For over a decade, the industry has been content to be "in-person first", despite having bullet-proof solutions for live streaming and remote audience engagement. Then COVID-19 happened, and we were forced to take our events completely online, all at once. And what did we see? Increased attendee counts more diverse and worldwide engagement, hundreds of new streaming providers, and for some even a bump in membership and revenue. There is no question in-person events will always have a future, but now that both planners and attendees have had a taste of the power of online events, how can we move forward? The future is hybrid. Learn how modern events will incorporate two distinct audiences, online and in-person, and how to build unique, engaging experiences for both.

The planning for WEC 2020 was in the home stretch until COVID-19 derailed everything. When MPI’s leadership made the decision to postpone WEC to November, the WEC planning group had to throw out years of traditional event planning best practices and not only start from scratch but transition a highly interactive live event into a hybrid conference. Kevin Iwamoto, GLP, GTP and Melinda L. Burdette, CMP, CMM, HMCC, Director, Events for MPI discuss what happened and how MPI pivoted to re-create WEC 2020 in a pandemic world.

Event Food & Beverage in the New Environment – There are so many things to think of when planning meetings with the health and safety of your participants in mind. This session will help you identify ways to modify catering for your meetings to prevent exposure.

Meeting and event planning are a constant negotiation. There are simple negotiations like price, terms, and concessions that define a predetermined outcome. However, to recover and compete in the fast lane in today’s hectic global world, the scope and significance of negotiations involve intense, high-stakes interactions revolving around a series of complex daily issues. When facing these more sophisticated situations, negotiators need highly developed methods, strategies, and formulas that are often the difference between getting what you want and settling for what the other side will give you. BUCKLE YOUR SEAT BELT! This fast pace program is designed to reunite with those who expect to analyze and participate due to the extreme new challenging business negotiations. Immediately experience and engage with your peers to effectively execute today’s negotiations that create winning authentic partnerships when dealing with your customers, vendors, co-workers, the boss, family, friends, or even the Starbucks coffee server. Up for the challenge?

Your business model is broken...just like everyone else. Let's spend an hour to prepare yourself for the next years, to identify future challenges, and to get you clarity on the actions you are going to take in the short term.

Let's be honest, this year has been tough. Feeling lost or even paralyzed is completely normal, but it’s important to recognize that there is a unique opportunity to have the most tremendous professional and personal comeback you could have ever imagined. As "business as usual" has been tossed out the window, we're forced to engage, think, and lead differently. Learn how transforming pain into purpose, increasing empathy, and leveling up your servant leadership skills leads to more authentic connections, revolutionizes your brand, and creates a long-lasting, impactful legacy. Great things never come from your comfort zone. Are you ready? Let's do this.

The global pandemic has hit the meetings industry harder than other sectors, especially since the whole purpose of our work is to bring people together. With so many companies furloughing or laying off staff, or closing altogether, this makes for a difficult job search for professionals in our field. Certified resume writer and long-time MPI member Dawn Rasmussen will lead this session that will educate you on current job search trends, technologies used in the applicant screening processes, and how to write an effective resume. Be prepared for an action-packed session that will give you lots of "meaty" takeaways, not to mention a lot of things to reflect upon.

Enjoy a variety of music and interaction with DJ AmRo as we close out this day at WEC!

The business case for inclusion continues to grow, as evidenced through research from the likes of Boston Consulting Group, Harvard Business Review, Catalyst, and the NeuroLeadership Institute. Translating that research into actionable tactics is where the difficulty lies. Join Melissa Majors, CEO of Melissa Majors Consulting for a blame-free examination of why one should care, and how to become a more inclusive leader. This discussion is for all leaders; leaders of self, people, initiatives, and business.

As the saying goes, no one likes change except waitresses and babies in dirty diapers. But this new virtual world requires change, and we must learn to use it to our advantage. Innovation, fresh ideas, and new tools are needed to blend the best of our previous meetings with novel new tactics into a unique event model. We’ll share a couple of our favorite “Think Different” experiences - including The BLENDER (it is almost happy hour after all) to give you practical tools to design and create original and engaging experiences to ensure yours is the can’t-miss meeting to attend. Of course – be prepared to play!