This post is part of the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series where HopSkip spotlight's planners across the industry to bring awareness of how they adapted to COVID-19, communicating and lessons learned and sharing how they are viewing the meetings and events industry in a post-pandemic world.
Name: John Folks
Company Name: MYB
Job Title: President
Years of Experience: 25+
How were you able to adapt during COVID-19 when the meeting and events industry got disrupted?
The uncertainty caused many organizations to question what their annual meeting of the future looked like. We saw an opportunity to not only help them develop a refreshed vision, but also get alignment around that direction. With so many stakeholders involved in the Annual Meeting – various staff departments, boards, committees, exhibitors, etc. – there were as many opinions of what the annual meeting should look into the future. To get everyone on the same page, we designed a workshop to facilitate some visioning for the future, and to guide the development of a strategic plan for the organization’s annual meeting. Participants included a variety of voices from key stakeholder groups with the goal to collaboratively determine what their annual meeting could look like in 3-5 years, who it would serve, and what would make it a “must-attend” event. With a new roadmap in hand, this process has been a catalyst for an overdue refresh for many organizations. And, it’s amazing what can be achieved when everyone’s rowing in the same direction.
As a planner, what was the number one thing you learned over the past year?
Flexibility, nimbleness, and challenges can become great opportunities
This post is part of the HopSkip Planner Spotlight Series where HopSkip spotlight's planners across the industry to bring awareness of how they adapted to COVID-19, communicating and lessons learned and sharing how they are viewing the meetings and events industry in a post-pandemic world.
