ReConEx 2021 Agenda

Description

While others may speak of turning setbacks into comebacks, Dr. Jolley wrote the international best-selling book…A Setback Is A Setup For A Comeback!

Dr. Willie Jolley is right on time with this message of how to turn your setbacks into comebacks! He has interviewed people of all walks of life on how they came back from great adversity.

Those who win also understand that failure is part of the success process–and the ability to embrace it and grow from it is a sign of greatness–and is critical to your future successes. Using real life stories from his own life, Dr. Willie Jolley shares success principles that can make the difference between just surviving this crisis time and thriving.

He also shares proven success techniques, ideas, principles and strategies and explains how to apply them to your life’s trials and tribulations to achieve your success.

Participants will learn how to:

• Develop the mindset that winners use to overcome tough times
• Implement step-by-step strategies to immediately use to turn setbacks into comebacks
• Prepare an action plan to bulletproof their future!

This is a Hybrid Session

Description

Join in the discussion on how to have your exhibitors and sponsors become thought leaders during your virtual conference.  We will explore ways to create opportunities for sponsors to share knowledge and insight in a format that attendees find valuable including how to help sponsors find value in virtual events and the return of the Big Data conversation.

Learner Take-Aways:

• Sample agenda for virtual event dedicated to sponsors
• Sample tracking tool for sponsorship activation
• Sample post-event report to sponsors with data tracking

This is a Hybrid Session

Description

In a downturn when jobs and titles disappear, your value in the marketplace cannot disappear along with them. That is why it is vital to use your time now to build a strong, indestructible brand so you can been seen and recognized as a thought leader in your industry. In both our look-at-me cultural shift and evolving job market, it’s helpful and necessary to stand out when searching for a better job, looking for a promotion, considering changing careers or growing your network. That all starts with a purposeful, intentional personal brand. In this session, we will provide you with tips and strategies on how to pandemic proof your brand.

Learner Take-Aways:

• Understand the concept and importance of personal branding.
• Identify strategies to develop a successful personal brand.
• Understand how social media fits into creating a personal brand.
• Develop a strong and authentic personal brand.

This is a Hybrid Session

Sponsored by:

Description

Hybrid events are the norm as recovery from COVID progresses. Regional travel and smaller gatherings will return more quickly than larger international events. Learn from the experience of a planner and technical producer on their experiences partnering on multi-site hybrid events. From concept and program design through sourcing, the entire pre-event, execution, and post-event processes. Attendees will learn solutions and strategies that have worked for planning and producing this type of uniquely complex event and making attendees feel like they had a unified engaging experience at all sites.

Learner Take-Aways:

• Special considerations around program planning
• Site sourcing
• AV transmission
• Polling/audience engagement;
• Translation Services
• Educational credits

This is a Digital Session

Description

You and your work make a difference in people’s lives every day – and that gives you pride and joy. But what happens when we lose that loving feeling?

In this interactive, high energy program, we’ll take a look at our beliefs on success, why burn out happens, and how you can enjoy your life, own your joy & absolutely love your success.

Rachel’s hilarious “truth bombs” on who and what causes us to burn out are matched with easy-to-use strategies and mindset shifts that will keep us feeling and being our best.

Rooted in the goal of keeping high performers and awesome professionals in our industry, attendees walk away with awareness about burnout, signs to watch for and how to save yourself from walking away from work you love that changes the world.

Learner Take-Aways:

• Know the main causes of stress, negativity and burnout for hospitality and event professionals.
• Be able to manage relationships, situations and themselves with more clarity, patience and love – with clients, teams, leaders and their personal life!
• Identify their personal ideas of success, define their values and buy in to small adjustments that create big results for their lives, goals and teams.

This is a Hybrid Session

Sponsored by:

Description

It is now April 2021. As an industry, we have been in a whirlwind of pivots and fast-paced learning for a full year now. We have some idea of what the ‘new normal’ is going to look like – at least for the next few years. Now that we are finally over the period of pure survival, we can start thinking strategically again.

Learner Take-Aways:

• Ways to collaborate now and in the future
• How to overcome fear of sharing & other barriers
• Where to find great collaborators
• The Do’s & Don’ts of partnerships

This is a Hybrid Session

Sponsored by:

Description

Shifting from in-person to virtual was our first challenge. Moving from a virtual meeting back to an in-person experience in conjunction with a virtual experience will prove even more challenging.  Join us for an interview to gain insight into the active planning process of two types of hybrid events, in two different states, for two different types of organization.

Have a question, ask away! The session is designed to be interactive.

Learner Take-Aways:

• The selection process of a hybrid meeting that will work for your organization and the platform that will best match your needs
• Structuring budgets, registration fees, and non-dues revenue
• Ensuring the safety and security of your onsite attendee
• Hotel expectations
• Conversations to have with your vendors/partners

This is a Hybrid Session

Description

It is an unprecedented time in the business travel & meetings industry and we must work together to overcome the issues at hand. Join us, as we sit in on an enlightening conversation with panelist with hotel contract experience to discover tips and tricks to contracting in & beyond these evolving times.

We will review what is happening in today’s environment, explore new ideas to elevate your contract to current times, as well as, learn about what other Meeting Planners are doing to minimize their risk with hotels for 2021 and beyond.

Learner Take-Aways:

• Understand our current marketplace and how it affects a planners’ strategy during negotiations.
• Review key contract clauses and how to defend them to benefit your organization’s bottom-line.
• Discuss variables that the hotels consider when reviewing your overall business value.
• Understand the need for and the math behind attrition.
• Improve strategies for blocking rooms in contracts.
• Work arounds for groups who cannot sign for or who must limit liability in contracts.

This is a Digital Session

Description

The “Tools of the Trade” have forever changed. Your laptops onboard hardware is likely not up to the game. In 2020 we learned that although our technology might be adequate for a simple conference call, live events would require us to upgrade our hardware. Brian Monahan, like many AV professionals started his AV career with Two Turntables and a Microphone, but today’s event professional may be better served with two webcams and a USB microphone. Join Brian on a tour of essential event technologies to up your game in 2021 and beyond. Brian will share tips and tricks, and recommendations for your event technology tool kit.

Learner Take-Aways:

• Learn the essential event technologies needed for meeting and event planning.
• 5 must have hardware upgrades for the savvy event professional.
• Learn how to use recommended hardware solutions with leading virtual event softwares and platforms.
• Learn when you should hire an outside professional

This is a Hybrid Session

Description

How do planners chose their virtual platform and production company providers? There needs to be a focus on key items when comparing companies, developing an extensive RFP for best results, and building a realistic budget for the tech side of a hybrid event. Using feedback from planners, this session will provide a summary of best practices on developing and managing a virtual event budget, developing RFPs for production and virtual event companies, and developing selection criteria to find the best fit for both an event’s needs and budget.

Learner Take-Aways:

• Determining the must haves vs like to haves in an event platform.
• Developing a technology budget for a virtual/hybrid event.
• Key items to include in an RFP for production and virtual event companies.
• Best practices in designing and managing the tech-side of a hybrid event

This is a Digital Session

Sponsored by:

Description

Congratulations on making it through 2020! Unfortunately, 2021 is going to bring a whole new set of challenges. New rules, new skills, and new ways of connecting the in-person and digital experience are the top areas of focus for anyone working in the event space. This session will give you direction on making safe, yet engaging, event that still attracts an audience, where you should focus your skills building, and what does omnichannel really mean anyway. You’ll leave with ideas, resources, and tools to help you think differently about event planning.

Learner Take-Aways:

• Engaging both the in-person and digital audience.
• Audience messaging and acquisition.
• Navigating the new safety requirements of in-person events.
• New skills to focus on.

This is a Digital Session

Description

Challenging preconceived gender norms, fears and doubts and turning your passion into a platform for all.  Louis Boria, aka Brooklyn Boy Knits, takes you on his ongoing journey to challenge gender stereotypes, overcome fears and doubts and follow his passions of creativity and helping others.

Louis wants everyone to be able to pursue their passions.  He uses his platform to break down gender norms, build community and tackle issues related to diversity and inclusion. Throughout his journey from novice knitter to designer to motivational speaker and influencer, he has focused on helping others.  After learning that he inspired a young boy to embrace his own passion for knitting, despite being bullied for it, Louis set out to share a message of acceptance. He believes that creativity can help heal wounds, both our own and society’s.

Learner Take-Aways:

• Increased awareness of gender norms, stereotypes and inherent bias.
• How to use your passion and purpose in life to build community and help others.
• Pursue your passion and become who you are meant to be.

This is a Hybrid Session

Description

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