Expo Technologies’ Post

🎄 The holidays are just around the corner! Looking for a thoughtful way to celebrate the event professionals in your life? Check out these 5 gift ideas to show your appreciation! Pssst... Check the comments for a complete list of 50+ gift ideas! 🎁 #HolidayGifts #EventProfs #GiftIdeas #ShowAppreciation #EventPlanning

Jenny Zhang and I recently put together a list of 50+ great gift ideas for event planners - just in time for the holidays! 🎄🎁. I'll post the blog link in the comments if anyone wants to browse it! #eventplanner #eventplanning #weddingplanner

It’s a sunny Friday on the very cusp of summer, and in many ways, I shouldn’t have a care in the world. Though it’s only mid-year, much of the selling phase at WagsWorks is complete: we’re locked and loaded, and now we get to do the fun part and start attending shows and spending time with longtime partners and friends. This in many ways is the reward. Still a lot of work to do on Pickathon, CHOMP!, Cheese & Meat Festivals and a host of other entities we represent, and we need to be sure to seed things for 2025, but the heaviest lifting is for the most part behind us. That said, despite all of my constant crowing, in this economy and in an election year, it hasn’t been easy out here, and we’ve had more than our fair share of fool’s errands to keep us chasing our own tails. I’d imagine the same is true for many of you. Alas, here we are on the eve of the first Edgefield Concerts on the Lawn show (Daryl Hall and Elvis Costello!), I find myself wondering aloud about ghosting and why people do it. When it comes to a random inquiry from someone offering to sell me white-label SEO services, sure, I’m guilty – I don’t know you and I don’t need you. However, when I’ve had meetings and substantive dialogue with a prospective sponsor and they suddenly go dark, I do have to wonder why. In theory, we’re bringing an organization an opportunity. We do this in a professional way and are far from pushy (maybe a few of you disagree). If we do present a tad overzealous, it’s because we had good reason to believe the discussion had traction. One sure way to let us know it doesn’t? Tell us. We understand that organizations go through changes, budgets get slashed, and things just aren’t the right fit, after all, but where I come from, clarity is kindness. As a professional courtesy, it’s what I expect, and what I extend to others without fail. If you ghosted us, we forgive you, but you’re sure to get a lot less communication from us if you just let us down easy. We can take it, promise.

Brrr, the winds of winter are starting to blow! 😶🌫️ Thanksgiving dinner is just around the corner, and then Christmas with its colorful lights, jingle bells, and gifts. But we don’t have to wait for a day or a month to celebrate. Why, you ask? We have another cause for celebration. 🥳 This year, Flowlu won multiple awards from prestigious Gartner Digital Markets brands – Capterra, Software Advice, and GetApp! The badges are not just pretty pictures to post on our socials, they’re reminders of the hard work that has been done and the work still ahead. Every module, feature, and update we release has a single purpose - to empower our users to achieve more. The feedback from our clients generates the determination to continuously improve our product and to deliver meaningful experiences. To quote one user: “Flowlu is making our service delivery work very efficient. It has allowed us to do away with the many products we were using to run our operations by giving us an all-inclusive platform.” Your words of support and encouragement keep our spirits high and our minds focused. There’s nothing more important for us, than knowing that we help you get the job done. Thank you for being with us. ☺️ Check out the full story here: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/egrvjXK9

Did I mention I'd stopped drinking 18 months ago 🤣🤣🤣 It changed my life (eyes roll 🙄), and it certainly changed how I show up to events. But this post isn't about me quitting the booze. It's about the basic lack of consideration for inclusion and accessibility at events...it's just so lazy. I've lost count of how many I've been to in 2023/2024. Only a handful of them made any effort to do better, and only 1 or 2 bothered to ask about accommodations or adjustments before the event. One I attended a few weeks ago offered free champagne, wine, and beer, but I had to pay for a slimline tonic 🤦🏻♀️ it was a ticketed event! Another had me sitting through talk after talk when only men were quoted or used as case studies. Literally, every speaker showed images of men in their slide decks, even the women, boring! And don't get me started on the sound, noise, lighting, seating positions and impossible-to-read presentations. So much of this stuff is basic. Yes, you can go big, as my handy guide below illustrates, but you can also weave the absolute basics into your events as standard. Why wouldn't you want everyone who's made the effort to attend and often paid money for the ticket to enjoy your event and have equal access to the goodies on offer 🤷🏻♀️ And stop charging me for tonic water! Anything you'd add? #NotOnTheGuestList

🎉 Exciting #2025 Announcement! 🎉 #itscoming2025 Who would have thought I’d one day write my own memoir about little Steven’s life? Yet here we are. I’m thrilled to share that my book “Drip by Drip, Day by Day – A Pain to Purpose Story” is set to be released in May/June 2025! To make this milestone even more special, we’re planning a celebration book signing event in July 2025 to coincide with my 40th birthday (yes, the big 4-0!). 🌟 The Vision This will be a day to honour the theme of pain to purpose, bringing together an incredible community to celebrate resilience, hope, and transformation. We’re envisioning a book signing/seminar-style event with inspiring speakers and opportunities for sponsors to shine, and young people showcasing their talents. 🎶 The Evening We’ll light up the night with a celebration filled with Caribbean food, music, and a vibrant atmosphere. I’m even hoping my foster mum Eunice will step in as the culinary superstar of the night (cooking for a few hundred? Piece of cake, right? 😅). 📍 The Location We’re aiming for a venue in my hometown, Birmingham. Aston Villa Football Club would be a dream, but we’re exploring other options too that fit the budget. 💡 How You Can Get Involved We’re currently looking for sponsors to help make this event truly special. If you’d like to contribute or be part of the day, we’d love to hear from you. We’re also taking early expressions of interest for tickets—reach out to Amelia Gerard at amelia@elementssupport.com to reserve your spot on the priority list! This will be a day of reflection, connection, and celebration—a true testament to turning pain into purpose. Don’t miss your chance to be part of something extraordinary. Here’s to making this event an unforgettable experience! 💜 info@elementssupport.com #DripByDrip #PainToPurpose #StevenRussellMemoir #BookLaunch #CelebrationEvent #Resilience #Hope #Transformation #CommunityMatters #BirminghamEvents #CaribbeanFood #Speakers #TalentShowcase #Inspiration #FromPainToPurpose #40thBirthdayCelebration #WellbeingJourney #SupportAndSponsorship #StevenRussell

Apparently breakfast is kind of a big deal. Here's what I mean: last month's RSP popup breakfast experience got a cool 6500+ eyeballs ... that's A LOT! So we're doing it again. As a refresher, here's how it goes, along with the why to join us: > BYOB > Arrive at location at time of opening - sharp! > Get partnered up with 3 - 4 peeps you've not yet met > Intro, engage, give & get - that's right, all over BREAKFAST Expanding your circle and your brand matters more than ever before. Why not do it with the bold, amazing and unapologetic? I mean seriously, 'why not?' Then, get on your merry way already! Your day won't start more positive than this, won't feel more real than this, won't soon be forgotten either. > This month's breakfast host is the amazing Elli Rader. Follow, like, connect with Elli right here: https://lnkd.in/gXWa_rQf Get your name on the list here: https://lnkd.in/gGQmteZ3 The dream? Takeover an entire restaurant . . . with ALL women (and / or allies are welcome too!) at the crack of down. Network your A$$ off and have a kicka$$ time doing it. Too early for all that? Well then, maybe rethink your energy levels or let us inject you with ours! We're more than good with that. #Popup #BreakfastMeetup #EarlyBird #RSP

One of the best parts about the incentive industry is seeing the excitement when attendees walk into the room and realize they're receiving a gift. While we LOVE onsite gifting events, we do of course have other ways to acknowledge your employees or clients. How can Trailblazer Events help YOU?

🌲 Day #18: How we're recognising and rewarding our team this festive season.   As a remote business, we practice what we preach. Using our own Rippl platform 'Riptide', our team can stay connected, boost their wellbeing and be in with the chance to win some extra rewards during December through: 🏆 The 2024 Crackers Awards: From the 'Rudolfs' who lead our team with care and inspiration, to the 'Elves' who are committed to delivering great results and the 'Jack in the Boxes' who inspire creativity and innovation, our festive awards campaign offers 5 categories for our team to nominate their chosen winners and share a personalised recognition with each submission. 📸 12 Days of Christmas Competition: With every day comes a new challenge and prize wallet points for winners who share the best photo entry - from the best Christmas tree to the worst festive jumper. 🎰 Festive Spin to Win: Our brand-new platform feature adds some festive sparkle by providing every person in our team with one spin per day to find out if they're the lucky winner of the daily prize - from a coffee voucher, to an additional day of holiday, to a gifted box of chocolates.   ✨ What's been your highlight of festive celebrations in your workplace? Tell us more in the comments below! #RewardStrategy #FestiveRewards #EmployeeRewards #EmployeeRecognition #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeEngagement #PeopleStrategy

Get ready for fall and winter gifting with these Festive Finds! Exciting products + the holidays + your brand = a powerful way to connect with your audience, boost your brand's presence, and drive business growth! Need ideas? Check out our gift guide. Reach out to me to make your holiday gifting seamless and memorable! You can email me at laura.moore@proforma.com #HolidayGifts #CustomerLoyalty #EmployeeAppreciation #CorporateGifting