat.We love happiness. We feel good and love laughter and relaxation.The brain goes towards threat, and it wants to keep you safe. So, enter the conversation on how stress can have an impact on your brain and how you can lessen the impacts and become more resilient.Because in essence, we run from threat, and we walk toward reward. If you're feeling stressed out as an event planner. It doesn't have to control you. Let it go. As soon as you let it go, it loses power."We can't handle the externalities that come for us, we can only handle how we react to them." - Janet SperstadJanet gives us a brief solution on how you can relieve stress in the moment, whether you are at your desk frustrated at an email or onsite having to deal with a high-stress situationWash your hands with warm water, take three big breaths…pull your shoulders back and walk away.It's as simple as that. This episode is full of lots of hidden gems for you to use to help you not only understand how your brain works, but give you tangible tips on how to combat stress, and tough times in this industry so that you can stay in the game.Links and ResourcesJanet Sperstad LinkedInThank you so much for listening, until next time, stay on purpose!Support the show

When you can reduce attendee stress at an event, you can decrease the stress you have too. If an attendee feels comfortable, taken care of, and relaxed, they can be at their best for learning and are happier, which in turn means you can feel a little bit more at ease as you are planning. This episode covers 6 different areas to reduce attendee stress at your event. As you listen to this episode, it's important that you understand that implementing all of these ideas isn't necessary. However, these ideas may make you aware of some small tweaks you want to make at your event in the direction of stress relief and wellness.The six areas that we unpack in this podcast episode are:Building longer breaksEncourage networkingCreate convenienceProvide rest opportunitiesGive space for physical movementCreate healthy opportunitiesThere is a wealth of ideas in each of these areas, and several of them are mentioned in this podcast episode. When we think about our attendees' well-being it can be meaningful to know that you have a unique opportunity to bring wellness to them while they are experiencing your event.  It's an honor that we shouldn't take lightly.However, as much planning as you do for your attendees, make sure to also take care of yourself. Make sure that while you're onsite,  you're making healthy choices for yourself and that uplifts your well-being too.  Thank you so much for listening, stay on purpose! Support the show

This is an invitation to attend the Banish Burnout Challenge. This challenge will be held at the end of the month and it will focus on tips and tools for you to prevent burnout.Burnout is costly. Costing over 190 billion in healthcare costs, with the event profession is one of the top industries that suffer from burnout. Paying attention to prevention strategies that you can leverage to reduce burnout's impacts is crucial.In this episode, Naomi gives you more information about the Banish Burnout Challenge, what it will cover, and how you can join.Links and ResourcesBanish Burnout ChallengeThank you for listening, stay on purpose!Support the show

If you are in the event profession, there are aspects of your job that you love. This episode is all about what we love about doing the great work that we do in planning events. Our work touches more than just the attendees of a meeting. Our impacts of what we do touch companies and the experiences that we plan for them can change the world. Listen as I share with you 10 areas of event planning that I love and compare them with your top 10 list to see what we have in common with loving events.Here is what I love about events:Expressing CreativityTravel and CultureMeeting New PeopleSolving ProblemsSense of AccomplishmentInside ScoopsVariety of DutiesPersonal GrowthPersonalized ExperiencesCollaborative    Do you see a few areas that you love? I would love to hear from you what you love about events. Let me know in the comments as you give this podcast a high 5 rating!  Thank you so much for listening, please stay on purpose. Support the show

There is a hidden cost of burnout that affects the events industry. With over 76% of American workers experiencing burnout, it isn't surprising that this is an area where organizations now need to take the helm. Helping to decrease the effects of burnout in the event industry starts first with organizations implementing a burnout strategy. This strategy could cover how burnout will be prevented within their organization. It is a crucial piece of burnout prevention and can keep organizations in front of their competition.Managing burnout can retain top talent, create a happy workforce, and will eliminate costs associated with employees taking time away, or leaving the organization.  This episode unpacks some of the areas that aren't necessarily looked at for causes of burnout, in an effort to bring awareness.  Here are some of the areas that we cover:CommunicationCommunitySkillset Alignment Company Mission/Goals AlignmentCareer Pathing/GrowthLinks and ResourcesBanish Burnout ChallengeThank you so much for listening, stay on purpose!Support the show

Many of us don't realize that we are in toxic jobs until it is too late. So this episode will provide you with 5 signs that you should be aware of to check and see if you are in a toxic job that may be headed downhill fast. This episode comes with the understanding that we are in the event industry, an industry that has an immense amount of pressure, high-touch clients, and high amounts of stress. It is meant to highlight situations that go beyond what's acceptable.  However, maybe if we find that this is a standard, then what is 'acceptable' may have to be adjusted to save many of our treasured talent people from burning out and leaving the industry.The 5 signs that are discussed on this podcast episode are:Being sick and fatigued to the point of exhaustionHigh amount of turnover at an organizationStagnancy within the organization - no growthA clear and consistent lack of the respect of boundaries Harrassment and bullying by co-workers and event clientsOne thing is for sure. These situations in their most potent form are not okay and do not support overall well-being and mental health of the person impacted. If these signs are experienced, then bringing awareness through conversation is a good first step, allowing for resolution. However, if these situations persist, then moving away could be the best outcome.       Links and ResourcesBanish Burnout ChallengeThank you so much for listening, please stay on purpose!Support the show

There is a segment of burnout that isn't typically discussed. It has to do with how diversity impacts the burnout experience, and in this episode, we dig deeper into the black experience with burnout.Black people have a different experience than many others when it comes to burnout. Much of the reason why they experience more burdensome impacts of burnout is due to the marginalization, along with other systemic challenges in the world. More specifically, black women experience burnout more than any other group due to these same challenges. Additionally, black women experience things like black maternal mortality, weathering, glass ceilings, and tokenism that all contribute to the continued battle that they face daily.This episode uncovers many of these insights and also offers to the reader what they can do to not only support this community but also to elevate the conversations in their department and in their organizations so that we help make changes that impact us all.    Links and ResourcesFast Company Article Banish Burnout ChallengeIf you enjoyed this episode rate it a high 5! Thank you for listening, stay on purpose.Support the show

In this episode, Bill Hansen, an industry celebrity and veteran joins us to share his knowledge on building a caring culture, one that is built on and for its people. Over the last four decades, Bill Hansen has hosted four U.S. presidents, championship Super Bowl teams, and countless celebrities and athletes. He has catered events for everyone from Pope John Paul II, to The Bush family, The Reagan family, Michael Jordan, Usher, Kim Kardashian and the list goes on. During our conversation, Bill talked about his roots in entrepreneurship from selling door-to-door and operating concessions, and how the spirit of entrepreneurship is engrained in him and fueled how his company got started.For Bill, culture is the number one goal, and is an ever-evolving situation as his company aims to build the ultimate family culture. Building this culture is important and one of the key elements that are needed is engaged workers because engaged workers are happy workers, Bill says.Bill also discusses trends he is currently seeing in the catering space. How highly customized menus are a trend that will stay. He says that more people are using social media to fuel their vision for their events, and how food may now be the last thing that people tend to think of when planning their event experience.We hope you enjoy this chat with Bill Hansen.Links and ResourcesBill Hansen Catering Company If you enjoyed the show please give us a "5"! Thank you for listening, please stay on purpose!Support the show

As we are planning events, we can experience overwhelm and burnout from all different directions. Many times, we triage this ourselves, but when the going gets tough it can be helpful to take our situations to an event leader to get feedback and perhaps collaborate on the best way forward in our work.So how do you talk to your event leaders about burnout? One of the first steps before talking to your event leader is to reflect on your situation. Think through all different areas of your situation, specifics on what the true challenge is, and work out any recommendations for resolutions so that your event leader knows that you've thought things through. After reflecting on your situation, create a few opportunities for enhancement that you can present during your conversation with the event leader. This will open up the conversation in the direction in which you see an effective resolve, but then also allow the leader to collaborate on the solution alongside you. This episode shares ideas on how to approach your leader and gives key questions that you can ask to really analyze your challenges in a way that is supportive of you and the business.At the end of the day, put yourself first, don't suffer from burnout in silence. Do the big thing, and talk to your leader to get the help you need.Links and ResourcesBanish Burnout Challenge - coming soon!Thank you so much for listening, until next time, stay on purpose. Support the show

Client relationships are very important to businesses Yet, what happens when those relationships struggle? How can you maintain a healthy client relationship, one that thrives, not just survives? Our clients have a stake in the success of the work that we do for them. It's understandable that they oversee, critique, and even hover over the process, however, it doesn't have to feel so tough to navigate. In this episode, I unpack 4 tips that will support you in having healthy relationships with your clients. Relationships that are founded on communication, transparency, follow-through, and care. Implement even one of these four tips and watch your relationships grow. Links and ResourcesPlanners on Purpose NewsletterThank you for listening, please stay on purpose!Support the show