About a year ago I really felt like I was at a crossroads in my career. I was unsure whether I wanted to go all-in where I am or whether I wanted to make the leap and do something different. I’m so grateful I had people around me who encouraged me and basically said, “You’ve been talking about this for years. When are you going to finally do it?”

The time to prepare for millennials has passed. But if your organization hasn't changed its structure to accommodate the changing workforce already, you can still make adjustments now to prevent becoming irrelevant to my generation.

I come from a family of nerds, so I am constantly surrounded by conversations about new tech gadgets and the latest apps. A lot of it ends up sounding like noise after a while, but there are some bits I’ve implemented into my life that have made a huge difference in how I function on a daily basis.

I’m certain there are plenty of industries that are stuffy and boring and completely un-fun, but that is not what I found with associations.

I still haven’t figured out how to see my work through the lens of others and be able to see it for what it is rather than only seeing the imperfections. What I am learning to do is be more comfortable with the imperfections.

Last year I picked up archery as a hobby. What I learned helped me with a lot more than just shooting arrows at a target.

Have you ever set a goal, perhaps a New Year’s resolution, and been disappointed to realize later that you didn’t meet it? Of course, we all have. (Anyone who says they haven’t is either lying, or they just don’t set goals.) In fact, 40 percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, but only 8 percent actually meet them. Yikes. Set yourself up for success in 2018 by following these guidelines to create and keep fantastic goals.

Regardless of your role in the event world, you know the industry is defined by the relationships you create and nurture. If you have a goal that would benefit from (or even necessitates) a partnership there are many facets to consider.

Today we're launching an update to the navigation manager for our mobile app platform.  It's full of features but built with a focus on quick adoption and easy-to-use tools.

You've heard the age old adage of “hope for the best and plan for the worst.” But are you truly prepared for "the worst” to occur at your event? Many of us consider “the worst” to be the AV going down during a presentation or other procedural hiccups - not enough refreshments, running out of programs, etcetera. But what about true, life and death emergency scenarios - severe weather, heart attacks, allergic reactions, fire?

Today we're launching a new feature called the "Profile Completeness Check" that allows show managers to see at a glance which exhibitors have incomplete profiles and then simplify the process of collecting that information.  This gives show managers a simple way to request missing pieces from all exhibitors at once, or fill in the missing pieces themselves, quickly.

Event services professionals is an umbrella under which many jobs can fall, and one individual can wear a variety of hats on any given day. Communication and partnership are often the keys you need to find success. Make your job easier and events run smoother by fostering relationships with these four critical groups.

If you are an event director or promoter, you’ve got to stay on top of current trends to make sure you’re planning smarter, operating efficiently, and developing new revenue sources. Here are 6 trends you should be aware of and consider incorporating into your event(s).

There is no denying that websites are essential or that associations are unique models. Your websites are used to gain and keep members, plan events, educate, advertise, and serve as outreach. What elements are required to maintain a successful website for associations? We’ve addressed the 10 elements we think are most impactful.

Almost every event has volunteers of some kind, but how do you make the most of them when you’ve got hundreds of volunteers and 60,000+ attendees? Sam Cook tells us what he’s learned from working on the “front lines” of such a large event.

Conferences and workshops are typically packed full of content. But now that the internet is a universally available and accepted tool, most content information can be acquired in a few moments without leaving your desk. It's time for conferences to shift the focus from the content to the experience!

It's not 1995, or even 2005 - your event exhibit hall shouldn't feel like it does! Picture a typical exhibit hall: endless rows of vendors, each with a table, two chairs, and some kind of backdrop. It’s a bit daunting. And a bit boring.

Social media is an undeniable need for any business or organization today, but it can become a tricky asset to manage. What content is most important to share? How do you continue to gain and retain followers? How much is too much when it comes to talking about your own organization or product?

There are so many professional conferences and events to choose from today that the best way to attract participants is to make sure that you are providing them the “best bang for their buck.” How? Allow your event to provide real value by focusing on problem solving core concepts versus a list of life/career hacks.

When I started with Map Dynamics a little over a year ago, I hadn't been to a single trade show. Now that I've got a few under my belt, I'm starting to lose my newbie status, but before I do, I wanted to take some time to share my thoughts on attending shows with little to no previous experience.