MPI
Crafting your event experience
PAUL COOK , MEETING PROFESSIONALS INTERNATIONAL ( MPI ) CORRESPONDENT , FINDS A ROCK STAR MENTALITY CRAFTING EXPERIENCES IN KENTUCKY FOR EVENT PLANNERS
I n May 2024 , the MPI community gathered in Louisville , USA , for its World Education Congress
( WEC ).
Every year , MPI brings a new twist to its Congress ; after all , producing a meeting for meeting planners will always be demanding . This year , MPI used the theme of ‘ Craft your Experience ,’ providing valuable insights for planners to enable them to craft experiences for their clients .
In recent years , event professionals have had to acquire new skills and adapt to new technologies , making flexibility and creativity more important than ever . For some , the next challenge is integrating AI . Event professionals always need to be at the top of their game , as there is always something new around the corner .
Paul Van Deventer , president & CEO of MPI , acknowledged this in Louisville when he said : “ You ’ ve had to be more flexible and more creative than ever , and that ’ s where MPI comes in , playing a critical role supporting you by providing relevant professional development and sharing best practices .”
The stage was set for attendees to craft their experiences . What would they learn from the latest trends and educational content ?
How does a planner keep up with the constantly evolving F & B scene ? In a WEC preview featured in the May issue of MPI ’ s magazine , The Meeting Professional , senior meeting planner , Tanya Philyaw , says it ’ s all about relationships and ongoing education . “ I have several great contacts in F & B that I lean on for up-and-coming trends . I research , but I want the catering teams to focus on things they are great at while mixing in new ideas . Letting teams craft
Photo : RVRB
Left : WEC on stage in Kentucky an experience is where I like to start , instead of telling them what I want to see .”
WEC featured the experiences and talents of musicians , actors , and comedians to underline the point that constant exposure to potential rejection isn ’ t an insurmountable obstacle to significant accomplishments . Just as the show must go on , so must business events .
Neurocoach Heather Crider discussed the rock star brain . She said : “ I study the most successful rock star performers . They have mastered the art and ability to stay connected to their audience and remain engaged and connected with themselves .” She encouraged attendees to prioritise collaboration over competition . After all , as with rock stars , collaboration fuels innovation and creativity .
For collaboration to work people need to listen , a point made well by Princess Sarah Culberson , who grew up as an American orphan , later discovering she was an African princess . She connected her birth and chosen families returning to her father ’ s Sierra Leone homeland . While there , she listened to young girls , women , and those injured in the civil war talk about their challenges . She realised the leaders were all men . She told the WEC attendees : “ It ’ s critical to include different voices ; we create a culture of belonging by listening . One way of belonging is being heard .”
Meeting planners craft experiences every day . The highlighted lessons from WEC on collaboration , listening , and staying current with trends are essential for a successful event .
But the final word must go to keynote speaker Kyle Taylor Parker , who stepped into a role in ‘ Kinky Boots ’. He said playwright Harvey Fierstein told him : “ Leave what others have done ; what do you want to say ?”
Wise words . What do you want your experience to say ? All crafted experiences , large or small , make a difference . n
ISSUE 131 / CONFERENCE & MEETINGS WORLD / 19