In this episode of No More Bad Events, we interview Marco Mendolia, a senior program manager at a large technology and retail company, about the evolving landscape of conferences, particularly E-commerce conferences, and the concept of "festivalization." They discuss how modern conferences have transformed into business festivals, incorporating experiences from traditional festivals, including high levels of production, professionalism, and engaging attendee interactions. Marco also shares insights on his role in developing partnership strategies, emphasizing the importance of early collaboration with partners and sponsors and the need to deliver memorable attendee experiences. The conversation covers various aspects of conference planning, such as integrating learning with fun elements, fostering connections among attendees, and maximizing sponsorship value. Additionally, Marco highlights the significance of building personal relationships with exhibitors and sponsors, leveraging his skills as an emcee to enhance overall attendee engagement and experience. The episode wraps up with Marco discussing his passion for hosting and his future aspirations within the conference industry.
Title: Festivalizing the Conference (ft. Marco Mendolia | Senior Program Manager for E-Commerce Events and Event Emcee)
Bio:
Marco Mendolia is a long-time festival producer, host, event marketer, and Senior Program Manager with 24 years of experience in event production. His work spans many categories and includes major clients like Paramount and Budweiser. With expertise in production, sales, and impactful partnerships, Marco brings the knowledge and relationships necessary to elevate companies to the spotlight.
Opening Quote:
It's those moments where we're saying this isn't just a place where you come for business connections. This is a place where you also come for fun. And what I always sort of circle back to is that the expectation of the audience comes from their experience at a festival. They go to South by Southwest, or they go to the big festival in their town, and they have these same types of moments. And we're just, we're recreating that. It's our duty to bring that same level of excitement to a conference.
Summary:
In this episode of No More Bad Events, we interview Marco Mendolia, a senior program manager at a large technology and retail company, about the evolving landscape of conferences, particularly E-commerce conferences, and the concept of "festivalization." They discuss how modern conferences have transformed into business festivals, incorporating experiences from traditional festivals, including high levels of production, professionalism, and engaging attendee interactions. Marco also shares insights on his role in developing partnership strategies, emphasizing the importance of early collaboration with partners and sponsors and the need to deliver memorable attendee experiences. The conversation covers various aspects of conference planning, such as integrating learning with fun elements, fostering connections among attendees, and maximizing sponsorship value. Additionally, Marco highlights the significance of building personal relationships with exhibitors and sponsors, leveraging his skills as an emcee to enhance overall attendee engagement and experience. The episode wraps up with Marco discussing his passion for hosting and his future aspirations within the conference industry.
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Brought to you by eSpeakers and hosted by professional emcee, host, and keynote speaker Scott Bloom, No More Bad Events is where you’ll hear from some of the top names in the event and speaking industry about what goes on behind the scenes at the world’s most perfectly executed conferences, meetings, and more. Get ready to learn the secrets and strategies to help anyone in the event industry reach their goal of putting on nothing less than world-class events.
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ABOUT THE HOST:
A veteran comedian and television personality who has built a reputation as the go-to choice for business humor, Scott has hosted hundreds of events over two decades for big and small organizations alike. Scott has also hosted his own weekly VH1 series and recently co-hosted a national simulcast of the Grammy Awards from the Palace Theater.
As the son of a successful salesman, he was exposed to the principles of building a business at an early age. As a comedian, Scott cut his teeth at renowned improv and comedy clubs. And as a self-taught student of psychology, he’s explored what makes people tick and has written a book (albeit a farce) on how to get through life. He’s uniquely positioned to deliver significant notes on connecting people and making business seriously funny. And who doesn’t like to laugh?
Learn more about Scott: scottbloomconnects.com
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SHOW CREDITS:
Scott Bloom: Host | scottbloomconnects.com
Joe Heaps: eSpeakers | jheaps@eSpeakers.com