What if most “attendee experience” strategies are missing the point?

In this episode, Muhammad Younas sits down with Tavar James to talk about what actually drives meaningful attendee experiences and why good intentions often lead to the wrong outcomes. They unpack the gap between what planners think matters and what attendees really value when budgets, time, and attention are tighter than ever.

Tavar shares how his attendee-first philosophy shows up in real decisions, from event size and programming to sponsorship models and location strategy. He explains why chasing scale can quietly erode community, and how focusing on quality changes the conversation with both attendees and sponsors.

They also get honest about the trade-offs planners face every day, like speed versus strategy, growth versus relevance, and innovation versus fundamentals. If you’re trying to build events that people actually want to come back to, this conversation will challenge how you think about experience.

Key Takeaways: 

• Attendee-first is not a slogan. It shows up in concrete decisions like event length, format, pricing, and accessibility.
  
• Start by defining why people attend your event, then design everything else around that reason, not around internal KPIs.
  
• Chasing bigger attendance numbers can weaken the community and reduce the quality of peer-to-peer conversations.
  
• Smaller, more focused events often deliver more value to sponsors because the audience is more relevant and senior.
  
• Sponsors perform better when they are part of the program through case studies, roundtables, and discussions, not just booths.
  
• Forced sponsor meetings damage trust. Give attendees a choice and let meaningful conversations happen naturally.
  
• Event growth should come organically from relevance and reputation, not aggressive scaling.
  
• AI works best as an ideation and efficiency tool, but human judgment still matters for strategy and execution.
  
• City and venue selection should be based on where your audience can realistically travel from, not what looks impressive.
  
• Memorable experiences are built around how attendees feel, not what they are given, which is where B2C thinking can elevate B2B events.
  
• Use celebrity speakers to close on a high note, not to carry the content.

How do you know what’s actually working when you’re running hundreds of events each year? 

For most event teams, the answer is unclear. They pull reports from multiple platforms, track KPIs in spreadsheets, and try to piece together insights that should be readily available. Oliver Pradelles at Airbus experienced this firsthand, managing 300 events annually across five countries with a 35-person team.

In this episode, Muhammad Younas sits down with Oliver to unpack how Airbus consolidated its entire event tech stack with vFairs under one initiative called Event Factory. They discuss the reality of platform consolidation, surviving the transition period, and turning scattered data into intelligence that actually drives decisions.

If you’re piecing together insights from multiple tools and flying blind on what’s working, this one’s for you.

Key Takeaways

• Operating at scale means consolidating your event tech stack. Airbus moved from scattered platforms to vFairs for end-to-end analytics.
• Data consistency matters more than intuition when making strategic decisions about where to invest in events.
• Short cutover periods are stressful but necessary. Airbus couldn’t afford to pay for two platforms simultaneously, so they mobilized fast.
• Support teams that understand what’s at stake with your events make all the difference. Technical answers alone don’t cut it at enterprise scale.
• The cost versus capability ratio matters when choosing platforms. A thorough RFP response and strong product roadmap can win enterprise deals.
• Post-Covid flexibility is valuable even if you don’t use it. Having virtual event capability as a safety net provides peace of mind.
• Moving from intuition-based decisions to analytics-driven strategy requires onboarding everyone on the same process end-to-end.
• Trust builds over time. As your vendor learns your processes and adapts to your needs, you can rely more on their teams and less on internal workarounds.

Are you choosing events based on guesswork instead of real insight?

In this episode, Muhammad Younas sits down with Ben Costantini to unpack how startups can make better decisions about exhibitions and get more value from every event they attend. 

Ben explains why event selection is often messy for founders and how a lack of transparency wastes time and budget. He also breaks down what early-stage teams should focus on before, during, and after a show to actually drive revenue.

If you’ve ever wondered how to stretch a small budget, avoid rookie mistakes, and walk away from events with real business impact, this conversation will help you rethink your event playbook.

Key Takeaways: 

• Use clear goals to decide whether an event is worth attending.
• Focus on pipeline generation instead of branding in early stages.
• Look for all-in-one booth packages to control costs as a first-time exhibitor.
• Use simple activities or swag to increase traffic at smaller booths.
• Track every lead in your CRM and follow up quickly after the event.
• Evaluate exhibition options based on booth location and visitor flow.
• Compare startup villages and group delegations to find better value.
• Review whether hosted buyer meetings match your stage and goals.
• Use AI tools internally to scale operations but verify outputs for accuracy.

Hiring is hard. Hiring for events? That’s a whole different game.

In this episode of the Epic Events Podcast, Muhammad Younas sits down with Mike Frost to decode what it really takes to hire right in the fast-paced world of events.

From spotting salespeople who actually deliver results to knowing what makes a true leader, they dig into the tough questions every event organizer faces. You’ll hear real, actionable strategies on how to identify top performers, streamline your recruitment process, and leverage AI to make hiring smarter and faster.

If you’ve ever felt the sting of a bad hire or the drag of a slow recruitment cycle, this episode’s your playbook to fix it.

Key Takeaways: 

• Sales talent is the hardest to find. Focus on hiring hunters who can confidently build new business, not just manage accounts.
  
• Grad programs work best for large teams. Smaller businesses often need experienced hires who can deliver impact right away.
  
• Be transparent about salary and growth. Competitive pay and a clear path forward attract stronger candidates.
  
• Treat senior-level hiring like a strategy, not a rush. Map the market, align your decision-makers, and build a strong shortlist.
  
• Use AI to save time, not replace people. Automate admin tasks, but keep the human touch for candidate interactions.
  
• Recruiters should understand the industry. Niche knowledge helps spot red flags and identify real talent faster.
  
• Onboarding matters more than experience. A structured ramp-up plan can turn outsiders into high performers.
  
• Fresh grads can stand out through networking. Reaching out directly and showing initiative goes a long way in events.
  
• Look for empathy and communication, not just confidence. The best candidates connect and adapt naturally to others.

Hiring great sales talent for events isn’t easy. How do you spot the right candidate when resumes all start to look the same?

In this episode, host Muhammad Younas chats with Jade Hollins, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Disrupt Talent, about what companies keep getting wrong when hiring for sales roles, and what to do differently. Jade shares exactly what top performers bring to the table, how to spot great talent even if they’re brand new, and why culture fit is more important than ever.

They also dig into real-world salary benchmarks, the must-have skills in today’s market, and how AI is (and isn’t) helping recruiters do their jobs better. If you’re hiring for events or thinking about your next sales hire, this episode will save you time and headaches.

Key Takeaways: 

• Look for salespeople who can hunt, not just nurture existing clients.
  
• Industry-specific experience is in demand, but personality and drive matter just as much.
  
• Fresh grads can succeed in sales roles if they have the right mindset and support.
  
• Culture fit is often the top reason someone joins, or leaves, a company.
  
• Hiring your first salesperson? Don’t expect them to do it all without structure and support.
  
• Great salespeople need clarity on where the sales process ends and project delivery begins.
  
• Compensation matters, but clear growth paths and values are just as important to candidates.
  
• Use AI to speed up screening, but human conversations still drive the best hires.
  
• Watch out for job-hopping red flags, but don’t judge without context.
  
• Set your sales team up with the tools and systems they need to succeed.

How do you turn a trade show into a community people keep coming back to?

In this episode of the Epic Events Podcast, host Muhammad Younas chats with Georgina Kay, the marketing manager behind International Confex. Gina shares how she singlehandedly runs the marketing for one of the UK’s biggest industry events and why connection, not just conversion, drives her strategy.

She walks through how she uses data to tailor content by audience segment, builds entire campaign calendars eight months in advance, and adjusts show elements like floor plans and theater names based on attendee feedback. 

You’ll also hear her candid thoughts on avoiding generic marketing, dealing with last-minute registrations, and how even with a small team, you can foster meaningful engagement year-round.

This is a practical, honest look at what it takes to grow not just event attendance but a true event community.

Key Takeaways: 

• Build your marketing calendar early to create space for deeper engagement.
  
• Segment content by audience type to drive higher open and conversion rates.
  
• Use attendee feedback to shape programming and floor plans, not just surveys for show.
  
• Swap generic email blasts for tailored, testable sequences that evolve over time.
  
• Keep your community in mind by meeting them where they spend their time, whether that’s on Instagram, LinkedIn, or in person.
  
• Use tools like AI GPTs and WhatsApp concierges to reduce friction and boost attendee experience.
  
• Partner with existing communities to amplify your reach and stay grounded in real audience needs.
  
• Focus on quality connections over surface metrics. Meeting facilitation and onsite value matter more than vanity numbers.
  
• Don’t treat registration as a one-time goal; engagement starts the moment someone visits your site.

Struggling to turn event data into clear decisions?

In this episode, Muhammad Younas sits down with Vinnu Deshetty, an Event ROI Coach, and explores how to get laser-focused on a goal-first approach to ROI. 

They unpack why “butts in seats” isn’t the finish line, how events influence results across many touchpoints, and the simple way to work backward from business goals to the exact metrics you need. 

You’ll also hear where AI can speed the boring parts like cleaning lists and summarizing open-ended feedback so you can spend more time deciding and less time wrestling spreadsheets. 

Expect a practical roadmap you can apply to your next event without adding more noise.

Key Takeaways: 

• Define ROI as long-term business impact, not just headcount or quick sales.
  
• Start with organizational goals, then work backward to the data and sources required.
  
• Place events inside your broader marketing journey and track multi-touch influence.
  
• Collect only the data that answers strategy questions; skip the rest.
  
• Use AI for data cleanup, feedback synthesis, and suggested schedules to save time.
  
• Personalize registration flows with known profiles and eligibility logic to reduce friction.
  
• Plan for late signups and adjust pricing, hotel blocks, and guarantees accordingly.
  
• Audit badges and QR codes to avoid exposing personal information.
  
• Treat swag as a tactic with purpose; measure if it sparks real conversations.
  
• Build simple dashboards tied to goals so stakeholders see progress at a glance.

Muhammad Younas sits down with Ben McCarthy, Founder of Premier Events, to unpack the practical ways event pros can keep up and stand out. From using TikTok to drive B2B leads to applying AI behind the scenes to cut hours of manual work, Ben shares the tools and tactics his team uses to stay lean, creative, and profitable.

You’ll also hear why AV decisions can make or break an event, how to keep clients coming back without long-term contracts, and why retaining talent gets easier when you hire specialists, not generalists.

It’s a crash course in modern event management, with none of the fluff.

Key Takeaways

• Use platforms like TikTok for real B2B visibility and lead generation
• Automate repetitive tasks using AI to save time and scale with a lean team
• Start with generalists, then hire specialists to grow more efficiently
• Don’t overlook virtual events; clients still value well-produced online experiences
• Treat every event as your last chance to impress; retention is key
• Track which content performs best organically before investing in paid ads
• Focus on relationship-driven sales over cold outreach for long-term growth
• Be on top of AV details to minimize the risk of failure during live events
• Work with local vendors for international activations to avoid costly logistics
• Invest early in experienced hires, even if it stretches your budget

Who says big events are the only way to make a splash?

In this episode, Muhammad Younas sits down with Laura Lilley, Senior Manager of Global Event Marketing at Hootsuite, to explore the unexpected power of smaller, more intimate events.

Laura spills the secret to hosting successful gatherings with just 50 to 100 people, like cozy breakfasts (yep, you read that right) and dinners that spark serious networking. She debunks the myth that bigger is always better, showing how targeting the right audience can turn a small event into a big win.

Key Takeaways: 

• Host small, intimate events (like breakfasts and dinners) to foster meaningful connections and drive better results than large-scale events.
  
• Keep the guest list selective. Focus on high-value prospects and customers to maximize ROI.
  
• For breakfasts, start early to ensure attendees are committed and engaged from the get-go.
  
• Use dinners as networking powerhouses, where customers often do the selling for you.
  
• Select unique venues that spark excitement and interest, such as trendy restaurants or hidden gems.
  
• Leverage AI tools to streamline event planning, track attendees, and personalize outreach.
  
• Integrate interactive elements, such as icebreakers or small group discussions, to maintain high energy and keep conversations flowing.
  
• Use data to measure success, not just by attendance, but by the quality of the interactions and business outcomes.
  
• Send personalized follow-ups to maintain engagement, whether it’s a LinkedIn connection or a simple “thank you” email.

Ever wondered how to run a massive event like HubSpot’s Inbound without it feeling overwhelming? 

Kat Tooley, VP of Global Events and Experiential Marketing at HubSpot, joins Muhammad Younas on this episode to share the behind-the-scenes magic of pulling off one of the most anticipated conferences in the business world. Kat breaks down everything from selecting the perfect location to curating content that engages attendees from start to finish.

You’ll learn how they keep things smooth and fun, even for 13,000 attendees. With insights into balancing content, networking, and experiential moments, Kat discusses what it takes to deliver both impactful learning and unforgettable experiences.

Key Takeaways: 

• Plan events at least 18 months ahead to ensure smooth execution, especially for large conferences like Inbound.
  
• Curate content with diversity in mind, offering sessions that cater to a range of interests and expertise.
  
• Simplify event navigation with clear agendas and topic tags to help attendees find the right sessions.
  
• Choose cities and venues that have strong business ties, accessible airports, and ample hotel options.
• Aim for September or October to host events for optimal timing, avoiding quarter-end and aligning with industry priorities.
  
• Blend valuable content with networking opportunities, balancing learning with the chance to connect with peers.
  
• Leverage celebrity speakers to boost initial ticket sales, but focus on content relevance for long-term attendee engagement.
  
• Be strategic about speaker selection. You want a mix of industry leaders and content that adds value for attendees.
  
• Use AI for event personalization, from pre-filling registration forms to tailoring session recommendations.
  
• Invest in surprise and delight moments that create memorable experiences for attendees, enhancing engagement and loyalty.