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Conference Program

Conference Programme

The Innovation Imperative

Events are hot again attracting interest from a variety of stakeholders from younger professionals to investors. However, this is also attracting interest from new entrants to the industry and, is leading to some to question “are we experiencing a peak events bubble?”  

At the same time, attendees and exhibitors are demanding greater ROI and Return on their Time (ROTI), more interesting experiences, better use of technology, the emergence of GAI as a threat and an opportunity, curated meetings, networking and more. The SISO CEO Summit will explore all of these issues focusing on real takeaways for event company leaders to embrace the disruption and grow their business. 

From innovation in technology, the event model, festivals, M&A and customer expectations the content will challenge the industry to embrace the innovation imperative. 

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31 Mar 2025
    • Small Business

    The SISO Small Business Roundtable is a “share-a-thon” where owners of smaller, for-profit event companies share best practices, discuss emerging industry challenges, and address problems specific to small businesses.

    It is an open platform for honest, frank discussion, built on the idea that the rising tide lifts all boats.
    For many small business owners, the SBR is like meeting with an informal board of advisors, and participation in it often launches relationships or builds networks that members turn to repeatedly, throughout the year.

    While the program will include a discussion of specific, individual problems and needs, we will also focus on several broad topics, including:

    • Benchmarking: Hear from your peers and colleagues about how they allocate resources and how their events perform as a result of those decisions.
    • Growth-hacking:  How inexpensive, off-the-shelf tech tools can improve workflow automations, lead generation, and profitability, as well as AI solutions in sales, marketing, and operations.
    • Revenue Innovation: A structured look at steps to unlock opportunities to grow revenue that may be buried in current events.


    And an Ask Us ‘ANYthing’ session to address your most pressing problem!

    See you there. It will not be the same without you. Literally.

    Lunch Included.


    - Only for Attendees already registered for the CEO Summit
    - Participants are from member companies with less than $10m in revenue
     

    • Women's Leadership
    Hill Country Pavilion

    Networking Lunch exclusively for registrants to the Small Business Roundtable and the Executive Women's Forum, plus the SISO Board.

    • Women's Leadership
    Brazos Ballroom Foyer
    • Women's Leadership
    Brazos Ballroom Foyer
    In today's dynamic leadership landscape, success hinges on more than technical expertise and industry knowledge—it demands a mastery of emotional intelligence (EI). Join Sylvia Baffour at the SISO CEO ...
    • Women's Leadership
    Brazos Ballroom Foyer

    Three industry leaders – Clarion’s Lisa Hannant, Informa’s Nancy Walsh and Access Intelligence’s Heather Farley – will take the stage to discuss their own leadership journeys, how they lead with Emotional Intelligence and how they work to bring others ‘up’ in their organizations.

    • Women's Leadership
    Brazos Ballroom Foyer
    • Women's Leadership
    Brazos Ballroom Foyer

    One of the most challenging steps in any acquisition process is after the deal closes, bringing in an entirely new company to an existing structure and culture. It takes a high level of Emotional Intelligence to lead an integration, especially when it involves ensuring the people feel like they truly are being taken care of in their new home. Closerstill’s Yancy Weinrich will lead this session and talk with others who have led this important experience.

    • Women's Leadership
    Brazos Ballroom
    Liaising with entrepreneurs and walking them through an acquisition journey takes a certain level of Emotional Intelligence to truly consummate a deal that’s considered a success for all sides. We’ll hear from industry professionals about what personal skills they have found to be most successful that have helped them in the M&A dealmaking world.
  1. For All Sponsors, First-Time Attendees, and their "Buddies"
  2.  

    Sponsored by
    decor:

    expo COnvention Contracto
     

     

01 Apr 2025
  1. Hill Country Pavilion

    Sponsored by
    Visit Austin

  2. Brazos Ballroom
  3. Brazos Ballroom
  4. Brazos Ballroom Foyer

    sponsored by:

  5. Brazos Ballroom
    The former President of Bell Labs and current strategic advisor to the Informa board will present his views on the opportunities and threats of GAI for the event industry and why we need to take this technology seriously. 
  6. Brazos Ballroom
    Fireside chat on presentation.
  7. Hill Country Pavilion

    Annual Report to the Members and the presentation of the Krakoff Award.

    Sponsored by
    Freeman

     

     

  8. Brazos Ballroom
    An in-depth interview with the founder of Easyfairs exploring what he saw in the early days of the business, how he views the events sector and how he built such a successful business from scratch. 
  9. Brazos Ballroom
    As the industry seeks opportunities for continued growth, two leaders discuss how they are investing in new operating models to unlock explosive growth. 
  10. Brazos Ballroom
    This session will explore how mature products and/or mature markets are ripe for disruption with a new approach.
  11. Brazos Ballroom Foyer

     

     

     

  12. Brazos Ballroom
    Exploring the difficulties of launching and innovating in today’s world and how to navigate that.
  13. Brazos Ballroom
    Learn how two entrepreneurs navigated the hurdles and launched successful events and companies in a tough environment.
  14. Brazos Ballroom
  15. sponsored by
    Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

02 Apr 2025
  1. Hill Country Pavilion
  2. Brazos Ballroom
    As event attendees seek out experiences that blend their professional and personal lives, we hear from the leader of one of the most successful event festivals in the USA in a fireside chat.
  3. Brazos Ballroom
    Hear from the people who invest in sponsorships and booths – what do they really want from an event? What does success look like and what makes them want to come back next year? 
  4. Brazos Ballroom
    As demographic shifts result in younger and more diverse attendees to BtoB events, what do these new attendees look for to decide to attend and what does a great event feel like to them? 
  5. Brazos Ballroom Foyer
     
  6. Brazos Ballroom

    The key to unlocking innovation within an organization lies not in external resources but in the power of its people. By fostering a sense of belonging, organizations create a fertile ground for leadership development, risk-taking, and collaboration—the essential ingredients for innovation.  

    Talking points 

    • The Power of Belonging: Highlight the compelling business case for belonging, emphasizing increased employee recommendation, team performance, and consumer willingness to pay for values-aligned brands. Connect this to the virtuous cycle of business events. 

    • Belonging and Innovation: Connect the dots between a strong sense of belonging and a thriving culture of innovation, emphasizing psychological safety, diverse perspectives, and risk-taking. Emphasize a contrast with the traditional outside-in approach 

    • The Belonging Blueprint: Introduce the Wheel of Belonging framework as a tool for understanding and intentionally designing for belonging within organizations and events. Point to the Belonging DNA™ reporting that we produce.  

    • Story Sharing and Data-Driven Action: Showcase how story sharing and data collection can reveal actionable insights for fostering belonging and driving employee engagement and retention. Emphasize the role of qualitative data and the need for frameworks that uncover preferences, values, and belonging pathways. 

    • The Future of Events and Belonging: Position events as a crucial component of the broader employee experience and a powerful platform for fostering belonging and connection in the post-pandemic workplace. 

    • Key Takeaway: Belonging is a competitive advantage. Underscore that prioritizing belonging is not simply a feel-good initiative but a strategic imperative for attracting, retaining, and empowering top talent in today's experience economy. 

  7. Brazos Ballroom
    Learn from some of the most active M&A leaders in the industry and how they plan and target to make 1+1=3 or more. 

     

  8. Brazos Ballroom

     

     

  9. Brazos Ballroom
  10. Hill Country Pavilion
    Lunch for those not playing golf.
  11. Fazio Foothills Golf Course

    The SISO Golf Tournament will be held at Fazio Foothills Golf Course. Transportation will be provided from the hotel to the course, which is a short drive away. Golfers will get boxed lunches at the golf club near the carts. Collared shirts are required. 

     

     

  12. Upper Pool Deck / Cabanas

    Networking poolside.

  13. Tennis Complex
  14. Tennis Complex
03 Apr 2025
  1. Blind Salamander Restaurant
    Breakfast Buffet and To-Go Boxes