What keeps someone passionate about live events after 35 years in the industry?

In this episode of Event Marketer’s Toolbox, Chris Dunn and Dana Esposito sit down with industry veteran Dave Brown for a candid conversation about career growth, exhibit systems, problem-solving, and the evolution of experiential marketing.

What began as a discussion about modular exhibits quickly turned into a broader conversation about adaptability, creativity, and why live events continue attracting people who thrive on challenge and change.

• Why live events are built for problem-solvers and fast thinkers
• Dave Brown’s unexpected entry into the exhibit industry in 1991
• The importance of curiosity, communication, and asking questions
• How exhibit “systems” evolved from portable displays into sophisticated build materials
• Why the line between modular and custom exhibits has become increasingly blurred
• How brands prioritize flexibility, sustainability, transportation, and outcomes over construction methods
• The growth of outdoor activations and experiential marketing beyond the trade show floor
• Why innovation in live events always starts with solving customer problems

This episode is a thoughtful look at how the live events industry continues evolving while still being driven by the same core principles: creativity, adaptability, relationships, and problem-solving.

Watch or listen to the full episode of Event Marketer’s Toolbox with Chris Dunn, Dana Esposito and Dave Brown.

Engage. Excel. Execute.

👉🏼 Join us for more insightful discussions like this by tuning into 'Event Marketer's Toolbox,' where industry leaders share the tools, tactics, and trends driving success in the event world.

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In this episode of Event Marketer’s Toolbox, host Chris Dunn sits down with Bethany Murphy, Head of Events at SentinelOne, for a practical conversation about the evolving role of event marketing.

With nearly 25 years of experience across brands like LogMeIn, Drift, Akamai, SixthSense, and SentinelOne, Bethany shares how modern event teams are moving beyond logistics and becoming key drivers of pipeline, customer engagement, and business growth.

Chris and Bethany discuss how to build intentional event portfolios, measure ROI more effectively, align events to different stages of the funnel, and navigate today’s growing budget pressures.

In This Episode

• Why events now sit at the intersection of brand, demand, and relationships
• The difference between lead quantity and lead quality
• How to strategically evaluate which events are worth the investment
• When companies should consider launching their own proprietary events
• Why events should be treated as year-round campaigns instead of one-time moments
• Measuring source pipeline, influenced pipeline, meetings, and event ROI
• How rising costs are reshaping event strategy and budget planning
• Creative ways event marketers can stand out without overspending\

Events today are about much more than booths and badge scans. This episode highlights how strategic planning, intentional experiences, and strong business alignment can turn events into powerful growth drivers.

Watch or listen to the full episode of Event Marketer’s Toolbox for more insights from Chris Dunn and Bethany Murphy.

Engage. Excel. Execute.

👉🏼 Join us for more insightful discussions like this by tuning into 'Event Marketer's Toolbox,' where industry leaders share the tools, tactics, and trends driving success in the event world.

This Show is sponsored by Blue Hive

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In this episode of Event Marketer’s Toolbox, hosts Chris Dunn and Dana Esposito sit down with Lee Ali, Founder of ExpoStars, to unpack one of the most overlooked drivers of trade show success: your people.

Companies spend thousands—sometimes hundreds of thousands—on booth design, technology, and giveaways. But as Lee makes clear, most are missing the one factor that determines whether that investment actually pays off.

👉 It’s not the booth.
👉 It’s the team inside it.

Drawing from nearly two decades of experience and global insight, Lee breaks down how exhibitors can rethink their strategy—from the ground up—by focusing on human connection, structured engagement, and intentional team design.

1. Your Booth Team Drives 85% of Your Success

2. Start with the Audience, Not the Booth

3. Not All Booth Staff Are Created Equal

4. Trade Shows Are a Performance—Train Like One

5. Vanity Metrics Are Killing ROI

6. The Real Skill Isn’t Selling—It’s Connecting

There’s a tendency in our industry to chase the visible: bigger booths, better tech, more traffic.

But this conversation is a reminder that real impact happens in the invisible moments—the conversations, the connections, the way your team shows up.

If you want better ROI from your events, don’t just upgrade your booth.

👉 Upgrade your approach to people.

👉🏼 Join us for more insightful discussions like this by tuning into 'Event Marketer's Toolbox,' where industry leaders share the tools, tactics, and trends driving success in the event world.

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In this episode of Event Marketer’s Toolbox, hosts Chris Dunn and Brendon Hamlin sit down with John Dubil, Chief Strategy Officer at Ice 9 Productions, for a deep, real conversation about what actually makes live experiences work.

This isn’t about gear. It’s not about bigger screens. It’s about how message, environment, and technology come together as one.

From 35+ years in the industry — spanning supplier, agency, and client-side — John breaks down what’s changed, what hasn’t, and where most teams still get it wrong.

1. The Medium Isn’t Supporting the Message — It Is the Message

The biggest shift isn’t technological — it’s conceptual.

Too often, teams treat creative, production, and tech as separate pieces. But the reality is:

• The environment is the communication
• The booth isn’t a backdrop — it becomes the brand
• Technology shouldn’t overpower the message, it should complete it

2. Late Collaboration Is the Most Expensive Mistake

One of the strongest points in the episode:

Bringing partners in late doesn’t save money — it does the opposite.

• Costs go up
• Risk increases
• Quality drops

Early collaboration allows:

• Better planning
• Smarter design decisions
• Fewer last-minute fixes

3. The Industry Moves in Cycles — But Relationships Win Every Time

John walks through the pattern the industry keeps repeating:

• Fragmentation → Consolidation → Fragmentation again

But regardless of the cycle:

• Talent follows culture
• Clients follow trust
• Great work comes from strong partnerships

4. Technology Has Become More Powerful — and More Efficient

There’s a common perception that AV and production are getting more expensive.

The reality is more nuanced:

• Technology has become more capable and more efficient
• The impact per dollar has increased significantly
• The real cost drivers are often venue fees, labor, and logistics

5. Live Experiences Still Win — Because They’re Human

Despite digital overload, live events continue to grow.

Why?

• Shared experiences increase emotional impact
• Human interaction drives memory and retention
• Energy and spontaneity can’t be replicated

6. Measurement Can’t Be an Afterthought

One of the most practical takeaways:

If you’re not measuring outcomes, you’re missing half the value.

• What actions did attendees take?
• What business results came from the experience?
• What should change next time?

👉 Great experiences happen when people, process, and purpose are aligned.

Not in silos. Not at the last minute. Not driven by tools alone.

👉🏼 Join us for more insightful discussions like this by tuning into 'Event Marketer's Toolbox,' where industry leaders share the tools, tactics, and trends driving success in the event world.

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In this episode of Event Marketer’s Toolbox, Chris Dunn and Brendon Hamlin sit down with David T. Stevens to explore a topic that is often misunderstood in the events industry: wellness.

But this conversation is not about surface-level perks.

It’s not about adding a massage chair to a lounge, offering goat yoga because it looks good on Instagram, or checking the “wellness” box because it feels trendy.

Instead, David makes the case that wellness is a business strategy—one that directly affects learning, engagement, retention, belonging, and ultimately, performance. From agenda design and nutrition to social connection and sleep, he explains how events can produce better outcomes when they are built around the way people actually function.

David, who calls himself a “20-year recovering corporate event marketer and planner,” now leads Olympian Meeting, which he describes as the world’s first wellness-first events agency. Their philosophy is simple but powerful: they do not produce “wellness events.” They produce corporate meetings, conferences, sales kickoffs, and incentive programs—while using wellness as the lens that drives stronger business outcomes.

What makes this episode especially valuable is that David brings science, practicality, and event experience together in a way that feels immediately usable. He breaks down how things like overpacked agendas, poor food choices, lack of recovery time, and weak networking design can work against the very goals event professionals are trying to achieve.

The result is one of the more thought-provoking EMT conversations to date—especially for planners, marketers, and brand leaders who want their events to do more than just look good on paper.

If you’re designing conferences, trade shows, sales meetings, or any kind of live experience, this episode is worth your time.

Listen to the full conversation, share it with your team, and ask yourself one simple question before your next event:

What is the real intention behind this experience — and are we designing it with purpose?

Follow Event Marketer’s Toolbox for more conversations with the people shaping the future of events.

👉🏼 Join us for more insightful discussions like this by tuning into 'Event Marketer's Toolbox,' where industry leaders share the tools, tactics, and trends driving success in the event world.

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In this episode of Event Marketer’s Toolbox, hosts Chris Dunn and Dana Esposito sit down with Christopher Dorn, Managing Director of Idea International, to explore what it really takes to produce trade show programs across the Asia-Pacific region.

With nearly three decades in the industry and over half his career spent living and working in Japan, Dorn brings a rare perspective on global exhibitions—from cultural differences in business decision-making to the logistical realities that Western exhibitors often overlook.

The conversation begins with Dorn’s unlikely path into the trade show industry—starting in exhibit design in the Midwest before moving to Japan, where he eventually built his own business supporting global exhibitors entering the Asia-Pacific market. From those early days navigating language barriers and building a professional network from scratch, Dorn learned a key lesson that still shapes his work today: success in international exhibitions starts with curiosity and adaptability.

As the conversation unfolds, the hosts dig into the operational and cultural nuances of exhibiting outside North America. Dorn explains how decision-making in countries like Japan often relies on consensus rather than the fast-moving, individual-driven approach common in the U.S. Understanding these dynamics can mean the difference between a smooth project and a frustrating one.

The discussion also highlights how trade shows themselves differ across markets. In Japan, for example, exhibitions often function more like relationship-building festivals—what Dorn describes as matsuri—rather than high-pressure sales environments. Companies attend to strengthen networks, build trust, and move conversations forward over time rather than expecting immediate deals.

Beyond culture, Dorn walks through the practical considerations that American exhibitors must navigate when bringing a booth program overseas—from structural limitations and venue infrastructure to production methods and storage costs. Many exhibitors assume they can replicate their North American booth designs globally, but Dorn warns that assumptions are the fastest way to run into problems.

Ultimately, the episode is both a strategic and tactical guide for anyone considering international exhibitions. Whether it’s understanding local expectations, adapting designs to venue constraints, or building the right partnerships on the ground, Dorn emphasizes that preparation and communication are critical.

For event professionals exploring the Asia-Pacific region, this conversation offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how global exhibition programs actually come together.

👉🏼 Join us for more insightful discussions like this by tuning into 'Event Marketer's Toolbox,' where industry leaders share the tools, tactics, and trends driving success in the event world.

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In this episode of Event Marketer’s Toolbox, Chris Dunn and Dana Esposito sit down with Mark Johnson, Founder & CEO of Star Exhibits and former owner of ExhibitorLIVE, to discuss leadership, legacy, and the evolving power of live events.

Mark shares the inside story of how ExhibitorLIVE was at risk of shutting down — and why he stepped in to preserve it for the industry. The conversation explores the transition to IAEE, the importance of CTSM and continuing education, and why collaboration across associations strengthens the entire exhibitions ecosystem.

They also dive into a bigger theme: why face-to-face experiences are becoming even more valuable in the age of AI. As digital noise increases, authenticity, trust, and community matter more than ever.

Key topics:

• The history and impact of ExhibitorLIVE
• Saving a 40-year industry institution
• IAEE partnership and what it means for the future
• Education, certification, and industry leadership
• Why live events are evolving — not declining

If you're in trade shows, experiential marketing, or the events industry, this episode is a reminder: investing in education, community, and collaboration is how we move the industry forward.

Listen in — and we’ll see you on the show floor.

👉🏼 Join us for more insightful discussions like this by tuning into 'Event Marketer's Toolbox,' where industry leaders share the tools, tactics, and trends driving success in the event world.

This Show is sponsored by Blue Hive

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